University of Missouri–St. Louis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| University of Missouri–St. Louis | |
|---|---|
  |
|
|
|
|
| Established: | 1960 (Normandy Residence Center) 1963 (UMSL) |
| Type: | Public |
| Chancellor: | Dr. Thomas F. George |
| Provost: | Dr. Glen Hahn Cope |
| Faculty: | 1,502 (Fall 2006) |
| Staff: | 1,022 (Fall 2006) |
| Students: | 15,543 (Fall 2007) |
| Undergraduates: | 12,448 (Fall 2007) |
| Postgraduates: | 3,095 |
| Doctoral students: | 518 |
| Location: | Saint Louis County, Missouri, USA |
| Campus: | Urban, 300+ acres |
| Colors: | Red and Gold |
| Nickname: | Tritons |
| Website: | www.umsl.edu |
The University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL, pronounced "uhm-suhl") is one of four universities in the University of Missouri System. Established in 1963, it is the newest university in the UM System. As of 2005, it is the largest university by enrollment in the St. Louis area. UMSL's campus is located on the former grounds of the Bellerive Country Club in Saint Louis County. Additional facilities are located at the former site of Marillac College.
Bachelor's, Master's, and doctoral programs are offered through the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business Administration, the College of Education, the College of Fine Arts and Communication, the College of Nursing, and the College of Optometry. The business school is AACSB-accredited and is the only university in the St. Louis area to also be AACSB-accredited in accounting. Preprofessional, a joint engineering program with Washington University in St. Louis, and evening programs are also offered. UMSL is home of an optometry school, providing its students with a doctorate (DO). Only 17 optometry schools exist in all of North America including Puerto Rico. The Pierre Laclede Honors College is UMSL's honors program.
The University contains three libraries: The Thomas Jefferson Library which is the main library of the University, the Ward E. Barnes Library which houses the materials of relevance to the nursing, education and optometry programs, and the St. Louis Mercantile Library which was founded in 1846 and is the oldest library west of the Mississippi River. The campus contains two stops on MetroLink, St. Louis' regional light rail system. A student center, academic buildings, parking structures, a performing arts center, and residential housing have been constructed over the past ten years as part of campus improvement programs. UMSL is sometimes confused with Saint Louis University (SLU, pronounced "slew"), but they are separate institutions. UMSL is a public university, while SLU is a private Jesuit university. The University has a dual-enrollment agreement with Gulf University for Science and Technology, Kuwait.
Contents |
[edit] History
The move for a college campus in its current location began in 1957 when members of the Bellerive Country Club put their 53-year-old club house and 125-acre (0.51 km²) grounds on the market for $1.3 million as they planned to moved to larger quarters in Town and Country, Missouri. At the same time members of Normandy, Missouri School District began debating the need of creating an affordable junior college to offer an alternative to the much more expensive privately-owned Saint Louis University and Washington University in St. Louis. Country Club members approached the Board and the asking price was dropped to $600,000. A bond issue on September 30, 1958, received the necessary two-thirds majority and the golf club was turned over to Normandy on May 31, 1960. A group of board members and citizens popularly referred to as the "The Committee of Twenty-eight" began the process to set up the junior college. The group was to meet with Elmer Ellis, president of the University of Missouri.
The University of Missouri at the time was responsible for accrediting junior colleges. Ellis suggested that the University of Missouri supervise the educational program at the school. The terms required that 100 students attend the school. 140 students applied on the first day. The Clubhouse was renovated with 15 classrooms, two laboratories, a large lecture room, a library and a cafeteria. The "Normandy Residence Center under the auspices of the University of Missouri" opened in September 1960. Enrollment increased to 300 in 1961 and 550 in 1962.
Interest in a four-year school immediately arose. The University of Missouri System was created in 1963 to take over the Normandy campus as well as the previously privately owned University of Kansas City in addition to the system's already owned campuses in Columbia, Missouri and Rolla, Missouri. The transfer from the Normandy school to the University of Missouri System was delayed when the Missouri Supreme Court in 4-3 decision ruled that the school could not transfer the property without a formal open bid process. The Missouri General Assembly enacted legislation signed by Governor John Dalton on October 13, 1963 enabling the transfer and the University was bought the property for $60,000 from unallocated funds at the university's disposal.[1]
With expanding enrollment classes were held in a laundromat building at Natural Bridge and Hanley and in a church basement across from the campus while buildings were built on the site of the former Bellerieve Country Club. Benton Hall opened in 1965, Clark Hall and the Library were the next buildings built. On July 23, 1973, an Ozark Airlines Fairchild Hiller FH-227B crashed into the campus just east of the Mark Twain complex while attempting to land at Lambert International Airport. 37 passengers and one crew member were killed although four passengers and two crew members including the captain survived.[2] A tornado warning had been in effect at the time.[3] In 1976 Marillac College was acquired. It is now called the "south campus."
[edit] Academics
Divisions of the University inculde: the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Fine Arts and Communications, College of Business Administration, College of Education, College of Nursing, College of Optometry, Graduate School, Joint Undergraduate Engineering Program, Pierre Laclede Honors College, Continuing Education, Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center
[edit] Rankings
In 2007 UMSL's business faculty were ranked 3rd in the nation in productivity.[4] America's Best Graduate Schools 2009 ranks its doctoral degree program in criminology and criminal justice 4th in the US.[5]
[edit] Athletics
UMSL provides 11 Division II sports teams ranging from Soccer and Basketball to Golf and Softball.
[edit] Campus
The Campus is divided into two parts, a North Campus and a South Campus. UMSL can be visited using the St. Louis MetroLink light rail system which has two stations on the campus: UMSL North and UMSL South. A few of the buildings, libraries, and centers on the campus are the Thomas Jefferson Library, Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Center for Transportation Studies, University Meadows Apartments, Millennium Student Center, Residential Life and Housing, Clark Hall, Lucas Hall, Touhill Performing arts Center, CCB/SSB, and the Ward E. Barnes Library.
[edit] Chancellors
- Thomas George 2003-present
- Donald Driemeier (Interim)2003-2003
- Blanche Touhill 1990-2002
- Marguerite Ross Barnett 1986-1990
- Arthur MacKinney (Interim) 1985-1986
- Arnold Grobman 1975-1985
- Emery Turner (Interim) 1974-1975
- Joseph Hartley 1973-1974
- Everett Walters (Interim) 1972-1973
- Glen Driscoll 1969-1972
- James Bugg 1965-1969
[edit] Student life
[edit] Housing
The vast majority of students live off-campus throughout the St. Louis area, although on-campus housing is currently being expanded. Campus operated residence halls includes: Bellrive Hall, Villa North Hall, LaGras Hall, Seton Hall, Villa Proper Hall and Oak Hall. Other campus living includes University Meadows Apartments (which is independently operated, gated, apartment style living) and The Mansion Hills, which is mainly University owned apartments.
[edit] Student Government Association
The UMSL Student Government Association (SGA) is a student run government set up to provide a voice for students when dealing with administration of the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL). SGA has three parts, Executive Branch, the Assembly and the Student Court, and also is governed by a student wide approved constitution. SGA was started in 1963 when the University was founded and has gone through many constitutional changes, the most recent in 2004. SGA includes members from every student organization and students from every college on campus. This government incorporates both undergraduate and graduate in its student body. SGA has been instrumental in changes for students around the campus. It is responsible for approving student fees before they go to the board of curators of the University of Missouri System and divides out the campus Activity's Fees to fund student organizations' budgets.[6]
[edit] Greek life
Fraternities with chapters on campus inculde: Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Tau Gamma, Sigma Pi, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Sororities include: Alpha Xi Delta, Delta Zeta, Zeta Tau Alpha, Mu Tau Rho
[edit] Student media
The student newspaper, The Current, is a broadsheet published weekly. It is funded primarily by advertising revenue supplemented by student activity fees. The campus now hosts a student radio station, UMSL Student Radio-101.9 FM The U. The main studios are located on the second floor of the Millennium Student Center, with a satellite studio in the Oak Hall Residence. The station is sponsored by SEMPA, the Student Electronic Media Professional's Association. The U has a "diversity" format, playing various genres of music as well as programs featuring campus news and personalities. It can also be heard online and at AM 1690. The Film Production Society was established in 2006. The organization promotes independent productions for student members and hosts a number of film festivals.
[edit] Nickname/Mascot
In May 2007 the UMSL board of curators approved a change of nickname from the Rivermen (first used in the 1960s) to the Tritons. The Rivermen/Riverwomen nickname seldom had popular support, primarily for its unwieldy gender constructions.[7]
[edit] Notable Faculty
[edit] Notable Alumni
- Timothy P. Green - Missouri State Politician (House and Senate)
- Marty Hendin - vice president of community relations for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Therese Sander - Missouri Politician
- Vincent Schoemehl - Mayor of the City of St. Louis 1981-1993
[edit] References
- ^ sl 533 NORMANDY SCHOOL DISTRICT-UMSL FOUNDING - umsl.edu
- ^ Accident Details - planecrashinfo.com -Retrieved February 9, 2007
- ^ A brief history of time: UM-St. Louis - usmalumni.org - Retrieved February 8, 2008
- ^ Chronicle Facts & Figures: Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UMSL_Student_Government_Association
- ^ http://media.www.thecurrentonline.com/media/storage/paper304/news/2007/04/30/News/Rivermen.Washed.Away.Chancellor.Approves.Tritons-2888285.shtml
[edit] External links
- University of Missouri–St. Louis
- University of Missouri–St. Louis Archives Photo Database
- The Current
- UMSL Student Government Association
- University of Missouri–St. Louis is at coordinates Coordinates:
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||
|
|||||
|
||||||||
|
|||||||||||
