University of Wisconsin–River Falls

University of Wisconsin–River Falls
Motto Work Together. Stand Apart
Established 1874
Type State University
Chancellor Dean Van Galen, Ph.D.
Students 6,900
Location River Falls, Wisconsin, USA
Sports Falcons
Colors Red & White
Nickname Falcons
Mascot Freddy Falcon
Website www.uwrf.edu

The University of Wisconsin–River Falls (also known as UW–River Falls or UWRF) is a liberal arts undergraduate and graduate university and a member of the University of Wisconsin System. UW–River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin on the Kinnickinnic River. The 226-acre (91 ha) campus consists of 32 major buildings, ten of which are residence halls. The university also operates two laboratory farms containing a total of 440 acres (178 ha) of land.

Nicknamed the Falcons, the University has eighteen varsity sports for men and women competing in Division III of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. [1] From 1991 to 2009, the Kansas City Chiefs used many of the university's athletic facilities during their annual summer training camp. The Chiefs moved their training camp to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri in 2010.[2]

Founded as the "River Falls Normal School" in 1874, the institution's primary focus was to prepare students for teaching careers. In 1926 it became the River Falls State Teachers College. It adopted its present name in 1971. [3]

In accordance with its original purpose of teacher training, it operated the Campus School for many years. When the Campus School closed in the early 1980s, it was the last of its kind in the state.

Today, UW–RF has a reputation for academic excellence. It is home to over 6,900 students in various majors including Agriculture, Business, Education, Journalism, Food Science, Music, Astronomy, Chemistry, Physics, Geosciences and more. The University has been accredited by Council on Social Work Education, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, American Association of Agricultural Engineers, National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and many more.[4]

Contents

History

The University of Wisconsin–River Falls was founded in 1874 as River Falls State Normal School, which was renamed River Falls State Teachers College in 1927. From 1951 to 1964, the school was called Wisconsin State College–River Falls. In 1964, it became Wisconsin State University–River Falls. The school became a member of the University of Wisconsin System and was renamed University of Wisconsin–River Falls in 1971, when the former University of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin State Universities merged.

Campus

In the past few years, UWRF has updated many of its aging buildings. North Hall, which, prior to the construction of the Ames Teacher Education building, housed the Campus School, is now an administration building. The university opened a new student union called University Center in January 2007 to replace the Hagestad Student Center (renamed to Hagestad Hall). A day care center (The CHILD Center) was constructed and dedicated in 2004. In 2005, the university opened a suite-style residence hall named George R. Field South Fork Suites, serving 240 students. A new locker room addition for the Hunt-Knowles Complex opened in 2005, serving the college athletic department and the Kansas City Chiefs during their summer training camp. In October 2007, the Dairy Learning Center complex was dedicated at the Mann Valley campus laboratory farm. The complex contains nine buildings that include classrooms, labs, a milking parlor, herd weighing and tracking systems, and an ecologically friendly animal waste disposal system. A new Residents Hall (current name South Fork Suites 2), containing an additional 240 beds is currently under construction. A new Health and Human Performance Building is currently in the planning phase to replace the aging Karges Physical Education Center.

Academic buildings

Student life

Residence Halls

In The Media

Notable alumni

Notable faculty

References

  1. ^ Freddy Falcon
  2. ^ Chiefs camp carries heftier price tag St. Joseph News-Press - January 16, 2009
  3. ^ Songe, Alice. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. Scarecrow Press (Metuchen, NJ: 1978), p. 229.
  4. ^ University of Wisconsin–River Falls Accreditations

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