University of Missouri–St. Louis

University of Missouri–St. Louis
Motto	Salus Populi (Latin)
Motto in English	The Welfare of the People[1]
Established	1960 (Normandy Residence Center) 1963 (UMSL)
Type	Public Research Land grant
Endowment	US $ 39,009,814 (2009)[2]
Chancellor	Dr. Thomas F. George[3]
Provost	Dr. Glen Hahn Cope[4]
Academic staff	1,447 (Fall 2010)[5]
Admin. staff	1,178 (Fall 2008)[6]
Students	16,548 (Fall 2010)[7]
Undergraduates	9,166 main campus (Fall 2009)[8]
Postgraduates	2,973 main campus (Fall 2009)[8]
Doctoral students	178 (Fall 2009)[8]
Other students	9,548 part time, all locations[8] [16,548 x 57.7%]
Location	Saint Louis County, Missouri, USA
Campus	Urban, 350 acres (141.6 ha)[9]
Colors	Red and Yellow         [10]
Nickname	Tritons
Website	www.umsl.edu

The University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL, commonly 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 2010^[update], it is the largest university by enrollment in the St. Louis area with 16,548 students.^[7] UMSL's campus is located on the former grounds of the Bellerive Country Club in Saint Louis County, Missouri, United States, within the municipalities of Bellerive,^[11] Bel-Nor^[12] and Normandy.^[13] 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 (OD). 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. The University has a dual-enrollment agreement with Gulf University for Science and Technology, Kuwait. The University owns and operates St. Louis Public Radio.

70% of its undergraduate classes have 29 or fewer students, and 43.6% have 19 or fewer students. The student-faculty ratio is 17:1.^[8]

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 (50.6 ha) grounds on the market for $1.3 million as they planned to move 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 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 and Rolla. 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 bought the property for $60,000 from unallocated funds at the university's disposal.^[14]

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 Flight 809 from Nashville International Airport crashed into the campus just east of the Mark Twain complex while attempting to land at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. 37 passengers and one crew member were killed although four passengers and two crew members including the captain survived.^{[15] [16]} A tornado warning had been in effect at the time.^[17] In 1976 Marillac College was acquired. It is now called the "south campus."

Academics

Provincial House, home of the Pierre Laclede Honors College

Academic Units

Divisions of the University include: 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, the College of Optometry, the Pierre Laclede Honors College, the School of Social Work, Continuing Education, the Graduate School, and the UMSL/Washington University Joint Undergraduate Engineering Program.

The College of Arts and Sciences has these divisions:

• Anthropology
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Criminology & Criminal Justice
• Economics
• English
• Foreign Language & Literature
• History
• Math & Computer Science
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology
• School of Social Work
• Institute for Women & Gender Studies

Research and Public Service Centers

The University's centers include: the Center for Business & Industrial Studies, the Center for Character and Citizenship, the Center for Emerging Technologies, the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Education, the Center for Ethics and Public Life, the Center for Eye Care, the Center for Excellence in Financial Counseling, the Center for Human Origin and Cultural Diversity, the Center for the Humanities, the Center for International Studies, the Center for Nanoscience, the Center for Neurodynamics, the Center for Transportation Studies, the Center for Trauma Recovery, the Children's Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis, the E. Desmond Lee Regional Institute of Tutorial Education, the E. Desmond Lee Technology and Learning Center, the German Cultural Center, the International Business Institute, the Missouri Institute of Mental Health, the Nicholas and Theodora Matsakis Hellenic Culture Center, the Public Policy Research Center, St. Louis Public Radio, the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life, and the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center.

Rankings

• U.S. News & World Reports' America's Best Graduate Schools 2009 ranks its doctoral degree program in Criminology & Criminal Justice 4th in the US.^[18] The Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice was also ranked 2nd for scholarly research by the Journal of Criminal Justice.^[19]
• The Philosophical Gourmet Report lists UMSL's terminal Master's program in Philosophy in the top 10 nationally. This report is widely cited as a primary source in ranking Philosophy graduate programs and publishes biennially.^[20]
• In 2007 UMSL's Information Systems business faculty were ranked 3rd in the nation in productivity.^[21]
• The University's counselor education faculty have been ranked in the top ten by Academic Analytics.^[22]
• Academic Analytics' Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index ranked UMSL 5th in the category of universities with less than 15 doctoral programs, just behind Georgetown University.^[22]
• U.S. News & World Reports ranked the International Business Undergraduate program 15th for 2010. That was the 7th time the program was ranked in the top 20.^[23]
• The Journal of Communication ranked the Communication program 5th nationally for faculty productivity.^[22]
• The evolutionary biology faculty at UMSL have been, by productivity, ranked in the top 20 by Academic Analytics.^[22]

Athletics

Main article: UMSL Tritons

UMSL provides 11 Division II sports teams ranging from Soccer and Basketball to Golf and Softball.

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.

Some key buildings are the Thomas Jefferson Library, the Mercantile Library, Center for Transportation Studies, University Meadows Apartments, Millennium Student Center, Residential Life and Housing, Clark Hall, Lucas Hall, Touhill Performing Arts Center,Express Scripts Hall (Formally CCB) and the Social Sciences Building. The Ward E. Barnes Library is located on the south campus and serves the College of Education and the College of Optometry.

Chancellors

Dr. Thomas F. George, Current Chancellor

• Thomas F. 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

Student life

Oak Hall, residential housing

The Millennium Student Center

Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center

Louis, Mascot of the UMSL Tritons

Housing

Campus Housing: Bellrive Hall, Villa North Hall, LaGras Hall, Seton Hall, Villa Proper Hall and Oak Hall.

Additional Campus Living: University Meadows Apartments (independently operated, gated, apartment style living) and The Mansion Hills.

Student Government Association

Main article: UMSL 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.^[24]

Greek life

There are six social fraternities and sororities on campus. The Fraternities are Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Tau Gamma, Sigma Pi. Sororities include: Alpha Xi Delta, Delta Zeta, Zeta Tau Alpha.

There is also a number of city wide fraternities that recruit from UMSL and a music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and a sorority for mothers Mu Tau Rho.

Student media

The student newspaper, The Current, is a tabloid publishing 6,000 issues weekly. It is funded primarily by advertising revenue supplemented by student activity fees. The Current has won "Best-in-State" from the Missouri Collegiate Media Association in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The campus now hosts a student radio station, UMSL Student Radio (The U), on AM 1620 and streaming online [2]. 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. The Film Production Society was established in 2006. The organization has since changed its name to "The Media Production Society". The organization manufactures original content, tutors students in need, and researches new forms of modern media.

Nickname and 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 new mascot was revealed at the 'Pack the Stands' night, Fall 2009 and was named Louie by the student body at the annual Mirthday celebration, Spring 2010. The Rivermen/Riverwomen nickname seldom had popular support, primarily for its unwieldy gender constructions.^[25]

Dining

The university features multitude of places to eat, particularly in the Millenium Student Center. The NOSH, the most popular dining facility, has a sushi station, an international quizine station, a salad bar, a sub station, a special station, a wing station, and a burger station.

Notable faculty

• Ihsan Ali Al-Shehbaz, Adjunct Professor of Biology and Curator at the Missouri Botanical Gardens
• Janet Catherine Berlo, Art History Professor (1979–1997)
• Michael Cosmopoulos, Hellenic Government-Karakas Foundation Chair of Greek Studies and Professor of Archaeology
• Barbara Harbach, Professor of Music
• Minsoo Kang, Professor of History
• Robert McFerrin (1921–2006)
• Tom McPhail, Professor of Media Studies, Fellow in the Center for International Studies
• George Rawick
• Robert E. Ricklefs, Curators' Professor of Biology, Member of the National Academy of Sciences
• Peter Swirski, Professor of American Literature
• Lawrence H. White
• Richard Wright, Fellow of the American Society of Criminology

Notable alumni

• Gary Belsky - Notable Author and Editor in Chief of ESPN The Magazine^[26]
• Timothy P. Green - Missouri State Politician
• Marty Hendin - Former Vice President of Community relations for the St. Louis Cardinals
• Joan Kelly Horn - Former United States Congresswoman
• Daniel Isom - St. Louis City Chief of Police
• Richard Lindner - Chief Financial Officer and Senior Executive Vice President of AT&T
• Therese Sander - Missouri Politician
• Vincent Schoemehl - Mayor of the City of St. Louis 1981-1993
• Phyllis Smith - Television and film actor
• Bradley J.B. Toben - Dean, Baylor Law School^[27]
• Karen Marie Shelton - Internet & Telephony Entrepreneur
• Clint Zweifel - Missouri State Treasurer

References

1. ^ Official Seal of UM System guidelines
2. ^ U.S. News "Best Colleges 2011"
3. ^ "Chancellor's Office". http://www.umsl.edu/chancellor/. 
4. ^ "Office of the Provost". http://www.umsl.edu/services/academic/admin/vc.html. 
5. ^ UMSL - About Our Faculty, 'Faculty And Programs'
6. ^ UMSL Quick Facts
7. ^ ^{a b} Louis, St. (August 23, 2010). "UMSL enrollment breaks record". http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2010/08/23/daily15.html. 
8. ^ ^{a b c d e} Student Profile 2009
9. ^ About UMSL
10. ^ [1]
11. ^ "Bellerive city, Missouri." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on June 13, 2009.
12. ^ "Bel-Nor village, Missouri." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on June 13, 2009.
13. ^ "Normandy city, Missouri." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on June 13, 2009.
14. ^ sl 533 NORMANDY SCHOOL DISTRICT-UMSL FOUNDING - umsl.edu
15. ^ Accident Details - planecrashinfo.com -Retrieved February 9, 2007
16. ^ http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19730723-1
17. ^ A brief history of time: UM-St. Louis - usmalumni.org - Retrieved February 8, 2008
18. ^ "Best Criminology Programs | Top Criminology Schools". US News and World Reports. http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/criminology-rankings. Retrieved 13 May 2011. 
19. ^ "UMSL Rankings and Honors". UMSL. http://www.umsl.edu/about/rankings-honors.html. Retrieved 13 May 2011. 
20. ^ "The Philosophical Gourmet Report: M.A. Programs in Philosophy". http://www.philosophicalgourmet.com/maprog.asp. 
21. ^ Chronicle Facts & Figures: Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index
22. ^ ^{a b c d} "Academic Analytics". http://blogs.umsl.edu/news/2010/09/27/analytics/. 
23. ^ "U.S. News & World Reports' America's Undergraduate International Business Programs 2011". http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/spec-international-business. 
24. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UMSL_Student_Government_Association
25. ^ Rivermen washed away, chancellor approves Tritons - News
26. ^ "Commencement: Commencement Speakers: Gary Belsky". UMSL. http://www.umsl.edu/commencement/speakers/belsky.html. Retrieved 24 May 2011. 
27. ^ "Baylor Law School". Baylor. http://www.baylor.edu/law/faculty/index.php?id=75527. Retrieved 30 May 2011. 

External links

• University of Missouri–St. Louis
• University of Missouri-St. Louis Division of Continuing Education
• St. Louis Storytelling Festival
• University of Missouri–St. Louis Archives Photo Database
• The Current

Coordinates: 38°42′37″N 90°18′40″W / 38.710200°N 90.311055°W / 38.710200; -90.311055