▁buildings ▁and ▁infrastr ucture ▁around ▁the ▁campus . ▁The ▁university ▁also ▁emphas ized ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁computer ▁and ▁information ▁technology ▁throughout ▁the ▁campus . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 0 s , ▁U - M ▁faced ▁decl ining ▁state ▁fund ing ▁due ▁to ▁state ▁budget ▁short falls . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁the ▁university ▁attempted ▁to ▁maintain ▁its ▁high ▁academic ▁standing ▁while ▁keeping ▁tu ition ▁costs ▁afford able . ▁There ▁were ▁disput es ▁between ▁U - M ' s ▁administration ▁and ▁labor ▁un ions , ▁not ably ▁with ▁the ▁L ect ur ers ' ▁Emp loy ees ▁Organ ization ▁( LE O ) ▁and ▁the ▁Gr adu ate ▁Emp loy ees ▁Organ ization ▁( GE O ), ▁the ▁union ▁representing ▁gradu ate ▁student ▁employees . ▁These ▁conflicts ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁one - day ▁walk outs ▁by ▁the ▁un ions ▁and ▁their ▁supp or ters . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁the ▁university ▁was ▁engaged ▁in ▁a ▁$ 2 . 5 ▁billion ▁construction ▁campaign ▁after ▁an ▁eight - year ▁capital ▁campaign ▁raised ▁$ 3 . 1 1 ▁billion , ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁a ▁record ▁for ▁a ▁US ▁public ▁university . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁two ▁law su its ▁involving ▁U - M ' s ▁aff irm ative ▁action ▁adm issions ▁policy ▁reached ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁( Gr utter ▁v . ▁Bol ling er ▁and ▁Gr atz ▁v . ▁Bol ling er ). ▁President ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush ▁public ly