Our purpose as a section is to support and improve mathematics education
in the state's colleges and universities. The section's primary efforts
have gone into five ongoing projects: the annual meeting, the Michigan
Mathematics Prize Competition, the High School Visiting Lecture Program,
the Section Newsletter, and the Section Web page. We also try to offer
support and encouragement to other projects that contribute to our
purpose.
Two relatively new such projects are coming about through efforts of members of the section. These are the Michigan Undergraduate Mathematics Conference (MUMC) and Project NExT (New Experiences in Teaching).
The MUMC was held this year at Grand Valley State University (see story). All reports are that this year's conference was a splendid success. I would like to thank Tim Sipka (Alma C), Paul Fishback and Jody Sorensen (GVSU), and Toni Carroll (Siena Heights U) who once again made up the organizing committee, and without whom this conference would not have been possible.
Project NExT is a national program of the MAA designed to support new teachers at the college level. The development of this program in Michigan is well underway, thanks to the efforts of Margret Höft (UM-Dearborn) and John Kiltinen (NMU). A planning meeting will be held in Mt. Pleasant on May 4; see the Section Web site http://sections.maa.org/michigan/meeting00 for details.
Please remember that it is especially important to make your motel reservations early this year for our annual meeting, May 5-6, in Mt. Pleasant. This year is special as the end (or beginning, depending on how you count) of a decade/century/millennium, and the organizers are putting together a program appropriate for the occasion. I look forward to seeing everyone there.
Dan Frohardt, Chair