the necessary liberal arts and professional courses to complete a University of Michigan bachelor's or master's degree. Construction on the Dearborn Center began on May 22, 1958, and on October 1 of that year, William E. Stirton was appointed its first director.
The branch opened with an enrollment of 34 students on September 28, 1959. A liberal arts division and programs in electrical engineering and teacher education were added in fall 1960. The first 12 graduates on January 20, 1962. In 1963, the branch was renamed the Dearborn Campus of the University of Michigan, to emphasize that it was a free-standing unit of the university.
In May 1969, the Dearborn Campus Planning Study Committee released their report on the future of the institution, which recommended the addition of lower-division undergraduate courses and the expansion of non-cooperative programs. In November 1969, the regents formally approved the committee's recommendations.
=== Proposal for an independent "Fairlane University" ===
In February …
