ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan will highlight its ties to West Michigan when the Board of Regents has its monthly meeting in Grand Rapids at 1:30 p.m. April 15.

While the regents, elected statewide by Michigan voters, typically meet on one of the three U-M campuses, they are returning to West Michigan for the meeting in the Gerald R. and Betty Ford Ballroom of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.

The regents’ agenda includes several West Michigan-focused items. The university has created a Web site that showcases some of the many ties between U-M and the west side of the state.

Stories highlighted on the Web site include:

• Deborah Ball, dean of the School of Education, will lead U-M’s Elementary Mathematics Laboratory in Grand Rapids for a week this summer.
• Dale Ulrich, professor of physical education and movement science, has been helping families who have a child with Down syndrome and autism in the greater Grand Rapids area for more than four years.
• President Mary Sue Coleman recently presented the keynote speech at a gathering to honor West Michigan’s 50 most influential women.
• Several U-M alumni currently hold West Michigan leadership roles or have ties to the area.

More than 1,120 current U-M students are from Kent County and another 613 are from Kalamazoo County. Other than the four heavily populated southeast Michigan counties, no county sends more students to U-M than Kent or Kalamazoo, which also are home to more than 10,000 U-M alumni.

Public comments on agenda items will be taken prior to their consideration. Comments on nonagenda items will follow the regular business agenda.

People with disabilities who need assistance should contact the Office of the Vice President and Secretary of the University in advance at (734) 764-3883.

Board of RegentsU-M & West Michigan