Colorado State University Colorado State University ( also referred to as Colorado State and CSU ) is a public research university located in Fort Collins , in the U . S . state of Colorado . The university is the state ' s land grant university , and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System . The enrollment is approximately 27 , 500 students , including resident and non - resident instruction students . The university has approximately 1 , 540 faculty in eight colleges and 55 academic departments . Bachelor ' s degrees are offered in 65 fields of study , with Master ' s degrees in 55 fields . Colorado State confers doctoral degrees in 40 fields of study , in addition to a professional degree in veterinary medicine . In 2011 , CSU ' s research expenditures were $ 330 million - ranking second in the nation for public universities without a medical school . History . Colorado State University is a land - grant institution classified as a Carnegie Doctoral / Research University - Extensive . CSU was founded as Colorado Agricultural College in 1870 , six years before the Colorado Territory gained statehood . It was one of 68 land - grant colleges established under the Morrill Act of 1862 . Doors opened to a freshman class of 5 students in 1879 . The university has operated under four different names : Early years . Arising from the Morrill Act , the act to create the university was signed by Colorado Territory governor Edward M . McCook in 1870 . However , during its first years the university existed only on paper . While a board of 12 trustees was formed to " purchase and manage property , erect buildings , establish basic rules for governing the institutions and employ buildings , " the near complete lack of funding by the territorial legislature for this mission severely hampered progress . The first parcel of land for the campus was deeded in 1871 by Robert Dazell . In 1872 , the Larimer County Land Improvement Company contributed a second 80 - acre ( 320 , 000 m² ) parcel . The first $ 1000 to erect buildings was finally allocated by the territorial legislature in 1874 . The funds were not sufficient , however , and trustees were required to find a matching amount , which they eventually obtained from local citizens and businesses . Among the institutions which donated matching funds was the local Grange , which was heavily involved in the early establishment of the university . As part of this effort , in the spring of 1874 Grange No . 7 held a picnic and planting event at the corner of College Avenue and West Laurel Street , and later plowed and seeded 20 acres ( 80 , 000 m² ) of wheat on a nearby field . Within several months , the university ' s first building , a - by - 24 - foot red brick building nicknamed the " Claim Shanty " was finished , providing the first tangible presence of the institution in Fort Collins . After Colorado achieved statehood in 1876 , the territorial law establishing the college was required to be reauthorized . In 1877 , the state legislature created the eight - member State Board of Agriculture to govern the school . Early in the 21st century , the governing board was renamed the Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System . The legislature also authorized a railroad right - of - way across the campus and a mill levy to raise money for construction of the campus ' first main building , Old Main , which was completed in December 1878 . Despite wall cracks and other structural problems suffered during its first year , the building was opened in time for the welcoming of the first five students on September 1 , 1879 by university president Elijah Evan Edwards . Enrollment grew to 25 by 1880 . During Colorado Agricultural College ' s first term in fall 1879 , the school functioned more as a college - prep school than a college because of the lack of trained students . Consequently , the first course offerings were arithmetic , English , U . S . history , natural philosophy , horticulture and farm economy . Students also labored on the college farm and attended daily chapel services . The spring term provided the first true college - level instruction . Despite his accomplishments , Edwards resigned in spring 1882 because of conflicts with the State Board of Agriculture , a young faculty member , and with students . The board ' s next appointee as president was Charles Ingersoll , a graduate and former faculty member at Michigan Agricultural College , who began his nine years of service at CAC with just two full - time faculty members and 67 students , 24 of whom were women . President Charles Ingersoll . Agricultural research would grow rapidly under Ingersoll . The Hatch Act of 1887 provided federal funds to establish and maintain experiment stations at land - grant colleges . Ainsworth Blount , CAC ' s first professor of practical agriculture and manager of the College Farm , had become known as a " one man experiment station " , and the Hatch Act expanded his original station to five Colorado locations . The curriculum expanded as well , introducing coursework in engineering , animal science , and liberal arts . New faculty members brought expertise in botany , horticulture , entomology , and irrigation engineering . CAC made its first attempts at animal science during 1883 – 84 , when it hired veterinary surgeon George Faville . Faville conducted free weekly clinics for student instruction and treatment of local citizen ' s diseased or injured animals . Veterinary science at the college languished for many years following Faville ' s departure in 1886 . President Ingersoll believed the school neglected special programs for women . Despite the reluctance of the institution ' s governing board , CAC began opening the door to liberal arts in 1885 , and by Ingersoll ' s last year at CAC the college had instituted a " Ladies Course " that offered junior and senior women classes in drawing , stenography and typewriting , foreign languages , landscape gardening and psychology . Ingersoll ' s belief in liberal yet practical education conflicted with the narrower focus of the State Board of Agriculture , and a final clash in April 1891 led to his resignation . In 1884 , CAC would celebrate the commencement of its first three graduates . Turn of the 20th century . Alston Ellis encountered limited funding and decided rapidly in 1895 to reduce the number of Experiment Stations . Female students grew in number from 44 in 1892 to 112 in 1896 , and by fall 1895 , the college ' s new domestic - economy program was in place . Football had a one - year stint at CAC in 1893 , but Ellis was not a supporter of extracurricular activities and was especially hostile towards football . Barton Aylesworth became the school ' s fourth president in 1899 , and the combination of his non - confrontational style with the presence of the vocal Colorado Cattle and Horse Growers Association on the governing board allowed ranching and farming interests to take the college ' s agricultural programs to new heights , greatly influencing the development of the entire school . Initially , the influence of ranching interests brought tremendous progress to CAC ' s agricultural programs . Enrollment quadrupled , studies in veterinary medicine were re - established , and CAC ' s Experiment Station benefited from lobbying that finally secured state appropriations . Eventually , conflicts with agricultural interests may have prompted Aylesworth to begin promoting a more balanced curriculum at CAC , which he then fought hard to defend . The conflict also led him to tire and negotiate his resignation . Aylesworth was a big supporter of extracurricular activities . Football returned to the college in fall 1899 , but baseball was the school ' s most popular sport . In 1903 , the women ' s basketball team won CAC ' s first unofficial athletic championship , culminating with a victory over the University of Colorado . New clubs , fraternities , and sororities also emerged . By 1905 , the school had a fledgling music department , which two years later became the Conservatory of Music . President Charles Lory . Taking office in 1909 , CAC President Charles Lory oversaw the school ' s maturation and reconciled longstanding conflicts between supporters of a broad or specialized curriculum . He embarked on a demanding schedule of personal appearances to make Colorado Agricultural College known as an institution that served the state ' s needs . Another of Lory ' s notable achievements was putting the school on solid fiscal ground , meeting rising construction costs and freeing the institution of debt . The onset of World War I influenced all aspects of CAC , but nowhere was the impact more apparent than in the institution ' s programs for farmers . World War I created demands for American agricultural products , and CAC established new food production committees , information services and cultivation projects to help improve food production and conservation in Colorado . World War I also drew men from campus to Europe ' s battlefields . In June 1916 , the National Defense Act created the Reserve Officers Training Corps . A few months later CAC applied to establish an ROTC unit in Fort Collins and resurrected a defunct National Guard unit on campus . During the early 1930s , CAC ' s community - wide activities were greatly influenced by the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl . The Extension Service organized relief programs for inhabitants of Eastern Colorado , of whom a survey found 20 , 000 to be urgently in need of food , and helped sustain cropland threatened by pests and drought . President Lory sought to help Colorado farmers by pushing for major tax reforms to relieve them of high tax burdens , and played a significant role in a 1930s project that supplied irrigation water for agricultural development in Eastern Colorado . Lory and the State Board had challenges of their own back on campus . In response to claims that the university was falling behind national standards , the board retired or demoted several senior professors and administrators deemed past the peak of their proficiency , and hired new doctorate - holding personnel while consolidating sections of lecture courses . A student petition led to the governing - board to change the college ' s name to more accurately reflect the diversity of its academic programs , and in 1935 the school became the Colorado State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts , or Colorado A & M . After 31 years of leadership , President Lory announced his retirement in 1938 . From World War II into the modern era . Soon after Pearl Harbor , Colorado A & M began to look like a military post , with the college serving as many as 1 , 500 servicemen . New President Roy Green tried to prepare for the sudden departure of students and arrival of servicemen by improving ROTC facilities , and introducing military - training programs . Although servicemen filed onto campus , student enrollment at Colorado A & M , 1 , 637 in fall 1942 , dropped to 701 by fall 1943 , and female students outnumbered their male counterparts for the first time . When the war ceased in 1945 , soldiers returning from Europe and the Pacific filled U . S . higher - education institutions . Nearly 1 , 040 students attended the college in fall 1946 , and about 1 , 600 students enrolled by spring 1946 . Close to 80 former " Aggies " died in World War II including football talent Lewis " Dude " Dent . Colorado A & M becomes a university under Bill Morgan . Colorado A & M shed its image as a narrow technical college and became a university in appearance and title during the 1950s under president Bill Morgan . Providing adequate student housing for an increasing number of youth approaching college age and improving cramped instructional facilities were among the first tests of Morgan ' s leadership . He responded , and five new residence halls were completed between 1953 – 1957 . Colorado A & M took advantage of a new mill levy won through aggressive lobbying to construct several new academic facilities , among them Morgan Library , completed in 1964 . Academic offerings grew to include advanced degrees . The State Board of Agriculture approved a doctoral degree in civil engineering in 1951 , and three years later allowed other qualified departments to offer doctorates . Morgan believed students earning this advanced degree should hold it from a university , and so began a campaign to change the name of Colorado A & M . In 1957 , the Colorado General Assembly approved the new name of Colorado State University . The 1960s : Student activism . Colorado State became a scene of intense student activism during the 1960s and early 1970s . The reduction of strict campus regulations for women was among the early targets of student activists , coming to the forefront in 1964 when a 21 - year - old female student moved into unapproved off - campus housing to accommodate her late hours as editor of the student newspaper . Continual student protests eventually led to the loosening of curfews for women and the opportunity for junior and senior coeds to live off campus . The civil - rights movement on campus also picked up momentum and visibility . In spring 1969 , shortly before Morgan ' s retirement , Mexican - American and African - American student organizations presented a list of demands to university officials primarily urging increased recruitment of minority students and employees . The demonstrators ' occupation of the Administration Building continued to the front lawn of Morgan ' s home . Students and university representatives took their concerns to state officials , but Colorado legislators rejected a subsequent university request for funds to support minority recruitment . Civil rights tension resurfaced in January 1970 during a peaceful student demonstration before a Colorado State - Brigham Young University basketball game in protest of alleged racist practices of the LDS Church . The demonstration became violent and clashes with riot police ensued . Anti - military protest took place in dramatic form at Colorado State from 1968 – 70 . On March 5 , 1968 , several hundred students and faculty with anti - war sentiments marched to Fort Collins ' downtown War Memorial and wiped blood on a placard tied to the memorial . Hecklers and blockaders created such a disturbance that police had to disperse the non - marchers . In May , 1970 , as campus peace activists held the second day of a student strike in the gymnasium in response to the U . S . invasion of Cambodia and the student deaths at Kent State University , one or more arsonists set Old Main ablaze , destroying the 92 - year - old cornerstone of Colorado State . The 2000s : CSU under President Penley . In his welcoming address for the fall 2007 semester , former CSU President Larry Edward Penley called for CSU to set the standard for the 21st century public land - grant research university . He has identified as the heart of this ideal the contribution to the prosperity and quality of life of the local and international community , in part through fostering relationships and collaborations with federal research partners , the business community and key industries . A part of this approach is Colorado State ' s new Supercluster research model , designed to utilize interdisciplinary , issue - based research on pressing global issues in which the university has particular expertise and connect research results to the marketplace . Initial Superclusters in infectious disease and in cancer research have been launched , and an upcoming clean energy Supercluster dovetails with an overall emphasis on campus sustainability . A wind farm is being built to power the main campus , and new residence halls have been constructed according to national green building standards . A sustainability advisory committee has been charged to coordinate green activities at Colorado State . While maintaining historic ties to local agriculture , administration officials have also emphasized the desire to better connect with the local community . Currently , CSU is party to UniverCity , a multi - organization initiative that links the school with city government , community and business associations to expand and synchronize working relationships . Another goal set by the university is to improve undergraduate education . Essential tasks , according to Penley , are access and graduation rates , particularly for qualified low - income and minority students , and an education international in scope suited to a global economy . Facilities improvements underway include a new biocontainment research lab , a campus center for the arts , and a new computer science building . With state financial support declining , CSU has also put a focus on alternate funding models based on market - based financial strategies and increased forms of private support . Marketing and public relations have also become part of university strategy to attract quality students and increase public awareness of Colorado State . Campus . Colorado State University is located in Fort Collins , Colorado , a mid - size city of approximately 142 , 000 residents at the base of the Rocky Mountains . The university ' s main campus is located in central Fort Collins , and includes a veterinary teaching hospital . CSU is also home to a Foothills Campus , a agricultural campus , and the Pingree Park mountain campus . CSU utilizes for research centers and Colorado State Forest Service stations outside of Larimer County . Main campus . At the heart of the CSU campus lies the Oval , an expansive green area around , lined with 65 American Elm trees . Designed in 1909 , the Oval remains a center of activity and a major landmark at CSU . The Administration Building , constructed in 1924 , faces the Oval from the south end , while several academic and administrative buildings occupy its perimeter . The Music Building , once the university library , currently houses the Institute for Learning and Teaching , which provides academic and career counseling as well as other student - focused programs . The music department moved to the University Center for the Arts upon its opening in 2008 . At the northeast corner of the Oval is Ammons Hall , formerly the women ' s recreational center and now home to the University Welcome Center . Just to the east of Ammons stands Guggenheim Hall , which currently houses the Department of Manufacturing Technology and Construction Management . The building was constructed in 1910 as a gift from U . S . Senator Simon F . Guggenheim to promote the study of home economics , and was recently renovated according to green building standards . Rounding out the Oval are the Weber Building , the Statistics Building , the Occupational Therapy Building , and Laurel Hall . Another campus focal point is the main plaza , around which can be found Lory Student Center and Morgan Library , as well as several academic buildings . The Lory Student Center , named for former CSU president Charles Lory , houses Student Media , numerous organization offices , Student Government , and spaces to eat , drink and study . The Morgan Library was originally constructed in 1965 and named for former CSU president William E . Morgan . Following the flood of ' 97 , this facility went through an extensive improvement project that included an addition to the main building and a renovation of the existing structure , with works completed in 1998 . Current holdings include more than 2 million books , bound journals , and government documents . Morgan Library is currently undergoing a 13 , 000 square - foot addition and renovation project designed to provide more seating , computing and study space . Veterinary hospital . The James L . Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital complex was constructed in 1979 and consists of four main buildings , the Main Hospital , the Horse and Food Animal Hospital , the Large Animal Isolation Facility , and the Raptor Facility . Located south of the main campus in Fort Collins , the Main Hospital is a full service hospital divided into small and large animal clinics that annually serve 19 , 000 small animals and 2 , 700 large animals from around the world . The Veterinary program at Colorado State is one of the most respected in the country . Pingree Park . In addition to university property in Fort Collins , large tracts of land for research exist in CSU ' s name throughout the state of Colorado . Among these is the Pingree Park campus situated in the Mummy Range northwest of town . It was initially selected by former CSU president Charles A . Lory and began classes for Civil Engineering and Forestry students in 1913 and 1915 , respectively . In the summertime , Pingree Park hosts educational programs for students in the College of Natural Resources , and is also used as a conference space for numerous corporations , government and private organizations , and universities . Foothills Campus . The Foothills Campus , located on northwest edge of Fort Collins , is home to the department of atmospheric sciences , as well as several research and outreach centers . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Engineering Research Center , B . W . Pickett Equine Center , Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere ( CIRA ) , the Colorado Division of Wildlife , and the Animal Reproduction Biotechnology Lab can all be found at the Foothills Campus . The Department of Mechanical Engineering has converted an aircraft manufacturing facility near Christman Field into a Motorsport Research facility . A new addition to the Foothills Campus , the Regional Biocontainment Laboratory , opened in Fall of 2007 as an addition to the Judson M . Harper ( former Vice President of Research ) Research Complex . It houses some of the university ' s top research facilities including three high - security containment " pods . " This laboratory is among few in the United States to have level - three biocontainment security . Organization . Administration . Colorado State University is a public land - grant institution and Carnegie Doctoral / Research University Extensive . The Board of Governors presides over the Colorado State University System , which comprises Colorado State University , Colorado State University - Pueblo , and CSU - Global Campus . The Board consists of nine voting members appointed by the Governor of Colorado and confirmed by the Colorado State Senate , and four elected non - voting members . Voting members are community leaders from many fields , including agriculture , business , and public service . A student and faculty representative from each university act as non - voting Board members . The current , and 14th president of Colorado State University is Anthony A . Frank . A 13 member Board of Governors oversees the Colorado State University System . Joe Zimlich , President and CEO of Bohemian Companies , serves as the current Chairman of the Board of Governors . At its December 2008 public meeting , the Board of Governors of the CSU System decided it was in the best interest of all CSU system campuses to separate what had previously been a conjoined position of CSU System chancellor and CSU Fort Collins president . On May 5 , 2009 Joe Blake was named the finalist for the chancellor position . Academic programs . Colorado State offers 150 programs of study across 8 colleges and 55 departments . In addition to its notable programs in biomedical sciences , engineering , environmental science , agriculture , and human health and nutrition , CSU offers professional programs in disciplines including business , journalism , and construction management as well as in the liberal and performing arts , humanities , and social sciences . Facts and figures . Colorado State employs a total of 1 , 540 faculty members , with 1 , 000 on tenure - track appointments . The student : faculty ratio is 17 : 1 . CSU awarded 6 , 090 degrees in 2009 – 2010 , including 4 , 336 bachelor ' s degrees , 1 , 420 master ' s degrees , 203 doctoral degrees , and 131 Doctor in Veterinary Medicine degrees . CSU ' s current president is Tony Frank . Academic colleges . College of Agricultural Sciences . Preparing students in land stewardship and natural resources , the College of Agricultural Sciences offers majors in traditional disciplines such as agronomy , animal science , and horticulture and Landscape Architecture , in addition to Organic Agriculture and Agribusiness degrees suited to contemporary developments . College facilities include greenhouses , farms , ranches , and an equine center . In conjunction with the School of Education , the College of Agricultural Sciences provides an interdisciplinary program that leads to a Bachelor of Science and a teaching license in Agricultural Education . The College offers master ' s degrees in Agricultural Education , Agricultural Extension Education , Integrated Resource Management , and the Peace Corps Masters International Program . The college - sponsored Specialty Crops Program aims to help local growers master production systems , and explore marketing opportunities for their specialty crops . College of Applied Human Sciences . With programs in education , individual and family development , health , housing , or design , studies in the College of Applied Human Sciences are human - centered , focused on social problems and quality of life issues . CAHS is one of the largest on campus with more than 4 , 000 undergraduate students and over 850 graduate students . Extension specialists , such as in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition , provide valuable health , nutrition , and food safety information to the public . The Human Performance Clinical Research Laboratory in the Department of Health and Exercise Science provides heart attack prevention evaluations to underserved populations , and the Center for Community Partnerships works with citizens with disabilities . The college also has a role in the new Colorado School of Public Health , to be jointly operated with UC Denver Health Sciences Center and the University of Northern Colorado . College of Business . Colorado State University ' s College of Business offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with 6 concentrations , Accounting , Computer Information Systems , Finance , Marketing , Organization and Innovation Management , and Real Estate . Colorado State ' s on - campus Master of Business Administration ( MBA ) began in 1968 , and offers several distinctive degrees . The Computer Information Systems concentration within the Master of Science in Business Administration is one of the oldest CIS degrees in the country . The new Global and Sustainable Enterprise MSBA takes on environmental conservation , microfinance , public health , alternative energy and agriculture from a business perspective . Each student completes a summer of fieldwork , typically in a developing country . The Denver - based Executive MBA Program instructs professionals , emerging business leaders and mid - to - senior level managers . For over 40 years , CSU has also provided a well - regarded Distance MBA Program . College of Engineering . The College of Engineering , originally the first engineering program in the state of Colorado , contains the departments of Atmospheric Science , Chemical and Biological Engineering , Civil and Environmental Engineering , Electrical and Computer Engineering , and Mechanical Engineering . A new degree concentration in International Engineering is available as a dual degree in the Liberal Arts and Engineering Science . College of Engineering students are engaged in international service projects through groups such as Engineers Without Borders . In 2005 , college faculty generated $ 50 million in research expenditures , exceeding an average of $ 500K per faculty member . The College is home to four recognized Colorado State University Programs of Research and Scholarly Excellence : the Department of Atmospheric Science , the Center for Extreme Ultraviolet Science and Technology , the Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory , and the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Program . The university ' s department of Mechanical Engineering is the authority for the Motorsport Engineering Research Center . The research and development facility is located near the foothills campus of the school . The center houses the university ' s Formula SAE team , and is home to past and present formula SAE competition open wheeled race cars , and the current EcoCAR2 team , developing a hydrogen propulsion Chevrolet Mablibu sedan . , The Department of Mechanical Engineering also offers a motorsports engineering concentration at the Masters of Science level . Along with the Motorsport Engineering Research Center of the Foothills Campus , the Department of Mechanical Engineering also facilitates the Engines and Energy conversion lab , now going through an expansion to become the Powerhouse Energy Institute . At this lab , massive internal combustion generators are investigated and made more efficient . The lab is also home to a CSU company developing Biofuel derived of algae . Laser Ignition Spark Plugs and Clean burning cookstoves are examples to technologies developed from this lab . The University ' s College of Engineering also houses the NSF EUV ERC , or the Engineering Research Center . This facility has connections to UC Berkley and CU Boulder , and researches Extreme Ultraviolets . The building is also home to the world ' s largest wave hydraulic simulator . Nearby one can find the CIRA , or Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere , in connections with NOAA College of Liberal Arts . Liberal Arts is the largest college at Colorado State , with 12 departments and one center , more than 4600 undergraduate students and 550 graduate students . The following 12 departments comprise the College of Liberal Arts : School of the Arts , Anthropology , Economics , English , Foreign Languages and Literatures , History , Journalism and Technical Communication , Performing Arts , Philosophy , Political Science , Sociology , Speech Communication , and the Center for Applied Studies in American Ethnicity . Interdisciplinary programs offered are Intensive English , Women ' s Studies , International Studies and Environmental Affairs . Warner College of Natural Resources . The origins of the Warner College of Natural Resources can be traced to CSU ' s first forestry course in 1904 . Over the following 100 years the College has grown to become a comprehensive natural resources college , with academic programs and research in forest sciences , fisheries , wildlife and conservation biology , geosciences , rangeland ecology , recreation and tourism , watershed management and environmental sciences . The College has traditionally been very involved in supporting the local farming community . The Colorado Natural Heritage Program ( CNHP ) tracks Colorado ' s rare and imperiled species and habitats , and Colorado Water Knowledge provides water information of all kinds . The Environmental Learning Center , located three miles ( 5 km ) east of campus on the Poudre River , hosts many CSU research projects and educational programs . The Western Center for Integrated Resource Management works on sustainability and profitability with graduate students and local farmers . On an international scale , the college provides technical assistance , training , and research opportunities for protected area managers and students in over 28 sites in Latin America , Asia , and the United States . College of Natural Sciences . The College of Natural Sciences had the third highest enrollment of all colleges on CSU ' s campus with 3 , 684 students and the third largest undergraduate major , psychology . One quarter of participants in the CSU Honors Program are in Natural Sciences , and the college provides students the opportunity to participate in a Living Learning Community in Ingersoll Residential College . Graduate and undergraduate students complete their coursework the departments of Biochemistry , Biology , Chemistry , Computer Science , Mathematics , Physics , Psychology , Statistics , Zoology , and the Center for Science Math and Technology Education . Interdisciplinary degree programs cover Cellular and Molecular Biology , Ecology , Neuroscience , and Biomedical Engineering . College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences . The College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences is home to the No . 3 ranked veterinary medicine program in the nation , according to U . S . News & World Report . The program is an integral part of the four departments that along with the James L . Voss Veterinary Medical Center and the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory comprise the college . Two faculty members are members of the National Academy of Sciences , five faculty members are University Distinguished Professors , and one faculty member is a University Distinguished Teaching Scholar . Undergraduate programs are offered in Biomedical Sciences , Environmental Health and Microbiology . The college houses a variety of graduate programs at both the M . S . and Ph . D . levels , many of which also require the doctor of veterinary medicine degree . Interdisciplinary programs explore biotechnology , neuroscience , resource and livestock management . The College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University has the largest research program of any college of veterinary medicine in the world . Research facilities and programs include the Robert H . and Mary G . Flint Animal Cancer Center , and the Equine Orthopedic Research Center . The Environmental Health Advanced Systems Laboratory researches the use of computer - based technology in environmental health studies . Over the last 10 years , The EHASL has worked with the US Environmental Protection Agency , National Cancer Institute , and Centers for Disease Control . In July 2012 the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences is going to have a new dean Dr . Stetter . Dr . Stetter is taking over for Dr . Lance Perryman who is retiring after being the dean for 11 years . Institutes and Centers . Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere ( CIRA ) ISTeC ( The Information Science & Technology Center at Colorado State University ) Program rankings . U . S . News & World Report : The Professional Veterinary Medicine program is currently ranked second in the nation by U . S . News & World Report and first in the country in federal research dollars . In the 2011 edition , U . S . News & World Report ' s " Best Colleges " ranked CSU as # 124 among public and private national universities and 60th among public universities . U . S . News & World Report " America ' s Best Graduate Schools " Rankings : < br > " Top Graduate Programs " ( ranked in 2010 ) : < br > Biological Sciences - 82nd < br > Chemistry - 45th < br > Earth Science - 69th < br > Mathematics - 76th < br > Physics - 70th " Top Engineering Schools " - 63rd ( ranked in 2010 ) < br > Civil Engineering - 39th < br > Electrical Engineering - 66th < br > Environmental / Environmental Health Engineering - 42nd < br > Mechanical Engineering - 67th " Top Graduate Programs " ( ranked in 2009 ) : < br > Psychology - 91st < br > Social Work - 60th " Top Graduate Programs " ( ranked in 2008 ) : < br > Occupational Therapy Master ' s - 8th Princeton Review : Considers CSU one of the " Best 373 Colleges , " and named the university a " Best Western College " , which refers to schools that stand out in their region . The " Review " also includes CSU ' s College of Business as one of the 301 " Best Business Schools " in the country , and in 2007 named CSU ' s MBA program as one of the 10 best administered programs nationwide . Business Week : Includes CSU ' s undergraduate business program among the best in the country in 2011 , ranked at # 89 Consumers Digest : One of the top 50 best values for public universities National Science Foundation : CSU is among the nation ' s top 5 % universities in terms of federal research dollars received for engineering and the sciences . The Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index , based on faculty publications , federal grant dollars awarded , and honors and awards . < br > Announced by Academic analytics in 2007 , high ranking departments at Colorado State : < br > Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics : 1 < br > Department of Biology : 2 < br > Department of Atmospheric Sciences : 3 < br > Department of Fish , Wildlife , and Conservation Biology : 5 < br > Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition : 8 < br > Department of Soil and Crop Sciences / soil science : 9 < br > Department of Soil and Crop Sciences / agronomy : 10 < br > Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering : 10 Notable areas of research . In 2009 , total research expenditures were $ 312 million , of which $ 217 million came from federal research funds . The figures represent a 3 % increase over 2008 , and a 38 % increase over the past five years . Historically , CSU faculty were at the forefront of radiation treatment for cancer , environmental and animal ethics , and weather forecasting . A 1961 feasibility study at CSU was crucial for the establishment of the Peace Corps . CSU faculty members are noted for their research on great global challenges including the reemergence of tuberculosis , the brown cloud of air pollution in Asian cities , severe weather forecasting , nutrition and wellness , and bio - terrorism . CSU researchers in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences process and manage incoming data from a new satellite called CloudSat , which enables scientists to see cloud properties and vertical structure . Since its launch , CloudSat has made 5 , 307 orbits around the Earth . Abound Solar ( formerly known as AVA Solar ) , a start - up formed by a CSU engineering professor , is commercializing a method for manufacturing low - cost , high - efficiency solar panels . Another research project has taken CSU faculty to Mexico to study dengue fever . Research in the Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory has created a technological solution to limit pollutants from single - stroke engines , and is now in widespread use in the Philippines . Outlying campuses cater to a range of research activities including crops research , animal reproduction , public health and watershed management . The Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station ( CAES ) was established in 1888 in accordance with provisions of the Hatch Act of 1887 , calling for experiment stations at land - grant universities . State and federal funds support CAES research programs . In 2007 , research activities included pest management , food safety and nutrition , environmental quality , plant and animal production systems , and community and rural development . The NSF Engineering Research Center for Extreme Ultra Violet Science and Technology , funded by the National Science Foundation , partners industry with Colorado State University , CU - Boulder , and the University of California - Berkeley . The center has three research thrusts in Engineered EUV Sources , Imaging , Patterning , and Metrology , and Novel Linear and Non - Linear Spectroscopies The Colorado Center for Biorefining and Biofuels ( C2B2 ) is the first research center created under the umbrella of the new Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory , involving CSU , CU , Colorado School of Mines , and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory . The center develops biofuels and bio - refining technologies . Colorado State ' s new research Supercluster model brings together researchers across disciplines to work on topics of global concern in which CSU has a demonstrated expertise . Research results are connected to the marketplace through transfer , patenting and licensing activities carried out by experts with a focus on each research area . CSU has established Superclusters in Infectious Disease and Cancer Research and Treatment . A third , in clean energy , is being developed . CSU has a well established research program in infectious disease . The new Regional Biocontainment Laboratory , funded by the National Institutes of Health , is home to scientists developing vaccines and drugs for some world ' s most devastating diseases . The Biocontainment Laboratory also houses one of 10 US Regional Centers of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases , funded by a $ 40 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases . Much of the Cancer Supercluster , which involves the collaboration of five colleges , is based around the work of the university ' s Animal Cancer Center , the largest center of its kind in the world . International programs . Approximately 950 students per year participate in educational programs abroad , and nearly 1 , 300 foreign students and scholars from more than 85 countries are engaged in academic work and research on campus . The initial pilot studies for the Peace Corps were conducted by Colorado State faculty , and the university is consistently one of the top - ranking institutions in the nation for the recruitment of Peace Corps volunteers . Since 1988 , CSU and the Peace Corps have participated in four cooperative master ' s degree programs in English , Food Science and Human Nutrition , Natural Resources , and Agriculture . The program involves at least 2 semesters of course work at CSU combined with time abroad as a Peace Corps volunteer . Colorado State offers various programs on campus for students interested in international issues . Regional specializations with core courses and electives are available in Asian Studies , Middle Eastern Studies , Latin American and Caribbean Studies , or Russian , Eastern and Central Europe Studies . The Global Village Living Learning Community is a housing option for students with international interests . Honors Program . The Honors Program provides challenging and enriching programs for high achieving students in all majors through two academic tracks . One track is designed for students aiming to complete their general education requirements within the Honors Program , and a second is composed of upper division courses , usually appropriate for currently enrolled or transfer students . The Academic Village , which opened in fall 2007 , offers 180 Honor students the opportunity to live in the Honors Living Learning Community . 1 , 126 students participated in the Honors Program in fall 2007 . Athletics . Colorado State University competes in 16 sponsored intercollegiate sports , including 10 for women ( cross country , indoor track , outdoor track , volleyball , basketball , golf , tennis , swimming , softball , and water polo ) and six for men ( football , cross country , indoor track , outdoor track , basketball , and golf ) . Colorado State ' s athletic teams compete along with 8 other institutions in the Mountain West Conference , which is an NCAA Division I conference and sponsors Division I FBS football . The Conference was formed in 1999 , splitting from the former 16 - member Western Athletic Conference . CSU has won 9 MWC tournament championships and won or shared 11 regular season titles . Rams football teams won or shared the Mountain West title in 1999 , 2000 and 2002 . On December 13 , 2011 Jim McElwain was introduced as the head football coach at Colorado State . McElwain had worked as the Alabama offensive coordinator from 2008 to 2011 . Student life . Fort Collins is located north of Denver , approximately 2 hours from major ski resorts and 45 minutes from Rocky Mountain National Park . There are opportunities for students to be active , with bike trails and hiking nearby . In 2006 , " Money " ranked Fort Collins as the " Best Place to Live " in the United States . Clubs and activities . There are 325 student organizations and 34 honor societies at CSU . 60 % of undergraduates participate in intramural sports while 5 % join one of 19 fraternities and 14 sororities . There are 30 sport clubs , including cycling , baseball , water polo , triathlon , wrestling , and rugby . 300 music , theatre and dance performances , exhibitions , and other arts events take place on campus each year . The student government is the Associated Students of Colorado State University . CSU ' s daily newspaper is the Rocky Mountain Collegian . CSU also has a student - run campus television station and a student radio station , KCSU FM . Sport clubs . Sport Clubs at Colorado State University were established in 1978 . They are run and funded by student fees and team fundraisers and compete with other colleges and universities but not at the NCAA level . There are currently 30 Sport Club teams . Every year the clubs take a combined 150 trips . There are over 1 , 000 students associated with the program . Last year 23 of these teams competed at regional and national championships . The programs have enjoyed a significant amount of recent success with National Championships in : Men ' s Ice Hockey ( 1995 ) Women ' s Lacrosse ( 2008 , 2010 ) ; Baseball ( 2004 , 2005 , 2006 , 2008 , 2009 , 2010 ) ; Men ' s Lacrosse ( 1999 , 2001 , 2003 , 2006 , 2012 ) . The sport clubs at Colorado State University include : Alpine Ski Team , Baseball , Bowling ( Coed ) , Crew , Cycling , Field Hockey , Horse Polo ( Men ' s and Women ' s ) , Ice Hockey ( Men ' s and Women ' s ) , In - Line Hockey , Lacrosse ( Men ' s and Women ' s ) , Logging Sports , Rodeo ( Men ' s and Women ' s ) , Rugby ( Men ' s and Women ' s ) , Shotgun Sports ( Men ' s and Women ' s ) , Snowboard , Soccer ( Men ' s and Women ' s ) , Synchronized Ice Skating , Triathlon ( Coed ) , Ultimate Frisbee Summer League , Ultimate Frisbee ( Men ' s and Women ' s ) , Volleyball , Water Polo ( Men ' s and Women ' s ) , and Wrestling ( Men ' s and Women ' s ) Student media . The " Rocky Mountain Collegian " is CSU ' s student - run daily newspaper , where students have complete control over editorial decisions . The paper was founded in 1891 , and was a weekly publication by the 1930s . During the 1940s and 1950s , the paper earned disrepute in the local community for its unpopular support of women ' s rights and anti - racism stance . By the 1970s , the Collegian was consistently publishing daily . Editorial quality and financial support have varied over the years , at times rising among elite college newspapers and at others struggling to publish . During the 1990s , the paper was twice selected as one of the top 12 daily student papers in the country . In late 2007 , the Collegian published a staff article that incited national debate about free speech . The article read , in its entirety , " Taser This . . . Fuck Bush . " This event , as well as president Penley ' s considerations of " partnering " out the Collegian by Gannett in January 2008 , lead to proposals in making CSU ' s student media , including the Rocky Mountain Collegian , a not - for - profit organization independent from the university . This resulted in the entirety of CSU Student Media to separate from the university to operate under an independent company , the Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation . KCSU is Colorado State ' s student run station , with a format focusing on alternative and college rock music , including indie rock , punk , hip - hop and electronic music . News , sports and weather updates along with talk programs and specialty shows round out the programming schedule . Broadcasting at 10 , 000 watt s , KCSU is among the larger college stations in the country , reaching approximately 250 , 000 listeners . KCSU first began broadcasting in 1964 as a station owned , operated and financed by students . Following a long period as a professional station , KCSU again became student run in 1995 , at which time the current format was adopted . As with the Collegian and CTV , KCSU was hit hard by the 1997 flood , and for a time was forced to broadcast from remote locations . Now back in its original Lory Student Center location , KCSU has benefited from revamped production facilities and updated equipment . CTV is CSU ' s student - run television station , that allows students to hone their media skills - reporting , writing , producing , shooting , editing - in an educational environment . The station is a winner of fourteen Rocky Mountain Collegiate Media Association awards and a Student Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Heartland Chapter . Content includes news shows on Tuesdays – Thursdays , a sports show on Mondays , and " The Colorado Music Lounge , " a coproduction with KCSU that profiles local bands performing live , which airs weekly . CTV was founded in 1989 , and currently broadcasts weeknights on the university cable station ( Comcast channel 11 ) at 8pm , with reruns at 9am and 12 noon the next day . Student - run magazine College Avenue was founded in 2005 with the goal , as put forth by its founding editors , of giving students a new forum to address controversial issues affecting the campus community from their own vantage point . Since its first issue in fall 2005 , the magazine has been released quarterly in the past and is now released monthly . The most recent issue released was in November 2012 . College Avenue has grown substantially from its beginnings in 2005 . College Avenue has developed a fully functioning website , a mobile application , and a tablet application that is currently under construction . Despite the new web first attitude , College Avenue remains the sole platform for long form student journalism at Colorado State University . Greek life . Greek life at Colorado State began in the fall of 1915 . Currently 5 % of undergraduates join one of CSUs 19 fraternities and 14 sororities . The CSU Inter - Fraternity Council acts as the governing body for the 19 fraternities , each with a delegate representative . Similarly , the CSU Panhellenic Council governs the sororities . CSU Greek organizations are involved in a number of philanthropic activities around campus , among them CSUnity , Cans around the Oval , Habitat for Humanity and RamRide . The governing bodies recently raised $ 25 , 000 towards the sponsorship of a Habitat for Humanity home . From 1932 until 1949 , Colorado State University was home to the Eta chapter of Phrateres , a philanthropic - social organization for female college students . Eta was the 7th chapter installed and Phrateres eventually had over 20 chapters in Canada and the United States . ( The chapter name " Eta " was reused for the chapter installed at Arizona State University in 1958 . ) Residence halls . 13 residence halls provide on campus living for about 5 , 300 students . 718 apartments for students with families and 190 apartments for older or graduate students are other living options . CSU offers theme floors for people with shared interests . The halls also have a number of Living - Learning communities that directly link the on - campus living environment with a specific academic focus in Honors , engineering , natural sciences , health and wellness , equine sciences , leadership development , or pre - veterinary medicine . The Key Academic and Key Service Communities creates an academically focused residential community for freshmen who share a desire for academic achievement , active involvement in classes , community service , campus activities , and appreciation of diversity . Residents share classes and take advantage of yearlong service opportunities with a close knit group of 19 other students . CSU Honors Program participants have the opportunity to live in the Honors Living Community . The new Academic Village , which opened in fall 2007 , houses Living Learning Communities for 180 Honors and 240 Engineering students . Students in the College of Natural Sciences can choose to live in the Ingersoll Residential College . Apartment Life . Students , faculty , and staff may choose to live in the university apartments . Colorado State University Apartment Life oversees University Village , International House , Lory Apartments , and Aggie Village . Known as a “ global community ” Apartment Life ' s mission to diversity shows in the fact that approximately 60 percent of residents and staff are from 80 different nations . Residents and CSU and Fort Collins community members enjoy a diverse amount of enrichment programs offered through the Apartment Life staff . Student demographics . In fall 2007 , CSU opened its doors to 24 , 983 students , among them 20 , 765 undergraduates , 2 , 332 master ' s students , 1 , 347 doctoral students , and 539 professional students in the College of Biomedical and Veterinary Medicine . 80 % of undergraduates are Colorado residents , and within the student population 50 states and 79 countries are represented . 52 % of undergraduates are women , 13 . 2 % of undergraduates are ethnic minorities ( excluding international students ) , and 3 % of undergraduates are 30 and over . Of minority students , 48 % are Hispanic , 24 % Asian American , 16 % African American , and 12 % Native American . Over the past ten years , minority enrollment has increased 35 % , from 2 , 361 to 3 , 178 , an increase from 10 . 9 % to 13 . 2 % of the student population . Though progress has been made , increasing minority enrollment at CSU has been a challenge for school administrators , one made yet more difficult by high dropout rates in many Colorado high schools with concentrated minority populations . Major speakers . The Monfort Lecture Series has brought important speakers to campus . Past Lecturers include Jane Goodall , Ernesto Zedillo , Mikhail Gorbachev , Madeleine Albright , General Norman Schwarzkopf , Archbishop Desmond Tutu , and most recently , Greg Mortenson , Colin Powell and Bobby Bowden . Notable alumni . CSU has 169 , 935 living alumni with 50 active alumni chapters ( 14 in Colorado and 37 out of state ) and 9 national interest groups . CSU graduates include Pulitzer Prize winners , astronauts , CEOs , and two former governors of Colorado . Notable faculty . University Distinguished Professors . The highest academic recognition awarded by the University , the title " University Distinguished Professor " , is bestowed on the basis of outstanding scholarship and achievement . Barry Beaty , Department of Microbiology , Immunology , and Pathology , College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences . < br > Leading infectious disease researcher . < br > Patrick J . Brennan , Department of Microbiology , Immunology , and Pathology , College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences < br > Notable researcher in bacterial diseases and vaccines . < br > Edward A . Hoover , Department of Microbiology , Immunology , and Pathology , College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences < br > Expert on experimental leukemia treatments . < br > Jan Leach , Bioagricultural Sciences & Pest Management < br > Karolin Luger , Biochemistry & Molecular Biology < br > C . Wayne McIlwraith , Clinical Sciences < br > Ian Orme , Microbiology , Immunology & Pathology < br > Phil Risbeck , Department of Art < br > Professor of graphic design and internationally noted poster artist . Co - founder and co - director of the Colorado International Invitational Poster Exhibition . < br > Jorge Rocca , Electrical & Computer Engineering & Physics < br > Bernard E . Rollin , Department of Philosophy , College of Liberal Arts ; Department of Biomedical Sciences , College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences ; and Department of Animal Sciences , College of Agricultural Sciences < br > Leader in the field of animal ethics . < br > George E . Seidel , Jr . , Department of Biomedical Sciences , College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences < br > Focuses on the fertilization and culture of cattle and horse embryos . < br > Gary C . Smith , Department of Animal Sciences , College of Agricultural Sciences < br > Works towards improving the safety , quality and profitability of red meat . < br > John Sofos , Animal Sciences < br > Graeme Stephens , Department of Atmospheric Science , College of Engineering < br > Principal investigator of NASA ' s CloudSat mission since 1993 , focuses on atmospheric radiation and climate research . < br > Thomas H . Vonder Haar , Department of Atmospheric Science , College of Engineering < br > Investigates the fundamental components of the energy and water cycles in the climate system and directs the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere . < br > Diana Wall , School of Global Environmental Sustainability , Biology , Natural Resource Ecology Lab < br > Robert M . Williams , Department of Chemistry , College of Natural Sciences < br > Notable research on synthetic organic chemistry , microbiology , biochemistry , and molecular biology . < br > Dr . Stephen J . Withrow , Department of Clinical Sciences , College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science < br > Director of the Animal Cancer Center , has gained international status and acclaim for cancer research .