University of Colorado–Boulder

University of Colorado Boulder

Motto	Greek: ΛΑΜΨΑΤΩ ΤΟ ΦΏΣ ΥΜΏΝ
Motto in English	Let Your Light Shine
Type	Public; flagship; space-grant
Established	1876
Academic affiliations	CU System AAU APLU URA
Endowment	$1.063 billion (2016) CU System
Chancellor	Phil DiStefano
President	Bruce D. Benson
Provost	Russell Moore
Academic staff	1,075
Students	32,201 (Fall 2015)
Undergraduates	27,010 (Fall 2015)
Postgraduates	5,191 (Fall 2015)
Location	Boulder, Colorado, U.S. Coordinates: 40°0′24″N 105°16′2″W / 40.00667°N 105.26722°W / 40.00667; -105.26722
Campus	Urban 786 acres (3,180,000 m2)
Colors	Black, Gold, Silver
Nickname	Buffaloes
Mascot	Ralphie (bison) Chip (costume)
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – Pac-12
Website	www.colorado.edu

The University of Colorado Boulder (commonly referred to as CU or Colorado) is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado, United States. It is the flagship university of the University of Colorado system and was founded five months before Colorado was admitted to the Union in 1876.

In 2015, the university consisted of nine colleges and schools and offered over 150 academic programs and enrolled almost 33,000 students. Twelve Nobel Laureates, nine MacArthur Fellows, and 20 astronauts have been affiliated with CU Boulder as students, researchers, or faculty members in its history. The university received nearly $454 million in sponsored research in 2010 to fund programs like the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, and JILA.

The Colorado Buffaloes compete in 17 varsity sports and are members of the NCAA Division I Pac-12 Conference. The Buffaloes have won 28 national championships: 20 in skiing, seven total in men's and women's cross country, and one in football. Approximately 1,500 students participate in 34 intercollegiate club sports annually as well.

On March 14, 1876, the Colorado territorial legislature passed an amendment to the state constitution that provided money for the establishment of the University of Colorado in Boulder, the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, and the Colorado Agricultural College in Fort Collins.