2002 Year In Review - News at OU: Year In Review

It was a year of completion and of looking ahead as two major buildings opened their doors in 2002: the Education and Human Services Building and University Student Apartments. As those projects drew to a close, the university broke ground on two other key projects: an $8 million expansion and renovation of the Oakland Center and a renovation of the School of Nursing facilities that will provide state-of-the-art, hands-on learning opportunities for students.

While buildings rose to completion, a record-breaking number of students and faculty members were stretching their intellectual boundaries. In the classroom and on the athletic fields, students took top honors at national competitions, bringing new levels of recognition to themselves and to Oakland University. Faculty members were applauded for discoveries that will advance everything from cardiovascular research to linguistics. National and international press brought focus on the university when U.S. President George W. Bush and Poland President Aleksander Kwasniewski both visited campus in July. Oakland University continues to raise the academic bar, introducing new degree programs, study abroad opportunities and real-world partnerships, all designed to strengthen OU's goal of creating a distinctive educational experience.

Here are just a few areas that achieved major growth and success in 2002:

Strong Undergraduate Education

The university unveiled two new undergraduate degree programs in fall 2002. The Bachelor of Science degree in financial information systems enables students to link financial theory and practice to information technologies. The Bachelor of Science degree in wellness, health promotion and injury prevention offers six different areas of specialization and is the only degree of its kind available in Michigan.

OU President Gary Russi and Kwang Jin Rhee, president of Chungnam National University, sign an agreement to facilitate academic interchange between the two universities.

Oakland University reached a new partnership agreement with Korea's Chungnam National University, opening doors for student study abroad programs and faculty exchanges. Specific course programs, research projects and faculty partnerships currently are under development. Chungnam National University is considered one of Korea's top four universities.

The Honors College celebrated its 25th year. The 350 students enrolled in the program participate in active research, colloquia, scholarly and extracurricular activities as well as leadership and service opportunities within the university and community at large. The program is designed to challenge undergraduates through the rigorous nature of its program, which integrates the arts, sciences and professional fields.

The School of Business Administration's Applied Technology in Business (ATiB) program earned Automation Alley's 2002 Educational Program of the Year Award. The award is given to an undergraduate or graduate curriculum that impacts industry in a positive way. The ATiB program, which celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2002, is the first business minor in Michigan to combine challenging academics with hands-on training in an effort to use technology to solve problems, communicate and train workers.

OU's Product Development and Manufacturing Center (PDMC) was named a Center of Excellence by DaimlerChrysler for its Systems Engineering training and consulting. Created in 1997, the internationally recognized PDMC provides education, applied research and technology transfer for the auto industry.

The School of Nursing programs were reaccredited for the maximum accreditation period of 10 years by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

In its 2002 audit, Michigan's Auditor General's Office found Oakland University to be effective in its monitoring of academic and related programs provided to students and efficient and effective in its use of resources allocated to support academic and related programs. The Auditor General's Office, which is the highest auditing authority in the state, performed the comprehensive review of OU's academic and related programs. The finding of the audit, which concluded that Oakland's methods were effective and working well for its students, is a tremendous endorsement for how the university provides educational services to its students, said OU President Gary Russi.

OU President Gary Russi and Virinder Moudgil, interim vice president of Academic Affairs and provost, went to the people who know OU best - its faculty and staff - to get in-depth opinions and suggestions on how the university can best achieve its 2010 vision. A significant number of individuals submitted new program proposals, adding unique insight to the plan and ensuring that a wide range of perspectives were addressed.
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Student Research

Several students earned University Student Research Scholar Awards in 2002, the first year the prize was offered.

Thirty students earned University Student Research Scholar Awards in 2002, the prize's inaugural year. Recipients received $1,000 and were eligible for additional travel support to present their research at professional conferences. Award-winning research projects examined everything from fuel efficiency to antiviral drugs.

More than 90 successful grant applications garnered $9.3 million in research funding during the last academic year. Of that, $1.9 million supports Eye Research Institute initiatives, $2.7 million supports the School of Engineering and Computer Science and $1.5 million benefits the College of Arts and Science.

Seven undergraduate students earned $3,000 summer research fellowships with OU's Eye Research Institute (ERI). The fellowships give students the opportunity to conduct independent research on vision and blinding eye diseases under the guidance of ERI faculty.
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Quality Graduate Programs

The School of Engineering and Computer Science offered a new doctorate in mechanical engineering. The program prepares students for careers in industrial research, governmental research and academia.

The first class of physicians and health care professionals graduated from the School of Business Administration's Executive MBA for Health Care Management program. The program examines business applications in the health care industry and is the only one of its kind in Michigan.

The physical therapy doctoral program earned full accreditation for eight years from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. The group cited the program's strong leadership and student problem-solving skills as well as its above-average employment and graduation rates.

The nurse anesthesia program received full accreditation for 10 years from the AANA Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs.

OU's School of Education and Human Services launched a new post-master's school counseling specialization program. The 12-credit program is designed for those who have master's degrees in counseling and are looking to further their training. Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible for a school counselor license.

OU began to offer a new higher education cognate in the Ph.D. program in educational leadership. The program, which was first offered in the fall, focuses on higher education administration in a college or university as well as planning and policy formation in a governmental, accreditation, or other related agency or organization.
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Growth of Campus

The $31.5 million Education and Human Services Building opened its doors in September. The new building was dedicated Oct. 18.

Students, faculty and administrators celebrated the grand opening of the Education and Human Service Building on Oct. 18. The four-story, 132,000-square-foot building features expanded classroom and laboratory space, new technologies, counseling rooms, a resource library and serves as home for the Lowry Early Childhood Development Center.

University officials dedicated the new student apartments on Sept. 6 with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony. The $21 million apartment complex provides comfortable living space for more than 450 students in its six Tudor-style buildings. The apartments offer such amenities as full kitchens, furnished bedrooms and living rooms and a community center with a lounge, fireplaces, and volleyball and basketball court.

For the first time in Oakland's history, enrollment topped 16,000 students. It marked a 1.2 percent increase over last fall, bringing the student body total to 16,059. Both undergraduate and graduate numbers increased, with full-time undergraduate enrollment rising 2 percent. The increase marks an important step in achieving Oakland's 2010 goal of a 20,000-member student body. In comparison to other four-year universities, OU's enrollment is larger than Notre Dame's South Bend, Ind., campus (10,654 enrollment in 2001); Northwestern's campus in Evanston, Ill., (15,406 enrollment in 2001); and Syracuse University (14,688 enrollment in 2001). Among Michigan universities, OU is about twice the size of Northern Michigan University and slightly smaller than Grand Valley State.

A new parking structure opened on Pioneer Drive across from the Education and Human Services Building in early November, easing the on-campus parking crunch. The $6 million, three-floor structure provides 550 spaces, two-thirds of which are covered.

Work on the Varner Memorial Garden was completed in the fall. The garden, which is near the west entrance of Varner Hall, is dedicated to Woody Varner, OU's first chancellor.

Work began on renovations for the School of Nursing's facilities in O'Dowd Hall. The entire fourth floor will be refurbished to include new office space, a conference room and increased advisory space for students. Second floor lab areas will be redesigned and retrofitted with advanced equipment and electrical systems. The media center will be upgraded and get a new name: the Crittenton Hospital Medical Center Multimedia Lab in honor of the hospital's $75,000 grant. Work will be completed within a year.

OU officials break ground on the Oakland Center expansion project, which will add 30,000 square feet to the building.

Oakland University broke ground on the Oakland Center's new $8 million, 30,000-square-foot addition on Oct. 11. The two-story addition will include expanded Pioneer Food Court seating, an updated kitchen, a new reception and lobby area, a 24-hour cyber café and a 7,000-square-foot multipurpose room on the second floor for lectures, banquets and student functions.

A $6 million Detroit Edison substation, named the Spencer Substation, was constructed on the south end of campus off Lonedale Road. The substation offers a more reliable source of power for the university and surrounding communities.
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Growth of Student Services

Paying for Oakland University got a little easier with the implementation of an online tuition payment system for the winter 2002 semester. In addition to tuition, students now can pay online by credit card for housing fees, phone bills and graduation application fees any time of day or night.

Graduate Admissions and Graduate Student Services opened their new office in North Foundation Hall in March. With new neighbors including the Office of Student Financial Services, Disability Support Services, Office of Equity and the International Students and Scholars Office, the location enables graduate students to take care of a wider range of administrative needs in one central location.

Freshman OUtlook, a new e-mail based support program designed to help freshmen adjust to college life, launched in fall 2002. Students receive weekly tips, advice and resource links on subjects such as improving study skills and managing finances. A similar supplemental program, Parent OUtlook, was launched for parents of Oakland freshmen.

Altogether, 1,250 students cast their vote online in the 2002 OU Student Congress election.

OU students became the first in Michigan to cast their student government votes online. This past spring, students were able to vote in the student congress election from any computer with Internet access at any time of day during the voting period. Organizers then tabulated the record-breaking number of ballots on a secure system.

Future students enjoyed a revamped website in 2002. Developers geared the Future Students site toward students, parents and counselors who wanted to learn more about OU's academic programs and services. The site features an expanded Ask OU section which provides answers to more than 300 common questions as well as online application capability, an application check list and pages directed toward freshmen, transfer students, graduate students and more.

The launch of a new Graduate Study website helps future and current graduate students obtain the information they need more easily. The Graduate Study site is organized into four sections: information for future graduate students, current graduate students, general information, and a faculty and staff section.

Hungry OU students welcomed Chartwells College and University Dining Services to campus as the new food service providers. Chartwells, which signed a five-year contract with Oakland, provides service for more than 230 colleges and universities across the country. Students also may choose a variety of foods from new restaurants including Subway, Coyote Jack's, Au Bon Pain, Freshens smoothies and Starbucks.

In 2002, the Oakland University Police Department reported there was a decrease in campus crime in 2001, maintaining OU's reputation as a safe place to learn and live. Increased patrols by officers during high-traffic times such as before and after class likely contributed to the improvement.
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Quality Students

Student quality rose even higher. Incoming freshmen for fall 2002 boasted a mean ACT score of 21.5, up from 21.3 in 2001. The mean grade point average also increased, rising from 3.13 to 3.15. Overall, the number of students with grade point averages below 2.5 decreased.

Individual Achievement

OU student Lenwood Compton greets President George W. Bush after landing at the Oakland County International Airport.

It was a banner day for OU junior Lenwood Compton when President George W. Bush honored him for his outstanding volunteer efforts with AmeriCorps at a Republican rally on Oct. 14. The president praised Compton for his outstanding work with young Pontiac students. In addition to a full course load in elementary education, Compton spends 15 hours each week as a reading and writing tutor. This was his second year as an AmeriCorps volunteer.

Doctoral graduate Ledong Li's study, "The Role of Phonology in Reading Chinese Single Characters and Two-Character Words with High, Medium and Low Phonological Regularities by Chinese Grade Two and Grade Five Students," won the International Reading Association's 2002 Outstanding Dissertation of the Year award.

The National Reading Council recognized OU graduate student Danhua Wang for writing one of the top five Outstanding Student Research Papers for 2002 for her dissertation entitled, "Students' Learning Experiences and Their Locus of Control in Web Supported Instruction."

OU senior Jessica Elwart qualified as one of 40 semi-finalists and ultimately placed as one of 16 finalists in the Region III competition at the annual American College Theatre Festival in Evansville, Ind. Most of the 350 students attending the festival were nominees for the Irene Ryan acting scholarship, a prestigious national award recognizing young, talented performers.

Student Group Achievement

Students on the School of Business Administration's Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team became first runners-up in the 2002 SIFE USA National Exposition semifinals in Kansas City. The team earned a $2,500 prize, which they donated to help economically disadvantaged children. Earlier in the year, the team earned top honors at the regional competition in Chicago.

The Oakland University chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) earned a Superior Merit Award for its 2001-2002 school year activities. This is the 10th year in a row that the group has received recognition from the SHRM.

OU students competed with their Formula One style racecar at the 2002 Formula Society Automotive Engineers Competition.

The Society of Automotive Engineers team competed in the 2002 Formula Society of Automotive Engineers Competition against more than 1,000 other students from nearly 100 countries. The OU team won the EDS Outstanding Sportsmanship Award, took 51st in the acceleration event, 70th in the autocross and skid-pad events, and took home $1,000 in prize money, which students plan to use on the 2003 car.

AmeriCorps Oakland was one of five finalists for National Service Program of the Year at the ninth annual Governor's Service Awards. This is the second time the team has been nominated for the state award. Program Director Carol Anne Ketelson also was a finalist for Director of the Year.

Athletic Achievement

Oakland University student-athletes continued to have one of the best graduation rates in the state. To recognize this high level of academic achievement, the OU Athletics Department created the Golden Grizzlies Excellence in Academics. Students must earn a semester grade point average of at least 3.0 while carrying a minimum of 12 semester credit hours. For the winter 2002 semester, 148 students representing all 14 varsity teams and all classes earned this honor, and there were 153 students representing all 14 varsity teams and all classes that earned the honor during the fall 2002 semester.

The Golden Grizzlies softball team became the first in OU history to win an NCAA tournament game since the university moved to Division I competition, beating Canisius 3-1. The team finished with a 1-2 overall NCAA record. Oakland's softball team also ranked in the top 30 in the country amongst NCAA Division I softball teams for team grade point average, with a 3.3 team GPA. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) publishes the rankings every year. Oakland and Detroit Mercy were the only schools in Michigan to be named in the top 50 of the NFCA's list.

OU's women's basketball team ended the 2001-2002 season with a 63-38 loss to Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

OU's women's basketball team ended the 2001-2002 season with a 63-38 loss to Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. OU's women's basketball team ended the 2001-2002 season with a 63-38 loss to Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The women's basketball team won its first Mid-Continent Conference Tournament title before going to the NCAA Division I Tournament for the first time in team history.

The men's soccer team won its first outright Mid-Continent Conference Championship title then went on to win its first Mid-Continent Conference Tournament title, which earned the team an automatic berth to the NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament. This is the first men's team in OU history, since the university moved to Division I competition, to compete in a post-season NCAA tournament.

The women's soccer team captured its third consecutive Mid-Continent Conference Championship earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. Nick O'Shea, OU women's soccer coach, was named Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

The men's cross country team took top honors at the Mid-Continent Conference Championship for the first time in team history, beating favorite Southern Utah. OU cross country coach Paul Rice was named Men's Coach of the Year by the Mid-Continent Conference for the second year in a row.

Women's cross country team member and freshman Sarah Drouillard earned the title Mid-Con Newcomer of the Year for her running accomplishments.

Women's soccer goalkeeper Sarah Buckland was named Mid-Con Tournament MVP and Mid-Con Player of the Year.

Freshman Jean Racine became OU's first winter Olympic athlete. The bobsledder finished fifth at the 2002 Salt Lake City games, missing a bronze medal by a mere .44 seconds.

Major league baseball took notice of Oakland pitchers Jared Thomas and David Viane. Both recent graduates were drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 11th and 20th rounds, respectively, of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. OU graduate and former Golden Grizzlies catcher Chuck Van Robays signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles. He was assigned to the Bluefield Orioles in Bluefield, W. Va., a Class A team in the Appalachian League.

Women's soccer player and 2002 OU graduate Anita Rapp signed with New York Power, a professional women's soccer team. The Norway native filled the fourth and final roster slot available for international players.

OU's dance team placed third at the 2002 National Dance Team Championships in Orlando, Fla.

OU dance team, Images, took third place in Division I competition at the 2002 National Dance Team Championships, held in Orlando, Fla. Images competed against 25 other teams from across the country.

Oakland University's men's hockey club team qualified for the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II National Championship Tournament. The team was 2-1 at the tournament and finished the season ranked sixth nationally out of 123 Division II club teams.

Sophomore Jack Huczek was ranked fifth in the nation after completing his first season as a member of the professional International Racquetball Tour.
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Inspired Faculty
Research Recognition

Chemist Xiangqun Zeng and biologist Gabrielle Stryker, both assistant professors, earned a $2 million research grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a biosensor that will detect instantaneously as little as a single particle of such biological or chemical hazards as anthrax or neurotoxins

Frank Giblin, professor of biomedical science and associate director of the Eye Research Institute, received a research grant from NASA.

Frank Giblin, professor of biomedical science and associate director of the Eye Research Institute, received a research grant from NASA.Frank Giblin, associate director of the Eye Research Institute, earned a $150,000 grant from NASA to study the effect of radiation in space.

The New York Academy of Medicine awarded the prestigious 2002 Lewis Rudin Glaucoma Prize to OU Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Shravan Chintala for co-authoring one of the most significant publications on glaucoma research.

Physics professor Michael Chopp earned recognition from the American Heart Association, which named his study one of the top 10 research advances of 2001. Chopp and his team were the first to use bone marrow cells to reduce stroke-induced disability in research.

Professor Arik Dvir of the biological sciences department earned a three-year, $347,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for his project "Mechanism of Promoter Escape by RNA Polymerase II."

The American Heart Association awarded associate physics professor Bradley Roth a two-year grant-in-aid, allowing him to continue his studies into electrical impulses and heart rate.

OU Anthropology Professor and Director of Women's Studies Suzanne Spencer-Wood accepted a year-long appointment as a research associate at Harvard's Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. Spencer-Wood earned the recognition based on her research into feminist historical archaeology. She'll use her research access for her forthcoming publication on the first pay-for-housework movement, organized by 19th century Harvard faculty wives.

Individual Accomplishment

Three OU professors achieved the rank of Distinguished Professor in 2002: Sheldon Appleton (political science), Ronald Cramer (education) and Jane Donahue Eberwein (English). The appointment is based on preeminence in scholarship, teaching and public or professional service. Only seven other professors have achieved this distinction since the Board of Trustees created the rank in 1988.

Four recipients were honored for OU's Excellence in Teaching Award. Associate Professor of English Jude Nixon earned the Teaching Excellence Award while Meir Shillor, professor of mathematics, was recognized with the Research Excellence Award. Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems Balaji Rajagopalan received the New Investigator Research Excellence Award and Edith Diggory, adjunct professor of music, took home the Excellence in Teaching Award, designed to recognize non-tenure track or part-time instructors.

Several faculty members took part in the President's Colloquium, a program established in 1995 to showcase the achievements of OU researchers. This year's presenters included OU Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Virinder Moudgil, who gave a talk on breast cancer and Professor of Rhetoric and Linguistics Alice Horning, who discussed literacy in the Internet age. Professor of Sociology and Director of the Criminal Justice Program Jay Meehan presented his research on "Racial Profiling and the Police."

Ishwar Sethi, professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, shows the face recognition software he developed with former and current doctoral students.

Ishwar Sethi, professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, worked with a group of former and current doctoral students to develop a software system called the Omni Face Detector. The system uses biometrics to identify people based on their unique, unchangeable physical characteristics. The program could have far-reaching applications in areas as diverse as security and media.

Associate Professor of sociology Terri Orbuch garnered national attention for her article, "Who will divorce: A 14-year longitudinal study of black couples and white couples." The article, which appeared in April's "Journal of Social and Personal Relationships," examines the predictors of divorce for African-American and white couples. The research is part of Orbuch's "Early Years of Marriage" project, which follows 373 couples that were married in 1986.

Pat Dessert of Oakland University's Product Development Manufacturing Center (PDMC), with the help of PDMC staff, OU students and faculty, worked on developing the Next Generation Electrical Architecture Project (NGEA) - a revolutionary central nervous system using new electronic and communication techniques that diagnoses vehicle problems and helps solve them. To cap off the project's first phase, Dessert and his colleagues displayed a demonstration vehicle at the 2002 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Oakland University Meadow Brook Health Institute Executive Director Dr. Fred Stransky reaches out to an estimated 350,000 readers each week with a new column providing nutrition, exercise and fitness advice. The column appears in "The Oakland Press," "Macomb Daily" and "Royal Oak Daily Tribune."

OU engineering professor Ka C. Cheok maneuvers his robotic lawnmower invention.

OU Engineering Professor Ka C. Cheok continued to make progress on his most recent project: a robotic electric lawnmower. The mower will start at a pre-preprogrammed time, drive itself out of the garage, mow the lawn, then put itself away for recharging. Funded by Self-Guided Systems, the project began in 2000 and should be ready for market in a couple more years.

A group of OU alumni joined forces with University of Detroit-Mercy graduates to honor OU Professor of Finance Ronald Horwitz, who retired in 2002. The alumni raised close to $30,000 to endow a student award in Horwitz's name. Horwitz taught for 24 years at Oakland, following a 15-year tenure at UD-Mercy.

Dyanne Tracy, education professor and department of teacher development and educational studies chair, used the classic card game cribbage to create a unique unit for Waterford 5th graders incorporating math, social studies, English, language arts and social skills. OU alumna and fifth grade teacher Gerrie Arnold served as co-developer of the unit.
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Diversity

Martin Luther King III was the keynote speaker at the 2002 Keeper of the Dream Scholarship Awards Banquet.

More than 600 people attended the 10th annual Keeper of the Dream Scholarship Awards Banquet in February. The event featured a keynote address by Martin Luther King III as well as the awarding of five Keeper of the Dream Scholarships to OU students. Those awards recognize students who have demonstrated strong citizenship, scholarship and leadership in breaking down cultural stereotypes and promoting interracial understanding.

Hundreds of students, faculty and staff participated in African-American Celebration Month activities. The month-long celebration kicked off on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, on which several events were held to honor the great American civil rights leader.

OU celebrated National Hispanic Heritage Month with Hispanic Celebration 2002. Kicking off with an opening ceremony and reception, the celebration included a lecture series, musical performances, volunteer fair, storytelling and an essay contest inviting students to discuss heritage and strength in diversity.

A variety of interactive, entertaining and educational events held during Cultural Awareness Week helped students appreciate the many different cultures at Oakland University.

OU offered a Chinese Language and Culture Immersion Program, an inte, nsive five-week course at the Foreign Affairs College in Beijing. Participants learned chinese handwriting, pronunciation, grammar and language for daily use. They also took history and culture classes and visited Chinese historic sites.

Disability Awareness Day participants had an opportunity, through hands-on simulations, to experience the challenges faced by people with hearing, speech, vision and physical impairments as well as those with learning disabilities.
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Community

OU President Gary Russi and OU alumna Ania Matuszewska greet U.S. President George W. Bush and Poland President Aleksander Kwasniewski upon their arrival at OU during an official state visit.

U.S. President George W. Bush and Poland President Aleksander Kwasniewski visited campus in July for a discussion on the alliance between the U.S. and Poland and the two countries' mutual vision for world peace. More than 4,000 students, community members, faculty and staff crowded the Athletics Center O'Rena for the historic event. The visit was reported in thousands of newspapers and news reports around the world, including Th, e New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, CNBC and National Public Radio.

United States Poet Laureate Billy Collins brought his lyrical words to Oakland in September for a reading and discussion attended by more than 500 eager listeners. The event was sponsored jointly by the Department of English; Department of Music, Theatre and Dance; and the Office of Academic Affairs.

The university awarded honorary degrees to three regional, national and internationally renowned figures in 2002. In May, the university conferred an honorary doctor of science degree on esteemed scientist Dr. Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao. In December, former Michigan Governor William Milliken received an honorary doctor of laws degree, sharing the stage with Eugene Miller, chairman and chief executive officer of Comerica Bank. Miller received his honorary degree in humanities.

Dr. Judah Folkman (left) receives the Distinguished Biomedical Science Achievement Award from OU Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Virinder Moudgil.

OU's Center for Biological Research presented its 2002 Biomedical Sciences Award to Dr. Etienne Baulieu in November. An esteemed endocrinologist and biochemist, Dr. Baulieu serves as professor of human reproduction at the College de France and is world-renowned for his work as a steroid hormone specialist.

OU's Center for Biomedical Research awarded legendary cancer researcher Dr. Judah Folkman with the OU Distinguished Biomedical Science Achievement Award in March. Folkman, who developed the theory that cancer could be controlled by cutting off blood supplies to tumors, which has been called perhaps the most significant advance in the last 50 years in the fight against cancer, spoke to an audience of OU students, faculty and other researchers.

OU was one of only three sites statewide chosen to host a Republican gubernatorial debate. The 90-minute debate between Lieutenant Governor Dick Posthumus and State Senator John J.H. Schwarz took place at the Oakland Center.

OU's School of Nursing recognized eight outstanding Michigan nurses at the 14th annual Nightingale Awards. The event, which helps raise funds for nursing scholarships and other department needs, was attended by close to 700 individuals.

OU was one of 170 sites selected to be part of the National Writing Project, a professional development program for teachers seeking to improve student writing. Oakland's Meadow Brook Writing Project brought together 20 K-16 writing teachers to develop ideas and practices applicable in the classroom. Project partners included Detroit Public Schools, OU's Public School Academies, Oakland Community College, the Pontiac School District and the Macomb Intermediate School District.

Crain's Detroit Business listed six Oakland University alumnae and staff to their 2002 list of the area's Most Influential Women. Gail Duncan, SEHS '79, president of Jerome-Duncan Ford; Pamela Berklich, SEHS '82, area manager for Manpower Inc.; Susan M. Cischke, SECS '76, vice president of environmental,, and safety engineering for Ford Motor Company; Tommi White, CAS '71, chief operating officer of Compuware Corp.; and Lynne (Halpin) Ellyn, BGS '79, senior vice president and CIO for DTE Energy, joined OU Vice President for Finance and Administration Lynee Schaefer on this illustrious list.

One of the featured cars at this year's Concours d'Elegance was the Pierce-Arrow, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2002. This example is a 1934 model.

Meadow Brook Hall's annual Concours d'Elegance drew more than 22,000 automobile enthusiasts from around the world in August. The event showcased 200 classic and vintage cars, and recognized automotive highlights including the centennial of both the Cadillac and the Pierce Arrow as well as the 50th anniversary of the Corvette. Revenue from the event supports Meadow Brook Hall preservation. In December, the event was outsourced to an independent management group, beginning with the 2003 show.

Another record-breaking crowd descended on Oakland University's campus for the annual Metro Detroit American Heart Walk. The 20,000 participants raised more than $1.2 million to support local and national research for heart disease and stroke prevention.

The OU Alumni Association (OUAA) extended a one-of-a-kind opportunity to community members, establishing the Friends of Oakland University Alumni Association for individuals who did not graduate from OU but wish to be connected to the university.

The Alumni Association hosted a series of events for young graduates, in an effort to keep graduates involved as they begin to balance careers and families. The first event, a dinner and concert package featuring pop star Jewel at Meadow Brook Music Festival, filled quickly. Another young alumni group took part in the 2002 Metro Detroit American Heart Walk on the OU campus. Many more events are planned for 2003.
The OUAA began hosting package vacations for OU alumni, their, families and friends. The first group of travelers winged their way to Italy in October. The nine-day trip featured stops in the popular spa towns of Chianciano and Fiuggi, near Rome. OU alumni are preparing for a trip to along the Danube in spring 2003. The journey will take them down the famed river through Prague, Vienna and Budapest.
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Partnerships
Individual Partnerships

Alumnus and Board of Trustee member Dennis Pawley contributed $1 million toward the creation of the Pawley Institute, a center that will meld technology, business and human resources for manufacturing, and establish a "lean manufacturing" learning center, focused on streamlining processes. The Institute will be dedicated to expanding research, education and partnerships with business and community leaders.

Jane Bingham, professor emerita, reading and language arts, donated more than 8,000 children's literature books as well as toys, puppets and posters to Kresge Library.

More than 8,000 children's literature books as well as toys, puppets and posters were donated to OU's Kresge Library as part of the Jane M. Bingham Historical Children's Literature Collection in March. Valued at more than $100,000, the collection was assembled by Jane Bingham, professor emerita, reading and language arts. The collection will provide important sociological, historical and psychological research opportunities for students and scholars throughout the region.

An anonymous donor contributed $70,000 to the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance to purchase a new concert-level Steinway grand piano for Varner Recital Hall. The piano is one of several improvements scheduled for the hall, thanks to several generous donations totaling more than $150,000.

Meadow Brook Theatre, Oakland University's professional theatre, was awarded an Anchor Organization Program grant of $143,400 from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. With an annual budget of $3 million, Meadow Brook Theatre was one of 24 statewide arts and cultural organizations with annual budgets exceeding $1.5 million to receive Anchor Organization grants in 2002.

About 2,500 OU alumni and friends responded to the revamped Telefund program, contributing more than $150,000 to university programs. The Telefund provided an opportunity for OU to connect with alumni and share news on programs and facilities as well as raise the funds that do so much to help the university flourish.

OU employees contributed $167,266 in November and December toward the 2002-2003 All University Fund Drive.

Organizational Partnerships

Thirty-three beginning law school students enrolled at Cooley Law School were able to take their first-term courses on the campus of Oakland University thanks to a new partnership between the two institutions.

OU's School of Education and Human Services joined forces with UAW-GM for a five-day workshop in August, "Integrating Core Values into the Elementary and Middle School Classroom and Curriculum." Designed for educators, administrators, curriculum coordinators and school teams, the seminar provided strategies and activities designed to create positive learning and teaching environments while developing students' personal strengths.

OU Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Virinder Moudgil, seated left, signs a cooperation agreement with an official from the Foreign Affairs College in Beijing.

Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Virinder Moudgil and a team of OU staff traveled to China in May as part of the university's strategic partnership with Automation Alley. OU joined Automation Alley's trade mission to encourage partnerships in education with China. The university has similar partnerships with Jamaica, New Zealand and Austria.

OU joined more than 375 other colleges and universities by becoming part of the Presidents' Campaign for the Advancement of Liberal Learning (Presidents' CALL), coordinated by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. The program promotes public understanding on the nature and benefits of a liberal education.

Meadow Brook Theatre announced plans for a dramatic partnership with Canada's acclaimed Shaw Festival, marking the first residency of this kind at Meadow Brook. The residency includes a presentation of George Bernard Shaw's "Candida" beginning Jan. 8, 2003, and includes a number of community outreach and educational activities by Shaw Festival members.

SBC's National Telecommunications Partnership Awards program recognized the Oakland University-Rochester and Pontiac school district partnership Teaching to Learn Project as an honorable mention prizewinner in a competitive national program. The Teaching to Learn Project was one of 13 organizations across the country honored in the 2002 awards program.
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