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Main Campus

The UNC campus is divided into two main areas: central, and west. Our Central Campus, which includes the areas north of 20th Street and west of 8th Avenue in Greeley, Colorado, features residence halls that have been designated a state historic district. An original part of  campus with its quieter, more traditional collegiate feel, Central is home to the College of Performing and Visual Arts, schools that are part of the College of Natural and Health Science and the Kenneth W. Monfort College of Business.

West Campus includes the areas south of 20th Street and west of 10th Avenue, and is home to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences and schools that are part of the College of Natural and Health Sciences. West Campus houses 2,000 students and is considered the more bustling, social part of campus.

Aerial view of West Campus
Couple holding hands near entrance to Cranford Park
Aerial view of Central Campus
Students gathered under tree near Michener Library

Extended Campus

The University of Northern Colorado's Extended Campus makes it possible for you to pursue your career goals through outstanding coursework in highly regarded programs, mentored by faculty who have professional field experience.

UNC tailors coursework to fit your unique needs as an adult learner. Most Extended Campus courses and programs are delivered by the same outstanding faculty who teach on campus.

Main Campus

Michener Library

With a beautiful campus located just south of Downtown Greeley, UNC and the surrounding area have a lot to offer.

Though many Extended Campus students do not need to visit our campus office in person, you can visit our friendly, helpful staff in Greeley if you ever need to.

Select programs Extended Campus are delivered on the main UNC campus (or may have on-campus events). These courses/events are scheduled as conveniently as possible for adult students who are fitting their education around busy lives.

UNC Denver Center at Lowry

Lowery

Lowry is a residential/higher education area which is the site of the former Lowry Field and Air Force Base in Denver.

This location has 12 classrooms; 2 computer labs: each has 25 computers and printing available; free parking and Wifi; a kitchen with microwaves, refrigerator, and vending machines; a study room available any time the center is open; student lounge with couches, chairs and a flat-screen TV; and easy access to public transportation is within walking distance.

UNC Loveland Center at Centerra

Loveland

Centerra is a retail and residential development district in Loveland, Colorado, located at the intersection of I-25 and U.S. Hwy 34.

This location has 8 classrooms and 2 conference rooms; a computer lab with 25 computers; printing available; free parking and Wifi; kitchen amenities including microwaves, refrigerators, convection oven, vending machines, toaster, television, coffee/tea, seating and an outside patio area with picnic tables and a BBQ grill; a small student lounge with tables and chairs to study and work; a fitness center with four bicycles to check out for 30-minute intervals, walking paths around two lakes and locker rooms.

 

Main Campus Points of Interest

Hi Bridge

Student adding plaque on the Hi Bridge

Located between Gunter and Gray Hall, this bridge was a gift from the 1940 senior class. The bridge established the tradition that any who crossed the bridge, friend or stranger, were to greet each other with a cordial “Hi.”

Norton Theater

Student performers on stage

This is a black box “theatre in the round” which generally consists of a simple, somewhat unadorned performance space, with black walls, and a flat floor with seating around the stage. Many of the Theatre Department’s productions are performed here. Norton Theatre is also used each summer by the Little Theatre of the Rockies, the School of Theatre Arts and Dances professional summer stock program.

Garden Theater

Students gathered at Garden Theatre

The Garden Theatre is an open stage located on Central Campus and hosts many events throughout the year, including concerts and ceremonies. During the summer, the College of Performing and Visual Arts holds their annual concerts Under the Stars there, and UNC’s award-winning jazz program sometimes holds impromptu performances here.

Northern Vision Sculpture

Bronze bear covered with snow

This 12-foot high bronze sculpture of a towering bear, located just outside the University Center, was donated by Loveland, Colorado artist Dawn Weimer. A beloved landmark, this bear has appeared in many photos with UNC students since its installment in April, 2004.


Stonehinge

Aerial view of Stonehinge

North of Gunter Hall, there are a series of benches—in the shapes of hinges—arranged in a circle. The artwork was installed in 1999. Created by artist Barry Rose, the installation is titled “A Place in Time.” The piece explores the passage of time; short term time as the shadow of the central 10’ bronze hingepin moves across the face of the 45-foot diameter informal sundial; long term time in the allusion to Stonehenge (hence, stonehinge) an ancient cosmic timepiece.”


Gunter Bells

Aerial view of Gunter Bells

Gunter Hall, built in 1917, is home to the university’s college of Natural and Health Sciences. Generations of UNC students—since at least 1928—walked campus to the sound of the Westminster chimes that rang from the campus landmark. When the bells were silenced in 1986 due to age and mechanical difficulties, a heartfelt grassroots campaign called “Bucks for Bells” brought $1 contributions from students, faculty, alumni and community members. The bells rang out again October 17, 1987 and have continued – from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. – to chime every quarter hour since.

Gunter Photo Gallery and Uniforms

Photo gallery in Gunter Hall

Within Gunter Hall you’ll find artifacts and photographs that reflect the building’s former use as UNC’s athletic building. The building housed two gymnasiums and a pool. When the building was refurbished and renovated, center court of the old gymnasium was left intact and visible to students passing by on the way to classes.

President Ross’s Sculpture

Bust of William Rost

In the lobby of Ross Hall, on West Campus, you’ll see the bronze bust of UNC’s fifth president, William R. Ross. Born on a ranch near Fort Collins, Colorado, Ross served from 1948 to 1964. Students passing the bronze sculpture give President Ross’s head a rub for good luck on finals.

Permaculture Garden

Aerial view of Permaculture

Located outside Ross Hall (which houses the sustainable studies program), this demonstration garden is funded by the Student “LEAF” (Leadership for Environmental Action Fund) organization. It includes greenhouses, keyhole gardens, a spiral herb garden, espaliered fruit trees, and vegetable gardens.

Totem Teddy Display

View of Totem Teddy

In 1914, the university received a totem pole from alumnus Andrew Thompson. Beloved by students and given the name “Totem Teddy,” the top of the Alaskan Totem featured a carved bear, which led to the university’s Bear mascot. The totem pole was repatriated to its home with the Tlingit tribe of Angoon, Alaska in 2004. The totem’s story and journey is chronicled in a display on the top floor of the University Center in the Fireside Lounge. You can also learn more about Totem Teddy online.

Mural in Candelaria

Photo of mural in Candelaria Hall

Candelaria Hall, which is the primary home of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, was built in 1973 and named after UNC Spanish Professor Martin Candelaria. A special feature of Candelaria Hall is the mural painted by Colorado artist and teacher, Leo Tanguma, and 19 UNC students. Encircling the north stairway, the mural depicts the life and times of Dr. Candelaria.

Libraries, Collections and Resources

Michener Library

Michener Library was named after Pulitzer-prize winning novelist James A. Michener, who attended Colorado State College of Education, now the University of Northern Colorado, from 1936 to 1937.

He was a Social Science educator at the Training School and at the College from 1936 to 1941. Michener Library's collections include approximately 1.5 million items in monograph, periodical, government document, audio-visual and microform formats. The Library also houses the James A. Michener Special Collection.

Michener Library at night

Skinner Music Library

The Howard M. Skinner Music Library specializes in curricular support of the School of Music and Musical Theatre Programs but is open to everyone.

Here you’ll find more than 100,000 scores, books, periodicals, and recordings, housed in a state-of-the-art facility that opened in October 1997. In 2005, the building was named for Dr. Howard M. Skinner, former Dean of the College of Performing and Visual Arts, in honor of his many years of dedication to UNC and to the Greeley music community.

View of Skinner Music Hall from below

Digital UNC

This digital repository service offered by the University Libraries captures, stores, organizes, indexes, preserves, and provides access to University of Northern Colorado information resources and intellectual output.

It brings together selected digital materials from across campus to create a cohesive and sustainable repository of the educational, scholarly, research, and historical assets of the University.

More about Digital UNC

Historic photograph available in digital archive

Herbarium

GREE (shortened from "Greeley") is the standard acronym for the UNC Herbarium, which currently has about 35,000 specimens, about 10,000 of which are backlogged (not mounted and filed).

Over the past eight years GREE has been the fastest growing herbarium in the region on a percentage basis, having increased its holdings by over 300 percent. Estimated specimens by geographical origin include: Southern Rockies, 75 percent; High Plains, 5 percent; North America at large, 15 percent; world at large, 5 percent. Our facilities currently provide storage capacity for about 65,000 specimens.

UNC Herbarium shelves

Southern Rocky Mountain Reference Collection (SRMRC)

SRMRC is a separate collection of one or two specimens (flower and fruit) of each taxon of vascular plant known to occur in the Southern Rocky Mountain region.

The SRMRC is also used to provide a source of specimens for educational demonstrations to school classes, civic groups, and other interested visitors. The collection currently has over 2,200 taxa and is expanding continuously.

Flower available in the SRMRC

Galleries and Art Collections

Mariani Gallery

The Mariani Gallery has served the Northern Colorado and Weld County communities since 1972. Students are exposed to exhibits that feature a variety of artworks and art making choices, helping to inform possible future career choices.

Recent exhibits include the Annual Juried Student Art Show; Wet Plate Collodion: International Juried Exhibition; Metalsmith, Charlotte Nichols; and Selected Works by Women from the Lydia Rule Room of Women's Art.

Location

Guggenheim Hall, Room 100

Contact

Email: PVAinfo@unco.edu
Phone: 970-351-2515

Oak Room Gallery

The Oak Room Gallery exhibition schedule focuses on undergraduate and graduate student work ranging from solo Honors and Graduate Thesis exhibits to group shows representing various program areas.

Recent exhibits include Cognitive Learning with Computer Graphics and Abby Powers, on the breath of the waves.

Location

Crabbe Hall, Room 201

Contact

Email: PVAinfo@unco.edu
Phone: 970-351-2515

The Lydia Ruyle Room of Women’s Art

The Lydia Ruyle Room of Women’s Art is an archival room designed to provide viewing and study of our current and future art collections. This room was made possible by a generous donation from Bob and Lydia Ruyle.

Bob and Chris Petteys donated an impressive collection of prints and drawings by women artists for the room. The collection includes works by Mary Cassatt, Bridget Riley, Louise Nevelson, and Kathe Kollwitz that can be viewed by visitors. The Petteys family also donated over 500 books mostly pertaining to women artists. These books and files enhance the research possibilities for students, faculty and the community.

Location

Guggenheim Hall, Room 004

Contact

Email: PVAinfo@unco.edu
Phone: 970-351-2515

Mari Michener Art Gallery

An archival space designed to provide viewing and study, for students and the public, of our current and future art collections. The only room of it’s kind, it was made possible by a generous donation from Bob and Lydia Ruyle.

Location

Michener Library, Floor 1

Contact

Email: library.reference@unco.edu
Phone:970-351-2671

Recreation And Outdoors

Campus Recreation Center

This 90,000 square-foot facility offers formal and drop-in fitness, recreational sports and wellness programs.

There are large activity spaces, an indoor 1/10 mile jogging track, two racquetball courts, an indoor climbing wall, two group fitness and exercise rooms, locker rooms, meeting spaces and department administrative offices.

Campus Recreation programs also utilize 2 lighted synthetic turf fields, 6 lighted natural turf fields, and various other fields throughout campus.

The Butler-Hancock Pool is shared by Athletics, Sports & Exercise Science, and Campus Recreation. It is a 25-yard, six-lane lap swim pool with a diving well.

More about Campus Rec.

Outdoor Pursuits

The Outdoor Pursuits program lends recreational gear and equipment to students for use camping, bicycling, hiking, skiing, and other outdoor activities.

Students may also take workshops, classes and overnight trips exploring Colorado’s outdoors.

Disc Golf

Located on West Campus, this public 9-hole course begins near Butler-Hancock and finishes near Candelaria Hall.

Course maps and score cards are available at the Campus Recreation Center, and discs (drivers and putters) are available to rent there as well. This par 27 course was designed by a UNC student and modified by the Recreation Center and is managed by UNC Facilities Management; the baskets were donated by the city of Greeley, which also has three city-managed disc golf courses.