Northern Michigan University Northern Michigan University ( or NMU for short ) is a four - year college public university established in 1899 and located in Marquette , in the Upper Peninsula of the U . S . state of Michigan . With a population of nearly 10 , 000 undergraduate and graduate students , Northern Michigan University is the Upper Peninsula ' s largest university . History . Northern Michigan University was established in 1899 by the Michigan Legislature as Northern State Normal School with the original purpose of providing teacher preparation programs in Michigan ' s then - wild and sparsely populated Upper Peninsula . When it opened its doors in 1899 , NMU enrolled thirty - two students who were taught by six faculty members utilizing rented rooms in Marquette City Hall . The original campus - site at the corner of Presque Isle and Kaye Avenues was on land donated by local businessman and philanthropist John M . Longyear , whose namesake academic building , Longyear Hall , opened its doors to students in 1900 . Throughout the school ' s first half - century , education and teacher training was the primary focus of the small regional school . During this time , the school built the native sandstone buildings Kaye and Peter White Halls , as well as a manual training school adjacent to the campus buildings , J . D . Pierce School . Modest increases in enrollment resulted in several name changes throughout the years : In 1963 , through the adoption of a new state constitution in Michigan , Northern was designated as a comprehensive university serving the diverse educational needs of Upper Michigan . During this time , enrollment at the small state school swelled ( due in large part to the opening in 1957 of the Mackinac Bridge , linking the Upper and Lower Peninsulas to vehicle traffic ) and as a result , the campus expanded rapidly , roughly to the size it remains to this day . Accredited undergraduate and graduate degree programs are offered by the College of Arts and Sciences , the College of Business , the College of Professional Studies . Graduate education was inaugurated in 1928 when courses at the master ’ s degree level were offered in cooperation with the University of Michigan . Academic profile . NMU has five academic divisions : Within these five academic divisions 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs are offered . Placement Data Facilities . Instructional Spaces In the ten buildings where classes are held , there are at least 210 instructional spaces , each having a Wi - Fi signal strong enough to accommodate not only the instructor ( s ) but every student . 112 of these rooms seat at least 30 students . There are 63 general use classrooms which can be scheduled for multiple disciplines . All but 4 general - purpose rooms are smart classrooms fitted with technology for projecting images and sound from one ’ s laptop computer . There are 14 tiered classrooms , 10 of which are considered lecture halls with a seat - count of at least 90 . The largest lecture hall , Jamrich 102 , seats 501 . There are 58 labs covering the gamut of arts and sciences . There are 28 departmental classrooms , 16 of which are “ smart ” . There are 3 distance learning facilities , the largest of which is Mead Auditorium which seats 100 . Art and Design Berry Events Center Cohodas Hall Forest Roberts Theatre Gries Hall CB Hedgcock Building Jamrich Hall Lydia M . Olson Library McClintock Hall Physical Education Instructional Facility Seaborg Science Complex Superior Dome The Jacobetti Center Whitman Hall Accreditation . Northern Michigan University is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools . All education programs are accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education . Other accreditations include the American Alliance for Health , Physical Education , Recreation and Dance ; American Chemical Society ; Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Professionals ( surgical technology ) ; Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech - Language - Hearing Association ( communication disorders ) ; Council on Social Work Education ; Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Certification ; International Association of Counseling Services , Inc . ; Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulation , State Board of Nursing ; National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences ; National Association of Industrial Technology ; National Association of Schools of Music ; Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology . In addition , the nursing programs ( practical nursing , baccalaureate and master ’ s degrees ) are fully approved by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulation , State Board of Nursing and the baccalaureate and master ’ s degrees are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education ( CCNE ) . The baccalaureate degree programs of the Walker L . Cisler College of Business are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business . Technology . The Teaching , Learning , and Communication ( TLC ) initiative places a notebook computer in the hands of every full - time undergraduate student and faculty . This initiative makes NMU one of the largest public university laptop programs in the world . Laptop program participants receive a new notebook computer every three years . Northern ’ s campus - wide effort for technological mastery helps NMU students compete in the high - tech global marketplace after they graduate . The university has national and international awards for its innovative work in the area of technology in higher education . Vision of the initiative . Northern Michigan University ' s vision for education in the 21st century is a learning environment that embraces technology to enhance student access , promote the development of independent learners and encourage greater student - faculty communication and collaboration . To help achieve this vision , the university implemented a laptop program in the fall of 2000 that ensures students and faculty have a standard set of tools ( hardware and software ) that meet a majority of their computing and telecommunications needs , promotes communication and enables quality support . NMU is the first public university in Michigan — but one of many nationwide — to pursue the idea of a " laptop " campus . Since 2002 , most of the campus and surrounding city is covered by a wireless network . Although electronic documents are encouraged , networked printers are installed in various campus locations for hard copy documents . In the fall of 2009 the university initiated a WiMAX connection initiative . This far - reaching technology has brought Internet access to students off and on campus . It was the first educational facility to create such an initiative and an example of Northern ' s vision for the future . Because of its popularity and recognition , the campus was visited by President Barack Obama on February 10 , 2011 , where he praised the development in wireless technology and promoted a National Wireless Initiative to bring high - speed Internet to 98 % of the U . S . by 2016 . The university has a help desk and walk - in service center to handle laptop maintenance problems . Cost to students . NMU leases the laptop computers and issues them to full - time students on a three - year replacement cycle ( a student will never have a computer more than three years old ) . Continuing students who pre - register for the following fall will be able to use the laptop through the summer at no additional charge . Part - time students may , at their option , participate in the program . Part - time students may also , for a fee , check out the laptops from the library on a daily basis . Additional aspects . NMU continues to support and improve " specialty labs " as a function of need and resource availability . These are labs designed to meet the needs of specific academic programs that have special equipment and software needs ( e . g . , graphic design , computer science , GIS , CAD among others ) . The Center for Instructional Technology in Education ( CITE ) in the LRC supports faculty use of technology in instruction . Athletics . NMU ’ s Wildcats compete in the NCAA ' s Division II Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in basketball , football , golf , skiing , cross country , soccer , volleyball , track & field , and swimming / diving . The hockey program competes in Division I as a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association . The Division II football team plays in the world ' s largest wooden dome , the Superior Dome . Lloyd Carr , former head coach at the University of Michigan , former NFL coach Jerry Glanville , and Steve Mariucci , former head coach of the Detroit Lions , played football for NMU , and current Michigan State coach Tom Izzo played basketball at NMU . Northern Michigan ' s rivals in sports action are the two other major schools in the upper peninsula : Michigan Technological University , and Lake Superior State University . The winner of the annual football game between NMU and Michigan Tech is awarded the Miner ' s Cup . National Championships ( 4 ) : National Runners - up ( 4 ) : Basketball Final Four ( 1 ) : USOEC . The United States Olympic Education Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University is one of four Olympic training centers in the country and the only one located on a college campus . The USOEC provides secondary and post - secondary educational opportunities for athletes while offering world - class training . With more than 70 resident athletes and coaches , the USOEC is the second - largest Olympic training center in the United States , in terms of residents , behind Colorado Springs . The USOEC has more residential athletes than the Lake Placid and Chula Vista sites combined . Over the years , it has grown into a major contributor to the U . S . Olympic movement . Current resident training programs include boxing , Greco - Roman wrestling , short track speed skating , weightlifting , and women ’ s freestyle wrestling . Athletes must be approved by the USOEC , their national governing body and NMU to be admitted into the program . USOEC athletes attend NMU or Marquette Senior High School , Marquette , Michigan while training in their respective sports . The student athletes receive free or reduced room and board , access to world - class training facilities as well as sports medicine and sports science services , academic tutoring , and a waiver of out - of - state tuition fees by NMU . Although athletes are responsible for tuition at the in - state rate , they may receive the B . J . Stupak Scholarship to help cover expenses . On - campus USOEC athletes live in NMU ’ s Meyland Hall , eat in campus dining halls , and train at the university ’ s Berry Events Center and Superior Dome . The USOEC also offers a variety of short - term training camps ; regional , national , and international competitions ; coaches and officials education clinics ; and an educational program for retired Olympians . Student life . Residential life . Residence hall government is an important facet of student life and NMU . Ten to twenty students from each of the ten residence halls are elected and / or appointed to meet with the staff from their hall on a weekly basis . They represent their peers on a variety of matters pertaining to their residence hall community and campus life . Students who participate in hall government have the option of participating in various leadership training activities . One student from up campus ( 2 halls ) and two from down campus ( 8 halls ) are elected to serve on ASNMU , NMU ' s Student Government . The ten residence halls are : In addition to the residence halls , NMU operates and maintains seven apartment buildings on campus . The apartments are Many halls that have been listed above contain " houses " , smaller communities within each residence hall , which participate in campus events and socialize . Many have long - running traditions . For instance , Arctic House in Hunt Hall takes a swim in Lake Superior in the middle of winter . This is known as the Arctic plunge . Many houses in Payne Hall are noted for their volunteer involvement in projects during the school year . Northern Michigan Hall traditions are numerous and involve the students , letting them bond as a community . Groups and activities . Student organizations . NMU hosts a large number of student organizations which are governmental , academic , programming , social , religious , and athletic , as well as residence hall - related , in nature . There are over 300 registered student organizations that provide programs and activities for the campus community . Army ROTC . NMU is the proud host of the United States Army Cadet Command ' s " Wildcat Battalion " . Roughly 50 Cadets train year round to earn their commissions as United States Army Officers in both the Active Duty and Reserve components . NMU ROTC also trains a specially selected group of Cadets to compete in the annual Ranger Challenge competition held in Fort McCoy , Wisconsin Greek life . Fraternities Sororities Student Leader Fellowship Program . The Student Leader Fellowship Program ( SLFP ) is committed to developing competent , ethical , and community - centered leaders . Over a two - year period , students participate in six component areas ( Fall Retreat , Mentors , Leadership Theory and Practice Course , Skill Builders ! Leadership Workshops , Community Service Internship , and Special Occasions ) focusing on self - development and community development . The Volunteer Center . The NMU Volunteer Center is designed to assist students , both individuals and in student organizations , as well as faculty and staff at the university with finding ways in which they can contribute to the Marquette community . Superior Edge . Unique to Northern , this citizen - leader development program is open to all NMU students , regardless of GPA , major or year in school . Participants can work on any or all of the edges ; citizenship , diversity awareness , leadership and real - world experience . Students log a minimum of 100 hours of volunteer , contact , classroom or work time for each edge and write a reflection paper . Achievement of edges is recorded on a student development transcript that is issued alongside a student ' s academic transcript . The Superior Edge was developed in 2004 - 2005 by a task force that included students , faculty , and staff . The Superior Edge encompasses a wide range of in - and out - of - classroom experiences that will provide Northern Michigan University students with a distinct advantage by better preparing them for careers , lifelong learning , graduate school , and life as engaged citizens . Honors Program . The Honors Program provides talented undergraduates the opportunity to take rigorous coursework that leads to the designation of Lower Division Honors , Upper Division Honors , or Full Honors on their academic transcript . For Full Honors , students must complete two years ( 16 – 20 credits ) of lower division honors courses , two years of a foreign language , mathematics at the pre - calculus level or higher , 12 credits of upper division coursework in their major or minor that have been " honorized " , and a capstone project in the final semester before graduation . To qualify for acceptance to the program , students must have a recalculated GPA of 3 . 5 or higher ( on a 4 . 0 scale ) , an ACT score of 27 or above and submit two letters of recommendation . About 40 freshmen are admitted to the program annually . The North Wind . The North Wind began in 1972 as Northern Michigan University ' s first independent , student newspaper . The weekly paper covers news from the university and community alike and prints on Thursdays . The digest - style newspaper has a distribution of 5 , 000 , most of which are placed on campus and throughout the surrounding Marquette community . The paper also has a Web site . WUPX . WUPX is Northern Michigan University ' s non - commercial , student run , radio station . WUPX provides NMU Students and the Marquette area with a wide variety of music , event announcements , and activities . WUPX broadcaststs at 91 . 5 FM with an effective radiated power of 1700 Watts . WUPX also has a Web site . Student government . The Associated Students of Northern Michigan University ( ASNMU ) is made up of three distinct branches : Executive , Legislative and Judicial . Representatives elected to represent Student Affairs groups and Academic Affairs comprise the Legislative Branch with a member of the Legislative Branch elected as Chair of the Assembly . The All Student Judiciary ( ASJ ) , the judicial branch of ASNMU , is a panel composed of 16 students who hear cases involving students who violate the regulations of the University Student Code . The Student Finance Committee ( SFC ) a sub - committee oversees the collection and disbursement of Student Activity Fee and govern the disbursement of funds to registered student organizations . Notable alumni . Charter schools . NMU operates five charter school s throughout Michigan . Ranking . The 2008 edition of " America ' s Best Colleges " , compiled by U . S . News & World Report , ranked Northern Michigan University as a Master ' s ( Midwest ) - Third Tier institution . Further reading . Hilton , Miriam . " Northern Michigan University : The First 75 Years . " Marquette , Michigan : Northern Michigan University Press , 1975 . Magnaghi , Russell . " A Sense of Time : The Encyclopedia of Northern Michigan University . " Marquette , Michigan , Northern Michigan University Press , 1999 . Northern ' s Communications & Marketing director , Cindy Paavola , 2006 .