About University Housing

Approximately 9,500 undergraduate students live on the University of Michigan campus in University housing. There is no requirement to live on campus, but because residence halls are one of the best places to meet others and enter into campus life, most first-year students prefer to live in University Housing.

Our residence halls and apartments are far more than places for resting or studying. They function as smaller, more accessible communities within the University of Michigan, helping new students make a successful transition from high school to college. They provide a sense of belonging. Many residents return for their sophomore, junior and even senior years because of the amenities, conveniences and friendships.

University Housing provides living accommodations for approximately 10,900 undergraduate and graduate students - nearly 30 percent of the University's total student population. In a typical year, residents come from nearly all 50 states and over 65 foreign countries. Nearly all first-year students live in University residence halls.

Facilities include 16 residence halls, a co-operative residence for women, and 1,480 apartments on North Campus that accommodate upperlevel undergraduates, students with families and graduate students.

Over 650 regular staff and as many as 1,500 part-time student employees sustain the wide range of facilities, services, and programs that support the needs of these residential communities.

Our Mission

One of many student-centered programs in the Division of Student Affairs, University Housing serves students through its mission: To create and sustain diverse learning-centered residential communities that further the goals of the University. Through partnership with others, we provide quality programs, services, and facilities for those we serve.

Living at Michigan Credo

The University of Michigan is a special place. It is an educational community designed to foster freedom of thought and unconventional, even uncomfortable, opinions. It attempts to provide an environment conducive to inquiry, in which innovation and creativity are nurtured. Part of this openness to ideas is an acceptance and appreciation of diverse cultures from around the country and around the world— an allowance not only for people to be different, but a recognition that such diversity is the vital core of University life. University Housing is committed to an inclusive, sensitive, socially just and humane community in our residence halls and apartments.

Many students use their college years to explore and develop their personal identity and values. We believe this exploration can best take place in an environment that is open to and respectful of individuals across the spectrum of human differences and distinctions. It is the responsibility of every member of the Housing community, staff and students alike, to work to create and maintain such an environment. We pledge to work collectively to examine our values and conduct, and to question those values when they reflect an origin of fear, anger, or ignorance. Acts of bigotry are acts of hatred against us all, and they will not be condoned or tolerated. We must all share in the responsibility of confronting unacceptable behavior, and in providing an example of involved citizenship. We continue to strive towards fulfilling our ideals. Join us in this affirmation of our common humanity.

Living in a Community

Members of a residence hall community participate in a range of activities, from concerts and movie screenings to sporting events, socials and special theme events. Each term also brings a full schedule of seminars and workshops on topics such as diet and nutrition, stress management, health education, sexuality, diversity, academics and study techniques.

Residence life staff work in partnership with other campus units to continually provide safe and inclusive, multicultural residential communities. Peer advisors provide educational support functions, programming, and consultation for students related to intergroup relations and cultural awareness.

A variety of student leadership opportunities are available through the Residence Hall Association, hall and multicultural councils, community service and other organizations. In addition, several residential Michigan Learning Communities provide academic, experiential and leadership opportunities for over 1,200 students.

Academic Support

Academic programs and services include professional LS&A academic advisors and student peer advisors who offer consultation in the halls on course and concentration selection, as well as study skills. Additionally, academic programs and services are presented throughout the academic year.

Community Learning Centers in residence halls offer a comfortable, technology-rich environment conducive to learning, with space provided for individual and group work. Other technology support includes residential computing sites, high-speed internet access in student rooms, Help Desk service and technology programs.

Residential Dining

Dining halls are critical to the residential experience. Residential Dining Services offers board plans and a variety of meal options in several full-service dining halls. In addition, a number of retail cafés and convenience stores provide early morning to late night grab 'n go options, deli offerings and alternative meal selections. Combined, these services add up to as many as 18 hours of dining service per day.

Menu creations that serve diverse appetites and food preferences include locally grown produce and regional dairy products. Residential Dining staff provide nutrition information and guidance including the MSmart Healthy Dining Program, free individual nutrition consultation, support for managing food allergies and special diets, nutrition publications in each dining room and healthy eating seminars.

Safety & Security

The University of Michigan is the only Big Ten school with a dedicated, professional security staff for its residence halls and apartments. Housing Security officers maintain a daily (and nightly) presence to offer assistance to residents, investigate incidents, and to monitor systems for electronic access and fire protection. They also meet with individual residents and groups about campus safety.

Graduate & Family Housing

With over 1,000 graduate and student families as residents - as well as post-doctoral research fellows, faculty and staff - the Northwood Community Apartments is a vibrant campus community. Residents represent more than 80 countries, affording both adults and children the opportunity to discover lifestyles and customs from around the world. Throughout the year, Northwood community aides work with residents on a wide range of cultural and social events that engage students and families.

Northwood has its own Community Center, which serves as a focal point for social events and programs. It also houses the Child Development Center, a nationally accredited, year-round childcare facility for pre-schoolers. Because of the significant international population at Northwood, an English Language Program is held there and offers classes to residents young and old who are learning English as a second language.

Housing Research

University Housing supports a wide range of research activities and initiatives to inform our service to students, faculty, and staff who reside in University of Michigan facilities.

Our commitment to using research to inform practice is manifested in the presence of the Housing Research Office (HRO), which serves five primary functions for University Housing:

To conduct large, Housing-wide research initiatives that assess student and staff evaluations of our programs and services, and examine how well we are meeting our mission to create and sustain diverse, learning-centered communities that further the goals of the University,
To maintain a library of materials on research & assessment pertinent to University Housing and residence life,
To disseminate research findings both in written and oral form to the staff members and stakeholders of University Housing, as well as our peers in the student affairs profession,
To provide information responsive to the needs of individual units within University Housing in order to facilitate decision-making and long-term strategic planning, and
To oversee all research involving University Housing residents, staff, and guests.

For more information, please review our annual surveys or information on our research application process.

Residential Life Initiatives

University Housing is an auxiliary enterprise and is financially self supporting for annual operations through its room and board revenue. It seeks to balance room and board rates — with the responsibility of providing students with a satisfactory experience that supports their academic progress — and reinvesting in facilities so they meet the needs of current and future generations of students.

University Housing's building portfolio and inventory totals approximately 4.7 million square feet of floor space, approximately one-sixth of the campus total. The replacement value of the fixed assets is estimated at over $1 billion. Building surveys conducted by an outside firm (ISES) identified significant renewal work that must be addressed over the next decade or two; the first phase of this renewal work is incorporated into the Residential Life Initiatives (RLI).

The Residential Life Initiatives provide a planned approach for the renewal, revitalization and expansion of campus residential facilities, including both student housing and dining. Many efforts are underway to revitalize facilities, programs, and the dining experience to strengthen the connection between living and learning for present and future students.

To learn more, see the following resources:

RLI in the News

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