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The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
land-grant
research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kn ...
in Columbia, Missouri. It is
Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
's largest university and the
flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the ...
of the four-campus University of Missouri System. MU was founded in 1839 and was the first public university west of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...
. It has been a member of the Association of American Universities since 1908 and is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". To date, the University of Missouri alumni, faculty, and staff include 18 Rhodes Scholars, 19 Truman Scholars, 141 Fulbright Scholars, 7 Governors of Missouri, and 6 members of the U.S. Congress. Enrolling 31,401 students in 2021, it offers more than 300 degree programs in thirteen major academic divisions. Its well-known Missouri School of Journalism was founded by Walter Williams in 1908 as the world's first journalism school; It publishes a daily newspaper, the ''
Columbia Missourian The ''Columbia Missourian'' is a digital-first newspaper based in Columbia, Missouri, published online seven days a week and in print five days a week. The newspaper is affiliated with the Missouri School of Journalism, and is owned as a 501c3 ...
'', and operates an NBC affiliate KOMU. The University of Missouri Research Reactor Center is the United States’ sole source of isotopes used in
nuclear medicine Nuclear medicine or nucleology is a medical specialty involving the application of radioactive substances in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Nuclear imaging, in a sense, is " radiology done inside out" because it records radiation emi ...
. The university operates
University of Missouri Health Care University of Missouri Health Care is an American academic health system located in Columbia, Missouri. It's owned by the University of Missouri System. University of Missouri Health System includes five hospitals: University Hospital, Ellis F ...
, running a number of hospitals and clinics in Mid-Missouri. Its
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athleti ...
athletic teams are known as the Missouri Tigers, and compete in the
Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities o ...
. The American tradition of
homecoming Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia. ...
is claimed to have originated at Missouri. The campus is home to the State Historical Society of Missouri, and the
Museum of Art and Archaeology The Museum of Art and Archaeology is the art museum of the University of Missouri. It is located at Mizzou North (former Ellis Fischel Cancer Center) on Business Loop 70 West in Columbia, Missouri. The Museum's galleries are free and open to ...
. Its historic center,
Francis Quadrangle David R. Francis Quadrangle is the historical center of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Known as The Quad it is the oldest part of Red Campus and adjacent to Downtown Columbia at the south end of the Avenue of the Columns. At ...
, is a National Historic District. Jesse Hall and the Missouri Theatre are large performance venues and utilized by the
University of Missouri School of Music The School of Music is an academic division of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Its focus is the study of music, awarding baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees as part of the College of Arts and Science. The institu ...
.


History


Early years

In 1839, the Missouri Legislature passed the Geyer Act to establish funds for a state university. It was the first public university west of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...
. To secure the university, the citizens of Columbia and Boone County pledged $117,921 in cash and land to beat out five other central Missouri counties for the location of the state university. The land on which the university was constructed was just south of Columbia's downtown and owned by James S. Rollins who was later called the "Father of the University." As the first public university in the
Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase (french: Vente de la Louisiane, translation=Sale of Louisiana) was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or ap ...
, the school was shaped by
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...
's ideas about public education. The school initially admitted only white male students. In 1862, the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...
forced the university to close for much of the year. Residents of Columbia formed a Union "home guard"
militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
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. In 1870, the institution was granted land-grant college status under the Morrill Act of 1862. 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-day Missouri University of Science and Technology. In 1888, the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station opened. This grew to encompass ten centers and research farms around Missouri. By 1890, the university encompassed a normal 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.


1892–present

On January 9, 1892,
Academic Hall Academic Hall was the original main building of the University of Missouri. It was dedicated in 1843 and destroyed by fire in 1892. Academic Hall's six Ionic columns, today known as The Columns, stand on Francis Quadrangle as the most recogniza ...
, the institution's central administrative building, burned in a fire that gutted the building, leaving little more standing than six stone
Ionic columns The Ionic order is one of the three canonic orders of classical architecture, the other two being the Doric and the Corinthian. There are two lesser orders: the Tuscan (a plainer Doric), and the rich variant of Corinthian called the composite o ...
. Under the administration of
Missouri Governor The governor of Missouri is the head of government of the U.S. state of Missouri and the commander-in-chief of the Missouri National Guard. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed b ...
David 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 further west to Sedalia; but Columbia rallied support to keep it. The columns were retained as a symbol of the historic campus. Today they are surrounded by the
Francis Quadrangle David R. Francis Quadrangle is the historical center of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Known as The Quad it is the oldest part of Red Campus and adjacent to Downtown Columbia at the south end of the Avenue of the Columns. At ...
, the oldest part of campus. At the quad's southern end is
Academic Hall Academic Hall was the original main building of the University of Missouri. It was dedicated in 1843 and destroyed by fire in 1892. Academic Hall's six Ionic columns, today known as The Columns, stand on Francis Quadrangle as the most recogniza ...
's replacement, Jesse Hall, named for Richard 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 as
Red Campus Red Campus is the historical core of the University of Missouri campus in Columbia primarily gathered around the David R. Francis Quadrangle. The area takes its name from the red bricks that make up most of the buildings including Jesse Hall and ...
. The area was tied together in planned landscaping and walks in 1910 by George Kessler in a
City Beautiful The City Beautiful Movement was a reform philosophy of North American architecture and urban planning that flourished during the 1890s and 1900s with the intent of introducing beautification and monumental grandeur in cities. It was a part of the ...
design of the grounds. Jesse Hall got $9.8 mil. makeover that includes a fire sprinkler system, work on its elevators, and a new heating and cooling system as part of a $92 mil. total renovation package the
Curators of the University of Missouri The Board of Curators of the University of Missouri is a body consisting of nine members that governs the University of Missouri System, four state universities in the U.S. state of Missouri. In addition to these four universities, it also super ...
approved in June 2013. This upgrade was completed in May 2015. 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 world's first journalism school opened at MU. It became notable for its "Missouri Method" of hands-on, experience-based instruction. It later established an award for "Distinguished Journalism". 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 a lynch mob of townsfolk and students, and was hanged from a bridge near the campus. In the winter of 1935, four graduates of Lincoln University—a traditionally black school about away in Jefferson City—were denied admission to MU's graduate school. One of the students,
Lloyd L. Gaines Lloyd Lionel Gaines (born 1911 – disappeared March 19, 1939) was the plaintiff in '' Gaines v. Canada'' (1938), one of the most important early court cases in the 20th-century U.S. civil rights movement. After being denied admission to the ...
, brought his case to the
United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
. 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. Undergraduate divisions were integrated by court order in 1950, when the university was compelled to admit
African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
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. After
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, the enrollment at universities around the country grew at an extraordinary pace, and MU was no exception. This was due in part to the G.I. Bill, which allowed veterans to attend college with the assistance of the federal government. Following the 2015–16 University of Missouri protests, the chancellor and system president resigned amid racial complaints by students.


Campus

The campus of the University of Missouri is just south of Downtown Columbia and is maintained as a
botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
. The historical campus is centered on
Francis Quadrangle David R. Francis Quadrangle is the historical center of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Known as The Quad it is the oldest part of Red Campus and adjacent to Downtown Columbia at the south end of the Avenue of the Columns. At ...
, a
historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from cer ...
listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
, and contains a number of buildings on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
. The academic buildings are classified into two main groups:
Red Campus Red Campus is the historical core of the University of Missouri campus in Columbia primarily gathered around the David R. Francis Quadrangle. The area takes its name from the red bricks that make up most of the buildings including Jesse Hall and ...
and White Campus. Red Campus is the historic core of mostly brick academic buildings around the landmark columns of the
Francis Quadrangle David R. Francis Quadrangle is the historical center of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Known as The Quad it is the oldest part of Red Campus and adjacent to Downtown Columbia at the south end of the Avenue of the Columns. At ...
; it includes Jesse Hall and
Switzler Hall Switzler Hall is an academic hall on the campus of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. The building was completed in 1872, and it is located on the west side of the David R. Francis Quadrangle. Switzler Hall is the oldest academic ...
. In the early 20th century, the College of Agriculture began a period of rapid expansion in which several buildings were constructed to accommodate the growing program and student body. The new buildings, constructed in
Neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
style from native Missouri
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms w ...
, form the White Campus. Its most notable building is Memorial Union. During the 1990s, Red Campus was extended to the south with the creation of the Carnahan Quadrangle. Hulston Hall of the University 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 the Trulaske 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. While the original MU intercollegiate athletic facilities, such as Rollins Field and Rothwell Gymnasium, were just south of the academic buildings, later expanded facilities were constructed across Stadium Boulevard, where Memorial Stadium opened in 1926. The
Hearnes Center Hearnes Center is a 13,611-seat multi-purpose arena in Columbia, Missouri. The arena opened in 1972. It is currently home to the Missouri Tigers' wrestling and volleyball teams as well as the school's gymnastics and indoor track & field teams. I ...
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. Today, the MU Sports Park includes the Mizzou Arena,
Taylor Stadium Ralph and Debbie Taylor Stadium at Simmons Field (also Taylor Stadium at Simmons Field) is a baseball stadium at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. It is the home field of the Missouri Tigers baseball. It was also the home of ...
, 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 Student Recreation Center, which was ranked number one in the nation in 2005 by ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence tw ...
.'' The main campus of the University of Missouri Hospitals and Clinics is north of the sports complex. It includes the
University of Missouri Hospital University Hospital is located in Columbia, Missouri. It has the only Level I trauma center and helicopter service in Mid-Missouri, and the only burn intensive care unit in the region. It also has an accredited chest pain center cardiology program ...
and
Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital The Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital is a Veterans Administration (VA) hospital located in Columbia, Missouri. Located adjacent to the University of Missouri campus, the hospital has a coverage area of 43 counties in Missouri and Illi ...
. Two of the hospitals,
Columbia Regional Hospital The University of Missouri Women's Hospital, formerly University of Missouri Women's Hospital, is the only hospital in Missouri exclusively dedicated to the health of women. The hospital was formerly home to MU Children's Hospital, and is currentl ...
and Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, are northeast of the main campus near I-70. To the south of the MU Sports Park is the MU Research Park. It includes the University of Missouri Research Reactor Center, International Institute for Nano and Molecular Medicine, MU Life Science Business Incubator at Monsanto Place, and Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center. In 2005, the University of Missouri Board of Curators approved legislation to designate the South Farm of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) as a research park. The park, southeast of the main campus on US63, is now known as Discovery Ridge Research Park. Tenants at Discovery Ridge include ABC Laboratories and the MU Research Animal Diagnostic Laboratory. The main campus is flanked to the east and west by Greek Life
housing Housing, or more generally, living spaces, refers to the construction and assigned usage of houses or buildings individually or collectively, for the purpose of shelter. Housing ensures that members of society have a place to live, whether ...
. The University of Missouri has nearly 50 national social fraternities and sororities, many of which occupy historical residences now valued in the millions of dollars.
Beta Sigma Psi Beta Sigma Psi National Lutheran Fraternity (), commonly known as Beta Sig, is a United States social organization for Lutheran college men. Founded at the University of Illinois in 1925, the fraternity has more than 7,500 initiated members. It ...
,
Kappa Alpha Order Kappa Alpha Order (), commonly known as Kappa Alpha or simply KA, is a social Fraternities and sororities, fraternity and a fraternal order founded in 1865 at Washington and Lee University, Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) i ...
,
Sigma Chi Sigma Chi () International Fraternity is one of the largest North American fraternal literary societies. The fraternity has 244 active (undergraduate) chapters and 152 alumni chapters across the United States and Canada and has initiated more t ...
,
Beta Theta Pi Beta Theta Pi (), commonly known as Beta, is a North American social fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. One of North America's oldest fraternities, as of 2022 it consists of 144 active chapters in the Uni ...
(Originally Zeta Phi),
Alpha Gamma Rho Alpha Gamma Rho (), commonly known as AGR, is a social/professional, agriculture fraternity in the United States, currently with 71 collegiate chapters. Founding The fraternity considers the Morrill Act of 1862 to be the instrument of its incept ...
,
Tau Kappa Epsilon Tau Kappa Epsilon (), commonly known as or Teke, is a social college fraternities and sororities, fraternity founded on January 10, 1899, at Illinois Wesleyan University. The organization has chapters throughout the United States and Canada, maki ...
and
Sigma Nu Sigma Nu () is an undergraduate college fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute on January 1, 1869. The fraternity was founded by James Frank Hopkins, Greenfield Quarles and James McIlvaine Riley shortly after Hopkins witnessed w ...
form a Greek Row (also called Frat Row) along College Avenue in the East Campus area.
Delta Tau Delta Delta Tau Delta () is a United States-based international Greek letter college fraternity. Delta Tau Delta was founded at Bethany College, Bethany, Virginia, (now West Virginia) in 1858. The fraternity currently has around 130 collegiate chapter ...
,
Kappa Sigma Kappa Sigma (), commonly known as Kappa Sig, is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1869. Kappa Sigma is one of the five largest international fraternities with currently 318 active chapters and col ...
,
Lambda Chi Alpha Lambda Chi Alpha (), commonly known as Lambda Chi, is a college fraternity in North America which was founded at Boston University in 1909. It is one of the largest social fraternities in North America, with more than 300,000 lifetime members a ...
, and
Sigma Alpha Epsilon Sigma Alpha Epsilon (), commonly known as SAE, is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. It was founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is t ...
are in the West Campus area along Stewart Street, which leads directly into the
Francis Quadrangle David R. Francis Quadrangle is the historical center of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Known as The Quad it is the oldest part of Red Campus and adjacent to Downtown Columbia at the south end of the Avenue of the Columns. At ...
. Most of the Greek-letter organizations are in a Greek Town, with approximately 30 Greek residences, to the north of Memorial Stadium. The main campus, along with all other MU-owned or operated facilities, is protected by the
University of Missouri Police Department The University of Missouri Police Department (MUPD) is the primary law enforcement agency for the University of Missouri (Mizzou), a public research university located in Columbia, Missouri and the flagship campus of the University of Missouri Sys ...
, which is in the Virginia Avenue parking garage on the main campus. In 2019 a new Center for Missouri Studies was opened as a new headquarters for the State Historical Society of Missouri. It contains a vastly expanded gallery/collection display area, a library/reading room, classrooms, offices, open and closed stacks, microfilm rooms, art restoration lab, a large event room, and a gift shop. In 2020 a new home for the School of Music was finished, the Sinquefield Music Center. The building houses faculty offices, classrooms, two large ensemble rehearsal spaces, a recording studio, many small rehearsal rooms. As of 2020 the NextGen Precision Health Institute was under construction on the University of Missouri Health campus. This five-story 265,000 square-foot building will provide state-of-the-art medical research space.


Academics and rankings

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. MU is a member of the Association of American Universities and
classified Classified may refer to: General *Classified information, material that a government body deems to be sensitive *Classified advertising or "classifieds" Music *Classified (rapper) (born 1977), Canadian rapper * The Classified, a 1980s American ro ...
among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". According to the
National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National ...
, MU spent $256 million on research and development in 2018, ranking it 93rd in the nation. MU is also one of two
land-grant universities A land-grant university (also called land-grant college or land-grant institution) is an institution of higher education in the United States designated by a state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890. Signed by Abraha ...
in the state, along with Lincoln University. In 1908, the Missouri School of Journalism (colloquially the "J-school") was founded in Columbia; it claims to be the first of its kind in the world although the French had first established their '' Ecole Supérieure de Journalisme de Paris'' in 1899."''École supérieure de journalisme''"
, Official website , accessed July 4, 2011
The UM System owns and operates KOMU-TV, the NBC/ CW affiliate for Columbia and nearby
Jefferson City Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the capital of Missouri, United States. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 census, ranking as the 15th most populous city in the state. It is also the county seat of Cole County and the principa ...
. It is a full-fledged commercial station and a working lab for journalism students. The MU School of Journalism publishes the ''
Columbia Missourian The ''Columbia Missourian'' is a digital-first newspaper based in Columbia, Missouri, published online seven days a week and in print five days a week. The newspaper is affiliated with the Missouri School of Journalism, and is owned as a 501c3 ...
'' and ''Vox 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 produces ''Radio 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. The school's five departments and eight accredited academic programs have a long history, some dating to the early 20th century. 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. The university maintains the largest library collection in the State of Missouri. As of the 2011–12 academic year, the collection 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. The collection is housed in
Ellis Library Constructed in 1915, Elmer Ellis Library is the main library of the University of Missouri on the campus of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. It was named in 1972 for former university president Elmer Ellis. With holdings of over ...
, the University Archives, and seven other specialized academic libraries across campus. Most of the original collection, housed in
Academic Hall Academic Hall was the original main building of the University of Missouri. It was dedicated in 1843 and destroyed by fire in 1892. Academic Hall's six Ionic columns, today known as The Columns, stand on Francis Quadrangle as the most recogniza ...
, was lost in the 1892 fire. During the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...
, Union troops used the Library in Academic Hall as a guard room. The Union troops 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. 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. Today, the MU libraries are home to the 47th largest research collection in North America. The Jeffrey E. Smith Institute of Real Estate was founded in 2005 by a donation from alumnus Jeffrey Smith to meet the growing interest of students in the College of Business, seeking to learn more about the real estate industry. MU merged two departments, the Center for Distance and Independent Study and MU Direct: Continuing and Distance Education, to form Mizzou Online in 2011. Mizzou Online offers online courses for 18 of the university's colleges and operates the
University of Missouri High School The University of Missouri High School (MU High School) is a distance-learning K-12 high school administered by the University of Missouri, a public state university located in Columbia, Missouri and the flagship of the University of Missour ...
, a distance learning
K-12 K-1 is a professional kickboxing promotion established in 1993, well known worldwide mainly for its heavyweight division fights and Grand Prix tournaments. In January 2012, K-1 Global Holdings Limited, a company registered in Hong Kong, acqui ...
high school. , the University of Missouri Research Reactor Center is the highest power university research reactor in the U.S. at 10
megawatt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James ...
(10 million watts) thermal output.


Organization and administration

The University of Missouri is organized into seven colleges, eleven schools and hosts approximately 300 majors.


Name

Upon creation of the system, each university was renamed with its host city; thus, the university in Columbia became the University of Missouri–Columbia. In the proceeding decades, colloquial and verbal usage of the generic name in reference to MU continued. There were attempts to drop Columbia from its name by students, faculty, alumni, and administrators who felt 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 on the basis of uniformity and fairness. However, after a renewed effort for "name restoration", the Board of Curators voted unanimously on November 29, 2007, to allow MU to drop Columbia from its name for all public use. Continued use of the name University of Missouri–Columbia is not incorrect but is being phased out by MU, except as required on official internal documents within the UM System. Its use also continues to be advocated by some faculty, administration, and alumni of UMKC, UMSL, and Missouri S&T.


Presidents and chancellors

Each campus of the University of Missouri System is led by a
chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
, who reports to the
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
of the UM System. Prior to the formation of the system in 1963, the Columbia campus and its offshoot in Rolla were led directly by the president and the position of chancellor did not exist. The below contains a list of presidents from 1963–present but does not include interim presidents or chancellors. John Lathrop is the only president or chancellor to have served nonconsecutive terms. Presidents, 1841–63 and Chancellors, 1963–present #
John Hiram Lathrop John Hiram Lathrop (January 22, 1799 – August 2, 1866) was a well-known American educator during the early 19th century. He served as the first President of both the University of Missouri and the University of Wisconsin as well as president ...
(1841–49) # James Shannon (1850–56) #
William Wilson Hudson William Wilson Hudson (1808-June 14, 1859) was an American educator and third President of the University of Missouri. He was born in Orange County, Virginia in 1808 and graduated from Yale University with an A.B. in 1827 and an A.M. in 1830. ...
(1856–59) #
Benjamin Blake Minor Benjamin Blake Minor (October 21, 1818 – August 1, 1905) was an American writer, educator, legal scholar, and fourth President of the University of Missouri, from 1860-1862. Today, he is most known as the editor of the ''Southern Literary Messe ...
(1860–62) #
John Hiram Lathrop John Hiram Lathrop (January 22, 1799 – August 2, 1866) was a well-known American educator during the early 19th century. He served as the first President of both the University of Missouri and the University of Wisconsin as well as president ...
(1865–66) #
Daniel Read Daniel Read (November 16, 1757 – December 4, 1836) was an American composer of the First New England School, and one of the primary figures in early American classical music. Life and work Read, along with his contemporaries William Billi ...
(1866–76) #
Samuel Spahr Laws Samuel Spahr Laws (March 23, 1824 – January 9, 1921) was an American minister, professor, physician, college president, businessman and inventor best known today as the inventor of the Laws Gold Indicator, a predecessor of the ticker tape machi ...
(1876–89) #
Richard Henry Jesse Richard Henry Jesse (May 1, 1853 – January 21, 1921) was an American educator and the eighth president of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. He was born in Lancaster County, Virginia 1853 and attended the University of Virginia ...
(1891–1908) #
Albert Ross Hill Albert Ross Hill (October 4, 1868 – May 6, 1943) was a Canadian-born American educator and ninth president of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. He was also Commissioner of the European Division of the American Red Cross (1921� ...
(1908–21) #
John Carleton Jones John Carleton Jones (July 30, 1856 – April 22, 1930) was an American educator and tenth president of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri; in recognition, he was initiated as an honorary member of Acacia Fraternity. Though he held th ...
(1922–23) #
Stratton Brooks Stratton Duluth Brooks (September 10, 1869 – January 18, 1949) was the third president of the University of Oklahoma and eleventh president of the University of Missouri. Early life Stratton Brooks was born on September 10, 1869 in Everett, ...
(1923–30) # Walter Williams (1931–35) #
Frederick Middlebush Frederick Middlebush (October 15, 1890 – June 8, 1971) was an American educator and thirteenth president of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri from 1935 to 1954. His presidency was the longest term ever served at the University. ...
(1935–54) # Elmer Ellis† (1955–63) #
John W. Schwada John W. Schwada (September 23, 1919 – April 19, 1990) was an American educator. He served as the chancellor of the University of Missouri in the 1960s and as the president of Arizona State University in the 1970s. Life Schwada was born on ...
(1964–70) #
Herbert W. Schooling Dr. Herbert W. Schooling (November 5, 1912 – April 1987) was an American educator and former chancellor of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. He is the 16th chief executive officer of the Columbia campus and second since the c ...
(1971–78) # Barbara Uehling (1978–87) #
Haskell Monroe Haskell Moorman Monroe Jr. (March 18, 1931 – November 13, 2017) was an American educator and university administrator who led the University of Texas at El Paso from 1980–87 and the University of Missouri from 1987-93. Early life and education ...
(1987–93) #
Charles Kiesler Charles Adolphus Kiesler (August 14, 1934 – 2002) was an American educator, psychologist and university administrator. He served as chancellor and 19th chief executive officer of the University of Missouri campus in Columbia, Missouri. He was ...
(1993–96) # Richard L. Wallace (1997–2004) #
Brady J. Deaton Brady J. Deaton, (born August 25, 1942) is an American educator and the former chancellor of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Early life and education Deaton was born on August 25, 1942. He received a Bachelor of Science degree ...
(2004–13) #Stephen J. Owen (interim, November 2013 - February 2014) #
R. Bowen Loftin Richard Bowen Loftin (born June 29, 1949), better known as R. Bowen Loftin, is an American academic and the former chancellor of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. He came to Missouri in 2013 after serving as the 24th President of ...
(2014–15) # Hank Foley (interim, 2015–May 3, 2017) #
Garnett S. Stokes Garnett Sue Stokes (born December 20, 1955) is an American academic administrator serving as the 23rd president of the University of New Mexico. She assumed office on March 1, 2018. Early life and education Stokes was born in Washington, D.C. ...
(interim, May 4, 2017 – August 1, 2017) #
Alexander Cartwright Alexander Joys Cartwright Jr. (April 17, 1820 – July 12, 1892) was a founding member of the New York Knickerbockers Base Ball Club in the 1840s. Although he was an inductee of the Baseball Hall of Fame and he was sometimes referred to as a " ...
(August 1, 2017 – March 20, 2020) #
Mun Choi Mun Young Choi ( ko, 최문영; born March 19, 1964) is an American academic. He currently serves as Chancellor of the University of Missouri and President of the University of Missouri System. Prior to his appointment at Missouri he was Provost ...
†† (2020–present) † Ellis became president of the University of Missouri System upon its creation, serving until 1966.
†† Choi is the first Chancellor to simultaneously be President of the University of Missouri System


Student life


Residential life

The University of Missouri operates 23 on-campus residence halls and least two other off-campus sites. The two off-campus locations include: Tiger Diggs at Campus View Apartments and True Scholars House. Many residence halls on campus offer learning communities and freshman interest groups. Both programs seek to ensure students succeed academically while living in the residence halls. Three of the older halls: Jones, Lathrop, and Laws are scheduled to be torn down and replaced as the largest and first part ($71 million) of a $92 million campus improvement project approved by the Board of Curators on June 13, 2013. The plan also includes replacing the dining hall north of Faurot Field. The three halls presently can house up to 1,010 students. The new halls will expand the capacity to 1,242 by the time the first part is completed in May 2017. The renovation of Swallow Hall (1893) is also part of the plan, costing $11.5 million of the total. Two residence halls, Excellence and Respect will be on standby starting in the Fall 2016 semester, and only used if necessary because Fall enrollment is expected to drop by 1,500 students, which it did by 2,273 including 1,412 fewer freshmen. The 319 beds will be used over the summer until August 4, 2016. Both halls will undergo repairs if not needed. The new George C. Brooks Hall will open as planned for the Fall 2016 semester and house 293 students. Three more residence halls will temporarily close in the Fall of 2017: Center, Responsibility, and Discovery. Previously it was announced Respect, Excellence, Schurz and McDavid wouldn't operate in the Fall unless there was sufficient demand to reopen some of them. Combined, the seven halls are capable of housing about 1,500 students. The closures are estimated to save about $2 million, largely through reduced utility costs. The university says two of the closed halls also could get some use as guest and conference housing. The temporary closures come after freshman enrollment dropped 24 percent for this academic year. The declining enrollment precipitated a budget plan to cut 400 jobs, but most of them are from those resigning or retiring, so less than 100 actual jobs will be eliminated for the 2018 fiscal year. ;Southwest Village Residence Halls: * North Hall (2006) * Center Hall (2006, on standby Fall 2017)) * South Hall (2006) * Bluford Hall (2017) * George C. Brooks Hall (Fall 2016) Dining Halls: * Restaurants at Southwest (2017) Convenience Store: * Mizzou Market: Southwest ;Pershing/Mid-Campus Area Residence Halls: * Defoe-Graham Hall (1939–47 & 2009) * Galena Hall (2009) * Dogwood Hall (2009) * Hawthorn Hall (2009) Dining Hall: * Plaza 900 Convenience Store: * Mizzou Market: Hitt Street ;College Avenue Area Residence Halls: * Discovery Hall (2004, on standby Fall 2017) * Excellence Hall (2004, on standby Fall 2016) * Responsibility Hall (2004, on standby Fall 2017) * Respect Hall (2004, on standby Fall 2016) * Hatch Hall (1962–2007) * Schurz Hall (1962–2007, on standby Fall 2017) * College Avenue Hall (2006) * Gateway Hall (2015) Dining Halls: * Plaza 900 (2004, expanded in 2014) * Baja Grill (2008) ;Rollins Area Residence Halls: * Gillett Hall (1965–2011) * Hudson Hall (1965–2010) * Johnston Hall (1947–2013) * Wolpers Hall (1963–2014) Dining Halls: * Rollins * Sabai (2011) * Plaza 900 (2004) * Mizzou Market: Student Center (2011) ;Mark Twain Area Residence Halls: * Mark Twain Hall (1964–2013) * McDavid Hall (1956–2007) Dining Halls: * The MARK on 5th Street (2013)


Groups and activities

Tap Day is an annual spring ceremony in which the identities of the members of the six secret honor societies are revealed. The participating societies are
QEBH QEBH is a senior honor society at the University of Missouri. Founded in 1898, it is the oldest of six recognized secret honor societies that participate in the annual tradition of Tap Day on campus. History The society was founded in November 18 ...
, Mystical Seven, LSV,
Omicron Delta Kappa Omicron Delta Kappa (), also known as The Circle and ODK, is one of the most prestigious honor societies in the United States with chapters at more than 300 college campuses. It was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington and Lee University i ...
,
Mortar Board Mortar Board is an American national honor society for college seniors. Mortar Board has 233 chartered collegiate chapters nationwide and 15 alumni chapters. History Mortar Board was the first national honor society for college senior women ...
, and the Rollins Society. The ceremony, first held in 1927, takes place at the columns on Francis Quadrangle. The Associated Students of the University of Missouri (ASUM) is a student-run lobbying organization that represents the students' interests in the state and national capitals. ASUM's platform has included issues such as equalizing the "Access Missouri" grant, expanding "Bright Flight" funding, and giving students a vote on the Board of Curators. The Trulaske Consulting Association was started in 2009. It is a relatively new student organization and is open to students of all departments. However, most members are MBA and undergrad business students. The association aims to increase awareness, provide exposure, and facilitate networking between students and professionals in the consulting industry. The growing popularity of the association has been attributed to the resources available to student members. Workshops by management consultants and case studies on strategy form an integral part of the activities organised by TCA. The Muslim Student Organisation (MSO) provides an inclusive, inviting educational and social environment for the Muslims at the University of Missouri-Columbia; and works to create bridges between Muslims and other groups in the Columbia community. The Muslim Student Organisation engages in religious, educational, and social activities that aim to increase unity on campus and awareness of Islam among Muslims and people of other faiths. The Organization aspires to promote a healthy understanding of Islam in the context of social and cultural settings. MSO membership is open to all students at MU. Rabbi Avraham Lapine of
Chabad Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (), is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. Chabad is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, particularly for its outreach activities. It is one of the largest Hasidic group ...
provides a wide range of services to students, including teaching courses at The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute's Sinai Scholars, which allows students to explore the modern significance of the Ten Commandments.


Greek life

MU is home to one of the oldest and largest Greek systems in the nation . Founded in 1869, the Greek Community represents 22% of the student population. More than 70 Greek-letter organizations are active at MU.


Athletics

The Missouri Tigers are a member of the
Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities o ...
with the exception of wrestling, which competes in the
Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its ...
. Mizzou is the only school in the state with all of its sports in the
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athleti ...
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. The official colors are black and gold. Athletic sports for the Tigers include men's and women's basketball, baseball, cross country,
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...
, golf, gymnastics, swimming & diving,
softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...
, track, tennis, volleyball,
women's soccer Women's association football, more commonly known simply as women's football or women's soccer, is a team sport of association football when played by women only. It is played at the professional level in multiple countries and 176 national te ...
, and
wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat s ...
. Historic sports included a shooting club, in which the ladies' team in 1934 won a national championship. Former football coach
Gary Pinkel Gary Robin Pinkel (born April 27, 1952) is a former American college football coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Toledo from 1991 to 2000 and the University of Missouri from 2001 to 2015, compiling career record ...
holds the record at the university for the most wins on the gridiron. Additionally, former basketball coach and alum Norm Stewart maintains the record for the most wins on the hardcourt. MU football games are played on Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium ("The Zou"). Built in 1926, this stadium has an official capacity of 71,168, and features a nearly wide "M" behind the north-end zone. Men's and women's basketball games take place at the Mizzou Arena, just south of the football stadium. The
Hearnes Center Hearnes Center is a 13,611-seat multi-purpose arena in Columbia, Missouri. The arena opened in 1972. It is currently home to the Missouri Tigers' wrestling and volleyball teams as well as the school's gymnastics and indoor track & field teams. I ...
had 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 22 NCAA Tournament appearances, the second-most Tournament appearances without a Final Four. The Tigers have appeared in the regional finals (Elite Eight) of the
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
Tournament six times (twice under coach Norm Stewart, Missouri head coach from 1967 to 1999). The Tigers have won 15 conference championships, beginning with the
Missouri Valley Conference The Missouri Valley Conference (also called MVC or simply "The Valley") is the third-oldest collegiate athletic conference in the United States. The conference's members are primarily located in the midwest. History The MVC was established ...
, followed by the Big Six, the Big Eight, and the
Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its ...
. 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 over Baylor. 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 include,
Anthony Peeler Anthony Eugene Peeler (born November 25, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player, having played for a number of NBA teams from 1992 to 2005. He was most commonly known for his defense and athleticism. He later became an assist ...
, John Brown,
Jon Sundvold Jon Thomas "Sunny" Sundvold (born July 2, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the first round (16th pick overall) of the 1983 NBA draft. A 6'2" shooting guard from the Univers ...
, Steve Stipanovich,
Kareem Rush Kareem Lamar Rush (born October 30, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player. Rush's younger brother, Brandon, last played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, while older brother JaRon played college basketball for UCLA. College c ...
, Keyon Dooling Doug Smith, Willie Smith, Norm Stewart, Linas Kleiza, Derrick Chievous, DeMarre Carroll,
Kim English Kim English (September 6, 1970 – April 2, 2019) was an American electronic, soul, gospel and house music singer. Early life On September 6, 1970, English was born in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. English's parents were Ronald English and An ...
.
Jordan Clarkson Jordan Taylor Clarkson (born June 7, 1992) is a Filipino-American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for two seasons with Tulsa before transferring to Misso ...
and
Marcus Denmon Marcus Edward Denmon II (born March 20, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for Peristeri of the Greek Basket League. He played for the University of Missouri. He was taken 59th overall by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2012 NBA dr ...
. The official
mascot A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as ...
for Missouri Tigers athletics is
Truman the Tiger Truman the Tiger is the official mascot of the athletic teams of the University of Missouri Tigers. Truman is named after U.S. President Harry S. Truman, who was from the U.S. state of Missouri. The mascot was named on September 12, 1986, though ...
, created on September 16, 1986. Following a campus-wide contest, Truman was named in honor of Harry S. Truman, the only U.S. president from Missouri. Today, Truman appears to cheer on the team, mingle with supporters at Mizzou athletic events as well as at pep-rallies, alumni association functions, and frequent visits to Columbia-area schools. On November 24, 2007, the Mizzou football team played against its biggest rival,
Kansas Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...
, at
Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is an American football stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). The stadium has been officially named GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stad ...
in
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the List of United States cities by populat ...
. At that time, KU was ranked No. 2 and MU was ranked No. 3 nationally. At the end of the
game A game is a structured form of play, usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports or games) or art (suc ...
, Mizzou defeated KU, 36–28. The following day MU was ranked No. 1 in the country for the second time in its history. On December 1, 2007, the Mizzou football team lost the Big 12 Championship game in
San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_ ...
, to
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
38–17, falling out of national title and Bowl Championship Series contention. The team regrouped and played in the Cotton Bowl January 1, 2008, at
Dallas, Texas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...
, defeating
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...
, 38–7. In the final
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. new ...
"Top 25 football poll" of the 2007 season, Mizzou was ranked No. 4 in the country, its highest finishing position in the team's history. On November 6, 2011, the University of Missouri announced it would leave the
Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its ...
to join the
Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities o ...
effective July 1, 2012. In September 2012, the school's wrestling team became an associate member of the
Mid-American Conference The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the t ...
, as the SEC does not sponsor wrestling. On December 7, 2013, Mizzou played in the SEC Championship Game in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
in the
Georgia Dome The Georgia Dome was a domed stadium in the Southeastern United States. Located in Atlanta between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west, it was owned and operated by the State of Georgia as part of the Georgia World Congress Center ...
against Auburn. The teams were ranked 5th and 3rd, respectively in the nation. Mizzou fell to the eventual national runners-up 59–42, and ended up playing in the
2014 Cotton Bowl Classic The 2014 Cotton Bowl Classic was a college football bowl game between the #9 Missouri Tigers of the Southeastern Conference and the #13 Oklahoma State Cowboys of the Big 12 Conference. The 78th edition of the Cotton Bowl Classic took place on J ...
at
AT&T Stadium AT&T Stadium, formerly Cowboys Stadium, is a retractable-roof stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States. It serves as the home of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL), and was completed on May 27, 2009. It is also the ho ...
in
Arlington, Texas Arlington is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Tarrant County. It forms part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and is a principal city of the metropolis and region ...
. Missouri (#9) defeated
Oklahoma State Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, ...
(#13) 41–31, winning their second Cotton Bowl Classic. On December 6, 2014, #17 Mizzou played #1
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...
in its second consecutive SEC Championship Game falling to the Crimson Tide, 42–13. Mizzou went on to play
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over t ...
in the
Citrus Bowl The Citrus Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group that also organizes the Cheez-It Bowl and Florida Classic. The gam ...
, winning 33-17 and finishing #16 in the nation.


Traditions


Tiger Walk and Prowl

The Tiger Walk is held annually before the fall semester in the Quad, as welcome and orientation for new students to the university. Students can meet and also learn about school organizations, which have stations around the Quad. After hearing of the four pillars of success, students walk in procession through the quad and the Columns toward Jesse Hall, symbolizing their entrance into the university. Tiger Prowl is held for graduation seniors on the Quad. They walk through the columns, away from Jesse Hall, to symbolize becoming alumni. Refreshments, such as famous tiger stripe ice cream, are provided after the ceremony.


Homecoming

In 1911, athletic director
Chester Brewer Chester Leland Brewer (November 26, 1875 – April 16, 1953) was an American football, basketball, baseball, and track and field coach and athletic director. He served as the head football coach at Albion College (1899–1902), Michigan Agr ...
invited alumni to "come home" for the big football game against the
University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. T ...
. A spirit rally and parade were planned as part of the celebration. The
Council for Advancement and Support of Education The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is a nonprofit association of educational institutions. It serves professionals in the field of educational advancement. This field encompasses alumni relations, communications, marketin ...
has called MU's homecoming celebration the best in the nation and a model program . Missouri Homecoming also includes several service elements, and the homecoming blood drive has earned the Guinness Record as the nation's largest.


Undergraduate tuition

The annual tuition for in-state residents for 2016–17 is $9,518 and $25,892 for out-of-state residents, plus $10,298 for room and board on campus with that total not counting books and supplies ($1,344) or transportation ($4,756) expenses. A 1.7% undergraduate increase in tuition and fees was previously approved in the 2014 operating budget by the Board of Curators in June 2013, which also approved salary increases of 1.5% to 3% for the faculty.


Notable faculty and alumni

In the Spring of 2016, there are 300,315 living alumni worldwide. 274,447 reside in the United States, 156,585 in
Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
, 61,346 in the St. Louis area, 30,018 in the
Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more th ...
area, and 2,718 outside the U.S. File:William F Baker engineer SOM.jpg, William F. Baker
Engineer of
Burj Khalifa The Burj Khalifa (; ar, برج خليفة, , Khalifa Tower), known as the Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration in 2010, is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is known for being the world’s tallest building. With a total height ...
File:Tom Berenger - Monte-Carlo Television Festival.jpg,
Tom Berenger Tom Berenger (born Thomas Michael Moore; May 31, 1949) is an American actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Staff Sergeant Bob Barnes in ''Platoon'' (1986). He is also known for playing Jake ...

Emmy Award-winning actor File:Emily Newell Blair.jpg,
Emily Newell Blair Emily Newell Blair (January 9, 1877 – August 3, 1951) was an American writer, suffragist, feminist, national Democratic Party political leader, and a founder of the League of Women Voters. Biography Early life and ancestors Emily Jane Newel ...

Writer, suffragist, and founder of
League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...
File:Kate Capshaw.jpg,
Kate Capshaw Kathleen Sue Spielberg (''née'' Nail; born November 3, 1953), known professionally as Kate Capshaw, is an American retired actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Willie Scott, an American nightclub singer and performer in ''Indiana Jon ...

Actress, ''
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ''Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'' is a 1984 American action- adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is the second installment in the ''Indiana Jones'' franchise, and a prequel to the 1981 film '' Raiders of the Lost Ark'', ...
''
File:Michael Chandler at MTV Movie Awards 2012.jpg, Michael Chandler Three-Time
Bellator Lightweight Champion Bellator MMA (formerly known as "Bellator Fighting Championships") is an American mixed martial arts promotion, and the following is a history of its champions in each weight class. At the time of its inception in 2008, CEO Bjorn Rebney founded ...
File:Chris Cooper at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.jpg,
Chris Cooper Christopher Walton Cooper (born July 9, 1951) is an American actor. He has appeared in several major Hollywood films, including '' American Beauty'' (1999), '' October Sky'' (1999), '' The Bourne Identity'' (2002), '' Seabiscuit'' (2003), '' C ...

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning actor
File:Sheryl Crow.jpg,
Sheryl Crow Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues. She has released eleven studio albums, five compilations and three ...

Musician, singer, and songwriter File:ROBERT2.jpg,
Robert K. Dixon Robert K. Dixon is an energy, environment, and economic expert at the Office of International Affairs, US Department of Energy headquarters in Washington, DC, USA. Biography Dixon is a native of Lee's Summit, Missouri. He graduated from Lee' ...

Nobel laureate, presidential adviser, and scientist File:Linda Godwin.jpg, Linda M. Godwin
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeedin ...
astronaut
File:Jon Hamm at PaleyFest 2014.jpg,
Jon Hamm Jonathan Daniel Hamm (born March 10, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Don Draper in the period drama television series '' Mad Men'' (2007–2015), for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Televis ...

Actor,
Don Draper Donald Francis Draper, born Richard “Dick” Whitman, is a fictional character and the protagonist of the AMC television series ''Mad Men'' (2007–2015), portrayed by Jon Hamm. Up to the Season 3 finale, Draper was creative director of fict ...
of AMC's ''
Mad Men ''Mad Men'' is an American period drama television series created by Matthew Weiner and produced by Lionsgate Television. It ran on the cable network AMC from July 19, 2007, to May 17, 2015, lasting for seven seasons and 92 episodes. Its f ...
''
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William Least Heat-Moon William Least Heat-Moon (born William Lewis Trogdon August 27, 1939) is an American travel writer and historian of English, Irish, and Osage ancestry. He is the author of several books which chronicle unusual journeys through the United States, ...

Author, ''
Blue Highways ''Blue Highways'' is an autobiographical travel book, published in 1982, by William Least Heat-Moon, born William Trogdon. Summary In 1978, after separating from his wife and losing his job as a teacher, Heat-Moon, 38 at the time, took an extend ...
''
File:Martin Heinrich, official portrait, 113th Congress.jpg,
Martin Heinrich Martin Trevor Heinrich (; born October 17, 1971) is an American businessman and politician serving as the senior United States senator from New Mexico, a seat he has held since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Heinrich served as the U.S ...

Current
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Former 2016 vice-presidential nominee and current
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Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
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Four-time MLB All Star File:Ken Lay.jpg,
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Author, '' I Am Legend'', ''
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, winner of
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Winner
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Indian politician, freedom fighter, the first Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, minister of numerous cabinet ministries, and a
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Founder of
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Playwright, ''
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A Streetcar Named Desire ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' is a play written by Tennessee Williams and first performed on Broadway on December 3, 1947. The play dramatizes the experiences of Blanche DuBois, a former Southern belle who, after encountering a series of per ...
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See also

* KBIA *
KCOU KCOU (88.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting the College radio format. Licensed to Columbia, Missouri, United States, the station is currently owned by the Missouri Students Association at the University of Missouri. History Originally know ...
*
Missouri Scholars Academy Missouri Scholars Academy, or MSA, is a three-week residential summer program held on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia, Missouri for 330 of Missouri's gifted high school juniors. MSA exists to enrich and expand gifted education for i ...


Notes


References


Bibliography

* * *Viles, Jonas The University of Missouri, 1839–1939,
E.W. Stephens Publishing Company The E.W. Stephens Publishing Company was an American publishing company in Columbia, Missouri founded by Edwin William Stephens. Operating from the late 19th century into the 20th century, the press produced newspapers, novels, non-fiction boo ...
* * *


External links

*
University of Missouri Athletics website
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Missouri, University Of Land-grant universities and colleges Educational institutions established in 1839 1839 establishments in Missouri Universities and colleges in Columbia, Missouri Schools of public health in the United States Forestry education Flagship universities in the United States
University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus University of Missouri System. MU was founded in ...