Maharishi University of Management

     Maharishi University of Management (MUM), formerly Maharishi International University, is an American non-profit university located 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.

The university is accredited through the PhD level by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and offers degree programs in art, business, education, communications, mathematical science, literature, physiology & health, Vedic Science and sustainable living.

The concept for a university came out of a "series of international symposia on Science of Creative Intelligence" (SCI) attended by notable academics.It was established in 1971 by Nat Goldhaber.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".Its founding principles were to develop the full potential of the individual, realize the highest ideal of education, improve governmental achievements, solve the age-old problem of crime and all behavior that brings unhappiness to the world family, bring fulfillment to the economic aspirations of individuals and society, maximize the intelligent use of the environment, and achieve the spiritual goals of humanity in this generation.

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.In August 1974, the university purchased the campus of the bankrupt Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa, for $2.5 million and relocated there.

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 MUM, John Hagelin, honorary chairman, and Ed Malloy, mayor of Fairfield.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,and Alfred L. Jenkins, a career diplomat who served as chairman of MIU for three years.Bevan Morris is president of the university.In 2007 the university had 52 faculty members and average salaries for full-time faculty ranged from $6,678 for some instructors and assistant professors to $19,595 for full professors.In 2011, MUM 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.

The university is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the oldest accrediting agency in the USA.MUM 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 university is also a charter signatory of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).

The MUM website cites high rankings on "benchmarks of effective educational practice" from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).The 2002 NSSE survey, which obtained data from 135,000 students at 613 institutions, shows MUM was in the top 10% for: active and collaborative learning, supportive campus environment, enriching educational experiences and student–faculty interaction.MUM participated in the NSSE in 2002, 2005, and 2009.

The "Best Colleges 2013" Masters Midwest Category of U.S. News & World Report college and university rankings gave Maharishi University of Management a tier two rating,which places the school in the bottom 25% of colleges.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.

Maharishi University of Management emphasizes "natural health" and students are encouraged to maintain a regular schedule of academic work, rest, meals, and exercise.The university provides guidance on natural health improvement practices to the students, including guidelines for daily and seasonal routines, diet and digestion, simple breathing techniques, basic yoga postures called asanas, personalized fitness programs, and self-pulse health assessment techniques.Students are required to participate in physical activity every day. A variety of recreation, exercise classes and sports are offered to meet most schedules. A recreation center and an outdoor swimming pool are open to students at no charge.MUM prohibits the use of non-prescribed drugs, alcoholic beverages, and smoking on its campus.

MUM 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.Players on the soccer team represent as many as 16 countries, and the team has been undefeated champion of its league three times.