Truman State University

File:Trumanstateuniversitylogo.jpg
Type	Public, secular
Established	1867
President	Barbara Dixon
Undergraduates	5,700
Postgraduates	250
Location	Kirksville , Missouri , USA
Campus	Rural, 140 acres (57 ha)
Athletics	NCAA, MIAA
Mascot	File:Truman Athletics.jpg Bulldog
Website	http://www.truman.edu

Truman State University is a public liberal arts and sciences university in the U.S. state of Missouri.

It is located in the city of Kirksville in northeastern Missouri, and is named after President Harry Truman, the only President born in the state. Until 1996, the school was known as Northeast Missouri State University. The name was changed, along with its mission statement, in order to reflect a change from a regional mission.

Campus

Situated in the southern portion of the city of Kirksville, Truman's main campus is situated around a slightly wooded quadrangle.

By longstanding policy, the entire campus is officially "dry," meaning that alcohol is not allowed (though the president of the university has the authority to make exceptions, and past presidents have, for example, permitted alcoholic beverages at special gatherings in the University Residence).

Buildings on the Quad include Baldwin Hall, Pickler Memorial Library, the Kirk Memorial, Kirk Building (the oldest building on campus, built in 1922), and Ophelia Parrish (visual and performing arts educational facility). Other structures are generally situated behind or near buildings on the Quad, and these include three of Truman's residence halls: Missouri Hall, the Blanton-Nason-Brewer Hall complex, and Dobson Hall; Violette Hall (educational facility), a Career and Health Center, and Magruder Hall (a newly renovated science facility).

Four university buildings are situated along the border of the traditional university on Franklin Street to the west, including Barnett Hall (science and nursing education facility), the Student Recreational Center, the Student Union Building, McClain Hall (administration and education facility) and two residence halls: Centennial and West Campus Suites. To the south of the original campus includes two residence halls (Ryle Hall and E.C. Grim Hall), Fair Apartments (including a small convenience store operated by campus food service, Sodexho) and the Pershing Building athletic facility.

Pickler Memorial Library is the main library. It is named after Samuel M. Pickler, who donated funds to rebuild the library after it was destroyed by fire in 1924. It was renovated in 1993. It is home to main computer lab on campus. The library contains a total of approximately 450,000 volumes.

The aforementioned Kirk Memorial is a small, domed structure near the geographic center of the campus. It is built almost entirely with materials from Missouri. The structure is a memorial to John Kirk, fifth president of the university. Currently, it houses Truman's renowned debate team, in addition to a museum of Missouri history and classrooms for the university.

History

Truman State University was founded in 1867 by Joseph Baldwin as the First Missouri Normal School and Commercial College. Baldwin is considered a pioneer in education and his school quickly gained official recognition in 1870 by the Missouri General Assembly, which designated it as the first public teaching college in Missouri. The Joseph Baldwin Academy for Eminent Young Scholars, a summer program serving gifted 7th-9th graders, is housed at Truman.

A region of 25 Missouri counties was designated as the school's college district. The counties are as follows: Adair, Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Chariton, Clark, Howard, Knox, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Macon, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, St. Charles, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan and Warren.

The school continued to grow and Basil Brewer wrote the school song "The Purple and White" in 1902. The song's popularity prompted the university to adopt the school colors as purple and white.

Thirteen years later, in 1915, the bulldog became the official mascot of the college (two bulldogs are currently the "mascots" of the university, Spike and Simone). In 1924 a massive fire destroyed Old Baldwin Hall and the library. Both Baldwin Hall and the library were rebuilt, with $25,000.00 for the new library donated by Samuel M. Pickler, a member of the first graduating class of 1870, former faculty member and local merchant. The broad pond in the quadrangle (a prominent feature in pre-1924 photographs of the campus) was pumped dry in a futile attempt to put out the fire. The depression was filled in with debris from the ruined buildings and covered over.

The college was renamed Northeast Missouri State University in 1972, and in 1983 the university was awarded the G. Theodore Mitau Award for Innovation and Change in Higher Education by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

Northeast Missouri State continued its push for excellence and had not gone unnoticed by the state government. On June 20, 1985, Governor John Ashcroft signed a bill that designated the university as Missouri's only statewide public liberal arts and sciences university. This changed the school's mission to a state-wide rather than a regional (northeast) objective. As such, nearly 100 programs were dropped in the span of six years, including all two-year programs and those not fulfulling the liberal arts mission.

The school continued to win praise from such publications as US News and World Report and its reputation spread. Many of the students by-passed crowded and costly alternatives in favor of Truman's small size, small-town atmosphere and rigorous academic studies in the liberal arts and sciences.

By the 1990s, the university no longer was solely a teachers' college. The college had a nationally-known accounting division, schools of science, mathematics, and computer science, and literature. Indeed, just 10 years after Governor Ashcroft's designation, Governor Mel Carnahan signed legislation renaming the school Truman State University. Several schools had petitioned for the Truman name, but only Northeast Missouri State University demonstrated the academic excellence and national reputation worthy of being named after Missouri's only president. Truman State University has since become Missouri's premier public liberal arts and sciences institution, informally dubbing itself the "Harvard of the Midwest". Over the years, students have come up with various jests on this nickname, such as the "Princeton of the Prairie" and "MIT of Highway 63", especially after several other schools began to identify themselves as the "Harvard of the Midwest".

Currently, there are approximately 6,000 students earning degrees in 43 undergraduate and 9 graduate programs. Ninety-four percent of graduates go on to work and study fields related to their degree of study. President Barbara Dixon is the current president of the university. She is the 14th president of the school. The names and legacies of past university presidents continue to live on in buildings and monuments around campus.

Campus lore

• The weather vane atop Kirk Memorial is welded in place so that it always points northeast, in honor of the school's previous name and identity.
• "The Ghost of Centennial Hall" is named "Joan," said to be a student killed in an auto accident in the 1970s. "Charlotte" and an unnamed little boy have haunted Grim Hall for 70 years, and "Gina" watches over the women of Ryle. See external link "Truman Ghost Stories," below.
• Students traditionally stuck their chewing gum on a redbud tree on the east side of campus, and the "gum tree" was covered in colorful wads. The University Physical Plant cut down the tree in 2000, but students quickly adopted another tree.
• For many years, an irregularly-shaped portion of sidewalk was called the "sacred potato," and was the focus of a number of rituals and superstitions: one should never step on it if one had a test that same day; sticking a knife into a potato on the spot at midnight warded off a failing grade. Else stepping on the sacred potato had been rumored to cause one to either fail their next test or become pregnant. Around 2002, campus facilities replaced the sidewalk, sparking student complaints.
• The sunken garden, site of many student weddings, is actually the cellar left from the Baldwin Hall fire of 1924.
• Because of the frequency of student weddings at the sunken garden, a campus myth came into common circulation. It is alleged that if a new couple has their first kiss at midnight on one of the two benches that are located in the sunken garden, that couple will eventually get married.
• Many wonder who "Smarsh" was; a brass plaque beneath a peach tree just north of Baldwin Hall honors the senior euphonium and bass trombone performer, killed in a car accident July 3, 1994. He is also remembered with the Robert Scott Marshall Memorial Scholarship.

Previous names

Years	Name
1867-1868	North Missouri Normal and Commercial School
1868-1870	North Missouri Normal School
1870-1918	North Missouri Normal School of the First District
1918-1968	Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (Commonly called Kirksville State Teachers College)
1968-1972	Northeast Missouri State College
1972-1996	Northeast Missouri State University
1996-Present	Truman State University

University presidents

Truman State University maintains a long tradition of naming its campus buildings, including educational facilities and dormitories, after its previous university presidents.

• Joseph Baldwin (1867-1881)
• William P. Nason (1881-1882)
• Joseph Blanton (1882-1891)
• William D. Dobson (1891-1899)
• John R. Kirk (1899-1925)

Contrary to popular belief, the city of Kirksville was not named in honor of John R. Kirk.

• Eugene Fair (1925-1937)

A native of Harrison County, Missouri, the annual football game against Northwest Missouri State University was established in 1930 when Northwest president Uel Lamkin sent Fair a polished hickory stick from the farm where Fair was born. The "Hickory Stick" has since been contested annually. [1]

• Walter H. Ryle (1937-1967)
• F. Clark Elkins (1967-1969)
• Eli F. Mittler (1969-1970)
• Charles J. McClain (1970-1989)
• Robert A. Dager (1989-1990)
• Russell G. Warren (1990-1994)
• W. Jack Magruder (1994-2003)
• Barbara Dixon (2003-Present)

Board of Governors

Truman State's Board of Governors consists of ten members. Each member is appointed by the Governor of Missouri to serve a four-year term, with a student representative serving for two years. The ten members must meet residential requirements defined by Missouri law as follows:

• Four voting members from inside Truman's regional boundary, provided that not more than one person from the same county is selected.
• Three voting members from in-state, provided that not more than one person is from the same college region defined by Missouri state law. (For example, Missouri Western State University's college region consists of the counties of Andrew, Buchanan, Clinton, DeKalb, and Platte counties. Therefore, if a current member is from St. Joseph the governor cannot appoint someone from any of those five counties.)
• Two non-voting members from out-of-state. Current Housing and Urban Development secretary Alphonso Jackson, a graduate of Truman, served on the board in this capacity for two terms.
• One non-voting member who is a current full-time Truman student. Student groups including the Bulldog Party have lobbied the state to allow this member to vote. The Truman Student Senate recently passed a unanimous resolution calling for a student to become a voting member of the Board of Governors and sent the resolution to every member of the Missouri Legislature.

Residence halls

In the 1960s the university built Dobson Hall (1961), Ryle Hall (1963), Missouri Hall (1965) and Centennial Hall (1967). There are two other dormitories on campus: Blanton-Nason-Brewer (1948, Brewer added in 1959) and Ezra C. Grim Hall (1923, originally a dormitory for nurses at the adjacent Grim-Smith Hospital, later acquired by the University in the 1930s).

The residence halls are maintained by ResLife, an administrative body of students who live in the dorms and act as advisors/directors ("SA's"). Incoming freshmen arrive a week earlier than the other students and spend this orientation time in friendly competition against the other halls. Themed door decorations, movie nights, games, and dorm-specific t-shirts are an ongoing part of ResLife's goal to foster a sense of community in residential living at Truman.

Dobson Hall

Dobson Hall is coed by wing and houses roughly 400 students who share community bathrooms. As of the spring semester of 2006, keypads have been installed on the bathroom doors and will be used as opposed to keys. Each floor is equipped with a lounge and a kitchenette (except first floor). There is a pool table and foosball table on the first floor and a ping-pong table has recently been added. Mail is distributed in a common mail-box area and packages are picked up by residents at the hall desk. The hall houses a computer lab and in-house laundry facilities. It does not have a cafeteria, so students usually travel to nearby Ryle Hall for meals, though some travel to Missouri Hall (which is currently closed for renovations) or to Centennial Hall.

Dobson has an in-house radio station called 107.5 FM. The station, legally unlicensed as per provisions in FCC Part 15, now broadcasts 24/7 and reaches all of campus and areas within one-half mile. 107.5 also streams its broadcasts online.

Ryle and Centennial halls

Ryle Hall is the third largest hall and Centennial Hall (or "C-Hall") is the largest. These two coed dorms each house nearly 600 students in suite-style rooms. The standard arrangement is two rooms, or four people, sharing one bathroom. Floors three, four, and five feature kitchenettes, and every floor except the first has a lounge. Ryle also has a spacious main lounge that is often used for small on-campus events. The two dorms also feature dining rooms, computer labs, mailboxes, vending machines, laundry rooms, and each also has a classroom used by the Residential College Program. The primary difference between the two dorms is that Ryle's cafeteria is located on the first floor, beneath its large lounge area. Centennial's first floor is home to a Spanish-speaking house, Casa Hispanica. Centennial's cafeteria bisects the second floor, and the lounge area sits directly below with a pool table, ping pong, a large television and piano for entertainment purposes.

Missouri Hall

Missouri Hall (or "MO Hall") is a coed residence hall that houses nearly 650 students, making it the second largest on campus. Missouri Hall is made up of seven different wings. On both the north and south sides of the building, three wings join with a common lounge. The two common lounges are linked by a seventh "crossover" wing. From overhead, the building is shaped like an elongated asterisk. While each wing is either male or female, each "house" (the north or south side of a single floor) includes both male and female wings. The building also houses a large cafeteria, billiards (pool table) room, laundry facilities, and several public kitchenettes.

Missouri Hall opened its doors in 1965 as an all-male residence hall. Construction delays prevented the entire building from being ready for the 1965 season. Because only the north side had been finished, many students who were originally supposed to be housed on the south side instead had to share beds with other students in the on-campus apartments. Eventually those men were permitted to move into the building as construction completed. Truman's Residential College Program, in its earliest manifestation, was located in Missouri Hall. With a high percentage of first year students each fall term, more students get their start at Truman in Missouri Hall than any other place on campus. During the mid 1990s, Missouri Hall was converted from an all-male dorm to the current coed facility.

During the 2006-2007 school year, Missouri Hall will be completely renovated. In addition to behind the walls and cosmetic upgrades, the building will feature retrofitted air conditioning, renovated bathrooms, wiring upgrades, and improved community spaces. Missouri Hall will reopen in the fall of 2007, likely with a large emphasis on first-year student housing.

Blanton-Nason-Brewer

BNB is the only single-sex residence hall, offering three floors of suite-style living arrangements to female students. It may be thought of as a "three-in-one" dorm, as each of the three wings is given its own name. The north wing, Brewer Hall, is primarily populated by members of Greek organizations. The east and south wings, respectively Nason Hall and Blanton Hall, house a total of 256 women. In the finished basement are located TV and study lounges, two public computer labs, two kitchenettes, and laundry facilities.

Grim Hall

Grim Hall is the smallest dorm on campus, with a capacity of 68 residents. It is also unusual in its hardwood flooring and house-like appearance. Beginning with the 2004-05 school year, Le Coin Français ("The French Corner") was established in Grim, offering a francophone living atmosphere for students studying the language. Additionally, le Coin Français now has access to TV5, a French television channel.

West Campus Suites

The West Campus Suites, just northwest of Centennial Hall, opened its doors to 416 students in Fall 2006. The first three floors house mostly upperclassmen, and the top floor in the four-story building houses first-year students. Each room (with the exception of single rooms for eight student advisors and apartments for the hall director and community coordinator) is comprised of two bedrooms attached to a central living room, sink, kitchen cabnets, large bathroom, and independent climate control systems. Each floor has its own dedicated lounge, study rooms, laundry facilities, trash and recycling center, campus events bulletin board and end-of-the-hall study carrels containing computers with internet access. The name of this building was approved by the Board of Governors in mid-June 2006.

Apartments

Three apartment communities, Fair, Randolph, and Campbell, also offer campus-owned housing. Though small and basic, the apartments are a reasonable and feasible step-up from the dormitories. Randolph and Campbell Apartments offer residents a kitchen area, while students living in Fair use their meal plan to eat on campus.

Farm Hall

Located at the University Farm, only a handful of students, often majors in agricultural science, live here each year. Their work on the farm helps them gain useful first-hand experience, as well as acting as payment for room and board.

Student organizations

Truman is host to a variety of student organizations. The Greek community contains almost 20% of the campus in nineteen fraternities and eleven sororities[2]. There are numerous other professional, religious, honorary, cultural, and special interest organizations on campus [3].

Debate

A notable feature of Truman State University is its nationally-renowned debate team. With a history of excellence stretching back to the late 1800s, Truman has won several national titles in parliamentary debate, competing in the National Parliamentary Debate Association national tournament. Truman won the 2000 NPDA final round on a 7-0 decision, as well as the 2004 NPDA final round on a 9-0 decision.

Truman also won the 2004 and 2001 Round Robin Tournament of Champions, the MAFA state debate tournament in 2004, 2003, and 2002, and had the first and second speaker at the 2004 NPDA national tournament.

Campus media

Although its journalism program is within the communication discipline of the Division of Language and Literature, Truman is home to award-winning publications. Publications include the semesterly Detours travel magazine, Echo yearbook, Index, the weekly newspaper distributed every Thursday, and literary journal, Windfall. Broadcasting options include two radio stations—the alternative format KTRM 88.7 FM "The Edge" and 89.7 FM, a National Public Radio feed of KBIA-FM in Columbia. Its range extends roughly ten miles (15 km) from campus. The University maintains an information channel (CableOne Channel 36), where News 36 airs twice a week.

Alternative media options include The Monitor, published every 2-3 weeks, and 107.5 FM.

Athletics

The school mascot is Spike the bulldog.

Truman is a member of NCAA Division II and plays in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association conference. The athletic department sponsors 21 teams (11 men's and 10 women's) more than any other school in Missouri. Among Truman's most recent successes include four regional championships for women's volleyball, a regional berth for men's basketball in 2006, and undefeated regular seasons for both men's and women's soccer. In March 2006, the women's swim team won their sixth consecutive national title, beating rival Drury University after losing to that team earlier in the year. The team holds the record for most national titles won in their division.[4] [5]

Indoor sports play in the Pershing Arena, named for famed general John J. Pershing, who attended school on the campus in the 1880s. Stokes Stadium is the site for home football games and track meets.

In addition to intercollegiate athletics, recreational teams exist for lacrosse, rugby (Bulls and Bullets), Ultimate (JujiTSU and TSUnami), men's volleyball and women's soccer.

Notable students

Truman has been home to such students as:

• Robert J. Behnen, a genealogist and former Republican member of the Missouri House of Representatives;
• John W. Cauthorn, a former Republican member of the Missouri State Senate;
• Byron Crawford, aka BOL, a notable hip hop blogger for XXL Magazine and publisher of his own website;
• Jenna Fischer, actress, best known for her role as Pam Beesly, in the U.S. adaptation of The Office;
• Harry Gallatin, Truman men's basketball player, NBA player for the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons, coach of the New York Knicks, and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame;
• Alphonso Jackson, current and 13th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD);
• Glen Jacobs, WWE wrestler best known as "Kane", played both football and basketball for Truman;
• Harry H. Laughlin, was a leading American eugenicist in the first half of the 20th century;
• Robert Libby, chemist, helped to develop Pringles potato chips product with Procter and Gamble.
• Ken Norton, boxer, one of the few to beat Muhammad Ali;
• General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing, American Army Officer who achieved rank of General of the Armies;
• Mary Rhodes Russell, judge on the Supreme Court of Missouri, appointed in 2004 and retained in 2006.

See also

• Liberal arts colleges
• Bulldog Party
• Student Association of Missouri
• The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America (Marc Becker)

External links

• http://www.truman.edu/
• Truman State Athletics
• Index – Truman State's weekly student-produced newspaper
• Echo Yearbook
• "88.7 The Edge" (KTRM-FM)
• 107.5 FM (Dobson Hall)
• Residence Life
• Truman Ghost Stories
• Joseph Baldwin Academy