The university's history dates back to 1909 when the La Crosse Normal School opened its doors as a teacher training school. It became a state teachers college in 1927, a state college in 1951, and a state university in 1964. The university became part of the University of Wisconsin System in 1971. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse continues to position itself among the country's elite public universities. The university is the state's top-ranked public or private higher education institution by the U.S. News & World Report for Best Regional Universities in the Midwest and has been ranked among the top four Midwestern public institutions for nearly two decades. UWL is also listed annually among Kiplinger's Top 100 Best Values, and has been on its national list of the "25 Best College Values Under $30,000 a Year." UWL is one of only 23 colleges nationwide recognized by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges Rankings (2016) for stellar undergraduate research and creative projects. The student body of more than 10,500 from 41 states and 31 countries is impressive. The retention rate is an outstanding 84 percent. The six-year graduation rate for students beginning in fall 2...013 was 69 percent, well above the national average. UWL offers nearly 101 undergraduate academic programs in 30 disciplines, 30 graduate programs and two doctoral programs. Students learn directly from professors, not assistants. A 19:1 student-faculty ratio means small classes, an average of 28 students. Students learn directly from professors — including the Wisconsin Professor of the Year, an honor UWL faculty have earned four times in the last decade. More than 80 percent of full-time faculty hold doctoral or terminal degrees.