University of Minnesota, Morris
600 East 4th Street
Morris, Minnesota 56267-2199
Admission:
320/589-6035 or
800/992-8863
Fax 320/589-1673
ENROLLMENT
Undergraduates
Full-time:
847 men/1,123 women
FRESHMAN ADMISSION
PROFILE
Number who applied:
1,200
Number accepted:
900
Number enrolled:
550
Average ACT score:
25
Freshmen retention rate:
80%
2006-2007 COSTS
Tuition (in state):
$9,668
Room and board:
$6,304
Fees, books, misc.:
$465 approx.
FINANCIAL AID
Freshmen receiving aid:
85%
Average financial aid package:
$6,800
FACULTY
Full-time:
128
Part-time:
14
Ph.D.:
83%
Student/faculty ratio:
16:1
University of Minnesota, Morris
600 East 4th Street
Morris, Minnesota
Students take a break in front of one of UMM's five residence halls.
College Description
Situated in west central Minnesota, the University of Minnesota, Morris (UMM) stands at the forefront of public liberal arts colleges. Founded by a religious order in the late 1800's as an American Indian boarding school, UMM was established in 1960 by the Board of Regents as the University of Minnesota's small, liberal arts campus. Today, UMM combines the benefits of a small, undergraduate college with the resources of a world-class research institution. While small classes and individualized attention are the cornerstones of UMM's liberal arts mission, its niche in the larger University of Minnesota system puts students in touch with a broad range of programs across international boundaries. Within the four years of study, all students have an opportunity to either travel overseas, undertake research with a faculty member, or do an internship. The UMM student body is made up of a diverse and talented group of men and women who represent over 22 states and 13 foreign countries. In fact, UMM maintains a tradition of recognizing and valuing the richness of diversity, as 14% of its students are racial minorities. UMM attracts a large number of independent individuals who are highly motivated and demand educational value for their financial investment and time commitment in college. Approximately 50% of UMM's incoming students have graduated in the top 10% of their high school class, and the average ACT score is 25.
Academic Life
Nationally recognized for the strength and quality of its liberal arts program, UMM offers comprehensive programs in the arts, sciences, business, education, and health professions as well as a 2-3 engineering degree program in cooperation with the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Approximately 45% of UMM's students enter a graduate or professional program, and over 67% remain in a career related to their academic major. While the benefits of a liberal arts education are uncontested, UMM enhances its value with unique programs created to encourage the student's individual pursuit of special areas of interest. Because there are no graduate students to occupy their energies, UMM faculty are immersed in the process of education, and strongly encourage research, internships, and overseas travel to supplement the rigorous academic programs. Indeed, the many programs unique to UMM are possible due to a highly dedicated group of professors and instructors who enjoy an unusually low student/faculty ratio of 16:1. Furthermore, with an average class size of 24, UMM students have an excellent opportunity to interact with faculty and cultivate the relationships that will guarantee their success in and out of the classroom.
Campus Life
The UMM campus is both spacious and self-contained, offering its students easy access to a generous range of educational, residential, and recreational facilities. Furthermore, the town of Morris (population 5,600) participates in many campus activities, and area businesses provide supporting services to create cooperative and internship opportunities. Because of the small size and rural location, there is a sense of community and shared interest that prompts the majority of UMM's students to take an active role on campus. With over one hundred campus activities and organizations ranging from student government to varsity and intramural athletics, students prepare for future leadership roles by focusing on individual skills as well as those needed for a team effort. In addition, the quality of UMM's residential program is reflected by the fact that the majority of students live on campus. Indeed, the residential experience not only proves an excellent way to make friends, but ultimately serves as a springboard for extracurricular involvement and academic success.
Facilities and Resources
The Student Center, completed in 1992, serves as a gathering place for students and faculty, and a center for cocurricular and extracurricular activity on campus, while housing an Information Desk, Outdoor Center, student-run radio station, and Student Activities office. The Rodney A. Briggs Library has a collection of more than 166,000 volumes and 900 active periodical subscriptions as well as a library database that provides direct access to all library holdings in the larger University of Minnesota system. The Computer Center provides UMM students with free access to Apple Macintosh and IBM PC-compatible microcomputers (networked with Novell NetWare). The fine arts building houses two theatres (black box and proscenium), TV editing studios, a recital hall, rehearsal rooms, an art gallery, and art studios. Finally, major renovations for the science building are expected to be completed in the near future. These renovations reflect new advances in technology and scientific equipment.
Athletics/Sports
Recreational activities and organized sports are important features of life at UMM. As a Division II member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), UMM competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Men's varsity athletics include football, basketball, wrestling, baseball, golf, tennis, and track and field, while women's varsity athletics include volleyball, basketball, track and field, softball, tennis, golf, and cross-country. In addition to varsity sports, UMM offers men's, women's, and coeducational intramural programs in flag football, basketball, volleyball, and slow-pitch softball. The Physical Education Center includes three basketball courts, a weight room, exercise equipment, an Olympic-style pool and diving area, a sauna, racquetball/handball courts, and a rock-climbing wall.
Financial Aid
The increasing cost of higher education is placing a quality liberal arts education out of reach for many of today's aspiring college students. As part of Morris' pledge to keep cost low and quality high, the UMM Office of Admissions and Financial Aid is dedicated to providing students with the most comprehensive and simplified methods of financial aid delivery. Even with the relatively low cost of a UMM education, 85% of the UMM student body qualifies for over $9 million of federal, state, and institutional funds in the form of scholarships, grants, loans, and college work-study. The average financial aid package is around $5800, and, more importantly, the average debt of graduating UMM students is only $6000.
Admission Requirements
Because of the nature of the curriculum, the standards of academic performance required, and the need to maintain the small size of the college, a selective admission policy is necessary. UMM currently admits 550 new students to its fall quarter class. The pattern of required high school preparatory courses, high school class rank, ACT test scores, educational objectives, and any other relevant information is all taken into consideration in the admission decision. Students applying to the entering class may apply under one of three admissions options: Decision I, Decision II, or Regular Decision. Applicants follow the same procedures, submit the same supporting materials, and are evaluated by the same criteria under each option. The different options differ only in recognizing that some applicants may arrive at a final choice of college later than others. However, all students are encouraged to apply as early as possible regardless of which decision deadline they choose. Students confirm their intent to enroll after they have been admitted with a $100 admissions fee. It is important to note that students who confirm their intent to enroll earlier are given priority with housing and registration.