SAMUEL LOGAN Publisher


A Real Times Newspaper 479 Ledyard – Detroit, MI 48201


(313) 963-5522 Fax 963-8788


e-mail:chronicle4@aol.com August 4-10, 2010 JACKIE BERG Chief Marketing Officer


BANKOLE THOMPSON Senior Editor


CORNELIUS A. FORTUNE Managing Editor


JOHN H. SENGSTACKE


Chairman-Emeritus 1912-1997 LONGWORTH M. QUINN


Publisher-Emeritus 1909-1989 Page A-6


In a short time, President Noren transformed WSU


The Michigan Chronicle was shocked to


learn that Jay Noren had resigned as president of Wayne State University. Dr. Noren’s action, announced two weeks ago, was a result of his decision to move to Illinois to be with his wife, who is provost at Illinois State University and recovering from breast cancer surgery.


We believe Dr. Noren’s departure is a signifi-


cant loss of optimism and momentum for both Wayne State University and the city of Detroit.


When he came to Detroit and Wayne State


from the College of Public Health at the Univer- sity of Nebraska Medical Center, Jay Noren hit the ground running. In his inaugural address he outlined a bold agenda for Wayne State and the people of Detroit, one that recognized the enormous assets of both the university and our community and faced with courage and deter- mination the challenges of a struggling econo- my.


We were immediately impressed by his as-


sertion that higher education never should be denied to anyone for financial reasons. And though under his administration the univer- sity was forced to raise tuition, there were cor- responding increases in financial aid. Wayne State’s tuition still ranks 13th among Michi- gan’s 15 public universities, making it one of the few places at which a great education is still affordable.


During Dr. Noren’s tenure the university’s re-


search expenditures — a good indication of the innovative power of its faculty — grew to more than $254 million annually. Last year Wayne State received 63 grants under the special fed- eral research stimulus, the second-highest total in Michigan. Wayne State’s cooperation with the University of Michigan and Michigan State University as the University Research Corridor is responsible for an amazing 93 per- cent of all federal research dollars coming into Michigan, to the tune of $14.5 billion a year.


We believe Dr. Noren’s influence will be felt


longest because of his intense interest in the revitalization of Midtown and his support for economic recovery in Detroit and Michigan. Based on the conviction that Wayne State must be a force in any lasting renaissance of Detroit, Dr. Noren saw Midtown and the Woodward Cor- ridor as keys to renewing the entire city’s qual- ity of life and economic strength.


He therefore was a major player in Wayne


State’s decision to become a partner in the Hudson-Webber Foundation’s initiative to at- tract 15,000 professionals and their families to Midtown by 2015. Under Dr. Noren’s leader- ship the university has applied its consider- able resources and influence to myriad activi- ties designed to advance that goal, including public schools, public safety, housing, retail construction, transportation and economic de- velopment.


At the same time, he has been a leader in the


university’s collaboration with Midtown’s two other anchors, the Detroit Medical Center and


Henry Ford Health System, to make the area safer, create local employment opportunities for Wayne State students, and begin a shared shuttle bus service. During his administration, Wayne State also endorsed the M-1 light rail system through the Woodward Corridor, in- cluding a $3 million contribution.


Dr. Noren has made Wayne State a pioneer in


strategies for promoting economic growth. He has said repeatedly that preparing a creative, technologically skilled and entrepreneurial workforce is an essential element in any blue- print for economic prosperity.


For example, TechTown, Wayne State’s


thriving research park and business incubator, provides emerging entrepreneurs and start-ups with space, business plan assistance, market research, executive coaching and network- ing events. TechTown is home to 240 start- up companies from this country and abroad, an increase from only 34 just two years ago. TechTown has created 1,700 new jobs, trained 700 entrepreneurs with 600 more trainees in the pipeline, and raised $18 million in grant support for entrepreneurship training and pro- grams.


Wayne State and its clinical partners have


a distinguished history of service meeting the health-care needs of Detroit’s citizens, especial- ly the underserved. Dr. Noren is to be praised for working with the School of Medicine to strengthen teaching and clinical relationships with many of the area’s top hospitals and health organizations. His efforts have resulted in a new contract with the Detroit Medical Center and an expanding relationship with Henry Ford Health System, among others. Wayne State and Henry Ford are planning a cooperative research facil- ity that is expected to create more than 2,000 jobs during construction and lead to more than 1,000 new permanent jobs for Michigan.


Dr. Noren was a decisive leader who was un-


afraid to make tough decisions, and his com- mitment to the university and the city cannot be challenged. Advocates and critics alike agree that he consistently governed with the best interests of Wayne State and Detroit in mind. Under his leadership, Wayne State Uni- versity openly recognized its responsibility not only to educate students with excellence but also to contribute to the resolution of issues facing residents of this great city.


Throughout Detroit you’ll find Wayne State


faculty, staff and students engaged and con- tributing wherever there are needs to be met. We believe Dr. Noren has opened a number of important doors for his successor, and is leav- ing Wayne State University well-positioned for continued success.


We thank Dr. Noren for his commitment to


the university and our community and his en- ergetic and productive leadership, and we wish him and his family the very best.


What DPS needs is a student stimulus initiative


By Sharon Banks I am proud to have been a


Detroit Public Schools (DPS) student from grades K-12 graduating from Mumford High School. DPS is the foun- dation that prepared genera- tions of students in Detroit to complete college and voca- tional and technical schools to pursue careers and the quality of life they desired. Many DPS graduates have moved to other cities, states and countries; many remain here. No matter where we are one thing is constant: we are proud to be DPS alumni.


adults with children and grandchildren of their own. We are pleased with the education we received from DPS and remember our favorite teachers, usually the ones who challenged us to do our best and ac- cepted nothing less. We still have school spirit and will defend it with pride to the end. There are many who are helping and countless more who want to lift up the positive attributes of DPS.


These students are now Sharon Banks As the country confronts an economic


crisis not seen since the Depression, there are many “stimulus package” initiatives receiving substantial media attention. They include the Job Creation Stimulus, Mortgage Modification Stimulus, Automotive Loan Stimulus, Cash for Clunker Stimulus and perhaps others sound- ing the alarm for much needed support to stim- ulate the economy.


However, none of these “stimulus” im-


peratives can be sustained without educated, competitive and thriving students attending our schools. As discussions continue, it has been echoed that perhaps what we need is a DPS “Student Stimulus Initiative” that has the same focus and commitment as all the others. As the fever pitch debate persists on DPS stu- dent achievement, school system governance and community will, we need the Student Stim- ulus Initiative as part of the local and national clarion call.


A civil and caring society educates all of its


children. A thriving community is measured by many factors, none more important than how children are protected, nurtured and valued. Families make choices and sacrifices to seek


the best education possible for their children wherever they can find it. To retain and attract students, we must put them first and not just when we want to boost enrollment.


The Student Stimulus Ini-


tiative will place students at the top of every agenda to em- phasize who we are serving; not for headlines or as part of a strategic plan, but as a con- stant reminder that guides our discussions, focuses our responsibilities and directs our decisions. Here’s an idea, let’s include students. What a concept!


There is a growing consen- sus that not enough is being


reported to showcase DPS students who are achieving and working hard every day, often as they face tremendous odds. With all due re- spect for the ongoing debate on who will lead DPS, at the top of the organization chart or pyr- amid should always be the Student Stimulus Initiative to emphasize their importance in the ongoing planning, debate and decisions.


The first rule of marketing and advertising to


sustain any message is timing, frequency, con- tinuity, consistency and credibility. Through our vast media outlets, let’s commit ourselves to consistently tell the many positive attributes of our schools and students in Detroit. The bad news stories take care of themselves.


Regardless of their structure, without ques-


tion, the challenges facing all education provid- ers are daunting. However, there are positive attributes in DPS that need greater exposure; not every student, educator or school is failing. I often wonder how it makes our students feel to observe what is being done by adults pur- portedly on their behalf.


Let’s rid the educational landscape of politi-


cal, special interests and self-serving agendas. A concerted effort is required to consistently place our students, educators, families and supportive stakeholders top-of-mind and tell their stories.


I encourage all of us to become engaged in a


Student Stimulus Initiative; our future depends on it. As the stewards to educate every child, adults must participate in civil discourse and productive actions to make a positive differ- ence; our children are watching.


Why DPS matters


By David Nathan Education is the gateway


to a better life for our chil- dren. A world-class educa- tion will prepare them for the jobs of the 21st century, and we must make sure that our children in Detroit and across the state have every opportunity to earn a high- quality education in order to be successful in life and in the workplace.


As the father of two


children in Detroit Public Schools (DPS), however, I am concerned about our strug- gling school district. With a ballooning budget deficit, teacher layoffs, school clos- ings and increasing class sizes, our kids are losing their chance at the good edu- cation they deserve because we lack a system that can quickly put failing schools back on a path to success. This is simply unacceptable.


That’s why I introduced


legislation to create much-needed transpar- ency and accountability when it comes to how school districts in financial crisis are managed. We need to make sure that when the state ap- points an Emergency Financial Manager (EFM) to help turn around a struggling district like DPS, our children’s academics don’t become collateral damage of budget cuts. Under my plan:


• A three-member supervisory board consist- ing of the state's education superintendent, treasurer and director of the Department of Technology, Management and Budget would be created to oversee school district EFMs.


• Local school boards would be required to prepare a School District Improvement Plan (SDIP) with input from the community and assis- tance from the local Inter- mediate School District (ISD) that would be incorporated into the EFM's financial plan with quarterly progress re- ports.


• An EFM candidate would need public sector financial experience in order to be ap- pointed.


• All EFMs across the state would be required to submit their reports on the same day every six months in order to create uniformity and greater understanding of the finan- cial emergency to state and local governments as well as local communities.


David Nathan


committee on School District Academic Emergencies,


As chair of the House Sub- I


have worked closely with col- leagues on both sides of the


aisle to determine the best and most effective ways the state can help in rebuilding our strug- gling school districts and get our students' aca- demic achievement back on track. This plan is the result of that bipartisan cooperation and several months of hard work.


The bottom line is that we must do right by


our children — no matter how much we may disagree on how our schools can be improved. Through these key reforms, we will ensure a proper level of accountability and transpar- ency in how our hardest-hit schools are run — both financially and academically — so they are giving our children the best education pos- sible. In the end, that's what matters most.


November begins


By Tim Skubick It’s the day after an his-


toric election. The state now has one Republican and one Democrat vying for the top job in Lansing.


The normal thing for any


political journalist would be to focus on the all the crying, second-guessing and wait- until-next-time lamenting in the camp of the five candi- dates for governor who did not survive. And then quickly focus on the two who did and what they are going to do to win in three short months. But for some reason or other somebody else is on this radar screen: The late and great J.C.


The thought of Mr.


Cherry and how he was doing surfaced the other day in a freaky setting.


While on the rubber-


chicken circuit about a week before the primary election, it was an audience of com- munity college presidents and trustees who wanted to know how the gov’s race was coming along.


And in the course of


the back and forth, the name John Cherry came up. He now is and for all times will be exhibit A of how the popular political wisdom can sound so good, but be so wrong.


Tim Skubick


Anybody remember John Cherry? Last December all the pundits in this town


knew that come Aug. 4, it would be Lt. Gover- nor John Cherry carrying the mail for his be- loved labor dominated Democratic Party.


Sure he had some baggage, i.e. the woman


he worked for and sure he was having a tough time raising the bread, but he had no competi- tion, he had an impressive résumé and by most accounts, and even some Republicans reluc- tantly conceded the point, he was qualified. He knew how to put together a legislative deal, knew how to work with the other party and had a rare commodity in Lansing these days, the trust of those he worked with.


He was a shoe-in to the nail the nomination,


yet as the state sits here on the day after the primary, John Cherry sits somewhere ponder- ing, perhaps, what might have been or maybe he’s turned the page and just moved on?


That was his attitude last winter as the dust


was settling after his block-buster decision that set the Democratic primary for governor on its ear. Once he decided to stash his dream of suc- ceeding Gov. Jennifer Granholm, he looked as though a giant mountain had been lifted from his shoulders.


“I’m doing O.K.,” he smiled in his office just


off the Senate floor weeks after he made “the” decision. It was the first time he was in town and first time he had really said anything about that decision.


If he had buyer’s remorse, you needed a mi-


croscope to find it. Maybe he was putting on a face for the cameras as no politician wants to appear distraught over what might have been?


Cherry returned to his job of running the


Michigan Senate and was even tapped by the governor to help her mend her way through the budget mine-field that was unfolding during this election year. (Frankly, Cherry was prob- ably under utilized by the governor in working the legislature, but that’s another story.)


“Remember John Cherry was going to be the democratic


nominee for governor,” the audience was told. So much for that. Moments after the event, one participant came up and whispered, “Did you know Pam Ferris was in the audience?”


Pam Ferris is married to John Cherry.Egads!


One quickly and mentally rolled the tape back. Had something offensive been said about her husband? Just to make sure, she was ap- proached as she headed out the door.


“I’m fine,” she gave a comforting and reas-


suring smile. “No problems, but there is some stuff I could give you off the record, but not right now.”


And then a revealing insight into how the one


time new First Family in waiting was doing. “This is a switch,” she smiled again. “He’s


attending a conference with me and is out play- ing golf while I’m attending the meetings.”


Talk about your role reversals. Now as the


analysis is done on the Democrat who has a shot at the job Cherry was suppose to get, you have to wonder if some Democrats are wonder- ing, “What if?” What if Cherry had stayed in this thing? Would the party be better off in No- vember with him leading the charge?


That has all the makings of a parlor game


that could go down in history as one of those unanswerable questions that will still be asked years after the fact. Spouse Pam knows her hubby would have been a great governor and he probably does, too. But it was not to be.


So as the two winners of the Aug. 3 primary


pause for a momentto savor the win, it won’t last long. There are hands to shake, issues to advance, commercials to run, and battles to be fought.


For his part Mr. Cherry reaffirms what he dis-


closed last winter: “I have moved on and don’t spend much time thinking about ‘what if’s.’”


And in case you missed the point he adds,


“From the 18th green there are no regrets.” That says it all.


Countdown to


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