WMU Campus History
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Early Years (1903-1936)
Western State Normal School was established by the Michigan Legislature on May 27, 1903, which began the process of siting a teacher training school on the west side of the state after several years of failed attempts. Kalamazoo competed with over thirty cities interested in becoming the location for Western and was selected on August 28, 1903. Western became the fourth and last of Michigan’s normal schools, following Eastern Michigan (1849), Central Michigan (1892), and Northern Michigan (1899). Normal school is the historical term for programs to train teachers and originates from France, where the first training program was known as the École Normale.
The promise of trained teachers for the children of West Michigan and an estimated annual economic impact of $50,000 appealed to the city. The business community and the Kalamazoo Board of Education led a successful campaign and special election to issue bonds to provide land and funds to support the fledging institution. The community’s investment in the school launched the town and gown relationship that continues today.
The Kalamazoo community provided temporary spaces for the first year when classes began in the summer of 1904. A nationally renowned landscape architectural firm, Olmsted Brothers, visited Kalamazoo and selected Prospect Hill from several proposed sites. Construction began on the first building the same year. Olmsted also developed a landscape design for the site, but it was never implemented because it was too costly.
President Dwight Waldo was the University's first president (1904-1936). He was responsible for the earliest growth of the campus as he lobbied for expansion of the first campus building (Heritage Hall) and the construction of a science building (West Hall). He was personally involved in many of the decisions made concerning the construction of the Oakland Gym. Building and labor shortages during World War I delayed the construction of a dedicated library building until the 1920s.
Mid-Twentieth Century (1936-85)
The middle of the twentieth century saw the University’s complexity and its physical presence expand. Most notably with the secondary "West Campus," now the central campus. President Paul Sangren (1936-1960) made the construction of residence halls on the original campus a priority. After the Second World War, the construction of classrooms and residence halls on the new "West Campus" took on greater urgency. Apartments for married students and the movement of major functions (e.g. administration, library) from the original campus to the new campus were hallmarks of the last decade of his presidency. President James Miller (1961-1974) oversaw a period of great physical growth of the campus. Residence halls and classrooms were constructed for the baby boomer generation as they reached college age, though plans for a Valley 4 were ultimately scrapped. Some of the largest and most heavily used classroom buildings were constructed during this period, as well as several buildings supporting the arts. President John Bernhard (1974-1985) served during a period of economic retrenchment. As enrollment continued to climb, on-campus residence was no longer required, and students moved off campus in large numbers and into surrounding neighborhoods. The Fetzer Center and Dalton Center were completed during Bernhard’s presidency.
Recent Additions (1985-Present)
Western Michigan University's most recent growth has been in locations beyond the main campus including an engineering campus on Parkview and the Stryker Medical School downtown. President Diether Haenicke (1985-1998 and 2007-2008) undertook several renovations and building expansions during his presidency. The new buildings during this period included the Lee Honors College, Schneider Hall, Student Recreation Center, and the Gilmore Theatre Complex. President Elson Floyd (1998-2003) oversaw the last property transfer from the Kalamazoo State Hospital to Western’s campus. Haenicke Hall was constructed during his presidency and the development of the Parkview campus began. President Judith Bailey (2003-2006) oversaw the completion of the Seeley Center, College of Engineering Building at Parkview, and the College of Health and Human Services Building. President John Dunn (2007-2017) completed several new buildings during his presidency including the Chemistry Building, Richmond Center, Zhang Legacy Collections Center, Valley Dining Center, and the Western View apartments. Renovations included Kohrman Hall, Robert Bobb Stadium (Hyames Field), and the Stryker Medical School located downtown.
President Edward Montgomery (2017-present) added the Arcadia Flats campus apartments and new Student Center.