The University of New Orleans (UNO) community is in the midst of celebrating the school's 50th anniversary. Since opening its doors to local students on September 5, 1958, UNO has made monumental contributions to the community through its educational and community efforts. Built on an abandoned Naval Air Station on the south , UNO was created as a citizen's movement to improve tax-supported education. The university was originally known as in and remains part of the LSU System. UNO opened in 1958 with 63 faculty members and nearly 1,500 students at a cost of $15 per semester.