Syracuse University, commonly referred to as Syracuse, 'Cuse, or SU, is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York. Since its founding in 1870, Syracuse University has a proud tradition of providing an environment in which students from diverse backgrounds come together to create, grow, and break boundaries. Since 1920, the university has identified itself as nonsectarian, although it maintains a relationship with The United Methodist Church. The campus is located in the University Hill neighborhood of Syracuse, east and southeast of downtown, on one of the larger hills. Its large campus features an eclectic mix of buildings, ranging from nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival structures to contemporary buildings.