The completed building will provide a major gathering place. Campus and community people will come here to talk and eat, to attend theater productions, to play volleyball, to cheer at basketball games, to walk or jog on the indoor track and to take part in meetings and special events. There will be seating for 1,600 people for sports, and even more for concerts or community gatherings. The Commons will also serve as a backup location for commencement in case of inclement weather. The University Commons will strengthen EMU's academic programs in theater and physical education.
Theater is the most popular concentration among the university's English majors.
The Commons will provide a centralized location for drama classrooms and offices, as well as EMU's first facility designed specifically for stage productions. The building will also have a strong impact on the physical education program , which serves both majors and non-majors. All undergraduates are required to earn physical education credit. At a time when many North Americans get little or no exercise, EMU encourages students to take care of their bodies and to develop active lifestyles that will continue long after graduation. EMU also offers minors in coaching and exercise science.