EMU Today

YPSILANTI – Eastern Michigan University’s Board of Regents today (Oct. 19, 2023) approved the University's plan to submit Roosevelt Hall as the University’s top project request for state capital outlay funding for fiscal year 2025. The project plan represents phase two of the growth and expansion plan for the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology (GACET) to renovate, expand and repurpose Roosevelt Hall to accommodate advanced technology programs.

The estimated cost of the project is $42.5 million. If approved as part of the state’s capital outlay process, which dictates a funding mix of 75% state contribution (capped at $30 million) with 25% Eastern contribution, the University’s cost share would be $12.5 million.

Roosevelt Hall is home to four departments in the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology, including the Technology and Professional Services Management School, Visual and Built Environments, ROTC-Military Science, and K-12 STEM outreach. Improved infrastructure will support the projected 65% growth in the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology enrollment over the next 10 to 15 years and students' desire to obtain degrees in more technical fields that provide higher incomes and stability.

Roosevelt Hall is a strategic piece of the overall vision of the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology. Project plans include renovating 75,639 gross square feet (gsf) and modernized space for student advising centers, collaboration and maker’s spaces, and faculty offices, along with an expansion of approximately 10,000 gsf for enhanced accessibility. The renovation will allow the University to relocate existing programs from Sill Hall to Roosevelt Hall to provide additional space for the engineering programs in Sill Hall to allow for continued growth.

The state capital outlay request is part of the University’s overall five-year capital outlay plan. State budget procedures require universities to present the five-year plan no later than Nov. 1 of each year. The Roosevelt Hall phase two expansion plan was the University’s capital outlay request for the last several years. Last year, the project was ranked No. 1 by the State Budget Office among all of the requests submitted by other Michigan universities. The capital outlay program is funded periodically by the State of Michigan and requires the approval of both the legislature and the Governor.

The building was originally constructed in 1924 as a high school. 

In early 2021, the University completed phase one of the growth and expansion plan of GACET. Completed at $40 million, the new Sill Hall has become a University showcase of technology focused on engineering, cybersecurity, autonomous vehicle research, robotics, and virtual reality. The building features maker spaces and other collaborative research and work environments. The college also offers a robust aviation program with direct partnerships with some of the largest aviation companies in Southeast Michigan. 

About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 14,000 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. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. Visit the University’s rankings and points of pride websites to learn more. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website. To stay up to date on University news, activities and announcements, visit EMU Today.