Harris v. University of Michigan Board of Regents

*681I

NATURE OF THE CASE

This case raises two interrelated legal questions of first impression and of particular importance to intercollegiate athletics in Michigan. First, is intercollegiate athletics a governmental function of a public university so as to immunize the university from tort liability? Second, if so, does the proprietary function exception to governmental immunity apply under the facts of this case? For reasons stated in this opinion, we hold that intercollegiate athletics is a governmental function of a state university that entitles it to governmental immunity and that, on the…