St. Cloud State University

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St. Cloud State University
Motto: A Tradition of Excellence and Opportunity
Established: 1869
Type: Public
President: Dr. Earl H. Potter III
Faculty: 730
Undergraduates: 15,614
Postgraduates: 1,559
Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States
Campus: Urban
Colors: Cardinal red and black
Mascot: Blizzard the Husky
Website: www.stcloudstate.edu

St. Cloud State University is a four year university and part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system, located in St. Cloud, Minnesota on the banks of the Mississippi River. Currently, there are close to 20,000 students enrolled, making it the 2nd largest university in Minnesota. St.Cloud State University is located in St.Cloud, Minnesota, with a metropolitan area of 200,000 people.

The university was created as a Normal school, then developed college level programs for teachers. It has since grown and now awards bachelors degrees in over 60 programs, including anthropology, aviation, biology, business, chemistry, computer engineering, computer science, criminal justice, education, electrical engineering, film studies, mathematics, music, physics, social science, and theatre.[1] It also awards Masters degrees in over 40 programs, including music, electrical engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, and applied statistics[3]. The university, along with Minnesota State University-Mankato, will be the first Minnesota state university to offer PhD programs[citation needed].

The university currently sponsors 17 Division II teams and is a member of the North Central Conference. St. Cloud State's hockey team also competes in Division I for ice hockey as a member of the WCHA division. Their mascot is the Husky.

The school operates a radio station, KVSC 88.1 FM. Students also publish a newspaper, the University Chronicle. Students also run a television station known as UTVS, which recently won first place for best student news and productions from the Society of Professional Journalists, as well as honorable mention at a New York competition in 2004.

The University maintains an overseas facility at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, England, and offers numerous other study-abroad program locations around the world.

Contents

[edit] Colleges and schools

  • G.R. Herberger College of Business
  • College of Education
  • College of Fine Arts and Humanities
  • College of Science and Engineering
  • College of Social Sciences
  • Center for Continuing Studies
  • School of Graduate Studies
  • Center for International Studies

[edit] Notable events

In 1988, minor riots erupted over two days at the university during their homecoming week. According to Margaret Vos, then the university's communications director, students were throwing empty beer cans into the Sousaphones as the band marched along the parade route. Police, state patrol and neighboring law enforcement officers used tear gas to deal with a crowd estimated at 1,500, many of them students. There were 50 arrests. As a result, the university canceled homecoming parades. Several minor injuries were reported, and furniture and cars were burned. Subsequently, homecoming week was scheduled later in the year in the hope that the cold would reduce the risk of drunken misbehavior.[2][3] As a result, the city of St. Cloud instituted an ordinance requiring residents to obtain a permit to possess a beer keg.[4]

In the 1986-7 season, Herb Brooks, the 1980 USA men's Olympic hockey coach, became the coach of the Huskies and helped SCSU hockey team achieve Division I status. He also helped lead efforts to build the National Hockey Center. A small street near the National Hockey Center was named for Brooks shortly after his death.[citation needed]

SCSU was mentioned in an episode of Penn & Teller: Bullshit!. Penn and Teller used the school as an example of the prevalence of unnecessary political correctness and diversity in the American college system.[5]

[edit] Racial and ethnic tensions

In December 2002, two black professors mailed a series of letters to Twin Cities high schools and churches describing St. Cloud as a "community with a long and sordid record of racism" and advising minority students to not attend the university. One of the authors was a former professor who had previously sued the university when he was not given tenure. The lawsuit was dismissed.[6]

In February 2002, a report issued by a regional office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) found that faculty and staff they interviewed at St. Cloud State University believe that systemic sexism, racism, and antiSemitism exist at St. Cloud, and that the university is a difficult place for anyone who has a perspective outside of "mainstream white, Christian thinking." The EEOC concluded that the university "suffers from a severe lack of credibility with regard to diversity issues."[7]

The University's Affirmative Action Officer, a black woman, replied by describing the EEOC comments as "an unwarranted attack on her office". She also questioned "the diversity of the witnesses interviewed for the report." "At no time has the AAO evaded the task of ensuring equal employment opportunity." [8]

In late 2007, the university generated a series of news stories when vandals drew swastikas on campus property, including bathroom mirrors and toilet stalls in the student center and a residence hall. The university issued a series of "safety alerts" and described the vandalism in terms ranging from "hate crime" to "bias motivated property damage". [9]

[edit] Past names of school

  • 1869-1921 St. Cloud State Normal School
  • 1921-1957 St. Cloud State Teachers College
  • 1957-1975 St. Cloud State College
  • 1975-present St. Cloud State University

[edit] Presidents of SCSU

  • 1869-1875 Ira Moore
  • 1875-1881 David L. Kiehle
  • 1881-1884 Jerome Allen
  • 1884-1890 Thomas J. Gray
  • 1890-1895 Joseph Carhart
  • 1895-1902 George R. Kleeberger
  • 1902-1915 Waite A. Shoemaker
  • 1915-1916 Isabel Lawrence, Interim President
  • 1916-1927 Joseph C. Brown
  • 1927-1943 George A. Selke
  • 1943-1947 Dudley S. Brainard
  • 1947-1952 John W. Headley
  • 1952-1965 George F. Budd
  • 1965-1971 Robert H. Wick
  • 1971-1981 Charles J. Graham
  • 1981-1982 Lowell R. Gillette, Interim President
  • 1982-1992 Brendan J. McDonald
  • 1992-1995 Robert O. Bess, Interim President
  • 1995-1999 Bruce F. Grube
  • 1999-2000 Suzanne R. Williams, Interim President
  • 2000-2007 Roy H. Saigo
  • 2007-present Earl H. Potter III

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] Notable faculty and staff

[edit] References

  1. ^ St. Cloud State University Undergraduate Bulletin
  2. ^ "St. Cloud Times", St. Cloud Times. Retrieved on 2007-11-29. 
  3. ^ "Six Are Hurt in Violence at a Minnesota Campus", [{The New York Times]], 1988-10-17. Retrieved on 2007-11-29. 
  4. ^ City of St. Cloud Ordinance, Section 817, Subd. 3
  5. ^ "College". Penn & Teller: Bullshit!. Showtime. No. 6, season 3.
  6. ^ United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Myrle B. Cooper V St. Cloud State University.
  7. ^ Academe, American Association of University Professors, March/April 2002, [1]
  8. ^ University Chronicle, SCSU student newspaper, "Affirmative action officer on defensive", 2/25/02
  9. ^ StarTribune, November 20, 2007 [2]
  10. ^ St. Cloud State University
  11. ^
    • Nicole Linkletter - Winner of America's Next top model cycle 5
    A Different B.S. - Forbes.com

[edit] External links

v • d • e
North Central Conference
Augustana • Central Washington† • Minnesota Duluth • Minnesota State • Nebraska-Omaha • North Dakota • Saint Cloud State • South Dakota • Western Washington†
† Football-only member
v • d • e
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Men
Women
NCAA  • MacNaughton Cup  • Broadmoor Trophy  • List of champions: Men / Women


Universities of the MnSCU System
Bemidji State • Metro State • MSU Mankato • MSU Moorhead • Southwest Minnesota State • St. Cloud State • Winona State
v • d • e
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference