1. PAY TO BE RESTORED THIS MONTH

Michian Tech employees affected by this year's temporary reduction in compensation will have their pay restored to former levels this month.

Compensation will be restored the pay period beginning June 20. The change will be reflected in the July 9 paychecks.

2. TWO IT AREAS REORGANIZED

Two units reporting to Information Technology have been reorganized as part of the university's ongoing efforts to streamline operations.

System Administration Services, which supports desktop computing in most Administration Building offices, now reports to the vice president for research. This parallels the organization of other computing support services throughout campus, which are located within the departments they serve.

Data Solutions has been dissolved, and its operations have been transferred to Design and Publication Services. All Data Solutions services, including test scoring, will continue to be available through Design and Publication Services. The change eliminates the position of data solutions manager.

The reorganization was based on recommendations of the Horizontal Cuts Committee, which was charged with identifying possible deficit reduction actions at the university level. You can access their report and those of other committees from http://www.mtu.edu/planbudget/index.htm.

"The transfer of SAS has the unit reporting directly to its customers, a model that has worked well for the rest of the university," Vice President of Administration Ellen Horsch said. "The consolidation of Data Solutions within Design and Publication Services eliminates overlapping services, particularly in the area of printing."

"The changes are expected to reduce university expenditures by $68,000," Horsch said. "They will also allow IT to focus on its core responsibility of supporting campus-wide services, such as telecommunications and educational technology."

3. NEW POLICY ON PURCHASE REQUISITIONS OVER $10,000

Effective immediately, Michigan Tech has instituted a new policy on the authorization of large purchases. Any purchase order or requisition totalling $10,000 or more in your department or area must be approved by the Executive Council member overseeing your unit.

Executive Council members who will review most requests include Vice Provost and Dean of Student Affairs Les Cook, CFO Dan Greenlee, Vice President of Administration Ellen Horsch, Vice President for Research David Reed and Provost Kent Wray.

Requisition forms for purchases are available at http://www.admin.mtu.edu/pur/forms/index.html.

4. SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS RECEIVE NATIONAL AWARD

The SME Education Foundation has selected Michigan Technological University's Youth Programs to receive its national Building the Future Award.

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation's Building the Future Award recognizes organizations dedicated to increasing the number of middle school children, particularly girls and minorities, choosing careers in manufacturing, engineering, science and technology.

"We're looking for good models for how to influence middle-school-age students to consider careers in these areas," said Julie Brown, foundation director. "Michigan Tech's Youth Programs are well-rounded and provide a well-articulated, successful model. They are an excellent example of how to make an impact."

Michigan Tech's Youth Programs offer a wide range of learning and recreational activities for middle school and high school students, including the American Indian Workshop, Women in Engineering, and Explorations in Engineering. In addition, the Summer Youth Program includes 70 week-long modules and serves about 1,000 young people every year.

"This reaffirms the uniqueness of our programs on a national level and underscores the quality of Michigan Tech's academic programs," said John Lehman, youth programs coordinator. "This award is a testimony to the collaborative efforts of the academic and service components that make these programs possible."

The Building the Future Award, which includes $5,000, will be presented to Lehman at the SME National Meeting to be held Saturday in Cincinnati.

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers is the world's leading professional society supporting manufacturing education. Through its member programs, publications, expositions and professional development resources, SME promotes an increased awareness of manufacturing engineering and helps keep manufacturing professionals up to date on leading trends and technologies. Headquartered in Michigan, SME influences more than half a million manufacturing engineers and executives annually. The society has members in 70 countries and is supported by a network of hundreds of chapters worldwide.