Maharishi International University

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maharishi International University
Maharishi International University logo 1.png
Former names
Maharishi University of Management (1995–2019)
TypePrivate, not-for-profit
Established1971
Endowment$9.0 million[1]
PresidentJohn Hagelin[2]
Academic staff
67 full-time, 31 part-time[3]
Students1210[4]
Undergraduates256 full-time
26 part-time[4]
Postgraduates498 full-time
430 part-time[4]
Location
Fairfield
,
Iowa
,
United States
CampusRural, 370 acres (1.5 km2)
ColorsGreen and gold   
AffiliationsTranscendental Meditation movement[5]
Websitemiu.edu

Maharishi International University (MIU), formerly Maharishi University of Management, is a private university in Fairfield, Iowa. It was founded in 1973 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and features a "consciousness-based education" system that includes the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique. Its founding principles include the development of the full potential of the individual, fulfilling economic aspirations while maximizing proper use of the environment and bringing spiritual fulfillment and happiness to humanity.[6]

The university is regionally accredited through the doctoral level by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)[7] and offers degree programs in art, business, education, communications, mathematical science, literature, physiology & health, Vedic Science and sustainable living.

The original campus was located in Goleta, California, and in 1974 moved to the current 370-acre campus in Fairfield, Iowa. During the 1990s many older buildings were demolished and replaced using green technology and the principles of ancient Vedic architecture.[6] The university features an academic "block system" (only one subject for four weeks) and a diverse, multinational student body. It is said to offer an organic, vegetarian food program.[6][8]

History[]

1971–2004[]

University sign at campus entrance

The concept for a university came out of a "series of international symposia on Science of Creative Intelligence" (SCI) attended by notable academics.[9] It was established in 1971 by Nat Goldhaber.[10] It was created with the belief that a school that incorporated the "philosophy and techniques of Transcendental Meditation" would create an "unusual contribution to higher education".[11]

It was inaugurated by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and Robert Keith Wallace assumed his position as the first university president in 1973. Its first location was an apartment complex in Goleta, California. The university enrolled 700 students during its first year of operation.[9] In August 1974, the university purchased the campus of the bankrupt Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa, for $2.5 million[11] and relocated there.[12][13]

Aerial photograph of the MIU campus

In 1975, the freshman and sophomore years consisted of interdisciplinary studies, and were organized in a modular format, with each course lasting a few weeks or months. All students, regardless of their previous education, were required to attend 24 interdisciplinary courses,[9] some of which consisted of pre-recorded video tapes of "resident faculty" who were not on campus,[11][12] while graduate students and teaching assistants played the video tapes and conducted discussions.[9] Nobel Prize winner Melvin Calvin said that, even though he participated in a symposium on SCI, the use of his name in the MIU catalogue was "perilously close to false advertising". John Lewis, a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who created video-taped lectures for MIU, was supportive, saying that TM "unblocks the student's pathways to education".[9] During this period, an open admissions policy was instituted, and transfer students were welcomed regardless of their academic history.[11][12] In 1976, the accreditation evaluation team from the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools said the 19 senior and 20 assistant faculty[9] were "creative in their vision for higher education and eminently qualified", and the university was granted "candidate for accreditation" status.[11] At that time, faculty and administrators were paid "approximately the same base salary of $275 per month", with additional compensation "on a sliding scale for those with spouses and children", plus free housing in university dormitories.[11] On campus, drugs and alcohol were "shunned" and a "strong sense of community" was said to pervade the institution.[11]

Bevan Morris was appointed president and chairman of Maharishi International University's board of trustees in 1979. The following year, the university received accreditation through the doctoral level by the Higher Learning Commission, and became a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS).[4][6] 1981 saw the completion of two 20,000 square foot meditation buildings called Golden Domes, that were built on campus for daily group practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs.[14] By this time the Henn Mansion, Trustee Gymnasium and Ballard Hall buildings, built in the early 1900s, showed rapid deterioration. These buildings were scheduled to be demolished but the university spent $500,000 to restore Henn Mansion, starting 1984, and nominated six other buildings for the National Historic Register.[15][16]

In July 1983, the Argus-Press reported that competing meditation seminar teacher, Robin Woodsworth Carlsen, had criticized and ridiculed the university in a full-page advertisement placed in a local newspaper and had filed a lawsuit against the university. As a result, "many students" who were distributing Carlsen's literature on campus were asked to leave the campus and several were suspended with their meditation dome admission privileges revoked.[17]

In December 1983, the university hosted a three-week "Taste of Utopia" conference with more than 7,000 participants and practitioners of the TM-Sidhi program "from around the world". MIU president Morris later reported that research data indicated the conference had reduced violence in war-torn areas and inspired an increase in the Dow Jones stock index via the Maharishi Effect.[18][19] By 1992, the university had 800 students from more than 70 countries, paying approximately $10,000 a year for their tuition and board.[20]

In 1995, Maharishi International University changed its name to Maharishi University of Management (MUM). As part of its master plan to rebuild and expand the campus using natural materials and Maharishi Vastu Architecture design principles, many of the Parsons College buildings, which had high maintenance costs, were demolished, including Foster Hall.[15] In 2019, the name was changed back to the original Maharishi International University.

In 2000, local preservationists protested the demolition of Parsons Hall, built in 1915,[21] and Barhydt Chapel, designed in 1911 by Henry K. Holsman. University officials said that MIU would donate the buildings to any community group who could raise the $1 million needed to move what the local newspaper described as an "ailing building".[22][23] In response to protests the university ensured the survival of the chapel's plaques, pipe organ, and stained glass windows, which are now displayed at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center.[15] Between 2000 and 2005, the university demolished Carnegie Hall, Parsons Hall (1915), Barhydt Chapel (1911), Blum Stadium (1966), Laser Tower, the dining hall, and 38 dormitory-style "pods". Seven student "residence halls" with single rooms were completed in 2005 using eco-friendly designs, natural materials and geo-thermal heating.[24]

Moby performing in 2008

A stabbing incident occurred in 2004, when MIU student Shuvender Sem attacked two other students in separate incidents on the same day.[25] He stabbed the first student with a pen and, hours later, fatally stabbed Levi Butler with a knife. Sem was found not guilty due to insanity and the university settled a lawsuit that charged it with negligence.[25]

2005–present[]

Beginning in 2005, film director David Lynch hosted an annual "David Lynch Weekend for World Peace and Meditation" at MIU.[26] The 2008 event included musical performances by Donovan, Moby, and Chrysta Bell.[27] The fourth annual David Lynch Weekend of November 2009 featured Donovan, MIU professor John Hagelin, and the American debut of James McCartney, who performed at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center.[26][28] The weekend conference was intended to appeal to those "interested in creativity, film, art, sustainable living, organic agriculture, brain development, consciousness, meditation, natural medicine, renewable living [and] peace".[26][29]

By 2007, the university had over 45 campus buildings, including 17 classroom and administrative buildings. Between 1974 and 2008, a total of 43 buildings were demolished and 70 new buildings erected in their place.[24] At that time, MIU had 948 students (813 full time) of whom 78% were foreign students – the third-highest number of foreign students at an Iowa university that year.[30] 71% of these students were enrolled in a graduate degree program.[30] The largest age group was 25–29 years of age (42%).[30] In this same year, MIU awarded 125 Masters degrees and 34 Bachelor degrees.[30]

In 2008, the Argiro Student Center was completed, featuring "the most advanced green technologies"[6] and included dining areas, student cafe, book store, interdenominational chapel, auditorium, classrooms, exercise studio and student government offices.[31]

In 2010, there were 1,210 students enrolled – 754 full-time and 456 part-time students, with 928 full- and part-time graduate students.[4]

Enrollment in 2013 included 337 students from 54 countries and the university graduated the largest class in its history.[32] That year the university began offering a program called the David Lynch MA in Film. The program's segments include courses called Advanced Narrative, Advanced Screenwriting and Acting for Film. Other features include a three-month film project and question and answer sessions with Lynch both in-person and via Skype.[33] As of August 2013, 826 graduate and undergraduate full-time students and 365 part-time students were enrolled at MIU.[34]

In 2016 Bevan Morris retired as president, and the board of trustees appointed John Hagelin.[2]

Commencement speakers[]

Hollywood actor and native Iowan Stephen Collins was the featured speaker at the 2010 commencement ceremony and spoke to the 234 graduating students about his views on counter-culturalism.[35] Psychiatry professor Norman E. Rosenthal addressed graduates in 2011, CNN chief political correspondent Candy Crowley in 2012 and Senator Tom Harkin in 2013.[32][36][37] In May 2014 Jim Carrey delivered the address, and received an honorary doctorate for his achievements as a comedian, artist, author, and philanthropist.[38] Carrey's address has frequently been described as one of the best in the genre.[39][40][41][42] The 2015 address was given by former Prime Minister of Japan, Yukio Hatoyama.[43][44]

Administration and faculty[]

The board of trustees consists of 37 members and is chaired by Jeffrey Abramson, a partner in The Tower Companies. Other members include Ramani Ayer, former chairman of The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., Bevan Morris, chairman emeritus of MIU, John Hagelin, honorary chairman, and Ed Malloy, former mayor of Fairfield.[45][46][47] Former trustees include retired major general and author Franklin M. Davis, Jr., Theodore Dreier, an engineer and educator who was one of the founders of Black Mountain College,[48][49] and Alfred L. Jenkins, a career diplomat who served as chairman of MIU for three years.[50][51] John Hagelin is president of the university.

Notable past and present faculty at MIU include David Orme-Johnson, Ashley Deans, and Elaine Ingham.[52]

In 2007 the university had 52 faculty members[53] and average salaries for full-time faculty ranged from $6,678 for some instructors and assistant professors to $19,595 for full professors.[53][54] In 2011, MIU was one of more than 1,000 corporations which requested a waiver to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's requirement to offer maximum payouts of $750,000 per employee.[55]

Campus[]

Maharishi International University, looking west

The campus sits on 370 acres (1.5 km2) located 50 miles (80 km) west of the Mississippi River. The grounds include wooded areas, fields and two small lakes with U.S. News & World Report categorizing the campus setting as "urban".[56]

The original Parsons College campus included 60-80 buildings before closing due to bankruptcy, standing empty and being purchased by MIU.[13][57] The Library Building continues to be used and houses the main library, classrooms, administrative offices, multimedia computer lab, Unity Art Gallery, Campus Security and Facilities Management. The library catalog includes 140,000 volumes, 60 reference databases and Internet reference resources, 7,000 electronic books, 12,000 full-text periodicals, special collections including the Science of Creative Intelligence Reserve Collection, Journal of Modern Science and Vedic Science, PhD dissertations by university students, and a Vedic literature collection. A campus-wide closed-circuit television network includes 10,000 hours of video- and audio-taped courses, conferences and presentations. Additional facilities include network plug-in ports for laptop users, support for international distance education students, and DVD/video rentals with over 1,500 titles. Inter-library loans include books and articles and access to the University of Iowa Library as well as to libraries worldwide.

Many structures have been replaced since 1974 as part of MIU's master plan for reconstruction and expansion which includes careful attention to environmental conservation, incorporating renewable energy, state-of-the-art building technologies, natural building materials and Maharishi Sthapatya Veda principles of architecture.[58] Two golden domes were erected between 1980 and 1981 and are used for daily group practice of the Transcendental Meditation and the TM-Sidhi program and have been called "particle accelerators of consciousness" by the university's founder.[59] The campus was "thoroughly rebuilt" in the 1990s and seven student residence halls, with single rooms, were completed in 2005 using eco-friendly designs, natural materials and geo-thermal heating.[24] By 2007, the university had over 45 campus buildings, including 17 classroom and administrative buildings. Between 1974 and 2008, a total of 43 buildings had been demolished and 70 new buildings had been erected in their place.[24][60] The newly-created Dreier Building houses the offices of Admissions, Alumni, Campus Reconstruction, Development, the dean of faculty, the deans of women and men, the Enrollment Center, the executive vice-president, legal counsel, Human Resources, and six classrooms.

Argiro Student Center and dining hall

The 50,000 sq ft (5,000 m2) Argiro Student Center was completed in 2008 and houses a large, open reception area, dining rooms, kitchens, student cafe, student book store and shopping area, interdenominational chapel, an auditorium, classrooms, exercise studio, and student government offices.[31] The building incorporates many principles of Vedic architecture such as eastern orientation, specific room placement size and proportions, energy efficiency, day lighting, non-toxic and natural building materials and "higher than normal" energy efficiency.[6]

In 2012, the university completed construction of a Sustainable Learning Center (SLC) building.[61][62] According to the university, the building sets a "new global standard for green buildings" by incorporating local building materials and being completely energy self-sufficient, even during its construction.[61][63] It was designed to meet the Living Building Challenge requirements and become one of three buildings in the US to meet that standard as well as LEED Platinum certification.[61][63][64] It houses both research and classroom activities and allows students to "interactively monitor performance and energy efficiency".[61][63][64][65] University officials hope this building proves that the county has the expertise for technological jumps of this kind.[66][67]

Academics[]

Accreditation and rankings[]

The university is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and was a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.[68] MIU is recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The university’s business programs (BA, MBA, and PhD) are accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).

The "Best Colleges 2013" Masters Midwest Category of U.S. News & World Report college and university rankings gave MIU (then called Maharishi University of Management) a tier two rating,[69] which places the school in the bottom 25% of colleges.[70] The report listed its application deadline as rolling, its acceptance rate as 41%, its freshman retention rate as 80% and its student–faculty ratio as 12:1.[69]

Class structure[]

Maharishi International University operates on a block system. Students take one course at a time during a four-week period.[20][71]

Consciousness-Based Education[]

Golden dome for the group practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi programs

MIU is committed to achieving its goals through Consciousness-Based Education (CBE) which aims to unfold "creative potential" and create life in harmony with the laws of nature.[6] CBE includes traditional subjects while simultaneously cultivating the student's potential from within.[24] As a component of Consciousness-Based Education, students and faculty practice the Transcendental Meditation technique twice daily.[24] Both Consciousness-Based Education and Science of Creative Intelligence (SCI) are said to include the personal experience and intellectual understanding of consciousness. Classes at MIU present subjects such as art, economics, physics, literature, and psychology in the context of these universal principles of consciousness.[9][72][73] Before 2009 MIU freshmen and transfer students began their first semester with the 33-lesson SCI course.[74][75] The university president, Morris, has credited the knowledge and principles of SCI with contributing to the success of its graduates[76] and SCI degrees have been awarded to Morris,[77] Doug Henning,[78] Mike Tompkins,[79] Benjamin Feldman, the finance minister for Global Country of World Peace,[80] best-selling author John Gray,[81] and "Invincible Defense Technology" expert David R. Leffler.[citation needed]

Programs[]

The university offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in 13 areas including Vedic science and sustainable living.[82] According to a 2006 report in The Des Moines Register, MIU "is establishing itself as a leader in sustainable living architecture" among Iowa's colleges and universities[83] and offers a sustainable living program. The program includes a BS in Sustainable Living and an MBA in Sustainable Business.[66] MIU is listed with the Institute for Sustainability as a university that offers eco-curriculums and a Bachelor of Science in "sustainable living/environmental science" which teaches students methods for designing and maintaining environmentally friendly communities. Course content includes sustainable practices for agriculture, technology, architecture, landscape design, business and the ecology of living systems.[8]

MIU is reported to be the only university in the U.S. that offers a PhD degree in the Neuroscience of Human Consciousness.[20] The university participates in a state-sponsored, fast-track license program for school teachers.[84][85][86] MIU also offers a BA in Communications and Media with options for video and audio production, graphic and web design, and professional creative writing.

MIU also offers undergraduate programs in China.[4] According to the CityTownInfo web site, MIU has more degree programs than 86% of colleges of similar size, and more degrees in conservation and resource management than 93% of all other colleges.[30]

Costs and financial aid[]

The average net cost per student for the academic year of 2010 to 2011 was $16,261.[87] MIU participates in Title IV financial aid programs[30] The Wall Street Journal reports that the median amount borrowed per student is $21,330 and the rate of default for student loans is 5%.[87]

Student life[]

Health and ecology[]

The university's endeavor to create a sustainable campus include the use of green, energy-efficient architecture and community planning that incorporates Maharishi Sthapatya Veda architecture – a system of country, town, village, and home planning that utilizes natural building materials and procedures.[66] The university operates an organic vegetable farm including a 1-acre (4,000 m2), year-round greenhouse, which provides students and faculty with a 100% organic food program.[88] In 2011, the university participated in the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council's solar energy project, Sustain Angoon.[89]

Sports and recreation[]

MIU students compete in numerous team and individual sports. Men's and women's golf is an intercollegiate sport; men's and women's soccer is a club sport. Intramural sports include soccer, archery, badminton, baseball, basketball, fencing, field hockey, football, rock climbing, sailing, swimming, tennis, ultimate Frisbee and weight lifting.[1]

Residence halls[]

Single, furnished rooms are standard for all students to ensure quiet and privacy, and include high-speed Internet connections. Most residence halls are equipped with exercise and TV rooms. Freshmen are required to live on campus.[30] Compared to other colleges, MIU offers dorm rooms to a higher than average percentage of its students.[30]

Research[]

Maharishi International University publishes the Journal of Modern Science and Vedic Science. MIU faculty members have published on TM in scientific journals including the American Heart Association's journals, Hypertension and Stroke.[90]

Since the establishment of its research facilities, the university has been awarded over 150 federal, state, and private grants and contracts totaling over $24 million,[91][92][93] including funding from the NIH's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and its Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. In 2012 the US Department of Defense granted MIU and the San Diego Veterans Administration Medical Center $2.4 million to research the effectiveness of TM for the treatment of PTSD.[94]

Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention[]

The Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention (INMP) (formerly the Center for Natural Medicine and Prevention) has received grants totaling over $10.5 million for research on prevention-oriented natural medicine.[95] The university had received more than $20 million in funding from different branches of the National Institutes of Health as of 2002[95][96] The university's Department of Physiology and the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention received $8 million from the NIH National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) to establish the first research center in the U.S. specializing in "natural" preventive medicine for minorities.[92]

Other institutes and centers[]

  • The Institute of Science, Technology and Public Policy (ISTPP) was founded by John Hagelin to identify, scientifically evaluate and implement proven, prevention-oriented, forward-looking solutions to critical national and global problems
  • The Center for Advanced Military Science (CAMS), whose founder and director is David R. Leffler
  • The Center for Brain, Consciousness, and Cognition, whose director is faculty member, Fred Travis[97]

Views on research[]

Lola Williamson, who practiced the TM-Sidhi program until 1981,[98] wrote a book called Transcendent in America: Hindu-Inspired Meditation Movements as New Religion. In the book, she cites two former professors who in the late 1980s "testified against the research practices conducted at the university". In the book, she writes that former MIU professor of economics and business law Anthony DeNaro alleged in 1986 that there was "a very serious and deliberate pattern of fraud ... designed to misrepresent the TM movement as a science (not a cult), and fraudulently claim and obtain tax exempt status with the IRS". Williamson writes in her book that Dennis Roark, former dean of faculty and chair of the physics department in the 1970s, was a "witness to routine suppression of negative data" and that Roark wrote in a 1987 letter that it was his "belief that the many scientific claims both to the factual evidence of unique, beneficial effects of T.M. and physics are not only without any reasonable basis, but in fact in many ways fraudulent". Roark said "he had questioned" MIU faculty member Michael Dillbeck regarding his studies of brain wave coherence using EEG measurements during practice of the TM-Sidhi program, and that Dilbeck confirmed that it was impossible to make EEG measurements while the subjects are moving. Williamson writes in her book that Roark questioned other investigators "regarding the alleged reduction in crime if enough people practice TM or the TM-Sidhi program" and they "confirmed that they had suppressed negative evidence".[99] The EEG research referred to by Roark, which required researchers to make EEG measurements during the TM-Sidhi program, was subsequently published in two separate studies in the International Journal of Neuroscience.[100][101] The editor-in-chief, Sydney Weinstein, said that the studies published in his journal are reviewed by "a distinguished group of scientists from leading universities," and added, "Not once have these scientists ever questioned the integrity or scientific validity of the papers on Transcendental Meditation."[102][103]

In 2002, The Gazette (Cedar Rapids and Iowa City) and Chicago Sun-Times reported that although "a few years ago" many "major medical schools" would have "turned up their noses" at the studies MIU was conducting, "things have changed" and MIU has received so many offers that it has "turned away" collaboration proposals from a few institutions.[104] According to an MIU spokesperson, the university had received almost $18 million in grant support from the National Institutes of Health in the prior 15 years and "its researchers are strict about scientific standards because they work more often with other, larger universities"[104] including the University of Iowa; University of California, Irvine; and University of Hawaii. The article reports that Maharishi University and the University of Iowa were working on a study that looked at the effects of holistic therapy on heart disease.[105]

According to news reports in 2003, MIU's Center for Natural Medicine and Prevention (CNMP) was in collaboration with a "growing list of mainstream universities" including Howard University, the Medical College of Wisconsin, the University of Pennsylvania, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and the University of California at Irvine. According to the article, "mainstream medical researchers – including many scientists suspicious of spiritualism" no longer believe that MIU's research is junk science.[106]

Reception[]

MIU has received both criticism and acclaim. Author Samuel Schuman reports that while many in the higher education community did not take the university seriously when it began in 1974, the college has "persisted cheerfully" for more than three decades and its achievements and results are "incontestably impressive".[24] Some members of the local community were initially against the university with 540 residents signing a petition protesting the local school board for allowing four MIU students to visit the public schools as observers.[11] However, author William Jefferson reports that by 1976, 200 local people had "taken up Transcendental Meditation themselves" and compared to the "wild and woolly" students of the prior college, "nearly all the residents now agree that they [MIU students] are nice people to have around".[9]

A 1976 article in The New York Times described the campus as a "cheerful, optimistic place where people smile a lot and tend to be considerate and trusting".[11] In 1992 The New York Times reported that the university was a place where all students and faculty meditate, and all the Maharishi's teachings are woven into mathematics, physics and every other subject, similar to colleges with strong religious affiliations, while noting it is "an accredited university with grant-winning faculty members and competitive students". The article goes on to say that even as the university gains research grants and subsequent credibility, it also faces controversy. For example, one critic, 1979 alumnus Curtis Mailloux, called the campus a "coercive environment" with a "propensity for fraudulent research".[20] Accreditation officials say they are aware of these accusations and "have been aggressive in checking Marahishi [sic] International's academic freedom". The deputy director of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS), Steven D. Crow, says "Every move the university's made has been monitored" and MIU's library, faculty, academic mission and classroom space have been deemed appropriate.[20] At the same time John W. Patterson, a professor at Iowa State University has harshly criticized The North Central Association's evaluation, saying it "does nothing more than to lend credibility to these crackpots".[20] The article also reports that many non-students have moved to the city of Fairfield "so they can meditate in the [campus meditation] domes".[20]

In 1986, seven "former devotees" filed a fraud suit against the Maharishi saying they paid thousands of dollars for lessons at Maharishi International University that were designed to reduce stress, improve memory, reverse aging, and develop clairvoyance and levitation. One plaintiff said that after ten years he had not acquired any of the special abilities that were promised.[107] According to reviews of the 1992 book, Heaven on Earth – Dispatches from America’s Spiritual Frontier,[108] author and reporter Michael D'Antonio wrote that the MIU physics department was teaching theories that he believed were "dead wrong"[109] and alleged that the university had taken Transcendental Meditation "into a grandiose narcissistic dream, a form of intellectual bondage, that they call enlightenment".[110]

MIU is listed in Peterson's 440 Great Colleges for Top Students 2010.[111] According to the National Survey of Student Engagement MIU scored in the top 3% for "active and collaborative learning," in the top 4% for "enriching educational experience," in the top 7% for "student/faculty interaction," in the top 8% for "supportive campus environment," and in the top 26% for "level of academic challenge."[24] MIU graduates also gave their college experience a "higher than average satisfaction" rating as recorded in the "annual ACT alumni survey." Specifically, 73% said they would choose MIU again, more than twice the national average of 32%.[24]

The university has been categorized as a "Sierra Club Cool School" and in 2014 was ranked as the fourth best environmental science school by career guide website, Environmental Science.[112]

In popular culture[]

The Beach Boys recorded their 1978 album M.I.U. Album on the campus, and named it after the university.[113] Man on the Moon, a biopic of entertainer Andy Kaufman, includes a scene at Maharishi International University in which Kaufman is asked to leave a retreat because his behavior was unbecoming an enlightened individual.[114] In October 2011, Oprah Winfrey visited MIU, toured the campus and attended a group meditation in the golden dome for ladies.[115] Video footage of her visit to the MIU campus was shown on an episode of her show.[116][117]

Notable alumni and faculty[]

Noted alumni include self-help author Peter McWilliams,[118] Nat Goldhaber, an original founder of the University, ufologist Jeff Peckman who attended for one year, and Ron Parker, a Canadian Natural Law Party candidate who received his PhD in physics from MIU. Author John Gray has been called an alumnus of MIU,[119] but other sources list him as an alumnus of Maharishi European Research University (MERU) in Switzerland.[120][121] Other alumni include Chris Hartnett, CEO of USA Global Link, who received his BA from MIU, Michael C. Dimick, a Natural Law Party candidate who received his MBA degree,[122][123][124] Jennie Rothenberg-Gritz who is a senior editor at The Atlantic[125][126] and video game developer Mike Zak, who received his masters degree in digital media from the university.[127] In 1994, the son of Mozambique's president, Joaquim Chissano, and several children of the country's Cabinet members, attended the university on scholarships.[128][129] Ashley Deans, executive director of Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment.[130][131] Bevan Morris, former president of Maharishi International University.[132] David Orme-Johnson, researcher, former professor at Maharishi International University.[133]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Peterson's, Thomson (2005-06-14). Peterson's Four-Year Colleges 2006 (Peterson's Four Year Colleges). Peterson's Guides. p. 356. ISBN 978-0-7689-1749-9.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Hallman, Andy (June 20, 2016). "Lynch addresses M.U.M. graduates". The Fairfield Ledger. Retrieved June 21, 2016.[dead link]
  3. ^ "Maharishi University of Management". Colleges of Distinction. Archived from the original on 2012-06-26. Retrieved 2012-06-29.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f "Maharishi University of Management". Higher Learning Commission. April 9, 2009. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  5. ^ Koppel, Lily (February 6, 2008). "Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a Guide On the Beatles' Spiritual Path, Dies". The New York Times. p. C.10.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Kapur, Kamlesh (2010) Sterling Publishers, History Of Ancient India (Portraits Of A Nation), pp. 462–463
  7. ^ "Higher Learning Commission". Higher Learning Commission. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Dorfman, Josh (2007) Harry N. Abrams Inc., The Lazy Environmentalist: Your Guide to Easy, Stylish, Green Living, Chapter 21
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Jefferson, William (1976) Pocket Books, The Story of The Maharishi, pp. 118–123
  10. ^ "NY Times, September 30, 1992, "Business Technology" Laurence Fisher". Nytimes.com. 1992-06-24. Retrieved 2012-06-29.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Maeroff, Gene I., "College in Iowa flourishes on meditation", The New York Times (May 18, 1976) p. 16 Reprinted [1]
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b c Engel, Allison, "Maharishi International University mixes meditation and education", Change Vol 7 No 4 (May 1975) p. 19
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b Nelson, Bryce (July 9, 1973) "The Death of a College—Grand Idea That Failed", Los Angeles Times, The college trustees asked for protection of the federal court under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Act. In his order, the federal bankruptcy judge, Richard Stageman, admitted "the affection and esteem" in which Iowans held the college but said that it was irretrievably insolvent"
  14. ^ Magician Mixes Marriage and Meditation; The Hour (Associated Press) Norwalk, CT, December 2, 1981
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b c Goff, Rory and Rena (November 2012) Remembering Barhydt Chapel, Iowa Source, page F-1
  16. ^ "Historical Mansion Restoration". 2014-04-09. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  17. ^ Munns, Roger, "Upstart stirring up the karma", Owosso Argus-Press (Associated Press) (July 21, 1983)
  18. ^ Osment, Noel (June 9, 1984). "Power of TM | Followers take credit for upsurge in U.S.". The San Diego Union. p. A-21.
  19. ^ (November 2010)James McCartney to make American debut in Fairfield Archived April 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine The Gazette, retrieved April 5, 2012
  20. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g DePalma, Anthony (April 29, 1992). "University's degree comes with a heavy dose of meditation (and skepticism)". New York Times.
  21. ^ "Court Refuses Appeal Of Death-Row Inmate". Omaha World - Herald. May 2, 2000. p. 13.
  22. ^ "Iowa Briefs". Telegraph-Herald. Dubuque, Iowa. Associated Press. November 18, 2000. p. A.9.
  23. ^ Beth Dalby, "M.U.M. reveals plans for Barhydt Chapel, Fairfield Ledger, November 17, 2000, p. 1
  24. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Schuman, Samuel (2009) Johns Hopkins University Press, Seeing the Light: Religious Colleges in Twenty-First-Century America, pp. 39–41
  25. ^ Jump up to: a b "University expected to settle lawsuit over death". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. January 8, 2009. Archived from the original on January 14, 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  26. ^ Jump up to: a b c Reimer, Emily (October 30, 2009). "Fourth Annual David Lynch Weekend for World Peace and Meditation Taking Place in Iowa". Paste Magazine. Retrieved November 15, 2009.
  27. ^ Associate Press (2008-03-14). "David Lynch to fund TM scholarships". USA Today. Retrieved December 18, 2009.
  28. ^ Nollen, Diana (November 15, 2009). "REVIEW: McCartney wins over Fairfield audience in U.S. debut concert". The Gazette. Iowa City, Iowa. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  29. ^ Heartland Connection
  30. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h "Maharishi University of Management". City-Town Info. Retrieved November 15, 2009.
  31. ^ Jump up to: a b People and Places . . . THIS WEEK Architecture Week, 06 February 2008
  32. ^ Jump up to: a b Simon, Laura (May 25, 2013). "An Iowa Senator delivers MUM". Heartland Connection. Retrieved July 1, 2013.
  33. ^ Bryce J. Renninger (August 14, 2013). "Besides Transcendental Meditation, What Does One Learn with the David Lynch MA in Film?". IndieWire. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  34. ^ "Higher Learning Commission - Organizational Profile - Maharishi University of Management". Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  35. ^ Radio Iowa, June 23, 2010, 7th Heaven Star, Iowa Native, Returns From LA, Matt Kelly [2]"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-07-25. Retrieved 2010-07-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  36. ^ Rosenthal, Norman E. (2011) Maharishi University: Commencement 2011 at MUM, retrieved June 22, 2012
  37. ^ Crowley, Candy (2012) CNN Anchor Candy Crowley Commencement Address at Maharishi University of Management YouTube, Maharishi Channel, retrieved June 22, 2012
  38. ^ "Jim Carrey Awarded Honorary Doctorate Degree". International Business Times. May 27, 2014. Archived from the original on June 1, 2014.
  39. ^ Glum, Julia (23 May 2015). "Graduation 2015: Best Commencement Speeches By Leaders, Celebrities To Inspire Students". International Business Times. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  40. ^ MacCash, Doug (19 May 2015). "More celebrity commencement speeches a la Maya Rudolph's Tulane address". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  41. ^ "Top 10 College YouTube Channels". Educationtopten.com. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  42. ^ "Commencement Speeches 2015: Hollywood's Top Graduation Speakers". The Hollywood Reporter. 7 March 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  43. ^ Wilson, Alex (23 May 2015). "Students from over 60 countries graduate from MUM". Heartland Connection. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  44. ^ Kelley, Matt (20 May 2015). "Former Japanese prime minister to give Maharishi University commencement address". Radio Iowa. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  45. ^ National Building Museum Archived October 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  46. ^ The Iowa Independent, Linda Waddington, January 2 2009 Archived 2014-07-29 at the Wayback Machine
  47. ^ "Mayor | Fairfield, IA - Official Website". cityoffairfieldiowa.com. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
  48. ^ "Center for Advanced Military Science (CAMS)". Institute of Science, Technology and Public Policy. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
  49. ^ Pimsleur, J.L. (May 10, 1997). "Theodore Dreier". San Francisco Chronicle. p. A20.
  50. ^ Jenkins, Alfred L. (1993). Country, Conscience and Caviar: A Diplomat's Journey in the Company of History. Seattle, Washington: BookPartners. p. 300. ISBN 978-0-96-222694-6.
  51. ^ DILLEY, JOHN R. (December 10, 1975). "TM Comes to the Heartland of the Midwest". The Christian Century. pp. 1129–1132.
  52. ^ "Rodale Institute Names Dr. Elaine Ingham as New Chief Scientist". Business Wire (Press release). New York. January 24, 2011.
  53. ^ Jump up to: a b Citytown Info
  54. ^ "Faculty Salaries, Benefits and Total Compensation", National Center for Educational Statistics Archived March 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  55. ^ Knight, Robert (November 22, 2011). "Supreme opportunity to right a wrong: High court should repeal law before it sickens the nation". Washington Times. Washington, D.C. p. B.3.
  56. ^ Maharishi University of Management U.S. News Education College, retrieved June 23, 2012
  57. ^ Olson, Carl (2007) Rutgers University Press, The Many Colors of Hinduism, page 339, "bankrupted Parsons College"
  58. ^ — Elizabeth Redden. "News: A New Campus, According to Ancient Principles". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 2009-11-16.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  59. ^ "Maharishi: Golden Domes of Pure Knowledge are Particle Accelerators of Consciousness" (Press release). 2009-10-29.
  60. ^ Kemp, Andrea (2008-08-05). "Maharishi university plans ultimate green building". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2009-11-16.
  61. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Radio Iowa, Maharishi University hopes to set the standard for "green" buildings, Kelly
  62. ^ Net Zero Is Bliss At Maharishi University in Iowa Earthtechling, retrieved June 22, 2012
  63. ^ Jump up to: a b c Mormon lends skills to constructing self-sustaining, eco-friendly building, Kikari Loftus, June 10, 2010 [3] Archived 2010-07-25 at the Wayback Machine
  64. ^ Jump up to: a b Heartland Connection, Greenest Building in America in Fairfield, Alex Halfmann, April 22, 2010 [4]
  65. ^ The Hawkeye, Sustainable Living Center is unique in US, April 26, 2010
  66. ^ Jump up to: a b c ROSSI, LISA (December 19, 2006). "They Find it Easy Being Green". Des Moines Register.
  67. ^ "Maharishi University plans ultimate green building". US Water News Online. August 2008. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23.
  68. ^ Inayatullah, Sohail; Gidley, Jennifer (2000). The university in transformation : global perspectives on the futures of the university. Westport, Conn. : Bergin & Garvey. p. 217. ISBN 978-0-89789-718-1.
  69. ^ Jump up to: a b "Best Colleges 2013: Maharishi University of Management". US News & World Report. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  70. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions: Best Colleges Rankings". US News & World Report. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
  71. ^ "Calm amid college storm — Campus News". The Daily Iowan. 2007-12-18.
  72. ^ Stark, Rodney; William Sims Bainbridge (1986). The Future of Religion: Secularization, Revival, and Cult Formation. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 289. ISBN 978-0-520-05731-9.
  73. ^ Atlas, James (April 22, 1985). "Maharishi U". The New Republic.
  74. ^ Schmidt-Wilk, Jane, Heston, Dennis & Steigard, David, "Higher education for higher consciousness: Maharishi University of Management as a model for spirituality in management education", Journal of Management Education Vol. 24, No. 5, 580-611 (2000) doi:10.1177/105256290002400505
  75. ^ Barron's Educational Series, Inc. (2000). Profiles of American colleges (24th ed.). Hauppauge N.Y. ;London: Barron's ;;Hi Marketing. ISBN 978-0-7641-7294-6.
  76. ^ Noble, Alice (May 23, 1982). "Maharishi bucks 'Guru U' image". The HAWK EYE. p. 18.
  77. ^ Shrimsley, Robert (April 4, 1992). "Election 1992: Somewhere over the rainbow". The Daily Telegraph. London (UK). p. 5.
  78. ^ Lamb, Jamie (October 1, 1993). "Will squadron of yogic flyers be our best line of defence?". The Vancouver Sun. p. A.3.
  79. ^ McHugh, Edward T (August 29, 1992). "Natural Law Party joins race". Telegram & Gazette. Worcester, Mass. p. A.3.
  80. ^ "The maharishi and transcendental disintermediation". Institutional Investor International Edition. 28 (3). March 2003. pp. 8–11.
  81. ^ Murphy, Lauren (February 14, 2002). "Mars and Venus at work; Critics aim to bring Gray back down to Earth". Washington Times. p. A.02.
  82. ^ Spano, Susan (April 2013). "The 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2013". Smithsonian Magazine.
  83. ^ Rossi, Lisa (December 19, 2006). "They Find It Easy Being Green". The Des Moines Register. Des Moines, Iowa.
  84. ^ Amelia Naidoo (2009-07-29). "gulfnews : AUE signs accords with 10 institutions". Retrieved 2009-11-16.
  85. ^ http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090731/NEWS02/907310344/-1/BUSINESS04[dead link]
  86. ^ "IA approves more fast-track teaching programs". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. July 31, 2009.[permanent dead link]
  87. ^ Jump up to: a b Simon, Ruth; Barry, Rob (Feb 18, 2013). "A Degree Drawn in Red Ink (see Graphics tab for statistics)". Wall Street Journal. pp. Graphics tab, How Does Your School Rank? (sort A–Z to find MUM). Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  88. ^ Food Management, Whole Earth Campus, Mike Bazalka, January 1, 2009 Archived January 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  89. ^ [5][permanent dead link] Washington Examiner, Film Looks Energy Saving Efforts, Richard Radford, Feb 26 2011, retrieved March 4, 2011
  90. ^ Stress Reduction Through TM, Eureka Alert, March 2, 2000
  91. ^ NIH web site, grants to MUM in 2005 and 2006 Archived May 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  92. ^ Jump up to: a b Pub Med, NIH awards MUM $8 million grant, Jan 6 2000 [6][need quotation to verify]
  93. ^ Medlib archives $5 million grant, Jan 28 1998
  94. ^ Winter, Caroline. "Transcendental Meditation May Help Stressed Vets". Businessweek.com. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  95. ^ Jump up to: a b Blumenthal, Robin Goldwyn (April 19, 2004). "Mind over markets". Barron's.
  96. ^ Walsh, Tom (Sept 4, 2003) TM gains mainstream respect Medical researchers rethink 'junk' science and take it seriously, The Gazette
  97. ^ ABC News, Transcendental Meditation Thrives in Iowa, John Berman and Maggie Burbank, January 8, 2010, [7]
  98. ^ Williamson, Lola (2010-01-01). Transcendent in America: Hindu-Inspired Meditation Movements as New Religion. ISBN 9780814794708.
  99. ^ Williamson, Lola (2010-01-01). Transcendent in America. NYU Press. pp. 100–103. ISBN 978-0-8147-9450-0.
  100. ^ Frederick T. Travis and David W. Orme-Johnson (1990). "EEG Coherence and Power During Yogic Flying". International Journal of Neuroscience. 54 (1–2): 1–12. doi:10.3109/00207458808990703. PMID 3372156.
  101. ^ David W. Orme-Johnson, Paul Gelderloos (1988). "Topographic EEG Brain Mapping During Yogic Flying". International Journal of Neuroscience. 38 (3–4): 427–434. doi:10.3109/00207458808990703. PMID 3372156.
  102. ^ Forem, Jack (2012). Transcendental Meditation: The Essential Teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. USA: Hay House. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-525-47341-1.
  103. ^ Orme-Johnson, DW. "Issue: Did a National Research Council (NRC) report discredit research on the Transcendental Meditation program?". Social Behavior and Personality. 17 (1): 383–384.
  104. ^ Jump up to: a b Krantz, Colleen, (September 12, 2002) Schools team with Maharishi Gets requests to be partner on studies of alternative medicine, Chicago Sun-Times
  105. ^ "Maharishi University join in health research: Major schools now study alternative medicine therapies". The Gazette (Cedar Rapids-Iowa City). Associated Press. August 23, 2002. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  106. ^ Tom Walsh (September 4, 2003). "TM gains mainstream respect: Medical researchers rethink 'junk' science and take it seriously". The Gazette (Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, Iowa). Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  107. ^ "TM Lawsuit to Open". London Sunday Times. November 30, 1986. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013.
  108. ^ D'Antonio, Michael. (1992). Heaven on Earth - Dispatches from American's Spiritual Frontier. New York: Crown Publishers. ISBN 978-0-517-57802-5.
  109. ^ Casey, Constance (February 2, 1991). "Gimme that New Age religion". Washington Post. Book Reviews.
  110. ^ Vallongo, Sally (April 4, 1992). "Seeing New Age with a journalist's eye". Toledo Blade. Sec. 2, p. 10.
  111. ^ 440 Great Colleges for Top Students 2010 (440 Colleges for Top Students). Peterson's. p. 494. ISBN 978-0-7689-2686-6.
  112. ^ Thielke, Matt (May 13, 2015). "Maharishi ranked as top environmental school". Heartland Connection. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  113. ^ Gaines, Steven S. (1995-08-21). Heroes and villains: the true story of the Beach Boys. Basic Books. pp. 304–305. ISBN 978-0-306-80647-6.
  114. ^ Alexander, Scott; Karaszewski, Larry (1999). Man on the Moon. Universal Studios. pp. 84–85. Archived from the original on 2012-02-20. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
  115. ^ "Oprah Winfrey visited Maharishi University in Fairfield (Iowa)|Personal development and spiritual blog: AmAre happiness blog", October 21, 2011
  116. ^ Sundays at 9/8c on OWN #Nextchapter, Retrieved 27 March 2012
  117. ^ "Fairfield's fame levitates after Oprah's meditation" Archived 2012-07-24 at archive.today Des Moines Register, March 24, 2012
  118. ^ LEHMANN-HAUPT, CHRISTOPHER (June 26, 2000). "Peter McWilliams Dies at 50; An Author of Self-Help Books". The New York Times. p. B7.
  119. ^ Hampton, Sarah (February 4, 2008). "Looking to God for relationship advice". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on February 9, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
  120. ^ "WRITER'S EDUCATION FROM MARS". New York Post. November 13, 2003. p. 012.
  121. ^ Bridgman, Mary (October 14, 1996). "LOST IN SPACE AUTHOR ARGUES MEN, WOMEN STILL NO CLOSER THAN MARS, VENUS". Columbus Dispatch. Columbus, Ohio. p. 01.B.
  122. ^ Political Graveyard
  123. ^ DC Political Report
  124. ^ Chicago Tribune, March 25, 1997, Jon Van, Firm Says Internet Can Slash Call Rates
  125. ^ Jennie Rothenberg- Gritz on Multimedia Storytelling' Archived September 19, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Writers Voices, May 23, 2008
  126. ^ Atlantic Bio
  127. ^ Kyllo, Brian (Nov 14, 2007) What Halo 3 has done to the industry Archived December 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Straight.com, accessed Dec 24, 2012
  128. ^ Keller, Bill (Feb 10, 2012) Beatles' Guru Offers Nirvana to Mozambique, accessed Dec 31, 2012 "Mr. Chissano's son and several other children of Cabinet members are studying on scholarships at the Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa"
  129. ^ KELLER, BILL (February 20, 1994). "Heavenly Plans for Mozambique". San Francisco Chronicle. p. 3.
  130. ^ "GREATER VANCOUVER CONFERENCE". Keynote Speaker. Archived from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
  131. ^ Unknown author. "Governance". MSAE official web site. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
  132. ^ McCABE, CAROL (August 18, 1989). "It might not fly at the '92 Olympics, but yogic competitors had a field day". Journal-Bulletin. Providence Journal. p. C-05.
  133. ^ Harvey, Bob (December 18, 1993). "Establishing Transcendental Meditation's identity; Few can agree if it's a religion, Hinduism or meditation". The Ottawa Citizen. p. C.6.

Further reading[]

External links[]

Coordinates: 41°01′05″N 91°58′08″W / 41.0180°N 91.9688°W / 41.0180; -91.9688

Retrieved from ""