University of North Dakota Grand Forks |
The University of North Dakota at Grand Forks was
founded in 1883 by the Dakota Territorial Assembly, six years before
North Dakota became a state. The
cornerstone for the first building was laid that autumn. Four faculty members
met the 11 students who entered the University on opening day, September 8,
1884. The first class was graduated in 1889.
Unlike most state institutions of higher education west
of the Mississippi, UND did not begin as an agricultural school or
only as a teachers college.
Organized initially as a College of Arts and Sciences, with a Normal School for
the education of
teachers, UND soon evolved into a
full-fledged multi-purpose university. Instruction of graduate students (the
first master’s degree
was awarded in 1895) and the
conducting of research were under way before the end of the 19th century.
Depressions, drought,
wars and financial crises have more
than once threatened its future, but the University has been able to withstand
these challenges
and to prosper as an institution of
national caliber.
The University today would be recognizable to its founders.
UND was the only institution of higher education in the state to
be originally established as a
university, with all of the implications of that title. A university has an
obligation to preserve knowledge, to disseminate knowledge, and to create new knowledge.
The University of North Dakota has served as a capstone for the entire system
of public education in the state, and from its earliest year has embraced all
levels of higher education—undergraduate, professional and graduate—and
maintained an active program of research and service. Through these 12 decades
the University has created a tradition in instruction, research, and service
which has served as a model for other institutions. Consistent with the intent
of the founding legislators, the University has served as a standard-bearer and
leader for higher education in the state.
The following mission statement is on file with the
State Board of Higher Education:
The University of North Dakota, as a member of the
North Dakota University System, serves the state, the country and the
world community through teaching,
research, creative activities, and service. State-assisted, the University’s
work depends also on
federal, private, and corporate
sources. With other research universities, the University shares a distinctive
responsibility for the
discovery, development, preservation
and dissemination of knowledge. Through its sponsorship and encouragement of
basic and
applied research, scholarship, and
creative endeavor, the University contributes to the public well-being.
The University maintains its legislatively enacted
missions in liberal arts, business, education, law, medicine, engineering
and mines; and has also developed
special missions in nursing, fine arts, aerospace, energy, human resources and
international
studies. It provides a wide range of
challenging academic programs for undergraduate, professional, and graduate
students through
the doctoral level. The University
encourages students to make informed choices, to communicate effectively, to be
intellectually
curious and creative, to commit
themselves to lifelong learning and the service of others, and to share
responsibility both for their
own communities and for the world.
The University promotes cultural diversity among its students, staff, and
faculty.
In addition to its on-campus instructional and research
programs, the University of North Dakota separately and
cooperatively provides extensive
continuing education and public service programs for all areas of the state and
region.
The University of North Dakota has been accredited by
the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools since the
Association was organized in 1913.
UND received its most recent NCA accreditation in 1994. Most individual
colleges, schools, and
departments are members of
accrediting associations in their respective fields. The address and telephone
number of the North
Central Association are: Commission
on Institutions of Higher Education, 30 N. LaSalle St., Suite 2400; Chicago, IL
60602-2504;
telephone (800) 621-7440 or (312)
263-0456; Fax (312) 263-7462. http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org/.
E-mail address is
info@ncacrhe.org.
The academic year is divided into two semesters, each
approximately 16 weeks in length: the first, beginning near the end
of August and ending prior to
Christmas; the second, beginning in mid-January and extending to mid-May. A
Summer Session
begins in May and concludes in
August. The UND Summer Session offers the variety of four-week, six-week,
eight-week, and
twelve-week courses and choices of
credit and non-credit workshops, institutes, and special programs of various
lengths. See the
academic calendar on page iv.
The University of North Dakota’s academic programs are
described elsewhere in this catalog. Please see the listings of the
colleges and schools, beginning on
page 37, and listings of the departments and program areas beginning on page 61
(undergraduate) and page 189
(graduate). See also the index at the back of the catalog.