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Missouri State University

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Missouri State University (formerly Southwest Missouri State University) located in Springfield, Missouri is the state's second largest university, second only to the University of Missouri–Columbia in student enrollment. In addition to its main campus, MSU has a two-year branch campus in West Plains and a research campus in Mountain Grove.

Contents

History

Missouri State University was founded in Springfield in 1905 as the Fourth District Normal School. During its early years, the institution's primary purpose was the preparation of teachers for the public school systems in the southwest region of Missouri. The first name change came in 1919 when the school became Southwest Missouri State Teachers College, reflecting its regional mission.

By the mid-1940s, the University had expanded its instructional program beyond teacher education to include the liberal arts and sciences. As a consequence, in 1945 the Missouri legislature authorized an official change in the institution's name to Southwest Missouri State College.

In 1963 a residence center offering freshman and sophomore level courses was established at West Plains. Now, as a second campus of the university with its own mission, the West Plains campus offers a two-year general education program which is fully integrated with programs on the main campus as well as other specialty and skills courses.

By 1972, as additional programs were implemented at the undergraduate level and with the development of graduate education, the University had become an educationally diverse institution. Recognition of this further growth and development again resulted in an official name change to Southwest Missouri State University. Today, the institution is a multipurpose metropolitan university providing diverse instructional, research, and service programs.

In 1995, then-Governor Mel Carnahan signed into law a bill establishing the statewide SMSU Public Affairs Mission, which is intended "to produce citizens of enhanced character, more sensitive to the needs of community, more competent and committed in their ability to contribute to society, and more civil in their habits of thought, speech and action."

On August 28, 2005 the name of the university was changed from Southwest Missouri State University (which, ironically, was not as far southwest as Missouri Southern State University in nearby Joplin) to Missouri State University.

About the University

Missouri State University's main campus is located on 225 acres in the heart of Springfield. A 125-acre agriculture center exists in the southwest area of the city. Missouri State University's main campus has 18 classroom buildings, an administrative building, a library, 12 residence halls, a multipurpose recreational facility,a sports complex, a health center, and a campus-wide transit facility.

Its student body is geographically diverse, with students from all of the 114 counties in Missouri, and from 45 states and 80 foreign countries. Since 1986, more than 250 National Merit Finalists have enrolled at Missouri State University. The university currently has nearly 450 valedictorians and salutatorians in its student body

In the fall of 2004, Missouri State University's enrollment was 20,846 with 19,330 students on the Springfield Campus and 1,651 on the West Plains Campus. The percentage of graduate students on the Springfield campus has more than doubled since 1992, rising from 8.3 percent to 16.6 percent.

Academics

Missouri State University's academic divisions include:

The average ACT score of entering freshmen remains above both the state and national averages. The average ACT score for first-time freshmen was 23.6 in fall 2003 compared to 21.7 in fall 1995. With the planned full implementation of selective admission standards over the next several years, the academic profile of entering freshmen will continue to improve.

Student Life

Residential Life

Missouri State University requires, with few exceptions, that all freshmen live in one of the nine residence halls. Woods House, a 10-story residence hall, provides 376 men and women with single-gender floors. Freudenberger House is a five-story, U-shaped residence hall is designed with 2-, 3- and 4-person rooms to accommodate 740 men and women on single-gender floors. Wells House, the first residence hall, houses 490 men and women. Kentwood Hall, formerly a luxury hotel, once housed President Harry S. Truman and Groucho Marx. Scholars House is made up of 115 students who are members of the honors program. Hammons House is a eight-story residence hall accommodate 584 men and women on single-gender floors. A twin dormitory of Hammons House, Hutchens House is a eight-story residence hall offers housing accommodations for 605 men and women on five single-gender floors. Blair-Shannon House accommodates 729 men and women in a suite-style format with the living areas on single-gender floors. Sunvilla Tower is an 18-story facility houses 186 upper-class men and women in a coed environment.

Student Organizations, Groups and Activities

There are over 250 student organizations. Focuses of these organizations range from ethnic to political, religious to special interest.

The student union provides a place for students to relax, sleep, study, watch television, or socialize. Another group at Student Activties Council which provides diverse activities and programs in the Union. These programs can include movies, concerts, give-a-aways, etc. Intramural sports are also popular on campus. A large intramural field is located next to Hutchens House and Scholars House.

The Pride Band is the university's marching band. The Pride consists of 300 student musicians. The band plays at every home football game and has made trips to London, England and various festivals around the country.

Greek Life

Sororities

Fraternities

Athletics

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The Missouri State Bears are members of the Missouri Valley Conference for all sports except football, men's swimming, and field hockey. Football competes in the Gateway Football Conference, men's swimming in the Sun Belt Conference, and field hockey in the Mid-American Conference. Their colors are maroon and white. Sports sponsored include men's and women's basketball, baseball, cross country (men's program discontinued), field hockey, football, golf, swimming, track (men's program discontinued) and volleyball. The school has had great success with the men's basketball reaching the Sweet Sixteen in 1999, women's basketball in the Final Four in 1992 and 2001, and baseball making the College World Series in 2003.

Football games are played at Plaster Sports Complex. Men's and women's basketball games are contested at the Hammons Student Center. In 2006, alum John Q. Hammons announced a gift of $25 million dollars for the university to build the JQH Arena. JQH Arena will seat over 12,000 spectators and will be located next to the current Hammons Student Center. The Bears baseball team shares Hammons Field with the Springfield Cardinals. Hammons Field is considered to be one of the top minor league facilities in the country.

Notable Alumni

Ryan Howard 2005 MLB Rookie of the Year

Issues

There is a heated controversy over whether the university should modify its nondiscrimination policy to include "sexual orientation" as an officially protected status. Former University president Dr. John Keiser had firmly opposed the change, and the issue remains deeply divisive.

The University's name change provoked considerable controversy. It was opposed by the University of Missouri System (which operates the four campuses of the University of Missouri), which feared that the name change would lead to duplication of academic programs and ongoing battles for students and state funding. In 2005, after over 20 years of effort, the name-change bill was passed, following a late-night compromise between University of Missouri System President Elson Floyd and then-Southwest Missouri State President John Keiser, stating that Missouri State would not duplicate certain programs offered by the University of Missouri. The bill to rename the University finally passed the Missouri Senate (25-7). On March 1st, 2005, after more than seven hours of debate, the bill passed the Missouri House (120-35) before the Governor signed it into law. The signing took place on March 17th, 2005—the centennial anniversary of the University—at the Plaster Student Union where several student leaders and state leaders were present.

Updated news

Dr. Michael T. Nietzel, formerly provost at the University of Kentucky, was introduced on March 4, 2005 as the ninth president of Missouri State University. He also will be a tenured professor in the psychology department. Nietzel, 57, began his duties July 1.

See also

External links

 

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