Eastern Michigan University DigitalCommons@EMU Alumni News University Archives 1967 EMU Alumni Magazine, December 1967 Eastern Michigan University Follow this and additional works at: http://commons.emich.edu/alumni_news Recommended Citation Eastern Michigan University, "EMU Alumni Magazine, December 1967" (1967). Alumni News. 80. http://commons.emich.edu/alumni_news/80 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the University Archives at DigitalCommons@EMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Alumni News by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@EMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ALUMNI MAGAZINE Volume XX • Number 2 • December, 1967 "A noble tradition of excellence has been estab­ lished •.Now we have the responsibility not only to cor.tinue that legacy but also to enlarge and enrich it."-President Harold E. Sponberg Eastern's Freshman Class Excels "This year's freshman class is the finest in Eastern Michigan University's history," according to the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aids, Ralph F. Gilden. "The class is about the same size as last year's freshman class-approximately 3,000 students. Of these students, about 97 per cent live in Michigan." "Each year since 1957, approximately 90 per cent of the members of freshman classes have ranked in the top one-half of their high school classes, and 75 per cent were in the top quarter of their classes," Dean Gilden added. Almost 15,000 students are enrolled at the University this fall. Of this number, 11,700 are undergraduates and 3,300 are graduate students. The Office of Admissions received 7,208 new applications for admission for the fall semester. However, 1,140 students later cancelled their applications. The Office denied entrance to 2,293 stu­ dents (1,790 freshmen and 528 transfer students) because counselors felt that the students could not succeed at the Univer­ sity. These decisions were based on high school or junior college grade point aver­ ages, College Entrance Examination Board Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, mental stability, personality and various reports and evaluations from the student's respec· tive schools. "Although the wa1t1ng list for fall ad­ missions reached 1,193 during the summer, no student was denied entrance because of space," Dean Gilden reports. From this waiting list, transfer students from junior and community colleges were considered for admission first, followed by upper class­ men seeking re-admission and finally fresh­ men students with no previous credits. Published in the interests of the Alumni at intervals ,luring the school year by the Office of Alumni Relations, Eastern Michigan Uni­ versity, Ypsilanti, Michigan. Alumni Publica­ tions Committee: John Bruce, Director of Alumni Relations a11d University Develop­ ment; John Miller, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations aml University Develop­ ment; Frances H. Gray; Neil C. Bertram, Publications Editor, and Sally R. Allen, Asst. Publications E,litor. Magm:ine designed by Dennis J. Holm, Art Director. President Endorses l(eystone Campaign The Keystone Campaign presents to the gies and efforts to keep our march of educa­ alumni and friends of Eastern Michigan Uni­ tional progress ever forward and at a brisk versity an exceptional opportunity to take cadence. an active part in the stirring accomplishments Your help in making the Keystone Cam­ that are happening and about to happen on paign a resounding success will ensure that our Campus. the development of Eastern will not lag for Whether you knew this school as Michigan want of Alumni interest and support. This State Normal or as Eastern Michigan Univer­ development fund will bring the resources to sity, I am sure the deep affection and respect advance the excellence that is Eastern's. you hold for her burns brightly. We are confident that you want us to make All of us are challenged to keep abreast Eastern the best possible University. We are of the myriad of fast-happening, world­ confident, too, that you have the means, the encompassing events. With the explosions in interest and the motivation to make such an knowledge and population, greater oppor­ investment now and in the future. As you tunities greet our students and graduates than read the plans for our campaign, we ask ever hef ore and will continue to do so. your cooperation and your interest in bring­ Thus, to he ready for these challeng­ ing Eastern to greater heights. ing progress milestones, this campaign is launched to enlist your continuing support to the University's programs. We on campus have pledged all our ener- Harold E. Sponberg President 1 Normal College Becomes Big-Time University (Reprinted from "The Ypsilanti Press") By Virginia McIntosh Big Three, look out. Here comes Eastern Michigan eliminate a critical classroom shortage caused by the University. growth. A sleepy little teacher training college not so long ago, University officials are hoping construction on two EMU is now literally the fastest growing four-year in­ more classroom buildings can begin in 1968-69. stitution in the state. In the meantime, 10 mobile classrooms were installed Some 14,700 students are expected this fall as the Uni­ this year to help fill the gap. New residence halls also versity races to catch up with Michigan's three largest dot the campus and are being constructed at a dizzy universities-Michigan State, Wayne State and the Uni­ pace. versity of Michigan. In 1964, Wise Hall increased student accommodations It didn't happen overnight, but almost. by 300. The following year Best Hall also added rooms Five years ago, 5,902 students attended EMU. This for 300. fall's enrollment is a 140 per cent jump over that. Last fall two dorms, Phelps and Sellers, were opened Admissions officials are preparing for 26,000 by 1973 to house 600 students. This fall Walton and Putnam Halls in a pattern of between 20 and 25 per cent increase each will house 600 more. year. Construction began recently on a $7.89 million resi­ Enrollment figures are not the only things that are dence complex of three 11-story towers which will re­ growing-old alums wouldn't recognize the place. place the landmark Ypsilanti water tower as the high­ The size of the campus has almost doubled-from 200 est point in the city. to 382 acres--with recent land purchases to the north­ The complex will house 1,400 students. A similar proj­ west of the original campus. ect is now on planning boards. And major construction projects have changed the Since 1964, the rate of dormitory construction has mul­ face of what was known in the past as the Normal tipled more than four times. School, Michigan State Normal College and Eastern That pace is called absolutely necessary by EMU. Michigan College. Last fall the residence hall overload was 28 per cent Since 1962, student housing projects totaling $13 mil­ and campus housing officials appealed to Ypsilanti resi­ lion have gone up. In the next five years residence halls dents to make space available in their homes to stu­ and married housing apartments totaling $34 million are dents. planned. Slightly less than half the University's growing under­ The construction time table for classroom and aca­ graduate enrollment wants to live on campus. About 30 demic buildings is even more ambitious. per cent commute from their homes in Washtenaw or Between 1962 and 1967, the budget for building in that Wayne Counties. category was $8.4 million. In the next five years it is The rest, slightly more than 2,000, rent apartments or $37 million. rooms in the Ypsilanti area. One of the first things you'd notice if you hadn't vi­ The demand for off-campus housing has encouraged sited the campus recently is the University's new $2.7 private developers to construct luxury-type student million ultra-modern library located at the center of the apartments near the campus. educational complex. Last year, 51 apartment buildings were constructed. President Harold E. Sponberg, who has headed the An estimated 20 have already been started this year. University since the fall of 1965, calls it "the most im­ Many of them are being built specifically for Univer­ portant building we've built." sity students. The library has a student capacity of 1,800 and shelves There is no way to estimate the effect EMU has on for 360,000 volumes. That is four times the student ca­ Ypsilanti's expanding economy through this type of con­ pacity and twice the volume capacity of the old Mark struction and in other ways. Jefferson Library, which is being remodeled for class­ Chamber of Commerce Manager Donald 0. Ruffer rooms. does not know how many thousands of dollars EMU Behind the library, a seven-story classroom building boosts local economy with student and faculty purchases is under construction. The $7.89 million, 75-classroom and as a major industry itself. All he can say is that structure will be the largest classroom building on the "EMU is the biggest industry we have." campus and in the state. EMU's economic impact increases yearly as the Uni­ It and a $6.95 million science classroom building versity becomes less of a "suitcase" university and scheduled to be started this year are a major effort to dormitory residents find more things to do and places 2 to go in Ypsilanti instead of going home on weekends, planning for now, President Sponberg says. Ruffer says. That is the maximum figure for the campus as it is There's one thing that has not changed at EMU-it's designed and planned today and it is as far as officials still educating a major portion of the state's teachers, are willing to predict.