Truman State University
History Truman State University was founded in 1867 by Joseph Baldwin as the First Missouri Normal School and Commercial College. Baldwin was considered a pioneer in education, and his school quickly gained official recognition in 1870 by the Missouri General Assembly, which designated it as the first public teaching college in Missouri. Joseph Baldwin statue on the Truman State University campus A region of 25 Missouri counties was designated as the schools college district; these counties included Adair, Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Chariton, Clark, Howard, Knox, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Macon, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, St. Charles, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan and Warren. As the school continued to grow, Basil Brewer wrote the school song The Purple and White in 1902. The songs popularity prompted the university to adopt the school colors as purple and white. Thirteen years later, in 1915, the bulldog became the official mascot of the college. In 1924 a fire destroyed Old Baldwin Hall and the library. Both were rebuilt, with ,000.00 allotted for the new library donated by Samuel M. Pickler, a member of the first graduating class of 1870, former faculty member, and a local merchant. The broad pond in the quadrangle (a prominent feature in pre-1924 photographs of the campus) was pumped dry in a futile attempt to put out the fire. The depression was filled in with debris from the ruined buildings and covered with grass, which now serves as the quadrangle (Quad) of the campus. The college was renamed Northeast Missouri State University in 1972, and, in 1983, the university was awarded the G. Theodore Mitau Award for Innovation and Change in Higher Education by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. Northeast Missouri State continued pushing for excellence. On June 20, 1985, Governor John Ashcroft signed a bill that designated the university as Missouris only statewide public liberal arts and sciences university. This changed the schools mission to a state-wide rather than a regional (northeast) objective. As such, nearly 100 programs were dropped in the span of six years, including all two-year programs those that did not fulfill the liberal arts mission. The school continued to win praise from such publications as US News and World Report and the universitys reputation continued to spread. By the 1990s, the university was no longer solely a teachers college, but also had a nationally-known accounting division and schools of science, mathematics, computer science, and literature. Ten years after Governor Ashcrofts designation, Governor Mel Carnahan signed legislation renaming the school Truman State University. Truman State University is designated by statute as Missouris premier public liberal arts and sciences institution. Years Name 1867-1868 North Missouri Normal and Commercial School 1868-1870 North Missouri Normal School 1870-1918 North Missouri Normal School of the First District 1918-1968 Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (Commonly called Kirksville State Teachers College) 1968-1972 Northeast Missouri State College 1972-1996 Northeast Missouri State University 1996-Present Truman State University Academic Mission On June 15, 2007, the Board of Governors approved and adopted the University Strategic Plan. In this plan the university will continue its devotion to providing a liberal arts education that is financially accessible. The primary vision, as stated by the Plan, is for Truman to be America premier public liberal arts and sciences university. The Plan also lists six goals that outlines an agenda that will be implemented in the next three to five years. As part of its focus on liberal arts and sciences, Truman requires all students to complete the Liberal Studies Program, or LSP. The LSP is designed to give students a broad educational experience, and consists of Essential Skills, Modes of Inquiry, and Interconnecting Perspectives sections. Truman State University Entrance Truman State University Entrance Close-Up Administration and Organization University presidents Joseph Baldwin (1867-1881) William P. Nason (1881-1882) Joseph Blanton (1882-1891) William D. Dobson (1891-1899) John R. Kirk (1899-1925) Eugene Fair (1925-1937) Walter H. Ryle (1937-1967) F. Clark Elkins (1967-1969) Eli F. Mittler (1969-1970) Charles J. McClain (1970-1989) Robert A. Dager (1989-1990) Russell G. Warren (1990-1994) W. Jack Magruder (1994-2003) Barbara Dixon (2003-2008) Darrell Krueger (interim) (2008-Present) Board of Governors Truman States Board of Governors consists of ten members. Each member is appointed by the Governor of Missouri to serve a four-year term, with a student representative serving for two years. The ten members must meet residential requirements defined by Missouri law as follows: Four voting members from inside Trumans regional boundary, provided that not more than one person from the same county is selected. Three voting member