University of Northern Colorado facts for kids
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Former names
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State Normal School of Colorado (1889–1935) Colorado State College of Education at Greeley (1935–1957) Colorado State College (1957–1970) |
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| Motto | Sapientia in aeternum est (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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Wisdom is Eternal |
| Type | Public university |
| Established | April 1, 1889 |
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Academic affiliations
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Space-grant |
| Endowment | $111.9 million (2023) |
| President | Andy Feinstein |
| Provost | Kirsten Fleming |
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Academic staff
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686 |
| Students | 8,869 (Fall 2024) |
| Undergraduates | 6,480 (Fall 2024) |
| Postgraduates | 2,389 (Fall 2024) |
| Location |
,
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United States
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| Campus | Suburban 260 acres (1.1 km2) |
| Colors | Blue and Gold |
| Nickname | Bears |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I FCS – Big Sky |
| Mascot | Klawz the Bear |
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| USNWR National University | 352 |
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The University of Northern Colorado (often called UNCO or UNC) is a public university located in Greeley, Colorado, USA. It started in 1889 as the State Normal School of Colorado. For a long time, it was known for training teachers.
Over the years, its name changed a few times. It became Colorado State College of Education, at Greeley in 1935. Then, in 1957, it was called Colorado State College. Since May 1, 1970, it has been known as the University of Northern Colorado.
Today, about 10,000 students attend UNCO across six different colleges. The university also has locations in Loveland, Denver/Aurora, and Colorado Springs. UNCO's 19 sports teams compete in NCAA Division I as part of the Big Sky Conference.
Contents
Exploring the UNCO Campus
The university campus is split into two main parts: central and west. UNCO's Central Campus is located north of 20th Street and west of 8th Avenue in Greeley, Colorado. The buildings where students live on Central Campus are so old and important that they are now a special historic district.
How UNCO is Managed
A group called the board of trustees manages the university. They make sure everything runs smoothly and approve the yearly budget. Some of the university's leaders are also part of this board.
Leaders of the University
The University of Northern Colorado has had 13 presidents since it began. Here is a list of the people who have led the university:
- Thomas J. Gray — 1890–1891
- James H. Hayes — (interim) 1891, November 11, 1915 – 1916
- Zachariah Xenophon Snyder — 1891–1915
- John Grant Crabbe — Late summer 1916–1924
- George Willard Frasier — 1924–1947
- William Robert Ross — 1947–1964 (started December 20, 1947)
- Darrell Holmes — 1964–1971
- Frank P. Lakin — 1969, 1971 (interim)
- Richard R. Bond — 1971–1981
- Charles Manning (acting) — 1981
- Robert C. Dickeson — 1981–1991
- Richard Davies (acting) — January 1 – August 29, 1987
- Stephen T. Hulbert (interim) — July 1 – September 30, 1991
- Herman Lujan — 1991–1996
- Howard Skinner (interim) — June 1996 – June 1998
- Hank Brown — July 1998 – June 2002
- Kay Norton — July 2002 – July 2018
- Andy Feinstein - July 2018 – present
College of Performing and Visual Arts
The College of Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) is a place for students who love art. It brings together artists, teachers, and learners from many different art forms.
UNCO has always been known for its strong arts programs. The main offices for this college are in Guggenheim Hall, which is one of the oldest buildings on campus.
UNCO Sports: The Bears
The sports teams at UNCO are called the Bears. Northern Colorado joined the Big Sky Conference on July 1, 2006. The school's mascot is Klawz the Bear, and the school colors are navy blue and gold. The fight song is called the "UNC Fight Song." Darren Dunn is the Athletic Director for Northern Colorado.
Many former UNCO students have become professional athletes. For example, Vincent Jackson played football at Northern Colorado from 2001 to 2004. He was then chosen by the San Diego Chargers in the 2005 NFL draft. Other football players who went to UNCO include punter Dirk Johnson, quarterback Kyle Sloter, safety Reed Doughty, and defensive lineman Aaron Smith.
Before joining NCAA Division I in 2006, UNCO was part of other sports conferences. They were in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference from 1923 to 1972. Then they joined the Great Plains Athletic Conference from 1972 to 1976. After being independent for a few years, they joined the North Central Conference.
The Bears have won two Division II Football National Championships. They won in 1996 and again in 1997. On March 9, 2011, the men's basketball team won the Big Sky Conference tournament. This win sent them to the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, which was a first for the school.
The Northern Colorado men's baseball team is also very successful. They are tied with the University of Oklahoma for having the most appearances in the NCAA College World Series, with ten each. The Northern Colorado women's softball team played in the first eleven Women's College World Series ever held, from 1969 to 1979. They even made it to the championship game in 1974, but they lost.
Meet the Mascots
The bear became UNCO's mascot in 1923. Before that, the athletes were simply called "the Teachers." The idea for the bear mascot came from a bear on an Alaskan totem pole. This totem pole was given to the university by a former student in 1914. The totem pole used to be in the University Center. However, in 2003, it was returned to the Tlingit people because of a law called the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990.
Klawz is the newest and current bear mascot for the university.
Famous People Who Went to UNCO
Images for kids
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Normal School, Greeley, Colorado (1902)
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West Campus, Bear Mascot Statue. Bishop Lehr Hall is visible on the right, and McKee Hall of Education and Ross Hall of Science are on the left.
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