University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (U of M) is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest campus within the University of Minnesota system and has the sixth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 51,853 students in 2012–2013.

In 2012, the Academic Ranking of World Universities placed the University of Minnesota at 29th out of more than 1000 world-class universities and international research institutions surveyed. Also in 2012, the University of Minnesota was ranked 47th out of 400 top research universities in the world by the Times Higher Education world university rankings, and was ranked ninth among U.S. public research universities and 26th in the world in Newsweek's most recent "Top 100 Global Universities" report.

Minnesota's athletic teams are known collectively as the Minnesota Golden Gophers and compete in the NCAA's Division I, as members of the Big Ten Conference.

The original Minneapolis campus overlooked the Saint Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River, but it was later moved about a mile downstream to its current location. The original site is now marked by a small park known as Chute Square at the intersection of University and Central Avenues. The school shut down following a financial crisis during the American Civil War, but reopened in 1867 with considerable financial help from Pillsbury. It was upgraded from a preparatory school to a college in 1869.

The campus now has buildings on both river banks. The "East Bank", the main portion of the campus, covers 307 acres (124 ha). The West Bank is home to Carlson School of Management and the performing arts center. St. Paul campus is home to CBS, CDes, CFANS, and the vet program.