Robben Wright Fleming, the imperturbable U-M president who steered the school safely through the student unrest of the late 1960s and early 1970s, died Jan. 11 at age 93. His devotion to the ideals of academic freedom and civil debate amid social and political tumult led the regents to name the university’s central administration building in honor of Fleming and his wife, Sally, who died in 2005.

The University of Michigan is now metro Detroit’s second largest employer behind Ford Motor Co., according to the Crain’s Detroit Business 2010 Book of Lists. A year ago, Crain’s listed U-M fourth behind the Big Three automakers.

iPhones are being used as musical instruments in a new course at the University of Michigan. The students design, build and play instruments on their smartphones.

Plus: Watch video of the Mobile Phone Ensemble performing.

Forty years ago, a prankish article in the Michigan Daily helped create a modern myth: Beatle Paul McCartney was dead.

In April, President Mary Sue Coleman announced that the University of Michigan’s three campuses will go smoke-free in 2011. Now comes the tough part.

U-M has topped all U.S. universities for the amount of public interest measured by media coverage, Internet traffic and social media mentions, according to an independent national analysis released this week.

• Plus: Ross School tops in the U.S. for environmental/social responsibility
• U-M among top in nation for producing Fulbright students, scholars

The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business is the best business school in the United States for integrating environmental, social and ethical issues into its MBA program, according to the Aspen Institute’s 2009-10 Beyond Grey Pinstripes report.The biennial survey and ranking of business schools placed the Ross School at No. 2 overall. The Schulich Read more

Seven University of Michigan scholars and 28 U-M students have been awarded Fulbright Fellowships for 2009-2010.Among the faculty scholar winners, U-M’s Ann Arbor campus led the country in the U.S. State Department-funded Fulbright awards, along with Michigan State University and the University of Oregon, each receiving seven awards. UM-Flint also produced a Fulbright Scholar.Among the Read more

It’s no ivory tower. When students enroll in the Semester in Detroit, they live, study and work in the city. They build relationships with tough, creative colleagues. And they literally get their hands dirty.

Related: Semester in Detroit website