Metropolitan State University - History

History

Metro State was founded in 1971. The school admitted 50 students in 1972. David E. Sweet was the university's first president. The university initially followed a non-traditional course: students could design their own degree plans, instructors wrote 'narrative evaluations' instead of using traditional letter grades, and much of the teaching was done by 'community faculty' who had advanced degrees as well as extensive practical work experience in their respective fields. Although Metro State adopted a more traditional format in the 1990s, it has still retained a college named 'First College' which allows students to design individualized and/or interdisciplinary degree plans. First College students are allowed to select their own majors (they are typically referred to as 'focuses') and curriculums. The individualized degrees are a popular alternative for students who are not interested in seeking traditional 'structured' degrees.

When Metropolitan State began, it was a college for working adults. It was strictly an upper-division college, so students could only complete their junior and senior years there. The university didn't begin admitting freshmen and sophomores or calculating grade point averages until fall quarter 1994. Prior to the fall of 1998, Metro State operated on the quarter system. MSU currently operates on the semester system. During the 2009-2010 school year, Metropolitan State enrolled 10,000 students. This accomplishment elevates Metro State to the top 12% of colleges ranked by size in the U.S.A. MSU's enrollments are growing by up to 8% per year. Consequently, President Hammersmith and James Mc Cormick, MnSCU's former chancellor, are confident that Metro State will serve 20,000 students per year by the year 2020.