University of Michigan-Dearborn

Dearborn Center of the University of Michigan The story of UM-Dearborn begins with in the mid-1950s with Archie Pearson, the director of training at Ford Motor Company . Pearson conducted studies that revealed a looming shortage of college-educated engineers and junior administrators within the company's future workforce. As a result, Pearson discreetly reached out to higher education institutions in Metro Detroit , inquiring about their willingness to adapt their programs to align with the anticipated requirements of the automotive industry. [ 8 ] On December 17, 1956, the Ford Motor Company gifted both land and capital development funds to the Regents for the creation of a remote branch of the university offering upper-division undergraduate and master's level programs. [ 9 ] In February 1957, the Regents of the University of Michigan officially accepted the gifts and committed to establishing a branch in Dearborn known as the Dearborn Center of the University of Michigan . [ 10 ] The Dearborn Center would also have a cooperative work-study requirement for its programs in business administration and engineering, [ 9 ] which were intended to provide students with real-world experience that would increase their employment prospects. [ 11 ] The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor would provide the necessary liberal arts and professional courses to complete a University of Michigan bachelor's or master's degree. [ 9 ] Construction on the Dearborn Center began on May 22, 1958, [ 11 ] and on October 1 of that year, William E. Stirton was appointed its first director. [ 12 ] The branch opened with an enrollment of 34 students on September 28, 1959. [ 13 ] A liberal arts division and programs in electrical engineering and teacher education were added in fall 1960. [ 14 ] The first 12 graduates on January 20, 1962. [ 15 ] In 1963, the branch was renamed the Dearborn Campus of the University of Michigan , to emphasize that it was a free-standing unit of the university.

[ 16 ] In May 1969, the Dearborn Campus Planning Study Committee released their report on the future of the institution, which recommended the addition of lower-division undergraduate courses and the expansion of non-cooperative programs. [ 17 ] In November 1969, the regents formally approved the committee's recommendations. [ 18 ]

The UM–Dearborn campus is located on the former estate of Henry Ford . [ 55 ] [ 56 ] It is divided into several sections: The Henry Ford Estate, known as Fair Lane , The Fairlane Center, Main Campus, and the Early Childhood Education Center just south of campus. In addition, the university has over 70 acres (283,000 m 2 ) of nature preserve and a bird observatory, the Rouge River Bird Observatory, which has operated on campus since its founding in 1992, and is the longest-running, full-time urban bird research station in North America. [ 57 ] Main Campus includes the facilities for the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters (CASL), the College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS), the Environmental Interpretive Center, Administration, the Mardigian Library, the Institute for Advanced Vehicle Studies, the University Center, the Computing Building, and the Fieldhouse. Within both CASL and CECS, many different buildings house different programs, departments, research centers, student life centers, and academic resources. [ citation needed ] Fair Lane and the nature preserve west of campus are along the Rouge River . There is a small waterfall, rose garden, meadow, a lake, and reflecting pond surrounded by acres of forest. The forest has many walking paths which connect the Environmental Interpretive Center, Henry Ford Community College , Downtown West Dearborn, Hines Drive, the university's Main Campus, and Fair Lane together. Fair Lane recently has been handed over to Edsel and Eleanor Ford House . The Edsel Ford Estate will put forth restoration efforts which will cost 50 million dollars or more. The majority of the funding will go towards full home restoration and grounds preservation. The project will open up rooms which had been unavailable to public tours before. [ citation needed ]

Administration See also: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan Domenico Grasso , current interim President of UM-Ann Arbor, 6th chancellor of UM-Dearborn UM-Dearborn, historically a branch of the University of Michigan , has operated under the policies of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan since its accreditation in 1970. The Board of Regents, as the governing body, is responsible for the appointment of the university president , who presides over the Board's meetings but does not have voting rights. Instead of directly managing the university's operations, the university president recommends the appointment of a chancellor, who is subject to approval by the Board of Regents and is tasked with overseeing the day-to-day administrative duties of the university as its chief executive officer. List of chancellors Leonard E. Goodall (August 1971 – June 1979) William A. Jenkins (July 1980 – June 1988) Blenda J. Wilson (July 1988 – August 1992) James C. Renick (January 1993 – July 1999) Bernard W. Klein (July 1979 – June 1980 (acting), September – December 1992 (interim), July 1999 – June 2000 (interim)) Daniel E. Little (July 2000 – July 2018) Domenico Grasso (August 2018 - May 2025) Gabriella Scarlatta (May 2025 - present (interim))