Kansas State University
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Motto | Rule by Obeying Nature's Laws |
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| Established | 1863 |
| Type | Public, State, University |
| Endowment | $251 million[1] |
| President | Dr. Jon Wefald |
| Faculty | 1,191 |
| Undergraduates | 20,000 |
| Postgraduates | 3,000 |
| Location | Manhattan, Kansas, USA |
| Campus | college town; 668 acres (main campus) |
| Colors | Royal Purple |
| Nickname | Wildcats  |
| Website | www.k-state.edu |
Kansas State University (sometimes referred to as K-State) is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States. Kansas State has an official enrollment of 23,141 students for the 2006-2007 school year.[2]
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[edit] History
Kansas State University, originally named Kansas State Agricultural College, was founded on February 16, 1863, as a Land Grant institution under the Morrill Act. The school was the first Land Grant college newly created under the Morrill Act. (Several other universities claim to be the oldest Land Grant school.) K-State is the third-oldest school in the Big 12 Conference and the oldest public university in the state of Kansas.
The institution was initially located on the grounds of the old Bluemont Central College, which was incorporated in Manhattan by the Kansas Territorial legislature in 1858. The university moved to its present site in 1875.
The early years of the institution witnessed debate over whether the college should provide a focused agricultural education or a full liberal arts education. During this era, the tenor of the school shifted with the tenure of the Presidents. For example, President John A. Anderson (1873-1879) favored a limited education and President George T. Fairchild (1879-1897) favored a classic liberal education. Also during this era, in 1882, the study of home economics originated at Kansas State. In 1887, Professor Alexander Brown organized fifteen student-musicians into the university's first band; today the KSU Marching Band averages over 300 students. Currently, the university offers a full range of majors and many graduate programs.
[edit] Recent history
The name of the school was changed in 1927 to Kansas State College, and in 1955, the name was changed again, to Kansas State University, to reflect a growing number of graduate programs. From 1950 to 1975, Dr. James McCain served as President of the university. Buildings, including residence halls and a student union, were added to the campus in the 1950s. The 1960s witnessed demonstrations against the Vietnam war, though fewer than at other college campuses. Enrollment was relatively high through most of the 1970s, but the university endured a downward spiral from approximately 1976 to 1986, when enrollment decreased to 15,500 and a number of faculty resigned. In 1986, Dr. Jon Wefald assumed the presidency of Kansas State University. The university community responded well to Wefald's management style, and enrollment and donations increased under his leadership. Wefald also introduced an innovative student recruitment office, which lured students from all over Kansas and the United States, and expanded the international student program.
[edit] Historic buildings
After the school moved to its present location in 1875, Holtz Hall was the first new building erected, in 1876. It is now the oldest free-standing building on campus. The signature building at Kansas State University, Anderson Hall, was erected in three stages between 1877 and 1884. The building, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has housed the University's administrative offices for most of the 20th century.
[edit] Academics
Kansas State University has 60 academic departments in nine colleges: Agriculture; Architecture, Planning, and Design; Arts and Sciences; Business Administration; Education; Engineering; Human Ecology; Technology and Aviation; and Veterinary Medicine. The well-regarded A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communication is located within the college of arts and sciences. The graduate school offers nearly 100 master's degree programs and nearly 50 doctoral programs.
In 1991, the former Kansas Technical Institute in Salina, Kansas was merged with Kansas State University by an act of the Kansas legislature. The College of Technology and Aviation is located at the Salina campus, and is commonly referred to as K-State Salina.
Since 1986, Kansas State has added over 2 million square feet (186,000 m²) of buildings to the campus, including a new library, art museum and plant sciences building. Also since 1986, Kansas State ranks first nationally among state universities in its total of Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater, and Udall scholars.[3]
K-State is also known for its distinguished lecture series: Landon Lecture, Lou Douglas Lecture, Huck Boyd Lecture and Dorothy Thompson Civil Rights series. On January 23, 2006, George W. Bush delivered the University's 143rd Landon Lecture at Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State implemented an Honor & Integrity System in 1999. When students are admitted, it is implied that they will adhere to the Honor Pledge, "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work." K-State graduates will find future employers' ethics clauses and statements very familiar, and will understand the spirit of doing ethical work.
[edit] Research and facilities
Among the university's research facilities are the James R. Macdonald Laboratory for research in atomic, molecular and optical physics, the Konza Prairie Research area, and the NASA Center for Gravitational Studies in Cellular and Developmental Biology. The excimer laser, which made LASIK eye surgery possible, is among the inventions discovered by Kansas State researchers.[4]
Other research facilities include:
- Insitute for Environmental Research
- The National Gas Machinery Laboritory
- TRIGA Mark II Nuclear Research Facility
- Semiconductor Materials and Radiological Technologies (S.M.A.R.T.) Laboratory
- Center for Complex Fluid Flows
[edit] Athletics
Kansas State's sports teams are called the Wildcats. Their official color is royal purple, with white and silver being used as complementing colors in logos and uniforms. They participate in the NCAA's Division 1A and in the Big 12 Conference. Sports include football, basketball, cross country and track, baseball, golf, tennis, rowing, equestrian and volleyball.
[edit] Basketball
Kansas State's men's basketball team began competition in 1902. The program has appeared in 22 NCAA basketball tournaments. Kansas State played the University of Kentucky for the national championship in 1951, reached the Final Four four times, the Elite Eight 11 times, and the Sweet Sixteen 16 times. When Street & Smith's Annual listed the 100 greatest college basketball programs of all time in 2005, K-State ranked 22nd. Despite the strong tradition, in recent years the Wildcats have struggled on the court. Following the 2005-2006 season, the program took on a new direction by hiring ex-University of Cincinnati head coach Bob Huggins, renewing hope that the team will once again return to national prominence.
[edit] Football
Kansas State's football team began play in 1893. Despite some shining moments in the 1920s and 1930s, the school was historically one of the worst programs in the NCAA until 1989, when the athletic department hired Bill Snyder as head coach. Success and high rankings followed, culminating in a #1 national ranking for several weeks in 1998 and a Big 12 Conference championship in 2003. Snyder retired following the 2005 season, and on December 5, 2005, Ron Prince, formerly an assistant coach at the University of Virginia, was named the new head coach. The KSU Marching Band performs at all home football games.
[edit] Distinguished alumni
[edit] Main campus buildings
- Ahearn Field House
- Anderson Hall
- Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium
- Bluemont Hall
- Bramlage Coliseum
- Calvin Hall
- Cardwell Hall
- Dickens Hall
- Durland Hall
- Eisenhower Hall
- Fairchild Hall
- Ford Hall
- Fiedler Hall
- Goodnow Hall
- Hale Library
- Haymaker Hall
- Justin Hall
- K-State Union
- King Hall
- Marlatt Hall
- McCain Auditorium
- Moore Hall
- Nichols Hall
- Rathbone Hall
- Seaton Hall
- Throckmorton Hall
- Waters Hall
- West Hall
- Willard Hall
[edit] References
- Willard, Julius Terrass. (1940) History of the Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science.
- ^ "2005 NACUBO Endowment Study". National Association of College and University Business Officers.
- ^ Kansas Board of Regents. Board of Regents Announces 2006 Fall Enrollment. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-09-25.
- ^ Consider K-State (English). Retrieved on 2006-09-25.
- ^ Kansas State University Achievements (English). Retrieved on 2006-09-25.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: |
- Official sites
- Kansas State University homepage
- Kansas State University at Salina homepage
- Official KSU athletics site
- Offical KSU Marching Band homepage
- Student media
- Others
| Big 12 Conference |
|---|
| North Division: Colorado Buffaloes • Iowa State Cyclones • Kansas Jayhawks • Kansas State Wildcats • Missouri Tigers • Nebraska Cornhuskers South Division: Baylor Bears • Oklahoma Sooners • Oklahoma State Cowboys • Texas Longhorns • Texas A&M Aggies • Texas Tech Red Raiders |
| Public Colleges and Universities in Kansas |
|---|
| Emporia State • Fort Hays State • Kansas • Kansas State • Pittsburg State • Wichita State |
