History of the University of Michigan
The history of the University of Michigan began with its establishment on August 26, 1817 as the Catholepistemiad or University of Michigania.
The Catholepistemiad (1817–1821)
Shortly after the
In 1817, Woodward drafted a territorial act establishing a "Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania," organized into thirteen different professorships, or didaxiim, following the classification system he had published the year before in his A System of Universal Science. He invented names for these using a mix of
The Didactor (professor) of Catholepistemia was to be the President, and the Didactor of Ennœica the Vice-President. Under the act, the Didactors exercised control over not only the university itself, but education in the territory in general, with the authority to "establish colleges, academies, schools, libraries, museums, atheneums, botanical gardens, laboratories, and other useful literary and scientific institutions consonant to the laws of the United States and of Michigan, and provide for and appoint Directors, Visitors, Curators, Librarians, Instructors and Instructrixes among and throughout the various counties, cities, towns, townships, or other geographical divisions of Michigan."[5]
The act was signed into law August 26, 1817, by Woodward, Judge
When it came to funding the project, Woodward being a
The cornerstone of the university's first building, near the corner of Bates St. and Congress St. in Detroit, was laid on September 24, 1817, and within a year both a primary school and a classical academy were functioning within it.[8]
Five days after the laying of the cornerstone, the
The land granted to the college and the church was of two parts, one consisting of three
The University of Michigan was sued in 1971 by descendants of the tribes who claimed that the land grant should have been held in
Name change (1821–1837)
The unwieldy name of the Catholepistemiad and its constituent departments made it a target of ridicule. Governor Cass referred to it as the "Cathole-what's its name"
The Trustees continued to oversee operation of the primary school and academy in Detroit and Grand Blanc, at one point reaching an enrollment of 200, but did not establish any additional schools, so the university continued to be one in name only. By 1827, neither school was operating, and the building in Detroit was leased to private teachers. Except as a legal entity, the University of Michigan had essentially ceased to exist.[16]
19th century
College/school | Year founded[17]
|
Literature, Science, and the Arts |
1841
|
Medicine |
1850
|
Engineering | 1854
|
Law | 1859
|
Dentistry | 1875
|
Pharmacy | 1876
|
Music, Theatre & Dance |
1880
|
Nursing | 1893
|
Architecture & Urban Planning |
1906
|
Graduate Studies |
1912
|
Government | 1914
|
Education | 1921
|
Business | 1924
|
Environment and Sustainability |
1927
|
Public Health | 1941
|
Social Work | 1951
|
Information | 1969
|
Art & Design |
1974
|
Kinesiology |
1984
|
Founding
In preparation for statehood, Michigan held a
The Organic Act of March 18, 1837, created the University of Michigan, governed by a
A group of businessmen called the Ann Arbor Land Company had set land aside in the village of Ann Arbor, trying to win a bid for a new state capital. When that did not happen, they offered it for sale to the state for use by the university. A second act passed two days after the Organic Act called for the University to be established in Ann Arbor, and directed the Regents to secure a site. The Board of Regents held its first meeting in Ann Arbor on June 5, 1837.[21] At this meeting they chose 40 acres on the farm of Henry Rumsey as the new site for the university.[22]
The first classes were held in 1841; six freshmen and a sophomore were taught by two professors. Eleven men graduated in the first commencement ceremony in 1845.
A new state constitution was adopted in 1850, with two significant changes related to the university. The office of Regent was changed from an appointed one to an elected one, and the office of President of the University of Michigan was created, with the Regents directed to select one. In 1852, they chose Henry Philip Tappan as the university's first president.[20]
Early Expansion
Tappan modeled UM's curriculum on the broad range of subjects taught at German universities (the so-called "research model"), rather than the classical models (the so-called "recitation model"). The German, or Humboldtian model, was conceived by Wilhelm von Humboldt and based on Friedrich Schleiermacher’s liberal ideas pertaining to the importance of freedom, seminars, and laboratories in universities. To that end, Tappan enlarged the library, and supported the development and establishment of laboratories, an art gallery, and the Detroit Observatory.[23] However, Tappan was dismissed in 1863 over conflicts with the Board of Regents concerning matters of policy and personality.[24]
The
By 1865 to 1866, the university's enrollment increased to 1,205 students, with many of the new enrollees veterans of the
The university's first known African American student, Samuel Codes Watson, was admitted as a medical student in 1853; the first female student,
In 1871, James B. Angell, president of the University of Vermont, was appointed president of UM, a position that he held until 1909. Angell aggressively expanded the university's curriculum to include and expand professional studies in dentistry, architecture, engineering, government, and medicine. In 1880, President Rutherford B. Hayes appointed Angell a special minister to China to negotiate the immigration of Chinese laborers. Angell's publicity efforts abroad eventually prompted a large influx of foreign students to the university. UM also began to attract renowned faculty, including pragmatist philosopher John Dewey, who taught at the university from 1884 to 1894, and Thomas M. Cooley, who left the university when he was appointed the first chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission by President Grover Cleveland.
Michigan in the 20th century
University President
The 1930s saw a major crackdown on the consumption of alcohol and the rowdiness that had characterized student life practically from inception.[citation needed] In February 1931, local police raided five fraternities, finding liquor and arresting 79 students, including the captain of the football team and Michigan Daily editors. During the Great Depression, ritual and widespread freshman hazing all but ceased. Long known as a "dressy campus," student attire became less formal.[23] Fraternities and sororities became less prominent in student life, as their finances and memberships went into steep decline.
UM's position as a prominent research university gained momentum in 1920 with a formal reorganization of the College of Engineering and the formation of an advisory committee of 100 industrialists to guide academic research initiatives. In addition, 1933 saw the completion of the new Law Quadrangle, a gift from alumnus William W. Cook. The quadrangle quickly became a campus landmark, known for its integration of residence and legal scholarship.
In 1943, Michigan was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a Navy commission.[28]
During World War II, the university grew into a true research powerhouse, undertaking major initiatives on behalf of the U.S. Navy and contributing to weapons development with breakthroughs including the VT fuze, depth bombs, the PT boat, and radar jammers. By 1950, university enrollment had reached 21,000, of whom 7,700 were veterans supported by the G.I. Bill. In the same year, the university purchased 300 acres (120 ha) of land north of the Huron River that would later become North Campus.
University presidents | |
---|---|
President | Years |
Rev. John Monteith |
1817–1821 |
none (Board of Trustees) | 1821–1837 |
none (Board of Regents) | 1837–1852 |
Henry Philip Tappan | 1852–1863 |
Erastus Otis Haven | 1863–1869 |
Henry S. Frieze * |
1869–1871 |
James Burrill Angell | 1871–1909 |
Henry S. Frieze* | 1880–1882 |
Henry S. Frieze* | 1887–1888 |
Harry Burns Hutchins* | 1897–1898 |
Harry Burns Hutchins* | 1909–1910 |
Harry Burns Hutchins | 1910–1920 |
Marion LeRoy Burton | 1920–1925 |
Alfred Henry Lloyd* | 1925 |
Clarence Cook Little |
1925–1929 |
Alexander Grant Ruthven | 1929–1951 |
Harlan Hatcher | 1951–1968 |
Robben Wright Fleming | 1968–1979 |
Allan Frederick Smith * |
1979 |
Harold Tafler Shapiro | 1980–1988 |
Robben Wright Fleming* | 1988 |
James Johnson Duderstadt |
1988–1996 |
Homer A. Neal * |
1996 |
Lee C. Bollinger |
1996–2002 |
B. Joseph White* | 2002 |
Mary Sue Coleman | 2002–2014 |
Mark S. Schlissel |
2014–2022 |
Mary Sue Coleman* | 2022 |
Santa Ono | 2022–present |
*Denotes acting/interim president See also President of the University of Michigan |
In 1948, Michigan's Institute for Social Research (ISR) was established by Rensis Likert. Harlan H. Hatcher, an administrator at Ohio State University and professor of English, was appointed university president in 1951. Hatcher fostered early construction in the school's nascent North Campus, and created an Honors College for 5% of entering freshmen. As the Cold War and the Space Race took shape, UM became a principal recipient of government research grants, and its researchers were on the vanguard of exploring peacetime uses for atomic power.[citation needed] During Hatcher's administration, the ISR, with its ambitious ongoing effort focused on research and applications of social science, received its own building. In a 1966 report by the American Council on Education, the university was rated first or second in the nation in graduate teaching of all 28 disciplines surveyed.[citation needed] In 1971, the central library on campus was named the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library.
The beginning of Hatcher's presidency saw the university in the national spotlight over the first-ever "
During the 1960s, numerous UM faculty members served in the administrations of presidents
An enduring legacy of the 1960s was the sharp rise in campus activism. The campus tumult of the 1960s was to some extent foreshadowed during
On November 5, 1962, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered two speeches to capacity crowds in Hill Auditorium and also participated in an intimate student discussion and faculty dinner reception at the Michigan Union. “The American dream is as yet unfulfilled,” he said, in his only known visit to Ann Arbor.
On March 24, 1964, a group of faculty held the nation's first "
Low minority enrollment was also a cause of unrest. In March 1970, the Black Action Movement, an umbrella name for a coalition of student groups, sponsored a campus-wide strike to protest low minority enrollment and to build support for an African American Studies department. The strike included picket lines that prevented entrance to university buildings and was widely observed by students and faculty. Eight days after the strike began, the university granted many of BAM's demands.
Campus activism also changed the character of student social life. By 1973, only 4.7% of the student body participated in fraternities and sororities.[
During the 1970s, severe budget constraints hindered to some extent the university's physical development and academic standing. For the previous 50 years, all major academic surveys had listed Michigan as one of the nation's top five universities, a standing that began to diminish.[citation needed] For instance, the student-faculty ratio at the U-M Law School became the highest of any elite law school in the U.S. Though the undergraduate division is currently ranked in the top 25, the university is acknowledged to have a faculty whose teaching awards, publications, patents and citations generally rank in the top five in the U.S.[30]
The university's financial condition improved under the leadership of President Harold Shapiro, a former economics professor, during the 1980s. The university again saw a surge in funds devoted to research in the social and physical sciences, although campus controversy arose over involvement in the anti-missile Strategic Defense Initiative and investments in South Africa. A new hospital complex was opened in 1986, including a new University Hospital and the A. Alfred Taubman Health Care Center that centralized outpatient care provided by the Medical School faculty. Also in 1986, UM launched M-CARE, a managed care health plan that provided HMO coverage and other plans to university faculty and staff, retirees, dependents, and to employers in the community.
President James Duderstadt, whose tenure ran from 1988 to 1995, was a nuclear engineer and former engineering dean who emphasized uses for computer and information technology. Duderstadt facilitated achievements in the campus's physical growth and fundraising efforts. His successor, Lee Bollinger, had a relatively brief tenure before departing to lead Columbia University. Two major construction initiatives in the late 1990s were (1) the University of Michigan School of Social Work building constructing a brand new dedicated building on the corner of South and East University.[31] and (2) Tisch Hall addition to Angell Hall, named in honor of a $6M gift from mall developer Preston Robert Tisch.[32]
Present day
In the early 2000s, the UM faced declining state funding as a percentage of its funding due to state budget shortfalls. At the same time, UM has attempted to maintain its high academic standing while keeping tuition costs affordable. The university administration also faced labor disputes with
In 2003, two lawsuits involving the school's
The debate still continues, however, because in November 2006 Michigan voters passed proposal 2, banning most affirmative action in university admissions. Under that law race, gender, and national origin can no longer be considered in admissions.[33] UM and other organizations were granted a stay from implementation of the passed proposal soon after that election, and this has allowed time for proponents of affirmative action to decide legal and constitutional options in response to the election results. The university has stated it plans to continue to challenge the ruling; in the meantime, the admissions office states that it will attempt to achieve a diverse student body by looking at other factors such as whether the student attended a disadvantaged school, and the level of education of the student's parents.[33]
In late 2006, with the climate for health plans changing rapidly throughout the region and the U.S., the university made the decision to sell M-CARE to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and its Blue Care Network subsidiary. As part of the sale, a new health care quality organization called Michigan HealthQuarters was founded.[citation needed]
In 2021 music professor
Campus history
The Ann Arbor campus originally started on 40 acres (16 ha) of land bounded by State Street on the west, North University Avenue on the north, East University Avenue on the east, and South University Avenue on the south.
The first two decades of the 20th century saw a construction boom on campus that included facilities to house the dental and pharmacy programs, a chemistry building, a building for the study of natural sciences, the Martha Cook Building and Helen Newberry residence halls, Hill Auditorium, and large hospital and library complexes. University President Burton continued the construction boom through the 1920s, including the construction of Michigan Stadium. In 1925, The University Hospital (also known as the Main Hospital) replaced the Catherine Street Hospital. Designed by Albert Kahn, the 893-bed hospital was the largest and most modern facility of its kind in the nation, and was used until 1986. Land for North Campus, which would house the College of Engineering, the School of Music, and the A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning was purchased in 1950.
During the 1980s and 1990s, the university devoted substantial resources to renovating its massive hospital complex and improving the academic facilities on the university's North Campus. At a time when many other universities were choosing to sell their hospitals and clinics, UM created a tighter bond between its Medical School and its Hospitals & Health Centers unit in 1997, forming the
Nevertheless, in the past decade roughly $2.5 billion has been budgeted and expended toward such construction, with approximately another $4.8 billion in construction projects in 17 new buildings underway or in planning for the coming decade. Recently, the university has constructed over 1 million square feet (90,000 m²) of academic and laboratory space devoted to the life sciences.[38] In 2005, the university unveiled a development master-plan for the medical campus that is expected to add 3 million square feet (270,000 m²) to the existing 5 million square feet (450,000 m²). Examples of new buildings include the Cardiovascular Center, the Biomedical Science Research Building, the Rachel Upjohn Building and the replacement for C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and Women's Hospital, scheduled to open in 2011.
The Ann Arbor campus is divided into four main areas: the North, Central, Medical, and South Campuses. The physical infrastructure includes more than 500 major buildings, with a combined area of more than 37.48 million square feet (860 acres or 3.48 km²).[39] The campus also consists of leased space in buildings scattered throughout the city, many occupied by organizations affiliated with the University of Michigan Health System. An East Medical Campus has recently been developed on Plymouth Road, with several university-owned buildings for outpatient care, diagnostics, and outpatient surgery. The university also has an office building called Wolverine Tower in southern Ann Arbor near Briarwood Mall. Another major facility is the Matthaei Botanical Gardens, which is located on the eastern outskirts of Ann Arbor.
Notes
- ^ "Exchange: University of Michigan". exchange.umma.umich.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
- ^ Dunbar & May 1995, pp. 188
- ^ Fedynsky 2001
- ^ Shaw 1920, pp. 8
- ^ Hinsdale 1906, pp. 8–9
- ^ Hinsdale 1906, pp. 11
- ^ History of the Grand Lodge of Michigan Archived 2013-07-29 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 05 May 2010
- ^ Hinsdale 1906, pp. 12
- ^ a b Dunbar & May 1995, p. 189
- ^ McLaughlin 1891, pp. 20
- ^ a b Children of Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawatomy Tribes v. Regents of University of Michigan, 104 Mich App 482, 507 (January 26, 1981).
- ^ Hinsdale 1906, pp. 24
- ^ Brennan 2001
- ^ Hinsdale 1906, pp. 12–13
- ^ Bentley Historical Library 2004
- ^ Hinsdale 1906, p. 14
- ^ "University of Michigan Timelines: Departmental History". Bentley Historical Library. November 4, 2008. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2008.
- ^ a b Hinsdale 1906, p. 17
- ^ Hinsdale 1906, p. 26
- ^ a b Bentley Historical Library 2001
- ^ Hinsdale 1906, pp. 29–30
- ^ Shaw 1942, p. 32
- ^ a b c d e f Frank, Mary Jo (November 14, 1996). "U-M presidents have weathered wars, recessions, unrest to keep institution in leadership position". The University Record (University of Michigan). Retrieved 2007-03-04.
- ^ "Presidents of the University of Michigan". University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library. July 2004. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
- ^ "University of Michigan Timelines - General University Timeline". University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library. April 2005. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
- ^ "University of Michigan Timelines - Diversity at the University of Michigan". University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library. April 2005. Retrieved 2007-03-07.
- ^ "Past Presidents | Office of the President". president.umich.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
- ^ "Michigan in the News". Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan. 2011. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
- ^ "Remarks of Senator John F. Kennedy at the University of Michigan - Student Union Building Steps". John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. October 14, 1960. Archived from the original on March 16, 2008. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
- ^ "Michigan Faculty Awards" (PDF). The Lombardi Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-02-20.
- ^ "U-M School of Social Work: History". Retrieved February 21, 2014.
- ^ "The Future of the Humanities". No. Spring 1998, page 13. University of Michigan / LSAmagazine, Volumes 20-22. 1996. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
- ^ a b University of Michigan Drops Affirmative Action for Now (11 January 2007). Associated Press.'.' Retrieved January 12, 2007.
- ^ Roche, Darragh (October 9, 2021). "College Music Professor Steps Down After Showing Students 'Blackface' Othello". Newsweek. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
- ^ Flaherty, Colleen (November 9, 2018). "Tenure and Misconduct". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
Some at Michigan are asking why a famous music professor was granted tenure soon after a misconduct investigation that was later allegedly reopened.
- ^ Redden, Elizabeth (October 8, 2021). "University of Michigan Faculty Calls for Changes". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
faculty members called for policy changes on remote teaching, COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, and addressing sexual misconduct. ...an independent investigation found to be a two-decade-long history of sexual misconduct allegations
- ^ Flaherty, Colleen (October 11, 2021). "Professor Not Teaching After Blackface 'Othello' Showing". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 2021-10-12.
Michigan has faced a series of sexual misconduct scandals in recent years, both within music and the university broadly.
- ^ "LSI". University of Michigan. 2007.
- ^ "Environmental Stewardship at the University of Michigan" (PDF). University of Michigan Occupational Safety and Environmental Health. 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 15, 2007. Retrieved April 29, 2007.
References
- Bentley Historical Library (2001). "The Board of Regents of the University of Michigan". Archived from the original on 2007-08-12. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
- Bentley Historical Library (2004). "Presidents of the University of Michigan". Archived from the original on 2016-06-22. Retrieved 2018-10-29.
- Brennan, Thomas E. (October 9, 2001). "A Portrait of Augustus B. Woodward" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 13, 2006. Retrieved 2007-09-06.
- Dunbar, Willis F.; May, George S. (1995). Michigan: A History of the Wolverine State. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans. ISBN 0-8028-7055-4.
- Fedynsky, John (2001). "What's in a name?". Res Gestae.[dead link]
- Hinsdale, Burke A. (1906). Demmon, Isaac (ed.). History of the University of Michigan. University of Michigan. Retrieved 2007-08-16.
- McLaughlin, Andrew C. (1891). Adams, Herbert B. (ed.). History of Higher Education in Michigan. Contributions to American Educational History. Government Printing Office. p. 20.
- Shaw, Wilfred (1920). The University of Michigan. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Howe.
- Shaw, Wilfred B., ed. (1942). The University of Michigan, an Encyclopedic Survey. Vol. 1. University of Michigan Press. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
- Bentley Historical Library (2015). "Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1962 visit to University of Michigan: Live as Brothers, or Die as Fools".
Further reading
- .
- Fleming, Robben W. (1996). Tempests into Rainbows: Managing Turbulence. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-472-10674-0.
- Holtzer, Susan., ed. (1990). Special to the Daily: The 1st 100 Years of Editorial Freedom at the Michigan Daily. Caddo Gap Press. ISBN 0-9625945-2-0.
- Peckham, Howard H. (1994). The Making of The University of Michigan 1817–1992. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-472-06594-7.
- Slosson, Edwin E. (1910). Great American Universities. Macmillan. pp. 182–209.