 | |
| Latin:Universitas Missouriensis[1] | |
Former names | Missouri State University[2] |
|---|---|
| Motto | Salus populi suprema lex esto (Latin) |
Motto in English | "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law"[3][4][5] |
| Type | Publicland-grantresearch university |
| Established | February 11, 1839; 186 years ago (1839-02-11)[6] |
Parent institution | University of Missouri System |
| Accreditation | HLC |
Academic affiliations | |
| Endowment | $1.42 billion (2023) (MU only)[7] $2.24 billion (2023) (system-wide)[8] |
| Budget | $1.76 billion (FY 2024)[9] |
| Chancellor | Mun Choi[10] |
| Provost | Matthew Martens[11] |
Academic staff | 3,200 (fall 2024)[12] |
Administrative staff | 6,243 (fall 2024)[12] |
| Students | 31,543 (fall 2024)[13] |
| Undergraduates | 24,449 (fall 2024)[13] |
| Postgraduates | 7,094 (fall 2024)[13] |
| Location | ,, United States 38°56′43″N92°19′44″W / 38.9453°N 92.3288°W /38.9453; -92.3288 |
| Campus | Midsize city[14], 1,262 acres (511 ha)[6] Total, 19,261 acres (7,795 ha) |
| Newspaper | |
| Colors | Old gold and black[16] |
| Nickname | Tigers |
Sporting affiliations | |
| Mascot | Truman the Tiger |
| Website | missouri |
 | |
TheUniversity of Missouri (Mizzou orMU) is apublicland-grantresearch university inColumbia, Missouri, United States. It isMissouri's largest university and theflagship of the four-campusUniversity of Missouri System. Founded in 1839, MU was the first public university west of theMississippi River.[17] It has been a member of theAssociation of American Universities since 1908 and is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity."[18]
Enrolling 31,041 students in 2023, it offers more than 300 degree programs in thirteen major academic divisions.[13][19] ItsMissouri School of Journalism, founded byWalter Williams in 1908, was established as the world's firstjournalism school; it publishes a daily newspaper, theColumbia Missourian, and operatesNBC affiliateKOMU.[20][21][22] TheUniversity of Missouri Research Reactor Center is the sole source of isotopes innuclear medicine in the United States.[23] The university operatesUniversity of Missouri Health Care, running several hospitals and clinics inMid-Missouri.
ItsNCAA Division I athletic teams are theMissouri Tigers and compete in theSoutheastern Conference. The American tradition ofhomecoming is widely recognized to have originated at MU.[24][25]
In 1839, the Missouri Legislature passed theGeyer Act to establish funds for a state university.[26] It was the first public university west of theMississippi River.[27] To secure the university, the citizens of Columbia andBoone County pledged $117,921 in cash and land to beat out five other central Missouri counties for the location of the state university.[27] The land on which the university was constructed was just south of Columbia's downtown and owned byJames S. Rollins who was later called the "Father of the University."[28] As the first public university in theLouisiana Purchase, the school was shaped byThomas Jefferson's ideas about public education.[29] The school initially admitted only white male students.[30]
In 1862, theAmerican Civil War forced the university to close for much of the year.[31] Residents of Columbia formed a Union "home guard"militia that became known as the "Fighting Tigers of Columbia". They were given the name for their readiness to protect the city and university. In 1890, the university's newly formed football team took the name the"Tigers" after the Civil War militia.[32]
In 1870, the institution was grantedland-grant college status under theMorrill Act of 1862.[29] The act led to the founding of the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy as an offshoot of the main campus in Columbia. It developed as the present-dayMissouri University of Science and Technology.[29] In 1888, the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station opened. This grew to encompass ten centers and research farms around Missouri.[27] By 1890, the university encompassed anormal college (for training of teachers of students through high school), engineering college, arts, and science college, school of agriculture and mechanical arts. school of medicine, and school of law.[31]
On January 9, 1892,Academic Hall, the institution's central administrative building, burned in a fire that gutted the building, leaving little more standing than six stoneIonic columns.[33] Under the administration ofMissouri GovernorDavid R. Francis, the university was rebuilt, with additions that shaped the modern institution.
After the fire, some state residents tried to have the university moved farther west toSedalia; but Columbia rallied support to keep it. The columns were retained as a symbol of the historic campus. They are surrounded by theFrancis Quadrangle, the oldest part of campus. At the quad's southern end isAcademic Hall's replacement,Jesse Hall, named forRichard Jesse (the president of the university at the time of the fire). Built in 1895, Jesse Hall holds many administrative offices and Jesse Auditorium. The buildings surrounding the quad were constructed of red brick, leading to this area becoming known asRed Campus. The area was tied together in planned landscaping and walks in 1910 byGeorge Kessler in aCity Beautiful design of the grounds.[34]
To the east of the quadrangle, later buildings constructed of white limestone in 1913 and 1914 to accommodate the new academic programs became known as the White Campus. In 1908 the journalism school opened at MU, claiming to be the world's first.[citation needed]
In April 1923, a black janitor was accused of the rape of the daughter of a University of Missouri professor. James T. Scott was abducted from the Boone County Jail by alynch mob of townsfolk and students and was hanged from a bridge near the campus.[35]
In late 1935, four graduates ofLincoln University—atraditionally black school about 30 miles (48 km) away inJefferson City—were denied admission to MU's graduate school. One of the students,Lloyd L. Gaines, brought his case to theUnited 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 disappeared in Chicago on March 19, 1939, under suspicious circumstances. The university granted Gaines a posthumous honorary law degree in May 2006.[36] Undergraduate divisions were integrated by court order in 1950 when the university was compelled to admitAfrican Americans to courses that were not offered at Lincoln University.
On June 5, 1935, the university erected a memorial to the Confederate soldiers of Missouri; it was popularly known as Confederate Rock. The monument was removed in 1974.[37]
Following the2015–16 University of Missouri protests, the chancellor andsystem president resigned amid racial complaints by students.[38] In addition, the university was censured by theAmerican Association of University Professors for the third time.[39]
Due to the emergingCOVID-19 Pandemic, the university canceled classes on March 11, 2020, and resumed teaching in person in August.[40][41]
The campus of the University of Missouri is 1,262-acre (2.0 sq mi; 510.7 ha)[6] just south ofDowntown Columbia and is maintained as abotanical garden. The historical campus is centered onFrancis Quadrangle, ahistoric district listed on theNational Register of Historic Places, and contains several buildings on the register.
The academic buildings are classified into two main groups: Red Campus and White Campus. Red Campus is the historic core of mostly brick academic buildings around the landmark columns of theFrancis Quadrangle; it includes Jesse Hall andSwitzler Hall. In the early 20th century, the College of Agriculture received several new buildings. The new buildings, constructed inNeo-Gothic style from native Missourilimestone, form the White Campus. This includesMemorial Union.[42]
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During the 1990s, Red Campus was extended to the south with the creation of the Carnahan Quadrangle. Hulston Hall of theUniversity of Missouri School of Law, completed in 1988, formed the eastern border of the future quad. The Reynolds Alumni Center was completed in 1992 on the west side of the new quad. It was completed in 2002 with Cornell Hall of theTrulaske College of Business and Tiger Plaza. Plans for a new plaza on the north end of the Carnahan Quadrangle were unveiled in 2014. Called Traditions Plaza, it was opened on October 25, 2014, during homecoming festivities.[43]
The original MU intercollegiate athletic facilities, such asRollins Field and Rothwell Gymnasium, were just south of the academic buildings. Expanded facilities were constructed across Stadium Boulevard, whereMemorial Stadium opened in 1926. TheHearnes Center was built to the east of the stadium in 1972. In 1994, the university developed the first draft of a master plan for the campus to tie together all of Tiger athletic facilities to the south of Stadium Boulevard and add to its design. The MU Sports Park includes theMizzou Arena,Taylor Stadium,Walton Stadium, Mizzou Athletics Training Complex, University Field and Devine Pavilion. Student athletic facilities remain in the core area of campus. Rothwell Gymnasium and Brewer Fieldhouse are part of the 283,579-square-foot (26,345.4 m2) Student Recreation Center, which was ranked number one in the nation in 2005 bySports Illustrated.[44][45]
The main campus of theUniversity of Missouri Hospitals and Clinics is north of the sports complex. It includes theUniversity of Missouri Hospital andTruman Memorial Veterans Hospital. Two of the hospitals,Columbia Regional Hospital andEllis Fischel Cancer Center, are northeast of the main campus near I-70.
The campus is the major setting for the 1965 novelStoner byJohn Edward Williams. Protagonist William Stoner is an English professor who was raised on a farm in nearby Boonville.[46]
| College or school founding[47] | |
|---|---|
| College or school | Year founded |
| College of Arts and Science | 1841 |
| College of Education & Human Development | 1868[48] |
| College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources | 1870[49] |
| School of Law | 1872 |
| School of Medicine | 1872 |
| College of Engineering | 1877 |
| Graduate School | 1896 |
| School of Journalism | 1908 |
| Trulaske College of Business | 1914 |
| School of Music | 1917 |
| Sinclair School of Nursing | 1920 |
| College of Veterinary Medicine | 1946 |
| School of Social Work | 1948 |
| Honors College | 1958 |
| College of Human Environmental Sciences | 1960 |
| School of Accountancy | 1975 |
| School of Natural Resources | 1989[50] |
| School of Information Science & Learning Technologies | 1997[51] |
| College of Health Sciences | 2000 |
| Truman School of Public Affairs | 2001[52] |
| School of Visual Studies | 2018 |
The University of Missouri is organized into seven colleges, and eleven schools and hosts approximately 300 majors.
Upon creation of the system, each university was renamed with its host city; thus, the university in Columbia became the University of Missouri–Columbia. There were attempts to drop Columbia from its name by students, faculty, alumni, and administrators who said it might cause the university to be perceived as a regional institution. This change was long resisted by the UM System and the other universities based on uniformity and fairness. The board of curators voted unanimously in 2007 to allow MU to drop Columbia from its name for all public use.[53]
Each campus of theUniversity of Missouri System is led by achancellor, who reports to thepresident of the UM System.[54][55]
Presidents, 1841–1863 and Chancellors, 1963–present
| Academic rankings | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Forbes[63] | 116 |
| U.S. News & World Report[64] | 109(tie) |
| Washington Monthly[65] | 52 |
| WSJ/College Pulse[66] | 180 |
| Global | |
| QS[67] | 641–650 |
| THE[68] | 401–500 |
| U.S. News & World Report[69] | 466(tie) |
MU is a member of theAssociation of American Universities andclassified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".[70] The oldest global university ranking project, the Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking), places MU at 60-78 nationally and 201-300 globally as of 2024.[71] The ranking largely takes into account research output and faculty prestige. In 2024 the university's research and development expenditures were $462 million as submitted to the National Science Foundation.[72] MU is also one of twoland-grant universities in the state, along withLincoln University.
In 1908, theMissouri School of Journalism was founded in Columbia. It has been ranked the top journalism school in the United States several times by the NewsPro–RTDNA survey.[73] Although it claims to be the world's first, theEcole Supérieure de Journalisme de Paris was established in 1899.
The UM System owns and operatesKOMU-TV, theNBC/CW affiliate for Columbia and nearbyJefferson City. It is a full-fledged commercial station and a working lab for journalism students. The MU School of Journalism publishes theColumbia Missourian andVox Magazine where students learn reporting, editing, and design in a newsroom managed by professional editors. It operates the local National Public Radio Station KBIA and producesRadio Adelante, a Spanish-language radio program.
Founded in 1978 after 23 years as a unit of the School of Medicine, the School of Health Professions became an autonomous division in December 2000. It is Missouri's only state-supported school of health professions on a campus with an academic health center, and the only allied health school in the UM system.[74]
The university maintains the largest library collection in the State of Missouri. In the 2011–12 academic year, it held 3.1 million volumes, 8.1 million microforms, 678,596 e-books, almost 1.7 million government documents, more than 284,000 print maps, and more than 53,000 journal subscriptions.[6][75] The collection is housed inEllis Library, the University Archives, and seven other specialized academic libraries across campus.[6][76]
During theAmerican Civil War, Union troops used the library in Academic Hall as a guard room. They caused significant damage, including taking 467 volumes to build fires. The board of curators later sued the US Army for the destruction on campus. Settled in 1915, the suit's award was used to build the Memorial Gateway on the northern edge of Red Campus.[77]
In 1913, construction began on a new main library, completed in 1915. It was expanded in 1935, 1958, and 1985. It was dedicated as Elmer Ellis Library on October 10, 1972, in honor of the thirteenth president of the University of Missouri. The MU libraries are home to the 47th largest research collection in North America.[78]
MU merged two departments, the Center for Distance and Independent Study and MU Direct: Continuing and Distance Education, to form Mizzou Online in 2011.[79][80] Mizzou Online offers online courses for 18 of the university's colleges[79] and operates theUniversity of Missouri High School, a distance learningK-12 high school.[81] In the U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Online Programs, MU ranks 28th in the best online bachelor’s degree programs out of 339 universities nationwide.[82]
MU is the largest public university in Missouri. Of those applying for freshman admission, 78.1% are admitted with those matriculating having an average GPA of 3.6, an average SAT composite score of 1232 out of a maximum of 1600, and an average ACT composite score of 26 out of a maximum of 36.[83]
| Race and ethnicity[84] | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 78% | 78 | |
| Black | 7% | 7 | |
| Hispanic | 5% | 5 | |
| Other[c] | 5% | 5 | |
| Asian | 3% | 3 | |
| Foreign national | 1% | 1 | |
| Economic diversity | |||
| Low-income[d] | 25% | 25 | |
| Affluent[e] | 75% | 75 | |
| Age[85] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Average age | 20 | ||
| undergrads 25 or older | 3% | ||
| State of residence (excluding foreign national students) | |||
| In state | 80% | ||
| Out of state | 20% | ||
The University of Missouri operates 23 on-campus residence halls and at least two other off-campus sites. The two off-campus locations include Tiger Diggs at Campus View Apartments and True Scholars House.
Founded in 1869, the Greek Community represents a significant part of campus culture, with the Office of Student affairs reporting 7,500 students as members offraternities and sororities.[86]
Fraternityhazing received national news coverage in the years 2021, when Danny Santulli was injured and sustained cardiac arrest and severe brain damage after alcohol abuse.Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek Life, describes how the boy was forced to drink 1.75 liters of vodka at once. He had been previously hospitalized after an earlier hazing incident.[87]
In 1911, athletic directorChester Brewer invited alumni to "come home" forthe big football game against theUniversity of Kansas. A spirit rally and parade were planned as part of the celebration. Missouri Homecoming also includes several service elements, and the homecomingblood drive has earned theGuinness Record as the nation's largest.[88]
TheMissouri Tigers are a member of theSoutheastern Conference except wrestling, which competes in theBig 12 Conference. Mizzou is the only school in the state with all of its sports in theNCAA Division I and a football team that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). These are the highest levels of college sports in the United States. Their official colors are black and gold.
Athletic sports for the Tigers include men's and women's basketball, baseball,cross country,football, golf, gymnastics, swimming &diving,softball, track, tennis, volleyball,women's soccer, andwrestling. Historic sports included a shooting club, in which the ladies' team in 1934 won a national championship.
MU football games are onFaurot Field at Memorial Stadium ("The Zou"). Built in 1926, this stadium has an official capacity of 71,168,[89] and features a nearly 100 ft (30 m) wide "M" behind the north-end zone. Men's and women's basketball games take place at theMizzou Arena, just south of the football stadium. TheHearnes Center hosted men's and women's basketball from 1972 to 2004 and it is still used for other athletic (including wrestling, volleyball, and indoor track and field) and school events.
The Missouri Tiger men's basketball team has had 29NCAA Tournament appearances, the second-most Tournament appearances without aFinal Four. The Tigers have appeared in the regional finals (Elite Eight) of theNCAA Tournament six times (twice under coach Norm Stewart, Missouri head coach from 1967 to 1999). The Tigers have won 15 conference championships, beginning with theMissouri Valley Conference, followed by theBig Six, theBig Eight, and theBig 12 Conference. In 1994, the Tigers went undefeated in the Big Eight to take the regular season title. In 2009, Missouri won its first Big 12 Championship[91] overBaylor. Missouri went on to win its second Big 12 Championship in its final season in the Big 12 in 2012, once again defeating Baylor. Standout players from the Mizzou's basketball team includeAnthony Peeler, John Brown,Jon Sundvold,Steve Stipanovich,Kareem Rush,Keyon DoolingDoug Smith, Willie Smith,Norm Stewart,Linas Kleiza,Derrick Chievous,DeMarre Carroll,Kim English,Jordan Clarkson, andMarcus Denmon.
The officialmascot for Missouri Tigers athletics isTruman the Tiger, created on September 16, 1986. Following a campus-wide contest, Truman was named in honor ofHarry S. Truman, the only U.S. president from Missouri. Truman appears to cheer on the team, mingle with athletic supporters, visit alumni association functions, and visit Columbia-area schools.
On November 6, 2011, the University of Missouri announced it would leave theBig 12 Conference to join theSoutheastern Conference effective July 1, 2012.[92] In September 2012, the school's wrestling team became an associate member of theMid-American Conference, as the SEC does not sponsor wrestling.
According toCollege Scorecard, the median income in 2020 and 2021 for graduates who matriculated in 2010 and 2011 was $63,403, with 82% of graduates making more than high school graduates.[93]
TheCenter on Education and the Workforce estimated that the return on investment with a bachelors at Mizzou is $101,000 10 years after graduation, this accelerates to $1,006,000 40 years after graduation.[94]
According to College Scorecard, the graduation rate at Mizzou is 72%.[93]
In 2016, there were 300,315 living alumni worldwide. Of those, 274,447 resided in the United States, 156,585 inMissouri, 61,346 in theSt. Louis metropolitan area, 30,018 in theKansas City metropolitan area, and 2,718 outside the U.S.[95] Other alumni, faculty, and staff include 18Rhodes Scholars,[96] 19Truman Scholars,[97] 150Fulbright Scholars,[98] 7 Governors of Missouri,[99] and 6 members of theU.S. Congress.[100] Two alumni and faculty have been awarded the Nobel Prize: alumnusFrederick Chapman Robbins won theNobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1954[101] and George Smith was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2018 while affiliated with the university.[102]
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