school encompassing four campuses over some 4,500 acres (1,821 hectares) in Fort Collins, Colo., about 65 miles (105 kilometers) north of Denver. A land-grant college, the institution was founded in 1870 and admitted its first students in 1879. The main campus covers more than 650 acres (260 hectares) and contains more than 100 buildings. The Foothills campus, about 2 miles (3 kilometers) away, hosts many research projects. A 900-acre (360-hectare) agricultural campus includes the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Pingree Park is a 1,200-acre (490-hectare) campus in the mountains and is about 55 miles (88 kilometers) from the main branch. It borders Rocky Mountain National Park and is used for educational and research program in such areas as biology and forestry. About 21,000 students are enrolled, including about 4,000 graduate students. Most are state residents. The numbers of male and female undergraduates are about equal. Roughly a fifth of students live in campus housing. Many campus residential areas are centered around a specific major or theme, such as engineering or outdoor activities, to group together students with similar interests. Degree programs offered range from bachelor's through doctoral level. Areas of study include liberal arts, engineering, natural sciences, forestry and natural resources, agricultural sciences, veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences, business, and applied human sciences. The program in veterinary medicine is considered among the best in the United States. More than four fifths of the full-time faculty hold doctorates. The academic calendar is divided into semesters. The university has more than 300 extracurricular organizations, including fraternities and sororities, student government, and community service groups. The Colorado State Rams compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (except in football, in which they participate in Division I-A). School colors are green and gold. |