St. Cloud State University

Infobox_University
name =St. Cloud State University


motto ="A Tradition of Excellence and Opportunity"
established =1869
type =Public
endowment =
staff =
faculty =730
president =Dr. Earl H. Potter III
students =
undergrad =15,614
postgrad =1,559
doctoral =
city =St. Cloud
state =Minnesota
country =United States
campus =Urban
mascot =Blizzard the Husky
colors =Cardinal red and black
nickname =
affiliations =
website = [http://www.stcloudstate.edu www.stcloudstate.edu]

St. Cloud State University is a four year university and part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system, located in St. Cloud, Minnesota on the banks of the Mississippi River. Currently, there are close to 20,000 students enrolled, making it the 2nd largest university in Minnesota. St.Cloud State University is located in St.Cloud, Minnesota, with a metropolitan area of 200,000 people.

The university was created as a Normal school, then developed college level programs for teachers. It has since grown and now awards bachelors degrees in over 60 programs, including anthropology, aviation, biology, business, chemistry, computer engineering, computer science, criminal justice, education, electrical engineering, film studies, mathematics, music, physics, social science, and theatre. [ [http://bulletin.stcloudstate.edu/ugb/programs.asp St. Cloud State University Undergraduate Bulletin ] ] It also awards Masters degrees in over 40 programs, including music, electrical engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, and applied statistics [http://bulletin.stcloudstate.edu/gb/programs.asp] . The university, along with Minnesota State University-Mankato, will be the first Minnesota state university to offer PhD programsFact|date=February 2007.

The university currently sponsors 17 Division II teams and is a member of the North Central Conference. St. Cloud State's hockey team also competes in Division I for ice hockey as a member of the WCHA division. Their mascot is the Husky.

The school operates a radio station, KVSC 88.1 FM. Students also publish a newspaper, the "University Chronicle". Students also run a television station known as UTVS, which recently won first place for best student news and productions from the Society of Professional Journalists, as well as honorable mention at a New York competition in 2004.

The University maintains an overseas facility at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, England, and offers numerous other study-abroad program locations around the world.

Colleges and schools

* G.R. Herberger College of Business
* College of Education
* College of Fine Arts and Humanities
* College of Science and Engineering
* College of Social Sciences
* Center for Continuing Studies
* School of Graduate Studies
* Center for International Studies

Notable events

In the 1986-7 season, Herb Brooks, the 1980 USA men's Olympic hockey coach, became the coach of the Huskies and helped SCSU hockey team achieve Division I status. He also helped lead efforts to build the National Hockey Center. A small street near the National Hockey Center was named for Brooks shortly after his death.fact|date=November 2007

In 1988, minor riots erupted over two days at the university during their homecoming week. According the university's communications director, students were throwing empty beer cans into the Sousaphones as the band marched along the parade route. Police, state patrol and neighboring law enforcement officers used tear gas to deal with a crowd estimated at 1,500, many of them students. There were 50 arrests. As a result, the university canceled homecoming parades. Several minor injuries were reported, and furniture and cars were burned. Subsequently, homecoming week was scheduled later in the year in the hope that the cold would reduce the risk of drunken misbehavior. [cite news |first= |last= |title=St. Cloud Times |url= |publisher=St. Cloud Times |page= |year=1988 |month=October |accessdate=2007-11-29] [cite news |first= |last= |title= Six Are Hurt in Violence at a Minnesota Campus |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DEEDC1E38F934A25753C1A96E948260 |publisher={The New York Times |date=1988-10-17 |accessdate=2007-11-29] As a result, the city of St. Cloud instituted an ordinance requiring residents to obtain a permit to possess a beer keg. [City of St. Cloud Ordinance, Section 817, Subd. 3]

SCSU was mentioned in an episode of . Penn and Teller used the school as an example of the prevalence of unnecessary political correctness and diversity in the American college system. [cite episode |title= College |url=http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/prevepisodes.do?episodeid=s3/college |series=Penn & Teller: Bullshit! |serieslink=Penn & Teller: Bullshit! |credits= |network=Showtime |airdate= |season=3 |number=6]

Racial and ethnic tensions

In December 2002, two black professors mailed a series of letters to Twin Cities high schools and churches describing St. Cloud as a "community with a long and sordid record of racism" and advising minority students to not attend the university. One of the authors was a former professor who had previously sued the university for racial discrimination, harassment and reprisal when he was not given tenure. A federal court ruling noted the plaintiff had signed a contract agreeing to complete his PhD and that the university had extended his employment five years and provided two paid leaves of absence in support of that goal. The lawsuit was dismissed. [ [http://www.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/00/09/992777P.pdf United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Myrle B. Cooper V St. Cloud State University] .] The same individual has written numerous articles in a Minneapolis black weekly paper, referring to St. Cloud as "White Cloud". [Myrle B. Cooper, [http://www.spokesman-recorder.com/news/article/Article.asp?NewsID=90480&sID=16&Search=YES "St. Cloud: They have it coming"] , Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, 8/13/08] The newspaper claims he retired from SCSU but court documents indicate he was "actually terminated from his faculty position and offered a staff position, which was created especially for him."

In February 2002, a report issued by a regional office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) found that faculty and staff they interviewed at St. Cloud State University believe that systemic sexism, racism, and antiSemitism exist at St. Cloud, and that the university is a difficult place for anyone who has a perspective outside of "mainstream white, Christian thinking." The regional EEOC report concluded that the university "suffers from a severe lack of credibility with regard to diversity issues." ["Academe", American Association of University Professors, March/April 2002, [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3860/is_200203/ai_n9084659] ]

The University's Affirmative Action Officer, a black woman, replied by describing the EEOC comments as "an unwarranted attack on her office". She also [http://www.universitychronicle.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticlePrinterFriendly&uStory_id=c699602a-e7ac-47eb-afce-6e59ef752643 questioned "the diversity of the witnesses interviewed for the report."] "At no time has the AAO evaded the task of ensuring equal employment opportunity." [University Chronicle, SCSU student newspaper, [http://www.universitychronicle.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticlePrinterFriendly&uStory_id=c699602a-e7ac-47eb-afce-6e59ef752643 "Affirmative action officer on defensive"] , 2/25/02]

In late 2007, St. Cloud State was one of a list of U.S. colleges where vandals drew swastikas on campus property. The symbols were found in toilet stalls in the student center and a residence hall bathroom mirror and white board. The university issued a series of "safety alerts" and described the vandalism in terms ranging from "hate crime" to "bias-motivated property damage". ["StarTribune", November 20, 2007 [http://www.startribune.com/local/11916076.html] ] A black freshman posted an [http://youtube.com/watch?v=mAhxN9m7GeQ&feature=related internet video] with the comment "The media has a tendency of blowing things out of proportion and saying things that aren't true and omitting things that are true, so keep that in your mind... St. Cloud State is a nice place." [ [http://youtube.com/watch?v=mAhxN9m7GeQ&feature=related youtube "St. Cloud State, don't believe the hype"]

Past names of school

*1869-1921 St. Cloud State Normal School
*1921-1957 St. Cloud State Teachers College
*1957-1975 St. Cloud State College
*1975-present St. Cloud State University

Presidents of SCSU

*1869-1875 Ira Moore
*1875-1881 David L. Kiehle
*1881-1884 Jerome Allen
*1884-1890 Thomas J. Gray
*1890-1895 Joseph Carhart
*1895-1902 George R. Kleeberger
*1902-1915 Waite A. Shoemaker
*1915-1916 Isabel Lawrence, Interim President
*1916-1927 Joseph C. Brown
*1927-1943 George A. Selke
*1943-1947 Dudley S. Brainard
*1947-1952 John W. Headley
*1952-1965 George F. Budd
*1965-1971 Robert H. Wick
*1971-1981 Charles J. Graham
*1981-1982 Lowell R. Gillette, Interim President
*1982-1992 Brendan J. McDonald
*1992-1995 Robert O. Bess, Interim President
*1995-1999 Bruce F. Grube
*1999-2000 Suzanne R. Williams, Interim President
*2000-2007 Roy H. Saigo
*2007-present Earl H. Potter III

Notable alumni

*David Athey - Poet and novelist. Author of "Danny Gospel." [http://www.amazon.com/Danny-Gospel-David-Athey/dp/0764204440]
*Richard Dean Anderson - Actor, star of MacGyver television series.
*Jessica Kresa - TNA Professional Wrestler known as ODB
*Tyler Arnason - Professional Hockey player
*Todd Bouman - NFL Quarterback 1997-present
*Darrin Bradley - Chief Meteorologist WNEM Saginaw, MI
*Dick Bremer - Minnesota Twins Television play-by-play
*Matt Cullen - Professional Hockey player, Stanley Cup winner
* [http://www.americasim.com/about.html Matthew Dubbin] - Electrical Engineer, forensic engineering investigator.
*Jim Eisenreich - Former MLB outfielder/first baseman with Tourette syndrome
* [http://minnesota.publicradio.org/about/people/mpr_people_display.php?aut_id=20 Perry Finelli] - Minnesota Public Radio.
*Mark Hartigan - Professional Hockey player
*Bret Hedican - Professional Hockey player, Stanley Cup winner
*Lawrence Heinemi - Professional wrestler who competed as Lars AndersonFact|date=July 2007
*Bonnie Henrickson - University of Kansas Women's Basketball Head Coach
*Leo Kottke - Musician
*Nicole Linkletter - Winner of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 5
*Ryan Malone - Professional Hockey player for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
* [http://media.www.universitychronicle.com/media/storage/paper231/news/2002/09/12/Diversions/Late-Night.Laughter.A.Success-273503.shtml C. Willie Myles] - Stand up comedian.
*Bob Motzko - St. Cloud State University Men's Hockey Head Coach
*Mark Parrish - Professional Hockey player
* [http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/myfox/pages/InsideFox/Detail?contentId=516015&version=9&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=5.3.1 Jeff Passolt] - News Anchor KMSP-TV [ [http://www.stcloudstate.edu/profiles/alumni/passolt-jeffrey.asp St. Cloud State University ] ]
* [http://www.stcloudstate.edu/athletics/halloffame/2005.asp Reggie Perkins] - Harlem Globetrotters 1993-1996
*Jill Riley - DJ for The Current.
*John Stumpf - Chief Executive Officer of Wells Fargo
*David Swanson - Chief Executive Officer of R.H. Donnelley Publishing (Dex Yellow Pages) [ [http://members.forbes.com/forbes/2006/1002/030.html A Different B.S. - Forbes.com ] ]
* Sven Sundgaard - Kare 11 Meteorologist

Notable faculty and staff

*Abbas Mehdi, Professor of Sociology, Advisor to the US Agency for International DevelopmentFact|date=July 2007
*Herb Brooks, former hockey coach
*Bruce Hyde, actor who played Lt. Kevin Reilly on two episodes of
* [http://es.epa.gov/ncer/events/news/2007/07_11_07_people_schoenfuss.html Heiko Schoenfuss, professor biological science] , recognized for research on chemical contaminants in sewage that act as endocrine disruptors with potential impact on drinking water. [ [http://es.epa.gov/ncer/events/news/2007/07_11_07_people_schoenfuss.html National Center for Environmental Research, People in the News] , "STAR Grantee Featured in Newsweek"]

References

[http://www.universitychronicle.com]

External links

* [http://www.stcloudstate.edu/ Official website]
* [http://www.universitychronicle.com/ University Chronicle, SCSU's University Paper]
* [http://www.kvsc.org/ 88.1 FM KVSC. A student-run educational public radio station licensed to SCSU.]
* [http://www.utvs.com/ UTVS-TV A student-run educational public television station licensed to SCSU.]