1985-1987 - Population Studies Center - University of Michigan

ing pressures seem to require single-minded concentrationon each individual's own research projects and agenda,Al's emphasis on breadth has been salutary. We haveall benefited from exposure to people looking at similartopics from different perspectives, within our ownuniversity.Somehow, throughout all of his years as Director(the job is nominally half-time), Al managed to findrime to maintain a full research agenda. Like the secretof successful parenthood, how Al did this remainsmysterious. As his sometime co-author, I do know thatAl brings formidable insight to his research, and thathe also balances his breadth with a wholesome tendencyto — in Alfred North Whitehead's words —"seek simplicity, and distrust it."And so we have lost an outstanding director and"regained" a cherished colleague. This was the symbolicmessage of a weil attended outdoor barbecue thispast summer, which gathered Center staff, studentsand friends for an opportunity to express our affectionfor Al Hermalin.This report documents another transition — the retirementsof Ronald and Deborah Freedman from theUniversity of Michigan faculty. As might be expected,Ron and Deborah now lead lives that are'anything butretiring. They occupy Center offices, continue to doresearch, consult, and travel professionally. Ron wasthe founder and first director of the Center, is a majorfigure in population studies nationally and internationally,and has long been the Center's senior statesman.Deborah has been a Center associate for many years, iswell known for her studies on fertility dynamics,family planning, and household structure, and is justlycelebrated for her peerless skills in helping friends,colleagues, and students make important life decisions,find housing, and thread their way through new andcomplex circumstances — locally and in foreignsettings where she has had the benefit of experience.The Center completed its 25th year in 1986. In June 'of that year we held a major celebration consisting ofmany parts, not the least of which were a set of scientificmeetings and a major fete for Ron and Deborah.Al Hermalin was the mastermind behind this, withvirtually everybody on the staff working extremelyhard to make this week-long event a great success.This report describes the celebration, and includessnapshots contributed by some of our skilled amateurphotographers documenting that happy occasion. Alsoincluded, with much gratitude on our part, is Ron'sinformal history of the Center, written in conjunctionwith the 25th anniversary.The 25th anniversary celebration also marked the initiationof the Ronald Freedman Fund for InternationalPopulation Activities. The fund will be used to sustainthe Center's longstanding interest in collaborativeresearch involving developing nations. It is an honorto list the roll of donors in this report, and a source ofenormous pride to note that the contributors include somany alumni, colleagues, and friends.The Center entered the 1987-1988 academic yearwith a vigorous and exciting research and trainingprogram, and with strong institutional support — bothfrom within as well as outside the University. TheUniversity continues to lease the Center's longtimequarters on South University Avenue. We have twicein recent years been awarded Behavioral ScienceResearch Grants by the University for computingequipment, and this has aided the Center's transitionto microcomputing. This past summer, with Universitysupport, we installed a much needed new telephonesystem. The current academic year is also oneof unique challenge and opportunity, because theCenter will be reviewed by the University for the firsttime in its history. This process may lead to unforeseenchanges and new administrative alignmentsdesigned to aid accomplishment of the Center's goals.This report describes the research of Center staff andstudents, its training program, support facilities, andthe service activities of the staff. The report is directedto the University of Michigan community, otherpopulation organizations, funding agencies, currentand prospective students, and to the press and generalpublic. No single report is likely to meet the diverseneeds of this audience. We thus welcome inquiries,and will be pleased to provide additional informationabout any aspect of our work.William M. MasonDecember 19872 Population Studies Center