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The University of Missouri–Columbia, (abbreviated MU and nicknamed Mizzou) is an institution of higher learning located in Columbia, Missouri, USA. Columbia is the oldest and largest campus in the University of Missouri System. MU is one of 60 elected members of the prestigious Association of American Universities. It is both a land-grant university and the largest public research institution in the state. MU is well known for its programs in journalism, agriculture, and veterinary medicine. Substantial resources are being invested in the life sciences programs to establish MU as a premier institution in the burgeoning fields of biotechnology.

History

MU was founded in 1839 as part of the Geyer Act to establish a state land-grant university, the first west of the Mississippi River. During the American Civil War, supporters of the Union wanted to move the campus to a "more loyal" area. Tensions forced the university to close its doors for parts of 1862.

The original tombstone of Thomas Jefferson resides on the MU campus. Jefferson's heirs gave it to the campus in July 1883 because it was the first state university in the Louisiana Purchase territory.

Women were first admitted to the university in 1867, but only to the teachers' school. They were granted full admission in 1871.

On January 9, 1892, Academic Hall, the institution's main building, fell victim to a disastrous fire rumored to have been caused by the first electric light bulb west of the Mississippi River. The fire completely gutted the building, leaving little more than six stone Ionic columns standing. The columns, which still stand today, became a symbol of the campus and form the center of Francis Quadrangle, the oldest part of campus. Also in the quadrangle, and often referred to as its centerpiece, is Jesse Hall. Built in 1895, Jesse Hall was formerly known as New Academic Hall. Today, Jesse Hall is home to many administrative offices of the university and to Jesse Auditorium. The area of campus around the quadrangle, where the buildings are built of red brick, is known as "red campus." East of the quadrangle, many buildings were built in 1913 and 1914 of white limestone. This section is known as "white campus." Several newer buildings have been constructed in the white campus area and although limestone is no longer cost effective planners have attempted to retain the theme through use of light-colored brick and EFIS materials.

Civil rights

In the winter of 1935, four graduates of Lincoln University—a traditionally black school about 30 miles (50 km) away in Jefferson City, Missouri—were denied admission to MU's graduate school. One of the students, Lloyd L. Gaines, brought his case to the United States Supreme Court. On December 12, 1938, in a landmark 6–2 decision, the court ordered the state of Missouri to admit Gaines to MU's law school or provide a facility of equal stature. Gaines, however, disappeared in Chicago on March 19, 1939. The university granted Gaines a posthumous honorary law degree in May 2006.

Undergraduate divisions were integrated by court order in 1950, when the university was compelled to admit African Americans to courses that were not offered at Lincoln University.

In Spring 2002, the board of curators approved the name change of the university's Black Culture Center from the generic name to the "Lloyd L. Gaines/Marian O'Fallon Oldham Black Culture Center" (GOBCC) in order to pay tribute to Gaines and Oldham, a former curator who was also denied admission to the university. The BCC is the first building named after an African-American on the University of Missouri–Columbia campus.

Academics

The University's academic divisions include:

MU is one of only six public universities that houses a law school, medical school, and a veterinary medicine school all on one campus. In Missouri, MU is the designated land-grant university (along with Lincoln University), the largest public research institution, and the only university that is both a member of the Association of American Universities and designated as a "Doctoral/Research Extensive" university by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Only 34 universities in the nation have both such designations.

In 1908, the Missouri School of Journalism (known colloquially as the "J-school"), the world's first school of journalism, was founded in Columbia. MU also owns KOMU-TV, the NBC/CW affiliate for Columbia and nearby Jefferson City. It is a full-fledged commercial station, but is used as a working lab for journalism students.

Student life

Student demographics

Housing

Student organizations

Greek life

Among numerous national fraternities and sororities, Mizzou is home to Sigma Chapter of the nation's largest Christian fraternity, Beta Upsilon Chi. BYX hosts its Island Party concert-festival in Columbia each year.

Student media

Athletics

The Missouri Tigers are members of the Big 12 Conference and their colors are black and old gold. Athletic divisions include men's and women's basketball, baseball, cross country, football, golf, swimming, track, tennis, volleyball, and wrestling. The Mizzou football coach with the most wins was Dan Devine and the men's basketball coach with the most wins was Norm Stewart, an MU alum. The new head coach of the men's basketball team is Mike Anderson, replacing interim coach Melvin Watkins, who filled the position after the resignation of Quin Snyder. Gary Pinkel is the head football coach.

Football games are played on Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Built in 1926, the stadium has room for over 60,000 fans and features a nearly 100 feet wide "M" in the north end zone. Men's and women's basketball games are contested at the Mizzou Arena, located just south of the football stadium. The Hearnes Center hosted men's and women's basketball from 1972 to 2004 and is still used for other athletic and school events.

Notable alumni and former students

Arts, film, and literature

Athletics

Basketball

Football

Baseball

Other

Business and law

Journalism

Politics

Astronauts

Points of interest


See also

External links

Association of American Universities | Land-grant universities | Nursing schools in Missouri | University of Missouri System | Big 12 Conference | 1839 establishments

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "University of Missouri–Columbia".

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