EMU Today

YPSILANTI – Eastern Michigan University and its partners have been heavily engaged in outreach efforts with students, faculty and staff to obtain ideas, feedback and suggestions for the Welcome Home 2025 Housing Plan. The initiative, approved last December after three years of planning, includes the renovation of existing residence halls and the construction of two new buildings and represents a transformational opportunity for the University’s campus and the student experience. Welcome Home 2025 is representative of the University's strategic mission to promote student success and engagement.

Since Jan. 1, 2022, the project team has committed to significant engagement with university community members to discuss the plans and receive feedback and suggestions, reviewing floor plans, building designs, learning areas, and more. The engagement includes extensive interaction with students and many meetings and presentations with faculty and staff. Activities include:

• A campus-wide student survey that garnered more than 1,800 individual student responses;
• Meetings and presentations with more than 100 faculty and staff members;
• More than 70 students have participated in 11 focus groups;
• Meetings with the Student Senate;
• A meeting with the Faculty Senate, with a second meeting planned for later this month;
• Meetings with the University’s Educational and Environment Planning Committee made up of faculty members;
• Information tables at the Student Center; and,
• Numerous other meetings that included deans and department heads; personnel in Facilities, Planning and Construction; Housing and Residence Life; and Student Affairs.

In addition, several campus forums for students and employees are scheduled in the coming days. The engagement information and building renderings, project timelines, and other details can be found on the University’s Welcome Home 2025 website. 

“We’re deeply committed to engaging our campus community in the design and development process for our new residence hall buildings as well as the renovations of our other living spaces,” said Eastern Michigan University President James Smith. “Once the dust settles and the construction concludes, students, faculty and staff will take great pride knowing they played a major role in this process.”

Among the signature elements of “Welcome Home 2025” is the construction of a new, approximately 400-bed apartment-style residence hall to be located next to the Student Center, overlooking the scenic pond on the north side of campus. The second new building will replace the current apartments on the west side of campus. Renovations to all other housing units on the University’s campus will include significant upgrades, including comprehensive WiFi and air conditioning.

The transformative investment is financed by a Gilbane Development Company partnership. For more information, visit Welcome Home 2025.

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 15,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and, its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.