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On Campus
Ferris to Renovate Instructional Resource Center
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An artist's depiction of the IRC renovation project shows a proposed connecting corridor to the Business building. (Graphic courtesy of Neumann/Smith & Associates.)
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The Instructional Resource Center will undergo a $7.5 million renovation to better serve academic programs associated with the adjacent College of Business.
The Ferris Board of Trustees approved the renovation project and the refinancing of three general revenue bonds to provide funding. The University received $5.625 million from the state to remodel the 1969 structure and must match one fourth of the cost, or $1.875 million. Ferris officials noted that the Business building has exceeded its instructional capacity, and the IRC is under-utilized in its current configuration and condition.
The renovation will include floor plan reconfiguration, and upgrade of all building envelope and interior finishes, as well as replacement of furniture, fixtures and equipment. New construction may include connection of the IRC to the Business building. Energy-efficient upgrades to the plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems will enhance academic program requirements and greatly reduce operational and maintenance costs.
With the exception of repaired weather damage, the 54,700-square-foot IRC has had only minor cosmetic renovation and normal maintenance over the years. The building currently includes four auditorium-style general education classrooms seating approximately 240 each, four laboratories associated with the College of Education and Human Services' Television and Digital Media Production program, classroom/computer lab space associated with the College of Business' graduate Information Systems Management program and faculty/staff office space.
Ferris Celebrates Founders Woodbridge N. and Helen G. Ferris
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President David Eisler talks with University faculty and staff at the Founders' Day picnic luncheon.
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What once was only a vision - an institution dedicated to educating the
masses - Woodbridge and Helen Ferris made a reality. To celebrate their
achievement, Ferris State University hosted Founders' Day Sept. 1.
The day's activities began with a coffee hour sponsored by the History Commemoration Task Force in the Rankin Center Founders' Room immediately followed by President Eisler's address "Ferris and Its Future" in the Rankin Center Dome Room.
Afterward, Ferris faculty and staff gathered for a picnic on the Campus Quad. In the afternoon the president hosted a question and answer session in the Founders' Room.
"What better time to celebrate Ferris' beginnings than on this date when the first class was held," Eisler said. "It seems like an appropriate time to reconnect with the past and celebrate our heritage, as well as look to the future and where the University is headed."
Last spring the University dedicated the Founders' Room (formerly the President's Room). The Founders' Room features portraits of Woodbridge and Helen Ferris along with panels tracing their lives and the University's history. The entrance to the renamed room features a dedication plaque and a bust of Woodbridge.
The first classes for Big Rapids Industrial School were held on Sept. 1, 1884, in two rented rooms on the Vandersluis block of downtown Big Rapids. This area today would be located at the northeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Elm Street.
Although Woodbridge and Helen Ferris would not live to see the school's name change to Ferris State College (1963) and then to Ferris State University (1987), the institution remains committed to the visions and ideals of its founders. Ferris is the only state university that carries the name of its founders and as such has a direct link to their beliefs and philosophies.
Ferris Fall Enrollment Hits Record Level
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Fall 2005 semester saw more than 12,500 students enrolled at Ferris
State University. |
With a record-high enrollment of 12,547 students system-wide for the Fall
2005 semester - 744 more students than the previous year - the University
has posted an enrollment of more than 12,000 students for the first time
since 1992. Ferris' previous highest enrollment total was in 1991.
"This is news to celebrate," said Ferris President David Eisler. "The idea is not to go to college but to graduate from college, and I think we have some of the best prepared students that we've ever had entering Ferris State."
"A large part of our enrollment growth results from our higher retention rates," Ferris Vice President for Student Affairs Daniel Burcham said, adding Ferris faculty and staff should be commended for their dedication and commitment to helping the University grow. First-year retention for the University's four-year students increased to 70 percent, up 335 students.
Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University in Grand Rapids also experienced historic growth, posting its first enrollment of more than 1,000 students with 1,036 attending the Fall 2005 semester.
"We are all extremely happy to see this growth in our enrollment. Our marketing plan, and our focus on a one-to-one program of student recruitment, has given us unlimited opportunities to describe Kendall's unique mission to prepare its students for the professional world and to participate on a global stage," said Sandra Britton, Kendall's director of enrollment management. Britton also announced that Kendall has added three new Bachelor of Fine Arts programs to its curriculum: Painting, Photography, and Sculpture and Functional Art.
The University Center for Extended Learning also surpassed the 1,000 student mark with 1,120 students working toward their degrees from one of 26 off-campus locations.
"We knew we had a good recruiting year, but our final results exceed our high expectations," Burcham said.
Other increases for UCEL include a 30 percent jump in the number of credit hours taken by students, resulting from the launch of 15 new degree programs, the start of seven new program cohorts and students taking more credits per semester. The trend for students to take more credit hours also is extending to Ferris-Grand Rapids, where officials report the number of credit hours taken by students has increased 25 percent.
Multi-Faceted King/Chavez Parks Program a Hit
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An "Etiquette in Dining" dinner provided a black-tie experience during the King/Chavez/Parks College Day Summer Program.
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Last summer, the Office of Minority Student Affairs offered the King/Chavez/Parks College Day Summer Program, which exposes under-represented students to higher education.
The Office of Minority Student Affairs held the camp for 33 students from Kalamazoo, Lansing and Big Rapids Public Schools. The KCP Program combined educational, social and recreational activities, providing students with a well-rounded college-life experience.
Students ages 10 to 15 experienced many hands-on activities, including a trip to Kendall College of Art and Design for cartooning and jewelry making. Students also enjoyed a Rubber and Plastics Technology presentation and lab work, where they learned about the field, and how to fuel, construct and launch rockets. Additionally, students took a tour of the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia, solved a "Whodunit" mystery in a crime lab and tackled the Student Recreation Center climbing wall.
An "Etiquette in Dining" dinner was one of the many highlights. Julie Doyle, professor and coordinator of Ferris' Hospitality programs, assisted by Amy Dorey, adjunct Hospitality faculty, and Stan Vallier, director of University catering, provided a fun and educational evening of dining etiquette. Students set their own tables, which included a lesson in the art of napkin folding. The students enjoyed a six-course meal, complete with sparkling grape juice and ending with flaming cherries jubilee. The gentlemen dressed in black ties for the evening, which contributed to their fine dining experience.
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