Jump to content

University of Michigan to build Grand Rapids/WM campus?

GRDadof3

By GRDadof3
in Grand Rapids

Recommended Posts

GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

Posted
Posted

In today's Business Journal StreetTalk, there's an entry regarding UofM's consideration of enlarging its presence and establishing a "campus" in Grand Rapids/West Michigan, including talk of a possible "natural resources" program, probably to coincide with the growing Sustainability movement here.

http://www.grbj.com/GRBJ/ArticleArchive/20...l+Shell+Job.htm

(subscription required)

What do you guys think?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 25
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Sailor Whistle-Stop

Sailor

Posted
Posted
In today's Business Journal StreetTalk, there's an entry regarding UofM's consideration of enlarging its presence and establishing a "campus" in Grand Rapids/West Michigan, including talk of a possible "natural resources" program, probably to coincide with the growing Sustainability movement here.

http://www.grbj.com/GRBJ/ArticleArchive/20...l+Shell+Job.htm

(subscription required)

What do you guys think?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tamias6 Town

tamias6

Posted
Posted

I think U of M will be a great addition to go along with MSU's new med school. With the presence of Michigan's two top guns in GR couple with this area's many other colleges and universities GR is surely going to be an educational mecca. I wonder if the influx of higher education will start attracting high quality and good paying jobs to the area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cabot Unincorporated Area

Cabot

Posted
Posted
I think U of M will be a great addition to go along with MSU's new med school. With the presence of Michigan's two top guns in GR couple with this area's many other colleges and universities GR is surely going to be an educational mecca. I wonder if the influx of higher education will start attracting high quality and good paying jobs to the area.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
LA Dave Hamlet

LA Dave

Posted
Posted
At the risk of bringing down the fires of hades, I think that would be a mistake for U-M. First, U-M Flint and U-M Dearborn are fine commuter campuses. But they are no way equivalent to the Ann Arbor original and never will be. Their programs are limited. I suspect that those campuses were founded in the 1950s because Harlan Hatcher (a far less visionary leader than his MSU counterpart, John Hannah) and the Regents were concerned about the growth of MSU and wanted to protect the turf in what were then booming eastern Michigan cities. In my biased view, the continued identification of the University of Michigan with those campuses somewhat diminishes the quality of the original campus. Unlike California, which is big enough to support world-class Universities of California at Berkeley, Los Angeles and San Diego, Michigan needs to be somewhat more careful, IMHO. Pace to you Spartans and Wayne State folks, but outside of Michigan, only the University of Michigan has a true world-class image. (MSU is getting there, with WSU much further behind.) Spreading the U-M brand name around to satellite undergraduate and limited graduate programs (as the University of Wisconsin has done) doesn't necessarily enhance it.

U-M Grand Rapids appears to this observer to be (if the rumors are true) a similar turf-protecting exercise. MSU goes into Grand Rapids with the medical school, and suddenly there is concern that one of the only booming areas of the state will be painted green and white instead of maize and blue.

If Michigan wants to establish an extension of its Life Sciences program in Grand Rapids, that would be fantastic, and a real compliment (in both senses of the word) to Grand Rapids and to pill hill. But dormitories? Sports teams? Don't think so. GR lost that battle 47 years ago when it failed to nab GVSC. Thank goodness GVSU is gradually remedying the slight by siting the grad programs in downtown GR.

OK. Fire away.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Oops. Sorry. Just re-read the OP, and it appears that instead of Life Sciences (which would be great along Michigan Street) the Michigan program would be Natural Resources. That sort of limited foray would work, too. But no mini-Big House and a football rivalry with GVSU, I am afraid.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I really can't see the State of Michigan financially supporting a state college openning a fully functioning satillite campus when there is another fully funded university in that city (GVSU).

MSU is linked to the medical corridor, and Western is here working in conjuction with GRCC and GVSU. The state doesn't mind that type of involvement. If UofM pops into GR, I can only see it happening under similar circumstances. The state simply won't go for helping fund a full campus for UofM in GR, when it already is doing so for GVSU.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LA Dave Hamlet

LA Dave

Posted
Posted
I agree Dave. I don't see UofM going with a full-blown campus with dormitories and sports teams. For one thing, to start up a Football team costs A LOT of money, and where would they play?

Another phenomena that occurs when there is a down economy is that more people look to improve their skills and work to attain advanced degrees (Masters and Doctorates). Enrollments at UofM AA, Flint and Dearborn are at all-time highs this Fall, why not capitalize on that and pick up some West Michigan students?

If I were advising them, I'd recommend programs for engineering, sustainability, water and resource management, planning, health sciences, and maybe even architecture. Skip business and law.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Talking Up GR Unincorporated Area

Talking Up GR

Posted
Posted

I can't see how adding U-M here could possibly be a bad thing. I figure that one of these days, GVSU will make the move up to Division I in terms of athletics (and national attention). There would certainly be room for a small extension of a well-known state school to go along with that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rhino6885 Hamlet

Rhino6885

Posted
Posted
I can't see how adding U-M here could possibly be a bad thing. I figure that one of these days, GVSU will make the move up to Division I in terms of athletics (and national attention). There would certainly be room for a small extension of a well-known state school to go along with that.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Yep, here it is:

University of Michigan plans to open West Michigan campus like the new Detroit Center

The University of Michigan will spend $30 million over the next five years to hire 100 additional professors who will pursue interdisciplinary work on such pressing areas as energy and environmental sustainability, President Mary Sue Coleman announced.

She also wants to double the number of students studying abroad within five years, and open an office in Western Michigan similar to the Detroit Center.

The new professors could focus on alternative energy, environmental sustainability, stem cells and life sciences, but Coleman said the "best ideas" of faculty and leaders of the university's schools and colleges will determine other areas of focus.

Just to clarify, the $30 Million and 100 professors is for ALL of UofM, not just for West Michigan. When they say "like the Detroit Center", I'm guessing they mean in size and scope, not necessarily in comparison to the architecture/urban planning programs. Although you never know. Maybe Kendall is looking for a partner?

University of Michigan Detroit Center - Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning

The 12,000 square-foot UM Detroit Center occupies the ground floor of Orchestra Place on Woodward Avenue near downtown. The facility-which opened in September 2005

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.