MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Northern Michigan University kicked off its annual welcome to faculty and staff at its Fall Convocation Wednesday morning.
Ahead of the semester, speakers across the Academic Senate, Staff Union and ASNMU spoke on the excitement of the months ahead. Beginning his first full year at Northern, President Chris Olsen also set the stage for his future plans at the university.
This includes an expected shift in leadership for at least two senior officials, due to their oncoming retirements. Olsen mentioned a plan to merge these positions and others to a single person over the next three years, creating major potential changes to the ways university leadership could be managed.
“We’re looking at a bit smaller enrollment this fall, and then whatever happens over the next few years. We just want to be very careful with overall staffing and what our budget commitment looks like,” he said. “But the reality is, Northern is in a great place.”
Olsen also especially highlighted a new goal of student engagement this semester through their first month of classes, called Wildcat Welcome.
“The first four weeks are really important for students, and we really want to make sure they get connected,” he said. “It’s really a more focused integrated approach to the first four weeks.”
NMU students will make their return to campus this week, before classes begin on Monday, August 24.
