| University of Michigan–Flint | |
|---|---|
University of Michigan–Flint seal |
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| Motto | Artes, Scientia, Veritas |
| Motto in English | Arts, Knowledge, Truth |
| Established | 1956 |
| Type | Public |
| Endowment | US $63.35 million[1] |
| Chancellor | Ruth J. Person |
| President | Mary Sue Coleman |
| Academic staff | 524 |
| Admin. staff | 510 |
| Students | 8,138[2] |
| Undergraduates | 6,874 |
| Postgraduates | 1,264 |
| Location | Flint, MI, USA |
| Campus | Urban |
| Former names | Flint Senior College of the University of Michigan (1954–1964) |
| Newspaper | The Michigan Times |
| Colors | Maize and Blue |
| Athletics | Club level[3] |
| Nickname | The Victors[4] |
| Website | umflint.edu |
The University of Michigan–Flint (commonly referred to as UM–Flint, U of M–Flint or simply Michigan Flint) is a public university located in Flint, Michigan in the United States. It is one of three University of Michigan campuses.
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The thought of establishing a part of the University of Michigan in the city of Flint started in the year 1837 when Sarah Miles wrote a letter to her family stating, “A branch of the Michigan University at Ann Arbor is to be established in Flint at some future day.” In May 1944 the Flint Board of Education requested that the University of Michigan open a satellite campus in Flint. Three years later, the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan funded a study exploring possibilities for higher education in Flint.
In June 1944 Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the G.I. Bill into law. The demand for higher education increased with the return of soldiers after World War II, and was a major factor in the establishment of a branch of the University of Michigan in the city of Flint.[5]
During February 1947 the Regents of the University of Michigan approved a higher education needs assessment for Flint. In 1949, two Social Science professors at Ann Arbor, Arthur E. Lean and Franklin Killian, recommended a liberal arts college for Flint. C.S. Mott then offered $1 million for a four-year college in Flint. Later, in 1951, the Committee of Flint Citizens requested the Regents establish a four-year college in Flint. In January 1955 Governor Williams signed a $37,000 appropriation bill to cover preliminary expenses for the college; the Mott Foundation provided $1.2 million. Harlan Hatcher, Everett Cummings, and C.S. Mott broke ground for UM-Flint shortly thereafter.
After the 1952-1954 debate between the UM-Flint College Committee and the Flint Board of Education as to whether the UM Flint College should be a four-year liberal arts college or a two-year senior college, Hatcher and the Regents accepted the two-year senior college proposal. Later, in February 1956, David M. French was named the first dean of the Flint College of the University of Michigan.[5] C.S. Mott would donate a second gift of $1 million for the construction of a new library during March 1959.
From 1963-1964, studies were commissioned to examine the possibility of turning the Flint College into a four-year institution. Then, from March to July 1965, the Michigan State Board of Education recommended a four-year college in Flint and the phasing out of UM’s involvement. Public outcry and C.S. Mott's threatening to withdraw millions in pledged support resulted in the state approving a four-year University of Michigan campus in Flint. This led to the Flint campus becoming the first campus in the University of Michigan System to be formed outside of the city of Ann Arbor.
Later, in the Spring of 1970, the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools granted accreditation to the Flint College of the University of Michigan. The Regents of the University of Michigan approved the name change to The University of Michigan–Flint in April 1971. During September 1972, sixteen temporary buildings were erected to ease campus overcrowding, pressuring the Regents to move UM-Flint to its current location along the Flint River.
During January 1982 UM's physical therapy program moved from Ann Arbor to Flint.[5] Charlie Nelms was named UM-Flint’s fourth chancellor in August 1994.
Later, in October 1994, the Frances Willson Thompson Library opened. President Bill Clinton visited campus on November 1994.[5] The William S. White Building was officially dedicated in 2002.
In April 2005, the campus went through its first intensive major fund-raising drive. The Capital Campaign brought in $40 million in donations.
The University of Michigan–Flint is currently the fastest growing public university in the state of Michigan.[6] Since 2005, international student enrollment has increased over 200 percent, with students hailing from over 37 different countries.
In November 2004, the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan approved the request of the Flint Campus to explore the feasibility of student housing. After several assessments, study, and, upon seeing the probable progression of growth of the campus, student housing was approved. On July 16, 2007 the first-ever student dormitory, the First Street Residence Hall, opened for students.[7]
In Fall 2009, a new dormitory opened in the building that was once the Hyatt Regency. This dorm is open to all college students in Flint. The majority of the students living in the dorm, however, attend the University of Michigan–Flint. This dorm, named 'Riverfront Housing,' features many amenities such as a movie theater and full size pool tables.
The University is home to many fraternities and sororities. The following Greek organizations have chapters on campus:[8]
| Sororities | Fraternities | |
|---|---|---|
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UM–Flint does not presently offer varsity intercollegiate athletics, but there are a number of intramural sports and sports clubs available to students.
In Spring 2008, the student body voted to adopt the nickname The Victors, after the fight song of The University of Michigan. However, the term is almost never used among students.
The Student Athletic Association, with the assistance of the Club Sports Coordinator, help promote the sports teams on campus.[4][3] These teams include:
The University of Michigan–Flint is rated as one of the best master's-level public universities in the Midwest in U.S. News & World Report's: 2009 America's Best Colleges report.
The Princeton Review has included UM–Flint in the "Best in the Midwest" category in their publication 2011 Best Colleges: Region by Region.[10]
| College/school founding | |
|---|---|
| College/school | Year founded |
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| College of Arts and Sciences | 1955 |
| School of Management | 1975 |
| School of Health Professions and Studies | 1982 |
| School of Education and Human Services | 1997 |
The Part-Time MBA Program is ranked 41st in the United States (overall) and 9th in the Midwest (by region).[11]
The Princeton Review has also included UM–Flint's School of Management in their The Best 301 Business Schools: 2010 Edition.[12]
The Flint campus of the University of Michigan is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools,[13] the Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business - International,[14] the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education,[15] the Council on Accreditation for Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs,[16] the Council on Social Work Education,[17] the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology,[18] and the National Association of Schools of Music [19] The university is currently seeking accreditation from ABET for their new mechanical engineering program.
| University rankings | |
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| Ranking | # |
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| US News & World Report (Regional)[20] | 88 |
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. The campus offers over 100 undergraduate majors and concentrations and over 25 graduate areas and concentrations for advanced studies.
Typical class sizes have a 14 to 1 student/faculty ratio. According to a 2008 student satisfaction survey, the overall level of satisfaction is significantly higher than the national average for other four-year public universities in the United States.
The Michigan Times is a student-run campus newspaper. In 2008, the Michigan Press Association's "Better College Newspaper Contest" awarded The Michigan Times with nine awards in a statewide competition. This achievement was surpassed in 2009 by winning 23 awards.[21] The newspaper is printed weekly and is available free-of-cost on the campus, at other area colleges, in the surrounding downtown area and elsewhere in the Greater Flint area.
The University of Michigan–Flint Student Government Council (UMFSGC) represents the voice of students and manages student funds on the campus. The UMFSGC is a member of the state-wide Association of Michigan Universities.
The campus is featured in parts of Michael Moore's 1989 debut film Roger & Me. The school has also been referenced in cartoonist Jef Mallett's nationally syndicated comic strip, Frazz. Mallett is a Michigan native, having worked for local newspaper the Flint Journal earlier in his career.
| Name | Class year | Notability | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| John D. Cherry | 1984 | Lieutenant Governor of Michigan; President of Michigan Senate | [2] |
| Deborah Cherry | Member of the Michigan Senate | [3] | |
| Donald W. Riegle, Jr. | United States Senator and former United States House of Representatives | [4] | |
| Lee Gonzales | Member of the Michigan State House of Representatives | [5] | |
| Bill Kelly | Former candidate for Michigan House of Representatives | [6] | |
| David Robertson | Member of Michigan House of Representatives | [7] | |
| Bobby Crim | Former Speaker of Michigan State House, Founder of the Crim Foundation (Crim Festival of Races) | [8] | |
| Russell H. Vangilder | 1953 | Founder of VG's Food Center, Inc. | [9] |
| Christopher Paul Curtis | Newbery Medal winner; Coretta Scott King Award winner | [10] | |
| Barbara Kornblau (Faculty) | Committee Member of United States Department of Health and Human Services | [11] | |
| Correy Lennox | Writer, Activist, Documentarian: Contributed to Eyes of Desire 2 edited by Raymond Luczak. | [12] | |
| John Sinclair | Poet and Activist. | [13] | |
| David Carlyon (Faculty) | Independent Scholar and Author of "Dan Rice: The Most Famous Man You've Never Heard Of". | [14] | |
| Jan Worth-Nelson (Faculty) | Writer, known as author of self-published fiction novel Night Blind | [15] | |
| Judy Rosenthal (Faculty) | Writer, Possession, Ecstasy, and Law in Ewe Vodu | [16] | |
| Bruce A. Rubenstein (Faculty) | Writer and historian. His works include: Greed, Rage, and Love Gone Wrong: Murder in Minnesota, Chicago in the World Series 1903–2005: The Cubs and White Sox in Championship Play, Michigan: A History of the Great Lakes State, Three Bullets Sealed His Lips, Payoffs in the Cloakroom: The Greening of the Michigan Legislature, 1938–1946. | [17] | |
| Gregory Havrilcsak (Alumnus and Faculty) | Advisory Board and Lead Historian for the Teaching American History Grant Project for the Flint Public Schools. | [18] | |
| Bryan McCree | Comedian | [19] | |
| LaKisha Jones | Singer, American Idol Season 6 contestant | [20] | |
| Nick Diener and Garrett Burgett | Members of punk rock band The Swellers | [21] |
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