Higher Education Partnerships

The Higher Education Recruitment Consortium

The Michigan Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC) provides the largest higher education job board in Michigan. The consortium is designed to make it easier to recruit or retain talented faculty and staff by helping spouses find openings at nearby colleges or universities within the same region, to create networking opportunities and share best practices among member institutions through regular meetings, and to reduce costs through joint purchasing arrangements. 

In 2007, Michigan’s three URC presidents jointly invited the state’s other public and private colleges and universities to form the Michigan HERC. Soon afterwards, Michigan HERC launched with 24 public and private colleges and universities in the state, and connected to a national network of higher education institutions. Today, Michigan HERC has 27 member institutions, including community colleges, 4-year colleges and universities, affiliated teaching hospitals, and research labs and institutes.

Making it Easier for Community College Students to Obtain Bachelor’s Degrees

MSU and the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers in November launched the Michigan Transfer Network to make it easier for community college students to transfer to four-year universities.
 

Research Libraries Are Linked

The research universities libraries have been linked electronically since 1994 through the Michigan Research Libraries Triangle, allowing students, faculty and staff borrowing privileges at any of the three universities. Currently enrolled graduate students can receive guest borrowing privileges at each of the universities if their home academic library account is in good standing.

STEM Partnership with WMU Boosts Number of Minorities in Math, Science

U-M, MSU, Wayne State and Western Michigan joined together in 2006 to launch the Michigan-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program, a federal initiative designed to attract and retain under-represented minorities to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The five year, $5 million program was supported by a National Science Foundation grant. The four partner schools aimed to increase the number of under-represented minorities earning baccalaureate degrees in STEM areas.

The alliance universities establish a student ambassadors program; collaborate with other STEM groups such as the American Chemical Society; make it easier to earn dual degrees in STEM areas; develop pre-first year summer transition programs; involve more undergraduate students in research projects; and increase participation in MI-LSAMP internships and residential learning programs.