Missouri State University

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The Missouri State University
Seal of Missouri State University
Established 1905
Type Public State university
President Michael T. Nietzel
Staff 1,015
Undergraduates 17835 (2005)
Postgraduates 2,771 (2005)
Location Springfield, MO, USA
Campus 225 acres (911,000 m²)
Colors Maroon and White
Nickname
Bears
Mascot Boomer the Bear
Website www.missouristate.edu

The Missouri State University located in Springfield, Missouri is the state's second largest university in student enrollment, second only to the University of Missouri. In addition to its main campus, MSU has a two-year branch campus in West Plains, a research campus in Mountain Grove, and various programs in China. Formerly known as Southwest Missouri State Univesity, Missouri State was granted a statewide mission in Public Affairs in 1995. The name was changed in 2005 to reflect this mission.

Contents

[edit] Academics

The 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, it is anticipated that the academic profile of entering freshmen will continue to improve.


[edit] Residential Life

The 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, 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 that once housed President Harry S. Truman and Groucho Marx, accommodates 136 upper-class men and women and non-traditional students in a co-ed environment. Scholars House is made up of 115 students who are members of the honors program or presidential scholarship recipients. Hammons House is an eight-story residence hall that accommodates 584 men and women on single-gender floors. A twin dormitory of Hammons House, Hutchens House is an 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 apartment facility that houses 186 upper-class men and women in a coed environment.

[edit] Student Organizations, Groups and Activities

There are over 250 student organizations. 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 is Student Activities Council (SAC), which provides diverse activities and programs in the Union and around campus. 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.

The Growl (aka The Growl Student e-Radio) is the university's only student-run media outlet. It is the first radio station in Southwest Missouri to offer a netcast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is still the only one exclusively on the internet. Students develop the programming which has focused on student audio projects, campus news, regional entertainment, and sporting events such as volleyball home/play-off games.

[edit] Greek Life

[edit] Sororities

[edit] Fraternities

[edit] Athletics

The Missouri State University 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, baseball making the College World Series in 2003, and the Volleyball Bears earned their 1000th win Nov. 17, 2006 (only the second team in NCAA history to do so).

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 (which later increased to $30 million dollars to accommodate increasing costs) to go toward the building of the new JQH Arena. JQH Arena will seat more than 12,000 spectators and will be located next to the current Hammons Student Center, with a walkway linking both structures. The Bears baseball team shares Hammons Field with the Springfield Cardinals of the AA Texas League. Hammons Field is considered to be one of the top minor league facilities in the country.

Missouri State University is one of only four schools since 1999 to reach the Division I Men's basketball Sweet 16, the Women's basketball Final Four, and College World Series. The others are Texas, Notre Dame and Tennessee.

[edit] Notable Alumni

[edit] Issues

There was a heated controversy over whether the university should modify its nondiscrimination policy to include "sexual orientation" as an officially protected status. The addition reads: "...the University does not discriminate on any basis (including, but not limited to, political affiliation and sexual orientation) not related to the applicable educational requirements for students or the applicable job requirements for employees." Former University president Dr. John Keiser had firmly opposed the change. However, the policy was quietly changed on September 18, 2006 during a meeting outside of Springfield held for the first time in St. Louis. It is generally believed this move was to avoid the mostly conservative citizens of Springfield and add this policy "under the radar" of the critics of the change.[1] Opponents of the addition believe the meeting being held in St. Louis for the first time in school history was Dr. Nietzel and the Board of Governors way to amend the policy "in a backdoor fashion to avoid critics." Missouri Governor Matt Blunt quickly released criticism of the policy calling it "unnecessary and bad." Also saying the decision "bows to the forces of political correctness".[2]

The University's name change in 2005 also 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 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 University 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.

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, 2005.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060916/NEWS01/609160373/1007
  2. ^ http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060916/NEWS01/609160374/1007

[edit] External links


Missouri Valley Conference
Bradley • Creighton • Drake • Evansville • Illinois State • Indiana State • Missouri State • Northern Iowa • Southern Illinois • Wichita State


Gateway Football Conference
Illinois State • Indiana State • Missouri State • Northern Iowa • Southern Illinois • Western Illinois • Western Kentucky • Youngstown State
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