The Third Century A Roadmap to the University of Michigan’s Future James J. Duderstadt The Millennium Project The University of Michigan The Third Century A Roadmap to the Future of the University of Michigan James J. Duderstadt President Emeritus and University Professor of Science and Engineering The University of Michigan @ 2014 The Millennium Project, The University of Michigan All rights reserved. The Millennium Project The University of Michigan 2001 Duderstadt Center 2281 Bonisteel Boulevard Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2094 http://milproj.dc.umich.edu i Preface There are numerous concerns swirling about higher In 2017, the University of Michigan will reach a education these days. Many question whether our col- singular moment in its history, the bicentennial of its leges and universities are achieving acceptable student founding in 1817, that will provide an important occa- learning outcomes (including critical thinking abil- sion to recall, understand, and honor its rich history. ity, moral reasoning, communication, and quantitative But this milestone will also provide a remarkable op- literacy). Rising tuitions raise serious concerns about portunity to learn from the University’s past, to assess cost-containment and productivity on our campuses, the challenges and opportunities it faces at the present, questioning the very relationships among the cost, and to chart a course for its future. Indeed, since Michi- price, and value of a college education. Some even raise gan’s greatest impact has resulted in part from its ca- the question as to whether higher education is really pacity to capture and sustain the important elements worth the cost, portraying our universities as inade- of its history while developing bold visions for the fu- quately aligned with the marketplace and unwilling ture, the UM Bicentennial in 2017 should be viewed as a (or unable) to prepare their graduates to meet the needs compelling challenge to explore new visions for Michi- of employers. Traditional sources of public support for gan’s third century. higher education seem increasingly at risk in the face Interestingly enough, as we begin our third century of a three-decade long decline of state support and cur- of service to the state, the nation, and the world, both rent threats to federal research funding. There is clear Anne and I will reach a personal milestone of 50 years evidence of an increasing stratification of access to (and of service on the faculty of the University. We arrived success in) quality higher education based upon socio- in Ann Arbor with our two daughters in December, economic status. 1968, moving on a cold day into married student hous- The emergence of disruptive technologies such as ing on the North Campus near my new faculty position computers and networks challenge existing university in the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering. paradigms by suggesting new approaches to learning Although there were doubts during those early years such as open educational resources, MOOCs, “flipped” whether we could survive the climatic transition from classrooms, and learning analytics, while scholarship California to Michigan, we managed to adjust, and for and research are changing rapidly due to new resources the last five decades have served the University in al- such as digital libraries, “big data”, and data mining. most every conceivable way: as a faculty member en- Even more fundamentally, society today is questioning gaged in teaching and research (and grant hustling the fundamental public purpose of the university, par- and campus politics) and a spouse strongly engaged ticularly as its activities have broadened beyond learn- in University community building through the Faculty ing and scholarship to include a broad range of market- Women’s Club and similar campus organizatons; next driven activities such as clinical care in their medical in leadership roles as a dean and deanette, provost and centers, entrepreneurial efforts to create new business- provostess, and president and first lady of the Uni- es, international development, and commercial public versity; and finally for the past two decades in major entertainment (e.g., college sports). leadership roles in national and international science ii and education policy. The latter activities include, for Hence, after serving this institution for roughly one- example, serving and chairing numerous organizations quarter of its history, it seemed appropriate to offer a such as the National Science Board, the National Acad- few observations about possible futures for the Uni- emies and National Research Council, various advisory versity of Michigan. This document represents that ef- bodies for federal agencies such as NSF, DOE, DOEd, fort, although a few caveats are necessary. First, this is a NASA, and the Intelligence Community, private orga- highly personal perspective of the University’s future, nizations such as the Brookings Institution and various although it is informed by 50 years of service to the insti- corporate boards, and international efforts such as the tution and considerable experience in participating and NRC Policy and Global Affairs Division and the Glion leading similar efforts at the national and international Colloquium. These post-presidency activities continue level. Second, much like Spalding Gray’s “Monster-in- to include traditional faculty roles including teaching, a-Box”, his book manuscript that seemed to continue to research, and grantsmanship. They have also led to the evolve without end, so too does this draft continue to creation of new programs such as the Science, Technol- evolve as the world changes and others challenge and ogy, and Public Policy program in the Ford School of help to refine or reshape my views. Public Policy: the Michigan Energy Institute; and, with Hopefully it will reach a final form by the year 2018, Anne, a broad range of projects aimed at capturing and when Michigan begins its third century…and Anne and disseminating the history of the University (books, I complete our 50th year of service to the University! websites, databases, and interactive media). James J. Duderstadt Ann Arbor, Michigan 2014 iii Executive Summary Today, the University of Michigan approaches a economic status. singular moment in its history, its bicentennial year The emergence of disruptive technologies such as in 2017, which will provide an important occasion to computers and networks challenge existing university recall, understand, and honor its rich history. But this paradigms by suggesting new approaches to learning milestone will also provide a remarkable opportunity such as open educational resources, MOOCs, “flipped” to learn from the University’s past, to assess the chal- classrooms, and learning analytics, while scholarship lenges and opportunities it faces at the present, and to and research are changing rapidly due to new resources chart a course for its future. Indeed, since Michigan’s such as digital libraries, “big data”, and data mining. greatest impact has resulted in part from its capacity to Even more fundamentally, society today is question- capture and sustain the important elements of its his- ing the fundamental public purpose of the university, tory while developing bold visions for the future, the particularly as its activities have broadened beyond 2017 UM Bicentennial should be viewed as a compel- learning and scholarship to include a broad range of ling challenge to develop a new vision for Michigan’s market-driven activities such as clinical care in their third century and a plan to achieve that vision. medical, entrepreneurial efforts to create new business- es, international development, and commercial public The Challenge, Opportunity, and Responsibility entertainment (e.g., college sports). Presented by Change But there are far more profound changes occurring in our world that will challenge us. We live in a time There are numerous concerns swirling about higher of great change, an increasingly global society, knit- education these days. Many question whether our col- ted together by pervasive communications and trans- leges and universities are achieving acceptable student portation technologies and driven by the exponential learning outcomes (including critical thinking abil- growth of new knowledge. It is a time of challenge and ity, moral reasoning, communication, and quantitative contradiction, as an ever-increasing human population literacy). Rising tuitions raise serious concerns about threatens global sustainability; a global, knowledge- cost-containment and productivity on our campuses, driven economy places a new premium on workforce indeed, questioning the very relationship among the skills through phenomena such as outsourcing and cost, price, and value of a college education. Some even off-shoring; governments place increasing confidence raise the question as to whether higher education is re- in market forces to reflect public priorities even as new ally worth the cost, portraying our universities as inad- paradigms such as open-source technologies challenge equately aligned with the marketplace and unwilling conventional free-market philosophies; and shifting (or unable) to prepare their graduates to meet the needs geopolitical tensions driven by the great disparity in of employers. Traditional sources of public support for wealth and power about the globe, national security, higher education seem increasingly at risk in the face and terrorism. of a three-decade long decline of state support