The University of Northern Iowa, founded in 1876, is a public comprehensive university in Cedar Falls, Iowa, part of the Iowa Board of Regents alongside Iowa State and the University of Iowa. With about 10,000 students, UNI is known for its education, business, communications, and fine arts programs and is widely regarded as one of the best public universities in the Midwest for teacher preparation. The campus features classic Iowa collegiate architecture and a strong residential tradition.