More Ways Forward

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Our work will remain closely connected, with academic and curricular needs moving through the planning and governance processes I oversee and Tanya ensuring teaching assignments and instructional resources support those priorities. As the new associate dean for teaching role takes shape, we will work across both areas, gather feedback, and continue refining our processes to support instructors, staff, and students best.

That same kind of coordination will be essential as another long-planned effort moves closer to reality. With the University of Michigan Center for Innovation building nearing completion, UMSI is working alongside university partners toward a proposal for a  Fall 2027 launch of a proposed executive education-style master’s degree in product management.

The program would build on U-M’s origins in Detroit and UMSI’s active engagement in the city while opening a new chapter in our relationship with its industries and communities. By joining colleagues from across the university at UMCI, we have the chance to create a distinctive interdisciplinary experience shaped by Detroit’s spirit of innovation.

This fall marks an important next step as the proposal moves forward for faculty consideration. Mark Newman and Steve Oney have joined the effort as faculty leads and will guide it through UMSI’s review process. More information will be shared in the coming weeks, along with opportunities for faculty to provide feedback and help shape this profound new opportunity for the school.

The timeline ahead is ambitious, but it is supported by years of planning and university-wide coordination. The proposed program is being designed around applied learning, industry engagement, flexible pathways for working professionals, and the complex challenges graduates will encounter in their fields.

As an additional note, this will be my LAST newsletter. Nikki Sunstrum has been essential to developing and sustaining it, and sadly for me, her staff contract expires at the end of the month. Fortunately for the school, she will remain part of the UMSI community in her lecturer capacity. Many thanks to Nikki for helping us elevate the incredible work taking place across our community and share its collective impact with greater intention and transparency. I do not want to lose the ability to highlight faculty and staff accomplishments, so I plan to continue sharing those stories through the new intranet.

There is much to look forward to this semester. I am grateful for the work that has brought us to this point and eager to see what we will accomplish together as we welcome our newest students, strengthen our academic programs, and prepare to extend UMSI’s educational mission in new ways.

Best,

Cliff 

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

University of Michigan School of Information