Metropolitan State University of Denver

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Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State College of Denver logo.JPG
Motto We Educate Colorado
Established 1965
Type Public, Urban-grant,[1] Space-grant[2][Full citation needed]
Endowment US$8.6 million (2009)[3]
President Stephen M. Jordan, Ph.D.
Academic staff 299 (fulltime)
Undergraduates 23,948[4][Full citation needed]
Postgraduates 47
Location Denver, Colorado, USA
Campus Urban,126-acre (0.5 km2)[5]
Former names Colorado School of Opportunity
Metropolitan State College
Metropolitan State College of Denver
Colors      Berry
     Navy
Nickname Roadrunners
Mascot Rowdy the Roadrunner
Affiliations

Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities

National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program
Website www.mscd.edu

The Metropolitan State University of Denver (also known as Metro State, formerly known as Metropolitan State College of Denver) is a university located in Denver, Colorado, United States. As of 2009, Metro State had the second-largest enrollment of undergraduates of any college in Colorado. With 54 majors and 90 minors, the college is noted for a wide array of liberal arts and sciences programs as well as its teacher education, business, aviation, and criminal justice programs.[6]

In fall 2010, the university began offering master's programs in teacher education and accounting, with social work to begin in fall 2011. The college is noted for its fine athletic programs: Metro State's women's soccer team won the Division II National Championship in 2004 and 2006; the men's basketball team won the Division II National Championship in 2000 and 2002. Metro State is located on the Auraria Campus, along with the University of Colorado Denver and the Community College of Denver, in downtown Denver, adjacent to Speer Boulevard and Colfax Avenue. Metro State has an enrollment of over 24,000 students.[7]

On April 18, 2012, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed Colorado SB12-148, changing the name of MSCD to Metropolitan State University of Denver, effective July 1, 2012.[8]

History and geography

Metropolitan State College of Denver

Metro State is located in one of the older areas of Denver. The campus is located at the former townsite of Auraria, which was founded in November 1858. Denver was founded three weeks later on the opposing side (east side) of Cherry Creek. Denver would overtake Auraria, yet to the present day, there is still an Auraria neighborhood in Denver. The boundaries of the neighborhood are Colfax Avenue on the south, the South Platte River on the northwest and Cherry Creek on the northeast. The Auraria Campus now dominates this area.

Auraria had a mix of residential areas and industrial areas through the mid-20th century. When the campus was built, many Aurarians, a majority of them Hispanic, were displaced and the school promised to serve the community. The historic Tivoli Brewery was a beer brewery on this site that was preserved and the "Tivoli" now serves as a Student Union to all three schools on the campus; among other things it is noted for being the site of a stage of the now-defunct Coors Classic world-class bicycle race. Two churches are still on the campus, St. Elizabeth's Church and St. Cajetan's. The Emmanuel Gallery, which is the oldest synagogue structure in Denver, is on the campus as well.

The Metropolitan State University of Denver was founded in 1965 as an opportunity school. The concept was that people from all walks of life could have a chance at a college education. By design, Metro State is required to be accessible to all, which is why it consistently has some of the lowest tuitions of four-year Colorado colleges and universities. The college also admits all students over the age of 20 that have a GED or high school diploma regardless of their prior academic record, according to the 2004–2005 Metro State College Catalog.[citation needed]

The 2008 Democratic National Convention was held in Denver. The Auraria Campus is situated between Invesco Field at Mile High and Pepsi Center. Metro State started that semester a week early, closed it for the convention, and then restarted on schedule. The campus was within the security perimeter designated by the United States Secret Service, leading to the decision to close the campus to all except essential personnel.[9]

Name Change and the University of Denver

The Metropolitan State College of Denver Board of Trustees on March 9, 2011 voted 5-2 to pursue legislative authority to change the institution's name to "Denver State University."[10][11]

The University of Denver has objected to using "Denver State University" as Metro State's new name.[12][13][14] This has brought up public outrage in the community, with a private university (University of Denver) deciding the fate of a public one (Metro State).[15][16]

Different names

Auraria Campus

Main article: Auraria Campus

The Auraria Campus is the main campus of Metro State and is located to the southwest of downtown Denver in the Auraria Neighborhood, on Speer Boulevard and Auraria Parkway. Metro State shares the campus with two higher education institutions, the University of Colorado Denver and Community College of Denver.

The campus is located in the heart of the central business district and is in close proximity to the Pepsi Center, Elitch Gardens, The Colorado Convention Center, The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Larimer Square, and the 16th Street Mall. The reclaimed Tivoli brewery, which closed in 1969, houses the student union.[17]

Light Rail

Bus

Bike

Extended Campus

Organization and administration

Board of Trustees

On June 7, 2002, Gov. Bill Owens signed House Bill 1165 - Concerning the Establishment of an Independent Governing Board for Metropolitan State College of Denver - and named his appointees to Metro State’s Board of Trustees.[18]

Student government

The student government at Metro State operates under the name "Student Government Assembly" (more commonly referred to as "SGA"), and it is composed of legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The legislative branch is called the SGA Senate, and it is composed of ten senators popularly elected each Spring semester to serve one-year terms of office that begin on June 1. The senate is the policy-making body of the SGA. Senate leadership includes the Speaker, the Speaker pro-tempore, and the Parliamentarian. The executive branch includes the popularly elected SGA President, Vice-President, Student Trustee, and two Representatives to a panel known as the Student Advisory Committee to the Auraria Board ("SACAB"). These five officers form the core of a group called the Executive Committee, which also includes the Speaker of the Senate, the SGA Treasurer, and several additional executive officers known as directors. The President and Vice-President are elected jointly as a ticket, and each serves a one-year term of office that runs concurrently with the senators' terms of office; the Student Trustee and SACAB Representatives' terms of office (also one year in length) begin on July 1. The Treasurer and directors are appointed by the SGA President with the consent of the Senate, and they serve at the pleasure of the President. The Senate oversees, and may issue directives to, the SGA President. The President, in turn, is responsible for implementation and for regularly reporting to the Senate on the affairs of the student government.[19]

Checks and balances also exist in the arrangement: the President may veto legislation coming out of the Senate, and the Senate may override a presidential veto with a 2/3 majority. The judicial branch consists of a student court composed of a chief justice and four associate justices. The Metro State Student Court concerns itself with matters of interpretation, judicial review, and conflict resolution. Justices are appointed by the SGA President with the consent of the SGA Senate to serve perpetual terms (until they fall out of qualification or cease to be students at Metro State). The SGA Election Commission is an autonomous panel responsible for administering student government elections. It is composed of a chairperson and four commissioners appointed by the SGA President with the consent of the SGA Senate. The current SGA Constitution was ratified by the student body in December 2004, and it has been amended a total of nine times (most recently, in April 2009).[19]

During the 2012 General Elections, the student body will vote on accepting the new SGA Constitution that was passed via resolution 16 March 2012. The elections will take place April 16–22, 2012. Please view the current SGA Constitution and Policy Manual at www.mscd.edu/sga.

Schools and Centers

Metro State provides 55 majors, 90 minors, 40 certificate programs, and individualized degree programs along with Master's programs.[20]

Metropolitan State College of Denver is also home to a variety of projects, research centers, and institutes.

Accreditation

Metro State is accredited by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)[22] and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).[4]

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree program[23] is accredited by ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

Student life

Greek life

List of Metro State's Fraternity and Sorority Chapters.[24]

Fraternities Sororities
Alpha Phi Alpha (2006) Delta Sigma Theta (2007)[citation needed]
Sigma Lambda Beta (2005) Lambda Theta Nu (1993)[citation needed]
Phi Sigma Sigma (2006)[citation needed]
Pi Lambda Chi (1994)[citation needed]
Sigma Sigma Sigma (2003)[citation needed]

Student media

Office of Student Media[25]

Honor societies

Athletics

Main article: Metro State Roadrunners

Metro State has produced 239 All-Americans and was one of the seven charter members of the Colorado Athletic Conference in 1989 before joining the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 1996. Metro State competed as a NAIA member until 1983, when the Roadrunners jumped to the NCAA Division II ranks. Since 1998, Metro State has captured 32 regular season conference titles, 35 conference tournament championships, as well as the 2000 & 2002 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball National Championships and the 2004 and 2006 NCAA Division II Women's Soccer national crowns. Metro State also boasts five individual national championships. Men's swimmer Darwin Strickland won national championships in the 50 meter freestyle and 100 meter freestyle in 1995 and also won the 100 free in 1996. Anthony Luna won men's track championships in the 800 meters during the indoor and outdoor seasons in 2009.[30] Metro State's main rivals are Colorado School of Mines, Fort Lewis College, and Regis University.

Camps and clinics

Domestic relationships

† = private ‡ = London Consortium[38]

International relationships

Notable alumni

Individuals of note who have attended Metro State include:

References

  1. ^ http://www.cumuonline.org/downloads/CUMU%20Members%20List.pdf
  2. ^ "Member Schools". Spacegrant.colorado.edu. http://spacegrant.colorado.edu/index.php/member-schools. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  3. ^ "Metropolitan State College of Denver Foundation Audited Financial Statements June 30, 2008" (PDF). Anton Collins Mitchell LLP. http://www.mscd.edu/foundation/assets/docs/Audited%20Financial%20Statements%206-30-09.pdf. Retrieved February 22, 2011. 
  4. ^ a b c [1][dead link]
  5. ^ http://www.ahec.edu/campus/campusfacts.pdf
  6. ^ Metro State University Programs Page
  7. ^ InsideHigherED.com
  8. ^ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". Metropolitan State College of Denver. http://www.mscd.edu/newsroom/topstoryarchive/2012/april12/. Retrieved 18 April 2012. 
  9. ^ http://www.ahec.edu/communications/AU%20Fall08.pdf
  10. ^ http://www.mscd.edu/newsroom/top_story/2011/march9.shtml
  11. ^ McGhee, Tom. "Metro State votes to close book on name". The Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_17578879. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  12. ^ "Metro State News". Mscd.edu. 2011-11-14. http://www.mscd.edu/~collcom/artman/publish/name_twv9111411.shtml. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  13. ^ Auge, Karen. "Metro State tests new names after "Denver State" idea gets booted". The Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_19362147. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  14. ^ Auge, Karen. "University of Denver fears confusion over proposed Metro State name change". The Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_17896620. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  15. ^ "12-1 Logan Show 5PM". 850 KOA. http://www.850koa.com/player/?station=KOA-AM&program_name=podcast&program_id=davelogan.xml&mid=21635863. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  16. ^ "12-2 Logan Show 6PM". 850 KOA. http://www.850koa.com/player/?station=KOA-AM&program_name=podcast&program_id=davelogan.xml&mid=21635914. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  17. ^ "Tivoli Student Union". Tivoli.org. http://www.tivoli.org/tivoli/timeline.html. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  18. ^ "Board of Trustees | Office of the President | Metro State". Mscd.edu. 2002-06-07. http://www.mscd.edu/trustees/. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  19. ^ a b "Metro State SGA Constitution" (PDF). Metro State Student Government Assembly. http://www.mscd.edu/sga/policies/files/SGAConstitution.pdf. Retrieved March 2012. 
  20. ^ "Academics | We Educate Colorado | Metropolitan State College of Denver". Mscd.edu. http://www.mscd.edu/academics/. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  21. ^ "Metro State News". Mscd.edu. 2010-10-05. http://www.mscd.edu/~collcom/artman/publish/doegrant_twv8100510.shtml. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  22. ^ [2][dead link]
  23. ^ "Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science". Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences. Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Metropolitan State University of Denver. http://mcs.mscd.edu/degrees/computer-science. Retrieved 8 May 2012. 
  24. ^ "Fraternity and Sorority Life". Mscd.edu. http://www.mscd.edu/studentactivities/fraternities/greeklife/index.html. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  25. ^ "Office of Student Media | Metropolitan State College of Denver". Metrostudentmedia.com. http://www.metrostudentmedia.com/. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  26. ^ "The Metropolitan | Serving the Auraria campus since 1979". Metnews.org. http://www.metnews.org/. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  27. ^ "KMET College Radio at Metropolitan State College of Denver". KMet Radio. 2012-02-18. http://www.kmetradio.org/. Retrieved 2012-02-22. 
  28. ^ http://www.metreport.tv/
  29. ^ http://www.mscd.edu/~msphere/
  30. ^ http://www.rmacsports.org/information/members/schools/mscd
  31. ^ http://www.metrostatesoccercamps.com/
  32. ^ http://sirow.arizona.edu/node/543
  33. ^ http://www.fhsu.edu/mba/MSCD-Articulation/
  34. ^ http://www.mscd.edu/business/agreements/forthays.shtml
  35. ^ http://mnettt.org/abstract-project-m-net/
  36. ^ http://knottt.net/m-net/
  37. ^ http://www.mscd.edu/newsroom/topstoryarchive/2011/october21/
  38. ^ http://www.aifspartnerships.com/lc/london/accommodations.asp
  39. ^ http://www.mscd.edu/president/global/confucius/index.shtml
  40. ^ http://en.crtvu.edu.cn/language-projects/language-training/you
  41. ^ http://www.mscd.edu/internationalstudies/programs/aksum.shtml
  42. ^ http://www.mscd.edu/internationalstudies/guadalajara/
  43. ^ http://www.ncahlc.org/component/com_directory/Action,ShowBasic/Itemid,93/instid,1056/
  44. ^ http://www.mscd.edu/news/castro/
  45. ^ http://www.mscd.edu/malcolmfarley/
  46. ^ http://www.reneeherlocker.net/Renees_World/Resum%C3%A9.html
  47. ^ People Magazine. Fallen Captain

External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Metropolitan State College of Denver
Academics

School of Business • School of Education • School of Letters, Arts and Sciences • School of Professional Studies
Research

Center for Innovation • Center for Math, Science, and Environmental Education (CMSEE) • Center for Urban Connections (CUC) • Center for Urban Education (CUE) • Center for Visual Art (CVA) • Equity Assistance Center (EAC), Region VIII • The Golda Meir Center for Political Leadership (Golda) • Institute for Women's Studies & Services (IWSS) • One World, One Water Center for Urban Water Education and Stewardship (OWOW Center) Fall 2012
Athletics
Life

Fight Song • Denver Food & Wine Classic • KMET • The Metropolitan • The Met Report • Metrosphere • Plain & Fancy Ball
People

Richard T. Castro • Pam Grier • Joe Rice • Michael J. Varhola • Stephen M. Jordan (President)
Campus

Auraria Events Center • Auraria Library • Golda Meir House • Hotel and Hospitality Learning Center (HLC) • Kenneth King Academic & Performing Arts Center • Ninth Street Historic District • Science Building • Seventh Street Building • Student Success Building • Tivoli Student Union
Endowment: $8.6 million