A Little Look at a Big Campus

                The University of Michigan is regularly categorized as one of the best public universities in the country and well-known for a variety of academic areas. Michigan offers 200 undergraduate majors to their students and has numerous top-ranked programs including law, medical, business and engineering. These programs are scattered across U of M’s 3,177 acre campus. The Ann Arbor campus is divided into four main areas: the North, Central, Medical and South Campuses with each area having prominent features.

                Making a move from Detroit to Ann Arbor in 1837, the original location of the University of Michigan is known as Central Campus. Central Campus stands out for housing the oldest building on campus, the President’s House, which is the only building still standing from the original campus. The majority of Michigan’s graduate and professional schools such as the Ross School of Business and the Law School are located in Central Campus. A graduate library and undergraduate library that are connected by a skywalk are also located in Central Campus. Adjacent to Central Campus, the University of Michigan’s Medical Campus is often considered to be part of Central Campus due to its proximity. The Medical Campus is the newest area and continuously growing. Currently, the University Medical Center, Cancer Center, and Women’s Hospital are all located in Medical Campus.

                Beyond Medical Campus is the University of Michigan’s North Campus. North and Central Campus both have unique bell towers. The North Campus tower, Lurie Tower, mirrors the modern architecture of North Campus while the Central Campus bell tower has more of a classical style. North Campus also holds Bursley Hall, which is the largest residence hall at the University of Michigan. The College of Engineering, the School of Music, Theater & Dance is located in North Campus along with the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. Additionally, the Art, Architecture and Engineering Library along with computer labs, music and video studios are located in North campus in the Duderstadt Center. The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and the Bentley Historical Library are also part of North Campus.

                The University of Michigan’s South campus hosts the universities major sports facilities. The Crisler Center is the home arena for the men’s and women’s basketball teams along with the women’s gymnastics team. Previously, the men’s gymnastics team and the wrestling team held events in the Crisler Center. The seating capacity of the Crisler Center was reduced in 2011 due to a new scoreboard and seating replacement. Prior to competing in the Crisler Center, the basketball teams played in the Fielding H. Yost Fieldhouse. Located in South Campus, the Fielding H. Yost Fieldhouse was renovated in 1973 and became the Yost Ice Arena. Home to Michigan’s varsity ice hockey team, the arena has a seating capacity of 6,637. The seating capacity of the Yost Ice Arena is nothing compared to Michigan Stadium. Commonly referred to as The Big House, the third largest stadium in the world has an official capacity of 109,901. In addition to being the home field for Wolverines football, Michigan Stadium holds the universities graduation ceremonies and special events.