[3] Following the establishment of The Evergreen State College in Olympia in 1967, interest in additional higher education opportunities in the South Sound continued to grow.

[8] The 8 story structure was chosen in part for its capacity; during UW Tacoma's early years and construction of the permanent campus further south, enrollments comprised a maximum of approximately 401 juniors and seniors.

Transportation within the downtown area was improved with the addition of Sound Transit's 1.6-mile Tacoma Link light rail line in 2003.

Following several years of transfer-only undergraduate admissions, UW Tacoma admitted its first freshman class of just under 200 students in Autumn of 2006.

Set in the historic Union Station District, UW Tacoma renovated century-old, brick buildings that were built by businesses that depended on the railroad in the late 1880s and early 1900s.

The University Y Student Center is a collaboration between the UW Tacoma and the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties.

The Y is a 73,000 square foot facility that includes recreational and fitness spaces, an NCAA regulation gymnasium, cardio and weight training equipment, indoor track, and locker rooms.

It publishes an eight-page edition every Monday during fall, winter, and spring academic quarters and posts content online.