University of Minnesota

       

University of Minnesota

The original Minneapolis campus overlooked the Saint Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River, but it was later moved about a mile (1.6 km) downstream to its current location. The original site is now marked by a small park known as Chute Square at the intersection of University and Central Avenues. The school shut down following a financial crisis during the American Civil War, but reopened in 1867 with considerable financial help from John S. Pillsbury. It was upgraded from a preparatory school to a college in 1869. Today, the University's Minneapolis campus is divided by the Mississippi River into an East and West BankThe campus now has buildings on both river banks. The "East Bank", the main portion of the campus, covers 307 acres . 

The West Bank is home to the University of Minnesota Law School, the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, the Carlson School of Management, various social science buildings, and the performing arts center. The St. Paul campus is home to the College of Biological Sciences , the College of Design, the College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences , and the veterinary program.Another building that has won an award is the new Science Teaching and Student Services Building (STSS), renamed as the Robert H. Bruininks Hall on May 1, 2015. This building has been awarded the prestigious LEED Gold certification. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally recognized green building certification system administered by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED measures multiple dimensions of a building's design and construction including sustainable sites, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, water efficiency, and indoor environmental quality."It's appropriate that a building that supports science education and overlooks a great river would be built with principles of sustainability at the forefront," said, U of M President Robert Bruininks at the opening of STSS in August 2010.Highlights of sustainability in STSS include:

Conserving water Installation of low-flow sinks and bathroom fixtures that use 50 percent less water than a typical building of its size. Outdoor irrigation systems use a monitoring system that measures ground saturation and local weather patterns, so that irrigation only takes place when needed. Nativer drought tolerant plants reduce runoff to the river and minimize irrigation needs.Recycling and reuss Builders reused sections of the foundation from the Science Classroom Building that previously occupied the site to construct STSS. This saved time and money and reduced the amount of new materials used to build STSS. Recycled materials were incorporated into the carpet, tables, chairs and structural steel of STSS. In addition, 94 percent of the construction debris from the site was diverted from the landfill for reuse or recycling.Air quality and air flow An innovative underfloor air distribution system allows fresh air to move into the building while pushing stale air to the ceiling. This air is then collected in air ducts and circulated outside, providing healthy and comfortable air for occupants.Exterior glass

 The exterior glass on the west and south sides of STSS provides an aesthetically pleasing view of the river and downtown and also provides natural lighting. This feature proved challenging for those designing an energy efficient structure. They found a solution with a custom-designed white dot pattern on the glass and strategically-placed columns to maximize views, minimize glare and reduce solar heat gain by 50 percent.Building materials—When possible, builders used construction materials manufactured within a 500-mile radius of Minneapolis to reduce transportation emissions and to support the regional economy.Connections—STSS further facilitates connections to alternative transportation and the Mississippi River through its design and structure. Bike racks are located around the building to provide adequate parking. Bus stops are located conveniently near the building.The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA) is responsible for graduate and professional student governance at the University of Minnesota. It is the largest and most comprehensive graduate/professional student governance organization in the United States. GAPSA serves students in the Carlson School of Management, the Dental School, the Graduate School, the Law School, the Medical School, the School of Nursing, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Public Health, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the College of Education and Human Development. GAPSA is also a member of the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students.The University of Minnesota has the second largest number of graduate and professional students in the United States at over 16,000. All registered graduate and professional students at the University of Minnesota are members of GAPSA. It was established in 1990 as a non-profit (IRS 501 confederation of independent college councils representing all graduate and professional students at the University of Minnesota to the Board of Regents, the President of the University, the University Senate, the University at large and wider community. GAPSA serves as a resource for member councils, as the primary contact point for administrative units, as a graduate and professional student policy-making and policy-influencing body, and as a center of intercollegiate and intra-collegiate interaction among students.According to the College Board, as of July 2013 there are 34,812 undergraduates at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. Out of that number, 5,368 are first-time degree seeking freshmen.

 There are 17,745 graduate students.The racial/ethnic breakdown of the student population is as follows:75% White, 3% Black, 9% Asian, 3% Hispanic/Latino, 3% Two or more races, 1% Other, and 6% Non-resident alienThe average age of all students is 21.The gender breakdown of the student population is 52% women and 48% men.67% of matriculants to the university are considered Minnesota residents, and 33% of matriculants are considered out-of-state residents.The number of fraternities and sororities at the University of Minnesota is extensive. Including defunct branches, the Greek System numbers more than 200 organizations. More than half of these remain active today, whose pioneers have had a presence on the Twin Cities campus for over 140 years.

The University's Greek societies include Professional Fraternities, Honor Societies and Service Fraternities, along with the highly visible residential Academic and Social chapters. Many of these built and occupy historically significant "Fraternity Row" homes along University Ave. SE, 10th Ave. SE, 4th Street SE, and 5th Street SE, all in Minneapolis, or along Cleveland Ave. near the St. Paul campus.Greek System participants are more likely to graduate than the average student, are most likely to graduate with a higher GPA, and Greek alumni contribute more money than their percentage of population. Gallup polling helps explain this marked differential, advising that "fraternity and sorority members  strongly agree that their institution prepared them for life after college [as compared to] all other college graduates . As of June, 2014, approximately 2,800 system members made up about 8% of the campus population. Minnesota hosts 38 academic fraternities, 20 academic sororities, 56 honors societies, 31 professional societies, and two service-focused chapters.