History of ESG

In 1927, the University of Michigan Engineering Counsel (UMEC) was formed as a collaboration between the most influential student organizations in the College of Engineering, to form a link between CoE students and administration. As the College of Engineering grew, so too did UMEC, whose doors were opened to any student organization composed primarily of engineering students. The voting body of UMEC was now composed of delegates sent from these student organizations, who could work together to represent the diverse interests of engineering students. UMEC united both student organizations and students across the College to improve student life through events and service. Over its nearly 90 years of service to the College, UMEC served as a forum for collaboration and leadership, where driven students could come together to accomplish shared goals and enable their peers to succeed in the College of Engineering.

In early 2014, the leadership of UMEC alongside leaders from various student groups recognized the need to modernize UMEC, as its old model could not adequately represent and serve an increasingly diverse student body. A constitutional convention was held, and in the course of 5 months a new constitution was drafted that laid the groundwork for a student government that was both more similar to other student governments at the University of Michigan, as well as more capable of addressing the specific needs of the College of Engineering’s unique constituency. This student government was called Engineering Student Government, and it was voted into existence by the student body in November of 2014. Following elections held in December of 2014, ESG’s newly elected Senate began operation in January of 2015, ushering in a new era of service to the College of Engineering and its students.