The University of Missouri-Rolla has accepted an invitation to become a member of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference for the 2005-06 season, thus ending an affiliation with the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association that dates back to 1935.

The UMR School of Mines and Metallurgy will become the School of Materials, Energy and Earth Resources (SoMEER), effective July 1. The name change was approved by the UMR Academic Council on June 17.

With this name change comes a reorganization of departments. The school’s three departments are materials science and engineering, which houses the ceramic engineering and metallurgical engineering programs; geological sciences and engineering, which houses geological engineering, petroleum engineering, and geology and geophysics; and mining and nuclear engineering, which houses mining engineering and nuclear engineering.

"All academic programs will continue under one of the three new departments," says Dr. Mariesa Crow, transitional dean of SoMEER. "Absolutely nothing will be cut. This is a way to strengthen our programs and offer students the opportunity for interdisciplinary education."

"This is the first interdisciplinary school incorporating both engineering and science on campus," says UMR Chancellor Gary Thomas. "The changes highlight UMR’s research and academic expertise in the areas of materials, energy and earth resources. This is just what UMR needs to move forward as a leader in technological education."