Editor’s Note
Much has happened since this newsletter was written. The
excitement around the reopening of the Michigan Union has given way to
disappointment in its closing again. We stayed open to offer support to
students for as long as was safe and we’re grateful for the opportunity to have
provided access to the services students needed.
Now we find ourselves in a new and unprecedented situation—closed until it is
deemed safe for our staff, students and friends to return to the building.
During this time we send our best wishes to each of you as you navigate the
days ahead. And we look forward to the day when our doors will open again and
we will celebrate another re:union.
Stay safe,
Amy White
Recap of the Opening Celebration
On January 13, after a 20-month closure to accommodate an $85.2 million renovation, hundreds of students, faculty, staff and guests walked through the doors of the Michigan Union for a reopening celebration.
The occasion, which included remarks from key leaders, a U-M Marching Band performance and an open house, was a time of reminiscing and looking forward to the next 100 years of this iconic, beloved facility.
Students and alumni involved throughout the project and planning process spoke, and student leaders from two student organizations integral to the project—Building a Better Michigan (BBM) and Michigan Union Board of Representatives (MUBR)—participated in an official raising of the Maize & Blue block M flag.
“From the input of the earliest student committees to the contractors and construction crews to the staff who smoothly transitioned the space, it was a community effort with results we will cherish for years to come,” said Susan Pile, senior director of University Unions and Auxiliary Services. “The Michigan Union endures as the heart of campus; it will once again be the place for social and cultural connections and as a laboratory of citizenship where students learn social responsibility and leadership. This renovation enables the Michigan Union to inspire future generations of Michigan students who will challenge the present and enrich the future.”
Central to providing spaces for students to experience the fullness of a U-M education, the renovation also included significant infrastructure and technology upgrades, enhanced program and social space, a newly created IdeaHub, state-of-the-art student organization space, and deep infrastructure renewal including life safety, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing system improvements.
Diversity and inclusion as well as energy efficiency and sustainability were key focuses in much of the renovation.
President Mark S. Schlissel said, “It is my hope that the Union encourages students from all different backgrounds and academic disciplines to interact — and take advantage of the breadth of diversity of our great university. There’s no place like this on our campus. I’m also proud that energy efficiency and sustainability were a major focus of the project.”
The Michigan Union’s North Entrance also was redesigned to become a more welcoming, open and light-infused entrance with an enclosed ramp.
Regent Ron Weiser, from Ann Arbor, chair of the Board of Regents, commented on this aspect of the renovation.
“Today, we celebrate the students that have been central to every aspect of this renovation. Bringing together innovation, diversity, accessibility and interaction to create a space that both meets the needs of current and future students and honors the historic architectural integrity of the Union,” Regent Weiser said. “This new design exemplifies Michigan’s commitment to its students. We believe its accessibility and wonderful design and amenities will bring people together and stimulate further collaboration between diverse communities and individuals.”
For more information on the Union renovation, and how you can be a part of its future, visit uunions.umich.edu.
Highlights from the Renovation
The Michigan Union is one of the most beloved buildings on Central Campus. Once again alive with activity, the renovated facility is filled with study and meeting spaces, quiet areas for reflection and restaurants and coffee shops. It is also home to the IdeaHub for student organizations, run by the Center for Campus Involvement.
You can sign up for a tour of the Union. In the meantime, here’s a look through the historic halls, and the extensive renovation that was designed to help the university meet the needs of current and future students, and honor the architectural and historic integrity of the Union.
The Michigan Union renovation opened up new areas for student and community use. This area—the pre-function space outside the new Wolverine Room—was once office and storage space. The lounge overlooks the Rogel Ballroom and students can use it for studying or gathering. It is also available as a breakout space for meetings and events.
One goal of the renovation was to rezone the building—placing functions where they make the most sense—balancing vibrancy and noise on the lower levels with quieter and more reflective activities on the upper levels. This well-being graphic is featured on the 4th floor which is home to U-M’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC).
The Union courtyard is now enclosed with a glass ceiling on curved arches created to match the building’s historical design. The new four season space brings natural daylight to the interior of the building, reducing the need for artificial lighting while providing occupants with a connection to the outdoors.
The IdeaHub, on the second floor, is new to the Michigan Union. It’s a collaborative space where student organizations can meet, work together and brainstorm. There are meeting rooms, movement studios, and a creation studio. The space wraps around the newly enclosed courtyard and has an open and airy feel.
Student organizations will have the use of built-in lockers for short-term storage in the IdeaHub. With over 1,500 student organizations on campus, the IdeaHub serves all organizations and aims to be a welcoming and encouraging environment that fosters student leadership.
Other spaces in the IdeaHub include coworking booths for student organizations that physically and visually connect to the social spaces on the main level of the Union. This provides a highly vibrant forum to support student organizations and foster involvement, collaboration, creativity and debate.
Movement Studios, two spaces within the IdeaHub, feature mirrored walls, a built-in sound system, and special flooring suitable for dance practice. The spaces are perfect for the many student organizations focused on performance, dance and other movement.
See the New Green Updates
Everything old can be renewed again—made more energy efficient and sustainable. During the renovation, significant changes were made with the university’s sustainability goals in mind. Reducing water and energy use, using local materials and increasing natural light were all part of the plan. Take a look at some of the building’s most sustainable features.
All exterior walls and a majority of interior walls were reused.
The courtyard brings natural daylight to the center of the building, reducing a need for interior lighting.
Low VOC finishes and furnishings were used whenever possible.
Local and regional building materials were used whenever possible for a smaller carbon footprint.
Improvements in lighting, heating and infrastructure are predicted to bring 37 percent savings in energy use.
A 20 percent water consumption savings (beyond the Michigan Plumbing Code) is anticipated.
Historical light fixtures, antique wooden furniture, original windows and doors were reused.
Old Michigan Union bowling alley lanes were repurposed as tabletops in the IdeaHub.
The entire University Union staff is dedicated to sustainable practices in the workplace.
Accessibility Improvements
At the University of Michigan, our dedication to academic excellence for the public good is inseparable from our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. It is central to our mission as an educational institution to ensure that each member of our community has full opportunity to thrive in our environment.
That commitment extends fully to the renovated Michigan Union. The University’s commitment to DEI is reflected in the new design of the building.
Many upgrades were made to improve accessibility. A new elevator was installed to connect the mezzanine levels to the original floors. The North Entrance is now accessible. There are gender inclusive restrooms and family restrooms on every level, and the building has a reflection room for prayer and quiet contemplation.
The Union is for everyone, and we want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable.
Spaces for Students
With the renovation, many of the offices offering student services were updated and redesigned to be brighter and more inviting. Having these Student Life services available in one central location makes them more accessible, so more students can benefit.
- CAPS Wellness Zone
- Center for Campus Involvement (CCI)
- Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
- Dean of Students
- Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs (MESA)
- Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC)
- Spectrum Center
- Student Organization Resource Center (SORC)
The Chance to Make Your Mark
The renovation of the Michigan Union is your opportunity to support U-M’s iconic landmark, its mission, and Michigan students for generations to come. Your gift will help restore and re-energize the Union while maintaining its historic fabric as a vibrant social hub and locus of community, innovation, involvement, and leadership.
Have you created your Michigan Union legacy yet?
Legacy gifts from generous alumni and friends provide the future support needed to achieve the University’s long-term commitment to excellence. A bequest is the easiest and most tangible way to accomplish this. If you have already included the Michigan Union in your estate plans, but have not previously notified us, please let us know. We would like to properly thank you for your support, ensure your wishes are met, and plan with you for the building’s future.
Ways to Fund Your Gift
Your gifts of cash, pledges, or appreciated securities will enhance the experience of all University of Michigan students. Wills, estates, and planned gifts allow you to create a lasting legacy that will allow our students to grow and thrive for generations to come.
Contact us with any questions as well as for more information on how you can include the University of Michigan in your estate plans or how to document your wishes and become a member of the John Monteith Legacy Society.
Student Life Development
Wolverine Tower, Suite 9000
3003 South State Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1288
Phone: 734.647.7309
Email: [email protected]
The Michigan Union Mission
Through our programs, services, and spaces, University Unions is a catalyst for connection and learning that cultivates community and belonging at the University of Michigan and beyond.
Michigan Union Board of Representatives Members
Nina Pantoja*, chair
Andrew Hager*, vice chair
Lucas Peck*
Laura Zweifler*
Kennedy Combs*
Tim Williams*
Miriam Chung*
Caitlin Beach*
Brianna Wells*
Wilson Plonk*
Melanie Roddenberg
De’Mario Longmire
*student representative
Want to know more about the renovation? Read our Spring/Summer 2019 Newsetter
