University of Minnesota

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This article is about the oldest and largest campus of the University of Minnesota. For the entire system, see University of Minnesota system
See also: U of M (disambiguation)
University of Minnesota,
Twin Cities
Umnseal.png
Seal of the Regents of the University of Minnesota
Motto 'Commune vinculum omnibus artibus' (Latin)
Motto in English A common bond for all the arts
Established 1851
Type Public
Flagship University
Land-Grant
Sea-Grant
Space-Grant
Endowment US$2.494 billion in 2012 (systemwide)[1]
President Eric W. Kaler
Provost Karen Hanson
Academic staff 3,374[2]
Students 51,853[3]
Undergraduates 30,375
Postgraduates 16,948
Other students 3,824
Location Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States
44°58′29″N 93°14′07″W / 44.974747°N 93.235353°W / 44.974747; -93.235353Coordinates: 44°58′29″N 93°14′07″W / 44.974747°N 93.235353°W / 44.974747; -93.235353
Campus Urban
2,730 acres (1,100 ha)
Colors Maroon & Gold         
Athletics NCAA Division I
Big Ten Conference
Sports 24 Varsity Teams
Nickname Golden Gophers
Mascot Goldy Gopher
Affiliations Association of American Universities
Committee on Institutional Cooperation
Website umn.edu
University Wordmark

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (Minnesota, U of M, or The U) is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States, with the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses being approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) apart.[4] It is the oldest and largest campus within the University of Minnesota system and has the sixth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 51,853 students in 2012–2013. The university is broadly organized into 19 colleges and schools, and it has sister campuses in Crookston, Duluth, Morris, and Rochester.

Minnesota's athletic teams are known collectively as the Minnesota Golden Gophers and compete in the NCAA's Division I as members of the Big Ten Conference.

Campuses[edit]

Minneapolis campus[edit]

The original Minneapolis campus overlooked the Saint Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River, but it was later moved about a mile (1.6 km) downstream to its current location. The original site is now marked by a small park known as Chute Square at the intersection of University and Central avenues. The school shut down following a financial crisis during the American Civil War, but reopened in 1867 with considerable financial help from John S. Pillsbury. It was upgraded from a preparatory school to a college in 1869.

The campus now has buildings on both river banks. The "East Bank", the main portion of the campus, covers 307 acres (124 ha). The West Bank is home to Carlson School of Management and the performing arts center. St. Paul campus is home to the College of Biological Sciences (CBS), the College of Design (CDes), the College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS), and the veterinary program.

East Bank[edit]

Mall panorama, from left: Ford Hall, Coffman Memorial Union, Kolthoff Hall, Smith Hall (in center of image), Walter Library, Johnston Hall, Northrop, and Morrill Hall
Aerial photo of the Minneapolis campus, facing east
East Bank
Walter Library, Northrop Mall

To help simplify the size of the campus, the University has broken down the East Bank into several areas: the Knoll area, the Mall area, the Health area, the Athletic area, and the Gateway area.

The Knoll area, the oldest part of the University's current location, is located in the northwestern part of the campus.[5] Most disciplines in this area relate to the humanities. Burton Hall is home to the College of Education and Human Development. Many buildings in this area are well over one hundred years old and it includes a 13-building group comprising the Old Campus Historic District that is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.[6] A residence hall, Sanford Hall, and a student-apartment complex, Roy Wilkins Hall, are located in this area. The Institute for Advanced Study[7] is located in the Nolte Center. This area is located just south of the Dinkytown neighborhood and business area.

Northrop Mall or the Mall area, is arguably the center of the Minneapolis Campus. It was based on a design by Cass Gilbert, although his plans were too extravagant to be fully implemented.[8] Several of the campus's primary buildings surround the Mall area. The Cyrus Northrop Memorial Auditorium provides a northern anchor, with Coffman Memorial Union (CMU) to the south. Four of the larger buildings to the sides of it are the primary mathematics, physics, and chemistry buildings, (Vincent Hall, Tate Laboratory and Smith Hall, respectively) and Walter Library. The Mall area is home to both the College of Liberal Arts, which is Minnesota's largest public or private college, and the College of Science and Engineering. Behind CMU is another residence hall, Comstock Hall, and another student-apartment complex, Yudof Hall.

The Health area is to the southeast of the Mall area and focuses on undergraduate buildings for biological-science students, as well as homes to the College of Pharmacy, the School of Nursing, the School of Dentistry, the Medical School, the School of Public Health, and Fairview Hospitals and Clinics. This complex of buildings forms what is known as the University of Minnesota Medical Center. Part of the College of Biological Sciences is housed in this area.

Across the street from Fairview Hospital is an area known as the "Superblock". The Superblock is a four-city-block space housing four residence halls (Pioneer, Frontier, Centennial and Territorial Halls). The Superblock is one of the most popular locations for on-campus housing because it has the largest concentration of students living on campus and has a multitude of social activities between the residence halls.

The Athletic area is directly north of the Superblock and includes four recreation/athletic facilities: the University Recreation Center, Cooke Hall, the University Fieldhouse, and the University Aquatic Center. These facilities are all connected by tunnels and skyways allowing students to use one locker-room facility. North of this complex is the TCF Bank Stadium, Williams Arena, Mariucci Arena, Ridder Arena, and the Baseline Tennis Center.

The Gateway area, an easternmost section, is primarily office buildings rather than classrooms and lecture halls. The most prominent building is McNamara Alumni Center. The University is also heavily invested in a biomedical-research initiative and is striving to build five more biomedical-research buildings in ten years that will form a biomedical complex directly north of TCF Bank Stadium.

East Bank notable architecture[edit]
Pillsbury Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus (1889)
Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum

The Armory, northeast of the Northrop Mall, is built like a Norman castle, with a sally-port entrance facing Church Street, and a tower originally intended to be the Professor of Military Science's residence, until it was found to be too cold. It originally held the athletics department as well as the military-science classes that it now holds.

One of the oldest buildings on campus is Pillsbury Hall, designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style and built using varieties of sandstone available in Minnesota. It has a unique color that is hard to capture in a photograph.

In more recent times, Frank Gehry designed the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum. It is a typical example of his work with curving metallic structures.

Another new building is the addition to the Architecture building designed by Steven Holl and completed in 2002. It won an American Institute of Architects award for its innovative design. The Architecture building was then renamed Rapson Hall after the local modernist architect and School of Architecture Dean Ralph Rapson.

Another building that has won an award is the new Science Teaching and Student Services Building (STSS). This building has been awarded the prestigious LEED Gold certification. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally recognized green building certification system administered by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED measures multiple dimensions of a building's design and construction including sustainable sites, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, water efficiency, and indoor environmental quality.

"It's appropriate that a building that supports science education and overlooks a great river would be built with principles of sustainability at the forefront," said, U of M President Robert Bruininks at the opening of STSS in August 2010.

Highlights of sustainability in STSS include:

  • Conserving water—Installation of low-flow sinks and bathroom fixtures that use 50 percent less water than a typical building of its size. Outdoor irrigation systems use a monitoring system that measures ground saturation and local weather patterns, so that irrigation only takes place when needed. Native, drought tolerant plants reduce runoff to the river and minimize irrigation needs.
  • Recycling and reuse—Builders reused sections of the foundation from the Science Classroom Building that previously occupied the site to construct STSS. This saved time and money and reduced the amount of new materials used to build STSS. Recycled materials were incorporated into the carpet, tables, chairs and structural steel of STSS. In addition, 94 percent of the construction debris from the site was diverted from the landfill for reuse or recycling.
  • Air quality and air flow—An innovative underfloor air distribution system allows fresh air to move into the building while pushing stale air to the ceiling. This air is then collected in air ducts and circulated outside, providing healthy and comfortable air for occupants.
  • Exterior glass—The exterior glass on the west and south sides of STSS provides an aesthetically pleasing view of the river and downtown and also provides natural lighting. This feature proved challenging for those designing an energy efficient structure. They found a solution with a custom-designed white dot pattern on the glass and strategically-placed columns to maximize views, minimize glare and reduce solar heat gain by 50 percent.
  • Building materials—When possible, builders used construction materials manufactured within a 500-mile radius of Minneapolis to reduce transportation emissions and to support the regional economy.
  • Connections—STSS further facilitates connections to alternative transportation and the Mississippi River through its design and structure. Bike racks are located around the building to provide adequate parking. Bus stops are located conveniently near the building.

The University also has historic fraternities and sororities buildings (a "Greek row") north of Northrop Mall on University Avenue SE.

Main article: List of Fraternities and Sororities at the University of Minnesota § Building Fraternity Row

West Bank[edit]

Department of Theatre Arts & Dance, Rarig Center

The West Bank covers 53 acres (21 ha) .

The West Bank Arts Quarter includes:

  • Rarig Center (Theatre Arts & Dance)
  • The Barbara Barker Center for Dance
  • Ferguson Hall (School of Music)
  • Ted Mann Concert Hall
  • Regis Center for Art

The Quarter is home to several annual interdisciplinary arts festivals.

The Social Sciences are also on the West Bank and include the Carlson School of Management, the Law School, and the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Wilson Library, the largest library in the University system, is also located on the West Bank as is Middlebrook Hall, the largest residence hall on campus. Approximately 900 students reside in the building named in honor of William T. Middlebrook.

Getting around[edit]

The Washington Avenue Bridge connects the East Bank and West Bank portions of the Minneapolis campus.
Downtown Minneapolis across the Washington Avenue Bridge. The Weisman Art Museum is on the left.

The Washington Avenue Bridge crossing the Mississippi River provides access between the East and West Banks, either on foot, designated bike lanes, or via free shuttle service. The bridge has two separate decks: the lower deck for vehicles and the upper deck for pedestrians. An unheated enclosed walkway runs the length of the bridge and shelters students from the weather. Walking and riding bicycles are the most common mode of transportation among students. University Police occasionally cite individuals for jaywalking as well as riding bicycles on restricted sidewalk areas in areas surrounding the University resulting in fines as high as $250. This is often done at the beginning of a school year or after pedestrians interfere with traffic.[9]

There are some pedestrian tunnels to get from building to building during harsh weather; are marked with signs reading "The Gopher Way".

The Minneapolis campus is located near Interstates 94 and 35W and is bordered by the Minneapolis neighborhoods of Dinkytown (on the north), Cedar-Riverside (on the west), Stadium Village (on the southeast), and Prospect Park (on the east).

Three light-rail stations serve the University along the Green Line. The stations include Stadium Village, the East Bank, and the West Bank.

Campus safety[edit]

Minneapolis was named the safest metropolitan area in the United States by Forbes in October 2009. Despite this distinction, shootings have occurred near and on campus.[10][11]

Because safety and security are one of the University of Minnesota's top priorities, there are many resources at the U that help students create a safer environment, such as The Step Up campaign. The Step Up campaign is a program that helps students do the right thing and prevent crimes, sexual assault, and excessive drinking by teaching students how to intervene and prevent in a positive way.[12] They do this by explaining the Bystander effect. The U of M also has a TXT-U emergency notification text messaging system that sends out a notification to all faculty, staff, and students in case of emergency.[13] Similarly, there are different resources which students are able to get help while getting home. 624-WALK, an escort to walk to adjacent campuses and neighborhoods, and Gopher Chauffeur, a van service that offers rides near and on campus. Both of these are free and open to all students, staff, and faculty.[14]

In addition, there are almost 200 AED's on campus and 200 yellow phones for emergency only calls. The University Police Station has 20 Code Blue Phones around campus that immediately connect people to their office. There are also over 2,000 security cameras being monitored 24 hours a day.[14]

St. Paul campus[edit]

Aerial photo of St. Paul campus, facing south

The St. Paul campus is in the city of Falcon Heights, about 5 miles (8.0 km) away from the Minneapolis campus. Despite this, all campus buildings have St. Paul street addresses. The College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, many other disciplines from social sciences to vocational education are located on this campus. This also includes the College of Continuing Education,[15] College of Veterinary Medicine[16] and the College of Biological Sciences.[17] The extensive lawns, flowers, trees, woods, and the surrounding University research farm plots creates a greener and quieter campus. It has a grassy mall of its own and can be a bit of a retreat from the more-urban Minneapolis campus. Prominent on this campus is Bailey Hall, the St. Paul campus's only residence hall. There are campus connectors running every 5 minutes on the weekdays when school is in session, and every 20 minutes on weekends, allowing students easy access to both campuses.

The Continuing Education and Conference Center,[18] which serves over 20,000 conference attendees per year, is also located on the St. Paul campus.

The St. Paul campus is home to the College of Design's department of Design, Housing, and Apparel (DHA). Located in McNeal Hall, DHA includes the departmental disciplines of Apparel Design, Graphic Design, Housing Studies, Interior Design, and Retail Merchandising.

The St. Paul campus is known to University students and staff for the Dairy Salesroom,[19] which sells food (including ice cream) produced in the University's state-certified dairy plant by students, faculty and staff, and the similar Meat Sales Room.[20]

The St. Paul campus borders the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, which hosts the largest state fair in the United States by daily attendance.[21] The fair lasts twelve days, from late August through Labor Day in early September. The grounds also serve a variety of functions during the rest of the year.

Although the Falcon Heights area code is 651, the University telephone system trunk lines use Minneapolis exchanges and its 612 area code.

Commuting between Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses[edit]

During the school year on regular weekdays, the shuttles operate with schedule-less service as often as every five minutes during the busiest parts of the school day between 7:00am and 6:30pm, slowing to once every 15 or 20 minutes during earlier or later hours.[22] In 2008, the system carried 3.55 million riders. Despite the fact that the shuttle service is free, it is comparatively inexpensive to operate: with an operating cost of $4.55 million in 2008, the operating subsidy was only $1.28 per passenger. Even Metro Transit's busy METRO Blue Line light rail required a subsidy of $1.44 that year, and that was with many riders paying $1.75 or more for a ride.[23]

Organization and administration[edit]

The University has 19 colleges, schools, and other major academic units:[24]

The University has six University-wide interdisciplinary centers and institutes whose work crosses collegiate lines:[25]

Academics[edit]

The second-largest institution of higher education in the Midwest by enrollment,[26] the University offers 143 degree programs[27] and 150 degree programs through the graduate school.[28] The University has all three branches of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).[29]

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities and the Crookston, Duluth, and Morris coordinate campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.[30]

Rankings[edit]

University rankings
National
ARWU[31] 22
Forbes[32] 109
U.S. News & World Report[33] 71
Washington Monthly[34] 56
Global
ARWU[35] 30
QS[36] 102
Times[37] 42

The University of Minnesota is ranked among the top 25 of the nation's top research universities by the Center for Measuring University Performance.[38] In 2011, the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities ranked 28th out of more than 1000 international institutions recognized by the Academic Ranking of World Universities, and is considered a Public Ivy, which recognizes top public research universities in the United States. The 4 International Colleges & Universities (4ICU) 2012 World University Web Ranking placed the university's web program 13th globally.[39]

The U.S. News & World Report's 2014 rankings placed the undergraduate program of the University as the 71st-best National University in the United States. It also ranked the Chemical Engineering program third-best, the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program third best, the Economics PhD program tenth, Psychology eighth, Statistics sixteenth, Audiology ninth, and the University of Minnesota Medical School 6th for primary care and 34th for research.[40] The Law School, consistently recognized as a 'Top Law School' by U.S. News & World Report, is ranked 20th in the nation, and is a national leader in commercial law, international law, and clinical education.[41] Additionally, nineteen of the University's graduate-school departments have been ranked in the nation's top-twenty by the U.S. National Research Council.[42] In both 2008 and 2012 U.S. News & World Report ranked the College of Pharmacy 3rd in the nation. In 2011,U.S. News & World Report ranked the School of Public Health 8th in the nation,[43] which is home to the 2nd ranked program for the Master of Healthcare Administration degree.[44] The University of Minnesota ranked 19th in NIH funding in 2008.[45] In 2011, QS World University Rankings ranked the university 102nd in the world.[46] Its subject rankings include: 100th in Arts & Humanities, 92nd in Engineering & IT, 90th in Life Sciences & Biomedicine, 112th in Natural Sciences, and 58th in Social Sciences. In 2011, Times Higher Education World University Rankings ranked the School of Mathematics citation impact 4th in the world.[47]

Big Ten Committee on Institutional Cooperation[edit]

The University of Minnesota is a participant in the Committee on Institutional Cooperation. The Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) is the academic consortium of the universities in the Big Ten Conference plus former conference member, the University of Chicago. The initiative also allows students at participating institutions to take distance courses at other participating institutions. The initiative also forms a partnership of research. Engaging in $8 billion in research in 2010, CIC universities are providing powerful insight into important issues in medicine, technology, agriculture, and communities.[48] Students at participating schools are also allowed "in-house" viewing privileges at other participating schools' libraries.[49] They also employ collective purchasing, which has saved member institutions $19 million to date.[50]

Greek Life, Professional and Honor Societies[edit]

Main article: List of Fraternities and Sororities at the University of Minnesota

The List of Fraternities and Sororities at the University of Minnesota is extensive. Past and present, the "Greek System" numbers more than 200 organizations. More than half of these remain active today, whose pioneers have had a presence on the Twin Cities campus for over 140 years.[51] The University's Greek societies include Professional Fraternities, Honor Societies and Service Fraternities, along with the highly visible residential Academic and Social chapters. Many of these built and occupy historically significant "Fraternity Row" homes along University Ave. SE, 10th Ave. SE, 4th Street SE, and 5th Street SE, all in Minneapolis, or along Cleveland Ave. near the St. Paul campus.[52]

A perennial hub of student activity at Minnesota, these organizations contribute to a collegiate experience that members rank more positively than the average student. Greek System participants are more likely to graduate than the average student, will graduate with a higher GPA, and Greek alumni contribute monetarily at a level that far exceeds their percentage of population.[53][54][55] Gallup polling helps explain this marked differential, advising that "fraternity and sorority members (37%) strongly agree that their institution prepared them for life after college [as compared to] all other college graduates (27%)."[56] As of June, 2014, approximately 2,800 system members made up about 8% of the campus population. Minnesota hosts 38 academic fraternities, 20 academic sororities, 56 honors societies, 31 professional societies, and 2 service-focused chapters.[57][58]

Media[edit]

The eastern edge of the Northrop Mall, Spring 2008

Print[edit]

The Minnesota Daily, is published in print Monday through Thursday during the normal school season, and only online on Fridays. It is printed once each week during the summer. The Daily is operated by an autonomous organization run entirely by students. It was first published on May 1, 1900. Outside of every day news coverage the paper has also published special issues such as the Grapevine Awards, Ski-U-Mah, the Bar & Beer Guide, Sex-U-Mah, and others.

A long-defunct but fondly remembered humor magazine, Ski-U-Mah, was published from about 1930 to 1950. It launched the career of novelist and scriptwriter Max Shulman.

A relative newcomer to the University's print-media community is The Wake Student Magazine, a weekly magazine that covers University-related stories and provides a forum for student expression. It was founded in November 2001 in an effort to diversify campus media and achieved student group status in February 2002.[59] Students from many disciplines do all of the reporting, writing, editing, illustration, photography, layout and business management for the publication. The magazine was founded by James DeLong and Chris Ruen.[60] The Wake was named the nation's best campus publication (2006) by the Independent Press Association.[59]

Additionally, the Wake publishes Liminal, a literary journal that began in 2005. Liminal was created in the absence of an undergraduate literary journal and continues to bring poetry and prose to the University community.

The Wake has faced a number of challenges during its existence, due in part to the reliance on student fees funding. In April 2004, the needed $60,000 in funding was restored, which allowed for the magazine's continued existence after the Student Services Fees Committee had initially declined to fund it.[60] They faced further challenges in 2005 when their request for additional funding to publish weekly was denied[61] and then partially restored.[62]

In 2005 conservatives on campus began formulating a new monthly magazine named the Minnesota Republic. The first issue was released in February 2006, and funding by student service fees started in September 2006.

Radio[edit]

The campus radio station, KUOM "Radio K", broadcasts an eclectic variety of independent music during the day on 770 kHz AM. Its 5,000-watt signal has a range of 80 miles (130 km), but shuts down at dusk because of Federal Communications Commission regulations. In 2003, the station added a low-power (8-watt) signal on 106.5 MHz FM overnight and on weekends. In 2005, a 10-watt translator began broadcasting from Falcon Heights on 100.7 FM at all times. Radio K also streams its content at www.radiok.org. With roots in experimental transmissions that began before World War I, the station received the first AM broadcast license in the state on January 13, 1922, and began broadcasting as WLB, changing to the KUOM call sign about two decades later. The station had an educational format until 1993 when it merged with a smaller campus-only music station to become what is now known as Radio K. A small group of full-time employees are joined by over 20 part-time student employees who oversee the station. Most of the on-air talent consists of student volunteers.

Television[edit]

Some television programs made on campus have been broadcast on local PBS station KTCI channel 17. Several episodes of Great Conversations have been made since 2002, featuring one-on-one discussions between University faculty and experts brought in from around the world. Tech Talk is a show meant to help people who feel intimidated by modern technology, including cellular phones and computers.

Computer[edit]

The University developed Gopher,[63] a precursor to the World Wide Web which used hyperlinks to connect documents across computers on the internet. However, the version produced by CERN was favored by the public since it was freely distributed and could more easily handle multimedia webpages.[64] The University also houses the Charles Babbage Institute, a research and archive center specializing in computer history.The university's Computer science department established in 1967 is considered to be in the top 100 best Computer Science departments in the world.[65] The department has strong roots in early days of supercomputing with Seymour Cray of Cray supercomputers.[66] Notable faculty of the department are Yousef Saad, Vipin Kumar, Jaideep Srivastava, John Riedl, and Joseph Konstan. Some notable alumni of the department are Ed Chi, Imrich Chlamtac, Leah Culver, Jeff Dean, Mark P. McCahill, Arvind Mithal, and Calvin Mooers.

Mobile[edit]

There are multiple ways in which students can connect with the University via their smartphones. Free wireless Internet is abundantly available throughout the campus to enrolled students, and there are applications that can be downloaded that relate to the University and surrounding areas. There are deals offered for university-area restaurants on popular coupon applications such as Groupon, foursquare, and CollegeByMe, which is an application exclusive to the University students offering special deals to local restaurants and businesses.

Athletics[edit]

Main article: Minnesota Golden Gophers

The University's intercollegiate sports teams are called the "Golden Gophers" and are members of the Big Ten Conference and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Beginning with the 2013-2014 season, Minnesota will be leaving the WCHA and along with Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin will form the new Big Ten Hockey Conference. The current athletic director is Norwood Teague who was introduced on April 23, 2012 replacing Joel Maturi.

The Golden Gophers' most notable rivalry is the annual college-football game between them and the Wisconsin Badgers (University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin) for Paul Bunyan's Axe, the longest continuous rivalry in NCAA Division I football. The two universities also compete in the Border Battle, a year-long athletic competition in which each sport season is worth 40 points divided by the number of times the teams play each other (i.e. football is worth 40 points because they play each other only once, while women's ice hockey is worth 10 points per game because they play four times a year). Conference and post-season playoffs do not count in the point standings.

Goldy Gopher is the mascot for the Twin Cities campus and the associated sports teams. The gopher mascot is a tradition as old as the state which was tabbed the “Gopher State” in 1857 after a political cartoon ridiculing the US$5-million railroad loan which helped open up the West. The cartoon portrayed shifty railroad barons as striped gophers pulling a railroad car carrying the Territorial Legislature. Later, the University picked up the nickname with the first University yearbook bearing the name "Gopher Annual" appearing in 1887.

The "Minnesota Rouser" is the University of Minnesota's fight song. It is commonly played and sung at various events such as commencement, convocation, and athletic games. It is among a number of songs associated with the University, including the Minnesota March, which was composed for the University by John Philip Sousa.

Football[edit]

Main article: Minnesota Golden Gophers football
TCF Bank Stadium replaced the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome as the Gophers' home stadium in 2009.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college-football history. They have won 7 National Championships and 18 Big Ten Conference Championships. The Golden Gophers played their first game on September 29, 1882, a 4–0 victory over Hamline University, St. Paul. In 1887, the Golden Gophers played host to the Wisconsin Badgers in a 63–0 victory. With the exception of 1906, the Golden Gophers and the Badgers have played each other every year since. The 117 games played against each other is the most-played rivalry in NCAA Division I-A college football.

In 1981, the Golden Gophers played their last game in Memorial Stadium. Between 1982 and 2008, the school hosted their home games in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis until they moved back to campus on September 12, 2009, when their new home, TCF Bank Stadium, opened with a game against the U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons.

Basketball[edit]

Main article: Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball

The Golden Gophers men's basketball team has won two National Championships, two National Invitation Tournament (NIT) Championships and eight Big Ten Regular Season Championships. They also have six NCAA Tournament, including a Final Four appearance in 1997 and three Sweet 16 appearances. However, because of NCAA sanctions for academic fraud, all postseason appearances from 1994 to 1998—in the NCAA Tournament in 1994, 1995, and 1997 and NIT in 1996 and 1998—were vacated. Most recently in April 2014, the Golden Gophers defeated SMU to win the NIT championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The Golden Gophers women's basketball team has enjoyed success in recent years under Pam Borton, including a Final Four appearance in 2004. Overall, they have six NCAA Tournament appearances and three Sweet 16 appearances.

Men's Ice hockey[edit]

Main articles: Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey and Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey
Mariucci Arena

Ice hockey is one of the most strongly supported athletic programs at the University of Minnesota, referred to by the University as "Minnesota's Pride on Ice."[67] The high amount of support is due to the State of Minnesota's high affinity for the sport of ice hockey at all levels.[68]

The Golden Gophers men's ice-hockey program has won five Division I National Championships and 13 Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Regular Season Championships, most recently in 2012. They have won 14 WCHA Tournament Championships and have 20 NCAA Frozen Four appearances. A Golden Gophers hockey tradition is to stock the roster almost exclusively (sometimes completely) with Minnesota natives. Home games are played at Mariucci Arena. The Golden Gophers' big rivals are the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of North Dakota.

Women's Hockey[edit]

The Golden Gophers women's hockey team has also won five National Championships, most recently in 2013, and five WCHA Regular Season Championships. They have also won four WCHA Tournament Championships and have seven NCAA Frozen Four appearances. They play their home games in Ridder Arena. They were the first collegiate women's hockey team to play in an arena dedicated solely to women's ice hockey. In the 2012–2013 season they finished undefeated at 41-0, they are the first and only NCAA Women's Hockey team to do so. After winning the NCAA tournament their winning streak stands at 49 games, dating back to February 17, 2012 when they lost to North Dakota.

Wrestling[edit]

Main article: Minnesota Golden Gophers wrestling

The University has been fielding wrestling teams for 92 seasons. In that time, they have accumulated over 800 dual-meet wins,[citation needed] the sixth-highest total in college wrestling history.[citation needed] Home meets are primarily held in the 5,700-seat Sports Pavilion in the Williams Arena. The Gopher team won three NCAA Division I Championships as well as several individual championships.

Student government[edit]

Minnesota Student Association[edit]

The Minnesota Student Association (MSA) is the undergraduate student government at the University of Minnesota. It advocates for student interests on local, state, and federal levels, and focuses on efforts that directly benefit student population.

"Gopher Chauffeur," originally the MSA Express, is a student-operated late night ride service and is a demonstration of MSA's varied initiatives.[69] Piloted by MSA, the 2007–2008 administration of Emma Olson and Ross Skattum began the process of transitioning the service to the University's Boynton Health Services.[70] This was done to ensure its longevity. Student response was overwhelmingly positive,[71] and the program was expanded in recent years due to campus safety concerns.[72]

MSA was instrumental in passing legislation in the 2013 Minnesota legislature for medical amnesty, and has focused more heavily on legislative advocacy in recent years.[73]

The 2014–15 MSA president is Joelle Stangler, a Minnesota native and Political Science & Journalism/Mass Communication major. Her work revolves around issues like higher education affordability, sexual assault prevention, mental health resources, and institutional transparency.[74]

Graduate and Professional Student Assembly[edit]

The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA) is responsible for graduate and professional student governance at the University of Minnesota. It is the largest and most comprehensive graduate/professional student governance organization in the United States. GAPSA serves students in the Carlson School of Management, the Dental School, the Graduate School, the Law School, the Medical School, the School of Nursing, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Public Health, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the College of Education and Human Development. GAPSA is also a member of the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students.

The University of Minnesota has the second largest number of graduate and professional students in the United States at over 16,000. All registered graduate and professional students at the University of Minnesota are members of GAPSA. It was established in 1990 as a non-profit (IRS 501 (c)(3)) confederation of independent college councils representing all graduate and professional students at the University of Minnesota to the Board of Regents, the President of the University, the University Senate, the University at large and wider community. GAPSA serves as a resource for member councils, as the primary contact point for administrative units, as a graduate and professional student policy-making and policy-influencing body, and as a center of intercollegiate and intra-collegiate interaction among students.

Demographics[edit]

According to the College Board, as of July 2012 there are 34,812 undergraduates at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. Out of that number, 5,368 are first-time degree seeking freshmen. There are 17,745 graduate students.

The racial/ethnic breakdown of the student population is as follows:

75% White, 3% Black, 9% Asian, 3% Hispanic/Latino, 3% Two or more races, 1% Other, and 6% Non-resident alien

The average age of all students is 21.

The gender breakdown of the student population is 52% women and 48% men.

67% of matriculants to the university are considered Minnesota residents, and 33% of matriculants are considered out-of-state residents.[75]

People[edit]

Main article: List of University of Minnesota people

Notable University of Minnesota alumni include eight Nobel Prize laureates, two Pulitzer Prize winners, and two Vice Presidents of the United States, Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale. Faculty have included twelve Nobel Prize laureates.

See also[edit]

Portal icon Minnesota portal
Portal icon University portal

References[edit]

  1. ^ "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2012 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change* in Endowment Market Value from FY 2011 to FY 2012 (Revised February 4, 2013)" (PDF). NACUBO. February 4, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2013. 
  2. ^ "University of Minnesota: Employee Head Count". University of Minnesota Office of Institutional Research. 
  3. ^ Campus and Unit Enrollment by Academic Level for Fall 2012 University of Minnesota Office of Institutional Research
  4. ^ About
  5. ^ "The Campus Knoll". University of Minnesota. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. 
  6. ^ "University of Minnesota Heritage Trail". Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. 
  7. ^ Institute for Advanced Study IAS
  8. ^ Millett, Larry (2007). AIA Guide to the Twin Cities: The Essential Source on the Architecture of Minneapolis and St. Paul. pp. 127–128. ISBN 0-87351-540-4. 
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  16. ^ "cvm.umn.edu". cvm.umn.edu. May 16, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2012. 
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  18. ^ "Continuing Education and Conference Center". University of Minnesota College of Continuing Education. Retrieved 2012-07-16. 
  19. ^ "Dairy Salesroom". Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota. January 20, 2010. Retrieved July 16, 2012. 
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  30. ^ University of Minnesota Accreditation
  31. ^ "Academic Ranking of World Universities 2014-United States". ShanghaiRanking Consultancy. Retrieved August 15, 2014. 
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  41. ^ http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/slideshows/us-news-best-law-schools-2015?int=aaa909
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  51. ^ For examples, see any edition of the Minnesota Gopher Yearbook, which prominently featured fraternities and sororities during its century-long publication run. Website accessed 30 June 2014.
  52. ^ Carole Zellie (2003). "University of Minnesota Greek Letter Chapter House Designation Study, prepared for the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission". Author's firm: Landscape Research, St. Paul, MN. pp. 3–4 of 180, and throughout by chapter entry. 
  53. ^ Greek Community Strategic Task Force Report, 16 December 2012, accessed 9 June 2014
  54. ^ Harrold, R., et. al. 'The Greek Experience: A Study of Fraternities and Sororities at the University of Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN: Student Organization Development Center, 1987
  55. ^ Greek Village Summary Presentation, by CSHI (Community Student Housing, Inc.), as presented to the Board of Regents at their May 2011 meeting. David Salene, author
  56. ^ Gallup 2013 study, Fraternities and Sororities: Understanding Life's Outcomes, accessed 28 May 2014
  57. ^ The University of Minnesota / Office for Fraternity and Sorority Life annual report, accessed 27 May 2014
  58. ^ University of Minnesota, List of student organizations.
  59. ^ a b "2008–2009 Student Organization Student Services Fees Request". January 25, 2008. Retrieved March 12, 2008. [dead link]
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  67. ^ University of Minnesota Official Athletic Site - University of Minnesota
  68. ^ NCAA men's hockey: Minnesota the capital of hockey nation - ESPN
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  70. ^ "Boynton to run MSA Express". Minnesota Daily. 
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  73. ^ Nelson, Cody (July 31, 2013). "Under medical amnesty law, underage drinkers will get new legal protections: Underage drinkers will be able to call 911 without fearing a citation.". Minnesota Daily. 
  74. ^ Nachtigal, Taylor (April 7, 2014). "Stangler, Reichl win MSA election: MSA veteran Joelle Stangler wants to start by addressing affordability.". Minnesota Daily. 
  75. ^ "University of Minnesota: Twin Cities, Campus Life". The College Board. The College Board. Retrieved 2012-07-30. 

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