University of Central Missouri

The University of Central Missouri (UCM) is a public university in Warrensburg, Missouri, United States.

University of Central Missouri
Former name
  • Normal School No. 2 (1871–1919)
  • Central Missouri State Teachers College (1919–1945)
  • Central Missouri State College (1945–1972)
  • Central Missouri State University (1972–2006)
MottoEducation for Service
TypePublic university
Established1871; 153 years ago (1871)
Endowment$42.89 million (2017)[1]
PresidentRoger Best
ProvostTim Crowley[2]
Academic staff
424 Full-time and 156 Part-time[3]
Students13,734 (Spring 2024)[3]
Undergraduates8,019 (Spring 2024)[3]
Postgraduates5,715 (Spring 2024)[3]
Location,
Missouri
,
United States

38°45′33″N 93°44′15″W / 38.7591°N 93.7374°W / 38.7591; -93.7374
Campus1,561 acres (631.7 ha)
ColorsRed and Black
NicknamesMules and Jennies
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division IIThe MIAA
MascotMo the Mule
Websiteucmo.edu

In 2024, enrollment was 13,734 students[4] from 48 states and 52 countries on its 1,561-acre campus. UCM offers 150 programs of study, including 10 pre-professional programs, 27 areas of teacher certification, and 37 graduate programs.

History

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The University was founded in 1871 as Normal School No. 2 and became known as Warrensburg Teachers College. The name was changed to Central Missouri State Teachers College in 1919, Central Missouri State College in 1945 and Central Missouri State University in 1972. In 1965, the institution established a graduate school. In 2006, the name was changed to the University of Central Missouri.

There are 150 majors and minors, 32 professional accreditations and 45 graduate programs. UCM has a high-tech, STEM-focused facility called the Missouri Innovation Campus in Lee's Summit, Missouri[5] and provides numerous online courses and programs.[6]

Academics

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The university is considered a Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense.[7]

College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences departments include:

  • School of Visual and Performing Arts
    • Music
    • Theatre and Dance
    • Art and Design
  • Government, International Studies and Languages
    • Political Science
  • English and Philosophy
  • History and Anthropology
  • Communication and Sociology
  • Religious Studies
  • Women's Studies

Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies: The Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies is accredited by AACSB International. Other accreditations include Aviation Accreditation Board International and the Council on Social Work Education.[8] Departments include:

  • School of Business Administration
    • Economics, Finance and Marketing
    • School of Accountancy and Computer Information Systems
    • Management
  • School of Professional Studies
    • Aviation
    • Criminal Justice
    • Communication Disorders and Social Work
    • Military Science and Leadership

College of Education departments include:

  • Career and Technology Education
  • Educational Leadership and Human Development
  • Educational Foundations and Literacy
  • Elementary and Early Childhood Education

College of Health, Science, and Technology

  • School of Health and Human Performance
    • Nursing
    • Nutrition and Kinesiology
  • Biology and Earth Science
  • School of Environmental, Physical, and Applied Sciences
  • School of Technology
  • School of Computer Science and Mathematics
  • Psychological Science.

The Honors College: Benefits of being an Honors College student include, but are not limited to, early enrollment, one-on-one advising, smaller classes, Honors-only courses and colloquia.[9]

GIMPS

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The University of Central Missouri continues to hold an important role in the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search. The GIMPS project at UCM is a university-wide effort managed by Curtis Cooper and Steven Boone. As of 2022, UCM's team (curtisc) is currently the 10th place contributor to that project in terms of CPU power devoted to the project,[10] and is the only GIMPS team that has discovered four Mersenne primes: M43 230402457 - 1 with 9,152,052 digits,[11] M44 232582657 - 1 with 9,808,358 digits,[12] M48 257,885,161-1 with 17,425,170 digits,[13] and M49 274,207,281-1 with 22,338,618 digits.[14]

Student life

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The university has more than 185 student organizations with academic, cultural, recreational, community service and special interest clubs and associations. There are also more than 20 intramural sports to compete in, free movie nights on campus and a bowling alley and movie theater in the student union. Freshman and sophomore students are required to live in one of the 9 residence halls their first year to help ease the adjustment from high school to college. Students can also choose to live in one of ten Learning Communities, which places students with the same program of study together in the residence halls.[15]

Greek life

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The University of Central Missouri is home to 26 Greek organizations. Ten percent of UCM students are involved in Greek life.[16]

Media

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The UCM newspaper is called The Muleskinner; there is an online publication called digitalburg.com that covers the Johnson County area. These publications are entirely student-operated. The university also houses KMOS-TV.

Athletics

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UCM athletic teams compete in the Mid–America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, or MIAA. The athletic division includes basketball, baseball, women's bowling, American football, golf, women's soccer, softball, cross-country, track, volleyball and wrestling. UCM's athletic teams are called Mules (men) and Jennies (women). UCM has two mascots, Mo the Mule and live mules named Tammy and Molly.

 
Audrey J. Walton Stadium overlooking the Northeast corner

Basketball games are played in the UCM Multipurpose Building, renamed in February 2024 for longtime athletic director Jerry Hughes as the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center. Built in 1976, The Multi, as it is known to students and alumni, has a seating capacity of 6,500 for basketball and volleyball games.[17] Football games are played on Vernon Kennedy Field at Audrey J. Walton Stadium. The stadium was erected in 1928 and underwent a major face-lift in 1995. The stadium officially holds 11,000 people, but crowds often approach 12,000.[18]

Keth Memorial Golf Course within Pertle Springs Park on the campus of the University of Central Missouri is an 18-hole grass greens course complete with a fully equipped pro shop.[19] Keth Memorial also is home for UCM golf and cross country competitions.[20]

Library

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The James C. Kirkpatrick Library (JCKL) is the library of the University of Central Missouri. It was named for former Secretary of State, James C. Kirkpatrick, Secretary of State in Missouri from 1965 to 1985.[21] There are over 480,000 circulating volumes.[22]

Notable alumni and faculty

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References

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  1. ^ As of June 30, 2017. "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY2016 to FY2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 6, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  2. ^ Permanent as of October 31, 2024. "UCM Names Crowley New Provost". November 1, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "College Navigator - University of Central Missouri". Archived from the original on November 8, 2021. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  4. ^ "UCM Fast Facts" (PDF). Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  5. ^ "Missouri Innovation Campus". architectmagazine.com. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  6. ^ "Fast Facts University of Central Missouri". Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  7. ^ "Centers for Academic Excellence".
  8. ^ "HCBPS". Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  9. ^ "The Honors College Apply". University of Central Missouri. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  10. ^ "PrimeNet Top Overall Producers". Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  11. ^ "Mersenne.org Project Discovers New Largest Known Prime Number, 230,402,457-1". Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search. Archived from the original on July 3, 2010. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  12. ^ "Mersenne.org Project Discovers Largest Known Prime Number, 232,582,657-1". Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search. Archived from the original on July 3, 2010. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  13. ^ "GIMPS Project Discovers Largest Known Prime Number, 257,885,161-1". Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search. Archived from the original on August 10, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  14. ^ "GIMPS Project Discovers Largest Known Prime Number: 274,207,281-1". Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  15. ^ "Student Life". Archived from the original on August 2, 2018. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  16. ^ "Greek Life information". Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  17. ^ "Multipurpose Building". Archived from the original on August 2, 2018. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  18. ^ "Kennedy Field at Walton Stadium". Archived from the original on August 2, 2018. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  19. ^ "Redesign of Keth Memorial Golf Course reaches completion". golfcoursearchitecture.net. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  20. ^ "Keith Memorial Golf Course". Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  21. ^ Fisher, J. (November 17, 1996). "New library to pay tribute to biggest vote-getter in Missouri". Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  22. ^ "2014 Fact Book University of Central Missouri" (PDF). Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2016.

Further reading

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  • Allen, Patricia Ann. "George W. Diemer: Selected Aspects of His Presidency at Central Missouri State College, 1937-1956." (PhD dissertation,  Southern Illinois University at Carbondale; ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,  1983. 8326504).
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