Of the University's current enrollment of 11,000, around 6,000 are undergraduates. 21.5% of entering undergraduates classify themselves as "minorities", and more than half of the student body claims a religious affiliation. Only 25% of new undergraduates claim affiliation with the Methodist church. Demographic Profile
Contents
1University history and facts
2Academic Profile
2.1Endowment
2.2Colleges & schools
2.3Research & graduate studies
2.4Special programs
2.5Rankings & recognition
3Student life
3.1Student demographics
3.2Housing
3.3Student organizations
3.4Greek life
3.5Student media
4Athletics
5Traditions
6Notable SMU People
6.1SMU Alumni
6.2SMU Professors & Faculty
6.3SMU Presidents
6.4SMU Chairpersons of the Board of Trustees
6.5Honorary degrees recipients
6.6Notable affiliates
7Pop culture
8External links
8.1Scholastic Links
8.2Programs
9References
University history and facts
Founded in 1911 by what is now the United Methodist Church, SMU is nonsectarian in its teaching and committed to academic freedom and open inquiry. The city of Dallas has supported SMU since its beginning, when local citizens pledged $300,000 to secure the University's location.
In appreciation of the city, SMU named its first building Dallas Hall, which remains the University's symbol and centerpiece. Designed after the Rotunda at the University of Virginia, Dallas Hall opened its doors in 1915 and housed the entire University as well as a bank and a barbershop. Because Dallas Hall was built on a hill, SMU was nicknamed "The Hilltop".
The University's first president, Robert S. Hyer, selected Harvard crimson and Yale blue as the school colors in order to symbolize SMU's high standards.
During 2004-05, SMU received almost $15 million in external funding for research. Results of the funded research include:
The introduction of a new fossil species, Dallasaurus turneri, that represents a missing link in the evolution of mosasaurs (prehistoric contemporaries of dinosaurs that started on land but evolved in the seas)
The discovery of incontrovertible proof of the existence and location of Site Q, a long-sought Classic Maya city, in one of the longest hieroglyphic texts to be discovered in Guatemala in several decades
A new model for instruction, integrating academic standards with language skills, that can help children with limited English proficiency develop biliteracy in Spanish and English
Research into early detection, tracking, and response for cyberattacks that use phishing scams, resulting in software that can help prevent identity theft and other computer crimes
Study of a mechanical system that simulates the propulsion of jellyfish, which might propel tiny vehicles for microsurgery, undersea exploration, and military surveillance
Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship - The Institute offers education and training for today's entrepreneur who competes in a rapidly changing, fast paced, technology-driven environment.
Center for Teacher Education - Workshops and seminars provide lessons that are both useful in instructional delivery and applicable to required professional-development hours
Center for Teaching Excellence - Achieving teaching excellence is not formulaic: in diverse areas of the University, different teaching strategies work best. Therefore, the Center encourages dialogs across schools and disciplines.
Clements Center for Southwest Studies - This center promotes research, publishing, teaching, and public programming in a variety of fields of inquiry related to the American Southwest.
Center for Scientific Computation - This interdisciplinary research center is devoted to the application of computational techniques to problems in mathematics, engineering, and the applied sciences.
Center for Statistical Consulting and Research - Statistical consulting services include statistical data analysis and modeling, interpretation of the results, and presentation of conclusions using state-of-the-art statistical methods.
Center for the Advanced Study and Practice of Evangelism - It seeks to accomplish its mission by providing resources within the Field of Evangelism for scholars, local churches, and others engaged in evangelization, and by providing a strategic forum in which scholars and practitioners of evangelism can be in fruitful dialogue.
The Institute for Engineering Education - The Institute for Engineering Education at SMU has been established to pioneer an array of innovative programs designed to present engineering as a fun, challenging and rewarding career opportunity to a national audience of students in kindergarten through high school.
The Institute for Reading Research - The Institute's primary mission is to promote reading skills through research in the areas of developing reading interventions for children at-risk for failing to learn to read, children with mild to moderate mental retardation, and children who are either bilingual or who speak Spanish exclusively in the early primary grades.
JCPenney Center for Retail Excellence - The JCPenney Center for Retail Excellence is the leading source of academic expertise on consumer shopping behavior and the effects of retailer activities on shopping behavior.
John Goodwin Tower Center for Political Studies - The Center was established to support teaching and research programs in international studies and national security policy, focusing upon the institutions that structure national and international decision-making.
KPMG Institute for Corporate Governance - The KPMG Institute will explore corporate governance and ethical decision making, and how those choices impact the market’s perception of a firm and its future.
Law Institute of the Americas - NAFTA/FTAA-related Legal Studies, Latin American Legal Studies, Selective Canadian Legal Studies, Regional Intergovernmental Institutions, Related Rule of Law and Law Reform Issues, International Economic Law and Development Issues
Linda and Mitch Hart eCenter - The eCenter provides leadership in the development and use of interactive network technologies.
Maguire Energy Institute - Studies the economic, policy, marketing and management issues related to oil, natural gas and electricity.
Temerlin Advertising Institute - The Institute strives to advance the state of advertising communication through partnerships with both industry and government and through programs to blend the research interests of the academy and the profession
SMU's campus in Northern New Mexico offers summer credit courses and includes the excavation of a 13th-century Indian pueblo. The annual SMU-in-Taos Cultural Institute presents a weekend of informal classes taught by SMU faculty members.
The University Honors Program at SMU serves the highest achieving undergraduate students in all departments and majors across campus. Those invited to participate fulfill a 7 course requirement of their General Education Curriculum in small, often discussion-based classes. The Honors Program hosts many events throughout the academic year. It also offers considerable research grants, exclusive job opportunities, and other selective benefits to its student constituents.
Rankings & recognition
Overall University Rankings
SMU consistently ranks in the top third of national universities in the U.S. News & World Report annual guidebook America's Best Colleges.
SMU ranked No. 36 out of 98 schools in the 2005 NCSA Division I Power Rankings, which recognizes the nation's best overall collegiate athletics programs. Also, in the 2005-06 U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup Division I Final Standings, SMU is the top school in its conference for the eighth consecutive year.
The Cox BBA program ranks among the top 20 in BusinessWeek's 2006 national rankings.
Graduate Rankings
The Cox Executive MBA program is ranked by BusinessWeek as #16 world wide and #13 in the U.S., praising faculty members for real-world experience brought to the classroom.
The Cox Professional MBA program is ranked by U.S. News & World Report #10 in the nation, the only program in Texas named in the category.
The Cox Full Time MBA is ranked among the nation's top schools by BusinessWeek, Financial Times and Forbes.
The Meadows School of the Arts is one of only five schools in the country that is top tier in theatre, music, and dance.
Student life
In 2005, SMU was named #4 for "Happiest Students" and #4 for "Great College Towns" by Princeton Review.
A student also serves as a voting member of the Board of Trustees.
Student demographics
SMU is quite diverse. 21.6% of undergraduates claim to be minorities. There can be, in any given year, students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and almost 100 different countries.
SMU's female to male ratio is approximately 1:1 and its student-faculty ratio is 12:1. The average age of undergraduate students is 20.6 while that of graduate and professional students is 32.3.
Two-thirds of undergraduates and 42% of graduate students report a religious affiliation; 23.1% are Methodist, and 22.9% are Catholic. Other represented religions include Judaism, Hinduism, and Islam.
Housing
At SMU, the residence halls comprise a variety of room types, bathroom styles, and community areas. All of the residence halls have these common features:
Carpeted Rooms
Local Phone Service with Voicemail
Computer Connections via Ethernet
Air Conditioning
24-Hour Security Card Access System
Coed Residence Halls
Laundry Rooms with Coin-Operated Washers & Dryers
Soda Vending Machines
Microwave Ovens available in the Hall
Smoke-Free Environment
Resident Assistants and Hall Director
Residence halls
Boaz
Cockrell-McIntosh
Mary Hay
McElvaney
Morrison-McGinnis
Multicultural House
Perkins
Peyton
Shuttles
Smith
Virginia-Snider
Theme halls or apartments
Daniel House
Hawk
Martin
Moore
Service House
SMU Apartments
Student organizations
SMU has over 200 organizations, including Greek-oriented, academic and professional oriented, sports clubs, ethinic themed groups, religious and political diversity student groups
Greek life
In 2004, SMU's "major fraternity and sorority scene" was ranked #4 by Princeton Review.[3]
The Daily Campus, an independent student newspaper first published in 1915. It is published Tuesday-Friday during the Fall and Spring semesters and monthly during the summer.
The SMUDailyData, a news and community Web site housed in the Division of Journalism at SMU.
SMU-TV, a student-run television station serving the Park Cities community.
SMU's closest rival in athletics is Texas Christian University (TCU). TCU and SMU's football teams have competed annually (with the exception of 2006) for the Iron Skillet. In 2005, a nationally unranked SMU beat then 24th ranked TCU for SMU's first win against a ranked team in 19 years (since October 1986). TCU had won the previous seven football games played against SMU.
SMU also competes annually with Rice University in football for the Mayors Cup. The home team has won the event since 1986.
The SMU football program was a national powerhouse, with five alumni elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Raymond Berry, Eric Dickerson, Forrest Gregg, Lamar Hunt (as a contributor), and Doak Walker. In 1987, SMU became the only school in collegiate athletic history to receive the "Death Penalty", or having its program terminated, for making approximately $61,000 in booster payments, and in multiple violations.[4] In "A Payroll to Meet" by David Whitford, it is revealed that the "Death Penalty" was a result of the university administration's refusal to stop paying players already receiving payment. Since many players were poor, boosters would pay for rent or other bills for the parents of the athletes, and several key boosters and administration officials felt it would be unethical to cut off payments. When the "death penalty" was handed down, SMU had only three players - all seniors about to graduate - receiving payments.
The SMU Mustang mascot came into being when President Hyer's assistant, Dorothy Amann once noted that SMU football players looked like a "bunch of wild mustangs." The term "Mustangs" became official upon its approval by a student vote. SMU's official mascot was named after an early 20th century patent medicine, Peruna Tonic, which was popular for its highly alcoholic "kick." Peruna is a black stallion Shetland pony that attends all home football games. Peruna I was introduced in the 1930s by an early director of the Mustang Band, Cy Barcus. Peruna is accompanied to games by "Peruna Handlers", students who are trained to lead Peruna across the field after every touchdown.
The Boulevard - Before every home football game, SMU students, faculty, staff, and alumni gather along Bishop Boulevard (SMU's main street) for pregame picnicking and festivities. The North end of the Boulevard hosts the tents of student organizations, including almost every fraternity and sorority on campus. Other groups such as Student Council, Program Council, and the Student Senate have traditionally participated. Many tents offer free food and drinks. Many fraternities hire bartenders and serve beer to those students and visitors who are 21 and older. The South end of the Boulevard usually hosts the tents of alumni groups and groups from various departments of the school. It is not uncommon to see pets, alumni, and children of all ages with their parents, all walking along the Boulevard. Booths offer face and body painting and give away SMU gear such as pom-poms, stickers, and temporary tattoos. North of the Boulevard, SMU's Main Quad is made available to tailgaters from the opposing team.
The "M" Award - This award--given to students, faculty, staff, and administrators in recognition of exemplary service to the University--is SMU's most highly coveted recognition.
"Pony Ears" - Mustang fans show school pride by raising two bent fingers, a gesture known as "Pony Ears", during school songs, chants, and cheers.
Celebration of Lights - This winter tradition is a candlelit ceremony of songs and readings, held each December. The SMU community gathers on the Main Quad of the campus for this popular event. Traditionally, the Christmas story is read from the Bible by the University's president. Those who attend sing Christmas carols led by choirs from the Meadows School of the Arts and nearby high schools. The Christmas lights that decorate Dallas Hall and the surrounding trees are lit during this time.
Mustang Corral - This retreat in the Texas Hill Country is for entering first-year students. Student leaders, alumni, faculty, and staff welcome new students to the SMU community while sharing the rich history of spirit and traditions. Students meet professors, get to know each other, perform skits, and learn the school's cheers. They also compete in various events such as tug-of-war, sponge racing, and water balloon throwing in a camp-wide event known as The Olympics. The team that wins the Olympics receives the coveted Golden Rake.
Red and Blue Fridays - On the Friday before football games, SMU students wear red or blue shirts to show their support for the team. On game days, students and fans wear red. In the past, the University has sold an "official game day shirt", which is always red and usually features a clever saying or play on words relating to SMU's mascot, the Mustang.
The Mustang Band - The SMU marching band was the first band to play jazz music on a football field beginning in the 1930s. From 1959 forward, the band's instrumentation was designed to mimic that of a jazz band, consisting only of brass instruments, drums, and saxophones. And, the band began to use actual jazz arrangements instead of imitation jazz pieces written specifically for marching bands. The band has a unique uniform style (coat and tie) which evolves over each season: wearing different combinations of uniform parts for the first half of the game, switching or adding parts for the second half, and not repeating any of these combinations the entire season. The available parts include: Red Coat, Blue Coat, Candy-striped Coat, Red Vest, Blue Vest, Candy-striped Vest, white shirt (button-down), blue shirt, blue pants, white pants, red bow tie, blue bow tie, red long tie, and blue long tie. The band was all-male from 1959 to the late 1970s, when a lawsuit forced the band to admit women for the first time (despite the fact that the Mustang Band was not part of the music school, nor was band participation required for any degree).
Varsity (Alma Mater)
Oh we see the Varsity, Varsity, Varsity,
As she towers o'er the hill over there.
And our hearts are filled with joy, SMU, SMU,
Alma Mater, we'll be true forever.
Peruna
Peruna is the official SMU fight song. It is frequently played, and is based on "She'll Be Comin' Around The Mountain." Popular lyrics among students and alumni include, While the song officially has no words, it is often (in parody) sung as "She'll be loaded with Peruna when she comes."
Pony Battle Cry
-The Pony Battle Cry is SMU's official battle cry. The lyrics are:
Hail to the red and the blue
We’re the Mustangs from SMU.
Give a cheer, show your might,
Get the victory in sight.
For our battle cry will be:
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!
Spirit’s the best in the land,
And right to the end we’ll stand
For the M-U-S-T-A-N-G-S!
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!
Mighty Mustang Thunder
Mighty Mustangs Thunder through the canyon on the hill
For red and blue and SMU Mighty Mustangs always
Will fight! Fight! Fight!
Mighty Mustang Thunder from Peruna’s heart within,
Fighting back, fighting on, fighting hard,
Fighting strong,
Mighty Mustangs will win!
First Lady and SMU Alumna Laura Bush has served on the SMU Board of Trustees since 2000.
U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney was a diplomat-in-residence at SMU's John Goodwin Tower Center for Political Studies in March 1996. Later that year, Cheney was named to the SMU Board of Trustees, resigning in August 2000 when he became the Republican candidate for U.S. Vice President.
Academy Award winner Kathy Bates graduated from SMU in 1969. She also gave the commencement address for the class of 2002.
Pop culture
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President Dwight D. Eisenhower once quipped that "an atheist is a guy who watches a Notre Dame-SMU football game and doesn't care who wins."
The book "A Payroll to Meet: A Story of Greed, Corruption, and Football at SMU" is a literature account of the recruiting scandals and violations that ultimately led to the famous "Death Penalty" being instituted.
In the television show Dallas the character of Lucy Ewing was a student at Southern Methodist University, and several scenes were shot on location in the main quad. There was also a Memorial Scholarship mentioned in honor of Jock Ewing to SMU.
While students at SMU, siblings Bill and Julie Ann Brice founded I Can't Believe It's Yogurt!, a chain that grew to more than 400 locations throughout the United States and 17 foreign countries.
A group of 18 SMU Corporate Communications and Public Affairs students worked as volunteers for the George W. Bush 2001 inaugural events. In addition, a photograph of Laura Bush taken for SMU Magazine by university photographer Hillsman S. Jackson was chosen by her as her official inauguration photograph and appeared in all inauguration publications.
In the 2006 NBCreality television showTreasure Hunters, the victors of ten competing three-person teams were the members of team Geniuses, a team wholly comprised of SMU students which won $3 million in the largest reality show prize ever to date.
Thurston Howell III (from Gilligan's Island fame) claimed to have attended SMU (Southern Millionaires University), a nickname for Southern Methodist University meant to highlight the affluent communities of University Park and Highland Park that surround the University.
Jessica E. Jackson, class of 2007, was named one of the "Hottest College Girls" by Playboy Magazine in 2006.
The second season female winner, Cher, from Beauty and the Geek attended SMU.
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