EMU President James H. Brickley (1974-78) was a staunch supporter of innovative academic research and teaching.
Launchpad
How a generous philanthropic gift with roots in Eastern’s past supports innovative academic research and teaching
During the early 1970s, Eastern Michigan University had reached a tipping point—one that might have led to severe budget cuts impacting all areas of the institution.
Thankfully, a worst-case scenario never happened due to the fortitude and perseverance of James H. Brickley, who served as EMU president from 1974-78.
“President Brickley demonstrated impressive leadership at a time when the university was experiencing enrollment decline and sharp drops in state funding,” says Tony Evans, who joined EMU in 1975 as administrative assistant to President Brickley. “He was most adept in working with the Board of Regents and State officials in helping Eastern withstand those historic challenges, regain its equilibrium, and chart a new future of service to southeast Michigan.”
Tony went on to serve Eastern as executive vice president, interim president, and provost and vice president for academic affairs until 1982. He subsequently became president at California State University, San Bernardino for 15 years. Tony never forgot Brickley’s leadership at EMU during that critical period. To honor his legacy, Tony and his wife Lois—a retired mathematics teacher—made a gift to the EMU Foundation in 2016 to establish the James H. Brickley Endowment for Faculty Professional Development and Innovation.
The fund supports innovative academic research and teaching. Thus, this generous act of philanthropic giving links to an important figure from Eastern’s past while supporting groundbreaking projects and teaching methods that will transform the future.
President Brickley led Eastern during a time when state budget cuts threatened the university’s survival.
The James H. Brickley Award
After earning his law degree, Brickley (1928-2001) had a distinguished career that included other positions such as FBI special agent, chief prosecuting attorney for Wayne County, United States attorney, Michigan lieutenant governor, and adjunct professor of government and law.
Eastern’s Office of Research Development and Administration administers the James H. Brickley Award. The criteria for funded projects include development of innovative resources or teaching methods, application of new techniques and technologies, likely production of scholarly materials, overall benefit to the wider EMU community, and other factors.
Examples of funded projects include creating mental health programs for immigrants, understanding the links between human behavior and the brain, training mental health professionals to help patients with substance abuse disorder, and dozens more.
The amount awarded annually is around $80,000 to benefit a greater number of projects. Since the first awards cycle in 2017, there have been 118 awards to 132 faculty members, with a general emphasis on funding new and untenured faculty.
While at EMU, Tony Evans (third from left) served in various administrative positions. He also worked closely with EMU President John Porter (left).
While at EMU, Tony Evans (third from left) served in various administrative positions. He also worked closely with EMU President John Porter (left).
Tony says one reason why he and Lois established the fund in Brickley’s name is to honor his steadfast support of innovative academic research and teaching.
“Just as it was during President Brickley’s time, innovative faculty development and research are the cornerstones of academic excellence,” Tony says. “When faculty members pursue their passions, the outcomes are of incredible value. The results are research breakthroughs, innovative teaching methods, and deeper connections within the academic community.
“The Brickley Award not only enriches the professional growth of faculty members, it also inspires Eastern students. Many of those students will go on to become researchers themselves and pursue their own passions, which will continue the cycle of innovative academic research and teaching long into the future.”
Tony and Lois Evans established the fund in Brickley’s name to honor his legacy of leadership.
“The Brickley Award not only enriches the professional growth of faculty members, it also inspires Eastern students. Many of those students will go on to become researchers themselves and pursue their own passions, which will continue the cycle of innovative academic research and teaching long into the future.”
Tony Evans
Passion project
Brickley Award funds helped Associate Professor of Psychology Adam Briggs launch an inventive study of children with autism that might not have otherwise gotten off the ground.
Adam’s study investigates the variables that influence treatment relapse in children with autism that leads them to revert to challenging behaviors such as aggression. These behaviors could, in turn, result in physical restraint and placement of the child in a more restrictive environment.
“Although behavioral interventions are largely effective, parents aren’t always able to deliver them consistently to their child,” Adam says. “Relapse to challenging behavior occurs in about 75 percent of those cases in which the interventions are unable to be consistently delivered.”
Adam’s passion for helping these children began while participating in an undergraduate practicum involving preschoolers with autism.
“It was a profound experience for me,” says Adam, who also directs EMU’s Behavior Analysis Research Lab. “I began seeing the real-time applications of concepts and principles that I’d been learning in class were making a difference in the lives of these children.”
Associate Professor of Psychology Adam Briggs (top left) and the team from EMU's Behavior Analysis Research Lab are studying children with autism who engage in severe challenging behavior.
Adam worked on challenging cases with children who engage in severe challenging behavior.
“I had success with some kids and felt helpless with others,” Adam says. “I knew there had to be better, more effective treatment methodologies. That’s when I became passionate about my field and about bringing help to these kids and families.”
Brickley Award funds allowed Adam to set up a translational research study in the Behavior Analysis Lab. The “translational” component represents the stage in the research process when lab findings begin moving toward clinical practice. The funds enabled the purchase of specialized equipment for a touchscreen monitor, graphing software, and consultation with a computer programmer.
Due to safety and ethical concerns, Adam’s study doesn’t involve children with autism. Instead, Eastern undergraduate psychology students provide input by completing a series of computer tasks that award points to reinforce positive behaviors. The goal, Adam says, is to see how quickly a person returns to the target response (or “challenging behavior”) when the computer no longer delivers points.
“Knowing the university believes in your ideas, having the support to launch an innovative research project, being able to engage in work that makes a difference—that’s something I’m very grateful for.”
Adam Briggs
“It’s akin to the child who learns how to appropriately ask for and receive their parent’s iPad,” Adam says. “However, we want to learn how quickly their challenging behavior returns after they ask for and cannot receive the iPad—as in instances when its battery dies and it’s unavailable.”
About 40 Eastern students have participated in the project to date. Adam co-authored an article about the study with one of his doctoral students who conducted the project in partial fulfillment of her thesis requirements. The article appeared in the October 2024 issue of “Journal of Experimental Analysis of Behavior.”
“We want to understand why relapse occurs so we can ultimately improve our interventions and mitigate the impact of relapse, resulting in more durable and sustained treatment outcomes,” Adam says.
Brickley Award funds allowed Adam to launch the project without resorting to time-consuming fundraising or paying out of pocket for expensive equipment. He says that the awards reinforces Eastern’s reputation for showing a high degree of confidence in its faculty.
“Knowing the university believes in your ideas, having the support to launch an innovative research project, being able to engage in work that makes a difference—that’s something I’m very grateful for,” Adam says.
Tony and Lois Evans have committed to building the Brickley Endowment for Faculty Professional Development and Innovation to continue the award cycle. Additional gifts are welcome. If you’d like to learn more about the fund and how to make a contribution, please contact Rae Anne Yuskowatz, director of Planned and Legacy Giving, at 734-487-8040 or ryuskowa@emich.edu. You may also make a gift on the EMU Foundation website.
By Jeff Samoray
Photos from University Archives