University of North Dakota
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The University of North Dakota (UND) is a comprehensive, public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Founded in 1883, it is the largest and oldest such institution in the state of North Dakota. UND has the only school of medicine and school of law in the state. Enrollment in 2005 was nearly 13,200 students. The current president of the University is Dr. Charles Kupchella.
History
UND was founded six years before North Dakota even became a state. Grand Forks native George H. Walsh submitted a bill to the Territorial Legislature of Dakota Territory in 1883 that called for a university in Grand Forks. The university was viewed by many as the premier state institution to be given to a community; even more so than the state capitol.The first building at UND was Old Main. It housed all classrooms, offices, dorm rooms, and a library. In the 1880s, UND consisted of only a few acres of property surrounded by farms and fields. At this time, the university was nearly two miles west of Grand Forks. Students living off campus had to take a train from downtown to the university.
Gradually, more buildings were constructed on campus and a trolley system was built to connect the growing university to downtown Grand Forks. However, there were several major interruptions in the life of the university. In 1918, UND was the hardest hit institution in the country by the flu epidemic which killed 2,700 people in North Dakota alone. Later that year, classes were suspended so the campus could become an army base for soldiers during World War I.
During the Great Depression, UND provided free housing to students. "Camp Depression" consisted of many railroad cabooses each housing eight male students. Living at the camp was free for students who did manual labor on campus. "Camp Depression" students did not get regular meals from the cafeteria and had to be satisfied with only free leftovers. However, a number of Grand Forks citizens opened their homes and kitchen tables to many of these destitute young men.
After World War II, enrollment quickly grew to more than 3,000. A large amount of housing had to be built on campus as well as several new academic buildings. The 1950s saw the rise of Fighting Sioux hockey tradition.
The 1960s and 1970s saw many student protests. The largest occurred in May of 1970 when 2,000 students gathered to protest the Kent State killings. In 1975, enrollment swelled to a record 8,500. The 70's also saw the advent of the aerospace program.
The 1980s and 1990s were another period of growth for UND. However, the devastating Red River Flood of 1997 inundated numerous buildings on campus and forced the cancellation of the remainder of the school year. So far, the 2000s have been a decade of record enrollments and an increased emphasis on research. Also, several high profile athletic venues have opened. Currently, UND is constructing a $18 million dollar parking garage to try to lessen chronic parking problems and a $20 million dollar student housing complex in an attempt to serve a growing student body. In June of 2006, UND announced that it would be soon moving its entire athletic program to NCAA Division I status.
Academics
- *John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences
- *College of Arts and Sciences
- *College of Business and Public Administration
- *College of Education and Human Development
- *School of Engineering and Mines
- *Graduate School
- *School of Law
- *School of Medicine and Health Sciences
- *College of Nursing
- *Division of Continuing Education
On campus, there are numerous buildings in which classes are held. Classrooms range from smaller rooms capable of seating around twenty students to large lecture bowls capable of seating hundreds at a time. The University has three major libraries for student use: the Chester Fritz Library and two smaller libraries at the [School of Law] and the School of Medicine.
Athletics
UND's athletic teams bear the name of the Fighting Sioux (which is not without controversy). The school's colors are green, white, and pink (though pink is rarely used). The colors are supposed to be representative of North Dakota's state flower, the Wild Prairie Rose.
UND is currently in NCAA Division II in all sports except hockey. The Fighting Sioux men's and women's hockey teams both compete in the Division I Western Collegiate Hockey Association. UND's sports teams are often nationally competitive in both divisions. On June 21, 2006, UND President Charles Kupchella announced that the school will soon be making the move to Division I in all sports with the year 2007-2008 being an "exploratory" year.
All of the athletic facilities that UND currently uses for its major sports are new and state-of-the-art. The Fighting Sioux football team plays in the Alerus Center, the basketball and volleyball teams play in the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, and the hockey teams play in the Ralph Engelstad Arena. "The Ralph", as it is commonly known, is a $100+ million facility and is regarded by many as one of the finest hockey arenas in the world.
A new $20 million Wellness Center (a large gym and physical/mental wellness facility) is also being constructed.
The school's best-known athletic alumnus is NBA coaching great and former player Phil Jackson. However, Phil Jackson, while arguably the most widely known former UND athlete, is not the only UND alumnus to play in the NBA. In 2003, UND's Jerome Beasley was drafted by the Miami Heat in the second round of the NBA draft and appeared in two games. Many UND attendees have played in the NHL as well, including Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Ed Belfour.
Research
UND has become a major research institution in recent years. It is currently classified as a Carnegie doctoral/research-intensive institution. In fiscal year 2004, research expenditures totaled $82.5 million. UND is a major part of the Red River Valley Research Corridor.The University operates many research units including: the Energy and Environmental Research Center, School of Medicine, Center for Rural Health, Center for Innovation, Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium, Bureau of Governmental Affairs, Bureau of Educational Services and Applied Research, and the Social Science Research Institute.
The Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) is one of the premier such research centers in the world. It includes the National Center for Hydrogen Technology (NCHT).
In May 2006, students from UND and five other North Dakota colleges and universities unveiled a new space suit that they had developed to be used by astronauts that may someday travel to Mars. The students were working off of a $100,000 grant from NASA and the suit was tested in the Badlands of western North Dakota. The suit weighs 47 pounds and costs only a fraction of the standard $22 million cost for a NASA spacesuit. The suit was developed in just over a year by the students. [link]
Campus life
About half of the student body is from North Dakota. The other half is made up of students from all 50 states and over 50 other nations. The ratio between male and female students is about even.
Politically, UND is equally composed of a large conservative population and a large liberal population. However, the UND student body and the faculty is more liberal than the rest of the state. Demographically, there is a significant majority of caucasian students, although the campus is more diverse than North Dakota as a whole. UND hosts students from dozens of foreign countries.
Students can choose to live on or off campus. On campus, there are 15 residence halls and 800 student apartment units, as well as 20 "Greek" houses. There are over 200 student organizations.
The University has a strong tradition in the liberal arts. This is supported by its faculty, among whom include Guggenheim Foundation Fellows, National Endowment for the Humanities Scholars, and PEN/Faulkner award winners.
The University hosts a renown literary conference on campus each year. The University of North Dakota Writers Conference is a weeklong event that brings together prominent American and foreign writers. Past participants have included Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Eudora Welty, Tom Wolfe, Allen Ginsberg, Louise Erdrich, and Gary Snyder. A film festival is held in conjunction with the conference.
There are a number of cultural offerings on campus. The North Dakota Museum of Art is open most days of the week. The Burtness Theater and the Chester Fritz Auditorium (not to be confused with the Chester Fritz Library) regularly feature theater and concert events. The Ralph Engelstad Arena, to a certain extent, also features non-athletic events including concerts. The nearby Alerus Center independently promotes events like concerts as does the Empire Arts Center and other venues in and around Grand Forks.
There are several stores and restaurants located on campus, including a Barnes and Noble bookstore and a Hilton Garden Inn. Other neighborhoods in the city of Grand Forks offer UND students abundant shopping and dining opportunities, with many local merchants offering student discounts.
UND students ride free on the local transit system, and receive discounted fares on taxicab rides through Student Government subsidies. Grand Forks also has an extensive bike path and park system.
Campus media
The college newspaper is the Dakota Student. UND operates three public radio stations. KUND-FM rebroadcasts North Dakota Public Radio. KFJM-FM broadcasts other public radio programming and sometimes has locally-produced programs. The licence for KUND-AM has been sold to a Catholic radio broadcaster as its transmitter blocks proposed expansion at the university.The English department at UND produces a literary magazine, North Country, which features avant-garde and traditional work. It draws on the talents of several departments on campus.
UND also runs two local cable channels. One operates as an information billboard and also shows city council meetings, as well as a weekly student-produced news program, Studio One. The other channel, The Fighting Sioux Sports Network, is operated in conjuction with WDAZ-TV. It broadcasts all home hockey games and several away games. It also broadcasts several football and basketball games throughout the year. The Fighting Sioux Sports Network is carried on cable television in North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota by Midcontinent Communications. It is also available throughout the entire North American continent via Free-To-Air satellite.
The UND Athletic Department publishes the Sioux Illustrated magazine. It is the official publication of UND athletics. Sioux Illustrated is published six times per year. It features Fighting Sioux athletics, including interviews, previews, editorials, and "season-in-review" articles.
On campus, Showtime is replaced on the cable lineup by Residence Life Cinema. The University separately licences movies for showing on this channel.
Notable alumni
- For a more extensive list, please see
- Fred G. Aandahl - former governor of North Dakota, former U.S. Congressman
- Mark Andrews - former U.S. Senator
- Ronald Davies - former federal judge, ordered the integration of Little Rock Central High School
- Byron Dorgan - current U.S. Senator
- Carl Ben Eielson - pioneer aviator
- Ralph Engelstad - former Las Vegas casino owner, controversial philanthropist
- Jon Hassler - novelist
- Phil Jackson - former NBA player and current coach
- Kimberly Krueger - Miss North Dakota USA 2006
- William Langer - former governor of North Dakota
- Nicole Linkletter - winner of reality show America's Next Top Model fifth season
- Hugo Magnuson - founder of Hugo's regional grocery store chain, former Grand Forks mayor
- Thomas McGrath - distinguished poet and Rhodes scholar
- Edward T. Schafer - former governor of North Dakota
- Vilhjalmur Stefansson - arctic explorer
- Era Bell Thompson - former editor of Ebony magazine
See also
Reference
- [History of UND] - (source of much of the historical information provided in this article)
External links
- [UND official website]
- [UND Athletics website]
- [UND Aerospace website]
- [Dakota Student website]
- [Ralph Engelstad Arena website]
- [Alerus Center website]
- [Sioux Sports fan website]
- [UND Alumni Association and Foundation Website]
- [UND Merchandise & Apparel]
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