LSA's McPherson appointed to Provost's Office

Provost Paul N. Courant and LSA Dean Terrence J. McDonald have announced that Mike McPherson, director of LSA Information Technology (LSAIT), has been appointed special counsel to the provost, effective Dec. 1.

McPherson (Photo by Paul Jaronski, U-M Photo Services)

McPherson also has been appointed interim president and CEO of Merit Network Inc. He will continue some duties on a limited basis in LSA until mid-2005.

McPherson's new duties in the Provost's Office include working directly with Associate Provost James Hilton in furthering the development and coordination of IT Commons efforts; working closely with campus units to develop management approaches and technical solutions that are consistent with the IT Commons; and serving as an adviser on a variety of technical and organizational issues.

One of McPherson's first tasks will be to serve as interim president at Merit Networks Inc. while the Merit Board conducts a search for a permanent president. Merit is a nonprofit corporation that links computer networks within the state of Michigan's universities and colleges to each other and to countless research, educational, cultural and governmental networks worldwide.

"I am very pleased and excited that Mike has agreed to take on this important role," Hilton says. "His proven ability to facilitate collaboration and demonstrated leadership skills will be a tremendous help to us. And the fact that he is retaining a partial appointment with LSA will only enhance the collaboration with that college and the Office of the Provost."

McPherson, who spent 17 years at Michigan State University before coming to U-M, says he feels fortunate to have worked with the leadership and the talented, dedicated IT staff in LSA.

"I am looking forward to working with Merit Network Inc.—another fine organization with a long history at the center of high-performance computer networking," McPherson says.

"Mike McPherson has been instrumental in bringing LSA forward in the complex world of information technology, and we will miss him here," McDonald says. "Since coming to U-M nine years ago, he has created a strategic, collaborative IT community within LSA and with the University as a whole. He's doubled the IT capacity in LSA and done so with an eye toward cost savings."

Rick Francis, LSA associate dean for budget, adds, "Mike's leadership and vision as director of LSAIT has been critically important to the college during a period of rapid change and astonishing growth in the college's IT environment. We are deeply appreciative for his many contributions to the creation of the strong IT infrastructure that supports the teaching, research and administrative efforts of our faculty and staff."