Great things
happening at CMU
By Michael Rao, CMU president
CMU is making great strides as one of Michigan’s fastest rising universities, thanks to the outstanding efforts of faculty, staff, and students and the ongoing generosity of loyal supporters.
The CMU Promise
Michigan’s first and only guaranteed tuition plan continues to be overwhelmingly popular with students and their parents. Under this innovative program, CMU does not increase tuition; it sets it for the incoming class. While the average Michigan public university tuition increases six to seven percent per year, CMU students have a zero percent increase once they start with us. This means that the cost of a five-year undergraduate education at CMU is well below the average of Michigan’s public universities. It is anticipated that The CMU Promise, which begins its third year next fall, will continue to result in improved retention and more timely graduation for all students.
Record enrollment
Because of the popularity of CMU programs, The CMU Promise, and the faculty’s and staff’s commitment to excellence in meeting the academic needs of students, CMU continues to be a top choice in Michigan. This fall, CMU received a record 16,500 applications for undergraduate admission. Total enrollment exceeds 27,000 students, with 20,025 students on campus – the most in CMU’s history. International enrollment climbed this year for the first time since the September 11 attacks, growing more than 19 percent, while the number of students has increased 28 percent in the last five years. In addition, 65,000 alumni of CMU’s off-campus programs serve as a testament to our quality curricula for working professionals.
CMU 2010
The university’s strategic vision plan continues to act as the guiding force behind CMU’s bold initiatives. By raising the university’s standards to levels of national excellence in the areas of academics, research, community service, diversity and global understanding, and integrity, CMU is increasing its national prominence while making a positive impact on many communities in Michigan.
In the spirit of CMU 2010, students’ learning experiences reach beyond the classroom. Professors at CMU encourage students at all levels to engage in active research, creative work, and to gain experience in a wide range of environments.
Student/faculty research
CMU recently was named the tenth most productive research university of its size in the nation. At CMU, students and professors work together to improve the quality of life for future generations. With opportunities like studying at the Beaver Island Biological Station on the Great Lakes, using one of the country’s only 3-D body scanners in the Department of Apparel Merchandising and Design, and working with patients at the new Fall and Balance Center on campus, CMU students are preparing for real-world success.
Community outreach
The most recent National Survey of Student Engagement (2005) found that 62 percent of CMU seniors have volunteered as a student, which exceeds the national average. Because CMU knows that service is an important part of the learning experience, we make it easy for students to get involved.
Each year, more than 4,000 students participate in community outreach projects and events through the CMU Volunteer Center. The center partners with several hundred nonprofit agencies to develop approximately 800 local volunteer opportunities for students each year, as well as Alternative Breaks programs that send students around the world.
CMU recently was one of only nine universities nationwide – and the only university in Michigan – to receive the Katrina Compassion Award for Excellence in Hurricane Relief Service.
State funding
The great things happening at CMU can only continue with the support of the state of Michigan. When Governor Granholm signed the Michigan Promise legislation, she referenced states with the largest numbers of college graduates as having the lowest unemployment rates and the fastest-growing economies. CMU knows that a college education means greater earning power, a significantly higher quality of life, and the ability to reinvest in the future of Michigan.
Equitable state funding is needed to continue forward momentum. CMU supports equal per-student funding for Michigan’s 15 public universities to make higher education accessible and affordable for all qualified and motivated students. CMU – the fourth largest university in the state with the fourth highest graduation rate – will receive the fourth lowest appropriation per student for the 2006-07 fiscal year.
Because such funding inequalities could present serious funding and academic quality issues for CMU, I ask you to kindly contact state legislators to voice your support for equitable state funding for the 15 public universities on a per-student basis and to keep all 15 institutions in the same budget.
Keep in touch
As always, my office staff and I welcome open communication with CMU’s many friends and alumni. I invite you to contact me at presmail@cmich.edu with questions or suggestions. On behalf of the entire Central Michigan University community, thank you for your support.
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 Michael Rao
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