Northern Michigan University online campus: A case of digital transformation in higher education

The Northern Michigan University (NMU) online campus, fondly known as the “Global Campus,” is now 5 years old. Launched in 2016, this online and distance education initiative had as its mission to create academic programs that meet students’ learning and service needs “at the same high standard we do for on-campus students” (NMU). This was a kind of organic final step in the journey of digital transformation that began sixteen years before. Nonetheless, how does NMU make a pivot from 117 years of traditional face-to-face learning model to create value and compete in the digital education space? Worse still, when the Covid-19 global pandemic hits in March 2020 and the campus is forced to shut down (mandating all face-to-face teaching and learning, and to transition to online delivery within just two business days and a weekend); how does the university handle this new set of challenges as its online model gets tested in real-time? The story of NMU’s evolution to online education is told by intrinsic and extrinsic factors including declining enrollments due to changing local economics and regional demographics, an old business model now compounded by a global pandemic. This mix of factors would seem to present NMU with both an opportunity to refine its online model and some new challenges to overcome. This evolution also speaks to the importance of having an overarching digital strategy that can drive true digital transformation.

Time-lapse Borehole Gravity Imaging of CO2 Injection and Withdrawal in a Closed Carbonate Reef

Three borehole gravity (BHG) surveys were performed in 2013, 2016, and 2018 to monitor the changes in gravity/density as a result of the injection and withdrawal of carbon dioxide (CO2) into and out of the Dover 33 carbonate reservoir reef in Northern Michigan. The observed gravity changes and inferred density changes have been modeled to determine the flow and storage zones of the injected CO2 in the reef. The high quality and low level of uncertainty of the data collected make them useful for delineating the CO2 plume position over time and for identifying the oil sweeping extent and mechanisms in the Dover 33 reef. The time-lapse gravity results indicate the effects of the changing CO2 mass within the reservoir, consistent with increasing mass from 2013 to 2016 (following CO2 injection) and a decreasing mass from 2016 to 2018 (after CO2 withdrawal). Three-dimensional imaging of fluid migrations in the reef has been obtained by coupling the time-lapse BHG results to a 3D porosity and permeability model. This coupled approach allows the evaluation of the volume of the reef affected by the injection of CO2 between 2013 and 2016, the efficiency of the oil sweeping between 2016 and 2018, and the location of the residual CO2 plume in the reef after 2018.

A new species of Setodes Rambur (Trichoptera: Leptoceridae) from northern Michigan, USA

Setodes truncatus n. sp. is illustrated and described herein based on specimens collected from 2 adjacent watersheds of the Huron Mountains in northern Michigan (USA). Both known populations inhabit undisturbed sandy rivers. Males of S. truncatus appear most similar to those of S. incertus (Walker) but can be separated based on their short and truncate inferior appendages and by other differences in the genitalia. The larva and female both remain unknown. A revised key to males of the 10 North American species of Setodes is provided.

Perceptions of, and Motivations for, Land Trust Conservation in Northern Michigan: An Analysis of Key Informant Interviews

Land trusts are common and expanding mechanisms for conservation, although their impacts have been little-studied. The objective of this paper is to understand the perceptions and motivations of stakeholders of small-scale land trust conservation. We used 33 key informant interviews to learn the motivations and opinions of stakeholders regarding the Little Traverse Conservancy (LTC) of northern Michigan, USA. The interviews were coded for relevant themes and interpreted alongside a literature review. The highest reported motivation for stakeholder involvement with LTC was the protection of nature and scenic beauty. Economic and social factors were also considered motivators; however, were not the key facilitators for conservation action for LTC stakeholders. Interviews emphasized that relationship and partnership formations are critical for facilitating successful land conservation. We conclude that land trust organizations can captivate the long-term support and participation of stakeholders through the consideration of local dynamics and building upon existing community relationships.