Michigan Association of State Universities

09/03/2026

Michigan Technological University is reinforcing its standing as a premier research institution, with three proposals involving its researchers recently selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for its Genesis Mission.

The Genesis Mission is a historic national initiative led by the DOE that brings together researchers, government leaders, lawmakers and private-sector partners around a shared goal: using next-generation technology to solve some of the nation's toughest scientific problems. Rather than tackling one issue, the initiative spans 26 distinct challenges, drawing on tools like artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and quantum systems to push discovery forward faster than traditional methods allow.

While the mission is still in its early phase, Michigan Tech's Raymond Shaw, professor of physics, is leading one of the selected proposals. His project will use AI to analyze data collected from the steady state of a convection cloud chamber, with the goal of advancing next-generation cloud microphysics models. The work highlights how AI can accelerate laboratory research, allowing scientists to focus on the science itself rather than the operational details behind it.

Platforms like the Genesis Mission set a precedent for what's possible when ambitious institutions get a seat at the table. The tools shaping tomorrow's biggest scientific breakthroughs are within reach, and these opportunities shape the future of modern scientific discovery.

Learn more at: https://bit.ly/4fW1x6p

09/03/2026

Email from Michigan Association of State Universities How Michigan's public universities are changing the world and their communities September 2, 2026 Michigan's 15 public universities are pleased to

09/02/2026

Grand Valley State University hosted the first overnight Rapid Education Prototyping for Change, Learners, Community, Equity (REP4) summit, bringing together high school students from across Michigan to identify and pitch solutions to barriers students face when entering college.

REP4 is a national education alliance founded by nine universities, including GVSU, that gives high school students a direct voice in shaping the transition from high school to college. This year's overnight format let students experience GVSU's living facilities and activity centers, and gave them space to connect with current college students.

Through collaborative exercises, mentorship from current GVSU students and solution-based pitches, participants got a firsthand look at the realities of college life, along with a platform to advocate for what college students and what future enrollees need in order to succeed.

Giving high school students the opportunity to observe and challenge the reality of the college experience creates space for them to help shape a future built for their success.

Learn more at: https://bit.ly/4yhdZVI

08/27/2026

Ferris State University has received state funding to plan a renovation and expansion of its College of Health Professions building.

The funding supports early-stage work, including preconstruction, engineering and design, for a project that would bring the 1979 facility up to modern standards. Plans call for a 20,000-square-foot expansion alongside a 67,000-square-foot renovation.

This expansion would meet the growing demand for health professionals, address Michigan's statewide health care worker shortage and support a range of specialized programs.

Infrastructure upgrades are more than a fresh look. This renovation would support modern medical practices and welcome valuable technology, investing in the future of health care in Michigan.

Learn more at: https://bit.ly/45KSfW7

08/26/2026

Eastern Michigan University launched its Factory of the Future program in 2023. Three years later, it is having a measurable impact on EMU engineering students by giving them the opportunity to develop hands-on skills using tools such as 3D computer vision, AI-driven manufacturing diagnostics and robotic programming.

The program was developed by EMU's GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology in partnership with Coherix, an Ann Arbor-based precision manufacturing company, whose adhesive-dispensing technology guides the program's focus. Today, approximately 80% of EMU's senior mechanical engineering students interact with this program.

EMU and Coherix plan to expand the program by developing a certification track available not only to students but to working professionals and engineers, extending EMU's impact on the region's technology workforce pipeline.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/435USjP

08/19/2026

Nearly 90% of Michigan counties face a shortage of health care professionals. Central Michigan University is working to close that gap with a new medical education facility taking shape in Saginaw.

The MyMichigan Health CMU Medical Education Building will bring nearly 90,000 square feet of purpose-built space to the Great Lakes Bay Region. Flexible classrooms, high-fidelity simulation rooms and dedicated anatomy teaching spaces have been intentionally designed to prepare medical students for effective practice in any setting, especially rural and underserved communities.

CMU's commitment to that mission is already showing results. According to the 2026 U.S. News & World Report, CMU ranks 9th in the nation for placing medical graduates in underserved communities and 13th for placing graduates in rural communities.

Preparing tomorrow's physicians is the first step toward better health care access across Michigan. The new building is set to welcome its first class of medical students in fall 2028.

Learn more at: https://bit.ly/4xVFKmJ

Covenant HealthCare College of Medicine at Central Michigan University

08/12/2026

Email from Michigan Association of State Universities How Michigan's public universities are changing the world and their communities August 11, 2026 Michigan's 15 public universities are pleased to s

08/10/2026

Today’s Detroit News highlights the ongoing tension between declining state support for higher education and annual tuition increases: “University and state education officials argued that yearly tuition increases are necessary because the state Legislature doesn't raise appropriations to universities in line with rising operating and employee health care costs. The Michigan Association of State Universities reported that since 2002, real state higher education operations funding is down over $1.2 billion when accounting for inflation.”

MASU CEO Dan Hurley noted that the state should reconsider its decades-long disinvestment in higher education and instead consider the returns the universities give the state. "It's about a 28-1 return on investment in terms of all the ways that the state benefits through their investment financially," Hurley said. "Then there's all the community service, civic engagement, company startups, research and development that comes from our universities."

Read more at

Education officials argue yearly tuition increases are necessary because the state doesn't raise appropriations to universities in line with rising operating costs.

08/07/2026

A small team from Saginaw Valley State University's physics lab traveled to the Eastern Shore of Virginia to visit NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, participating in the weeklong RockOn workshop.

The RockOn workshop teaches participants the process and design required to understand rocket flight and gather data for flight analysis. The first seven days consisted of assembling their experiments, and the eighth day was launch day.

The SVSU team included physics lab technician John Potts, physics major Kayla Newson and mechanical engineering major Lucas Colpaert, three members chosen for one of the workshop's 24 available team spots.

Experiential learning sits at the core of SVSU's academic model. Rather than treating hands-on experience as a supplement to classroom instruction, SVSU integrates applied work into its curriculum across departments, giving students the chance to test real ideas and engage directly with professionals before they graduate.

Opportunities like RockOn reflect a larger institutional investment, one that strengthens SVSU's academic reputation and better equips its students to compete in technical and scientific fields after graduation.

Learn more at: https://bit.ly/4z8ujti

08/07/2026