University of Massachusetts Lowell
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| Established | 1894 Lowell Normal School 1895 Lowell Textile School 1975 University of Lowell 1991 UMass Lowell |
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| Type | Public |
| Chancellor | David J. MacKenzie |
| Faculty | 359 full-time 224 part-time & visiting |
| Undergraduates | 6,208 (2003) |
| Postgraduates | 2,370 (2003) |
| Location | Lowell, Massachusetts, USA |
| Campus | Urban 125 acres/500,000 m² |
| Colors | Blue, White & Red |
| Nickname | River Hawks |
| Mascot | River Hawk |
| Website | www.uml.edu |
The University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell) is one of five University of Massachusetts campuses. Located in Lowell, Massachusetts, it has become the largest university in the Merrimack Valley. It also underwent numerous consolidations in its history. It was previously the University of Lowell (ULowell), and prior to 1975, it was two colleges: Lowell Technological Institute (LTI) and Lowell State College. These two colleges were originally named Lowell Textile School (founded in 1895 to train technicians and managers for the textile industry) and the Lowell Normal School (founded in 1894 to train new teachers), respectively.
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[edit] Academic Notoriety
UMass Lowell is well-known for its science and engineering programs. It was the first university in the United States to offer a bachelor's degree in plastics engineering, and it is one of a few public universities in the United States to offer a degree in meteorology. UMass Lowell is also the first university to offer a masters in sound recording technology. Its Computer Science degree is one of only five Massachusetts based programs to earn accreditation (the others being MIT, Northeastern, WPI and UMass Dartmouth).
The school continues to make advancements in its master's degree program in energy engineering with renowned solar and nuclear specialties. The Energy Engineering Department has been leading the University in its eco-friendly attempts to cut greenhouse gases, in February 2006, switching to wind powered electricity in some dormatories[1].
The Mechanical Engineering Department has a Baseball Research Center which is the official certification center for baseball bats used by the NCAA and Major League Baseball [2]. The center has received grants from Major League Baseball to do comparison testing on regular season and World Series baseballs [3].
The nanotechnology program within the University was honored in 2004 by the John Adams Innovation Institute with a $5 million award for the creation of the UMass Lowell Nanomanufacturing Center of Excellence.
The Francis College of Engineering's Assistive Technology Program, which focuses on developing devices which improve quality of life for the disabled, has won numerous state and national awards for design excellence and community service.
The Master's program in criminal justice is ranked one of the best in the nation by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences in their Guide to Graduate Programs in Criminal Justice and Criminology and one of seven regional programs with an eligible Master's program under the Quinn Bill[4].
The University has been ranked as an intensive doctoral/research university by the Carnegie Foundation[5] and received a category one ranking, the highest possible, from the American Association of University Professors.
All of the programs in the College of Management are fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, the highest level of business school accreditation. The College of Management has been fully accredited since 1987, and the most recent AACSB reaffirmation of accreditation occurred in December of 2005.
[edit] Campuses
The University consists of four campuses: North, South, East, and West. Maps can be found here.
[edit] North Campus
The North Campus, formerly Academic North, encompasses the majority of the Science, Business and Engineering programs as well as the dormitories Eames Hall and Smith Hall. Costello Gym and Cushing Field contain many of the University's athletic programs.
[edit] East Campus
Formerly Residential North, East Campus is located across the Merrimack River from North Campus. Students reside in Fox, Donahue, Bourgeois and Leitch Halls. Bourgeois Hall and Leitch Hall are freshman dorms, and Donahue Hall is suites. It also contains the Campus Recreation Center which was built in 2002, as well as LeLacheur Park. A short walk away is Tsongas Arena and Wannalancit Mills. A new parking structure is under construction, and is scheduled to be completed before January 2007.
[edit] South Campus
South Campus is home to the colleges of Health Professions, Liberal Arts and Social Science programs. Its dormitories are Concordia and Sheehy Halls. South campus also contains O'Leary Library, the larger of the University's two libraries.
[edit] West Campus
West Campus, located in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, is home to the School of Education, which offers graduate programs in education.
[edit] Sports
UMass Lowell athletic teams compete in a variety of sports. Men and women compete in Division II, with the exception of men's hockey, which competes in Division I. The men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, ice hockey, track and field, and soccer. The women's sports are basketball, cross country, track and field, field hockey, soccer, softball, and volleyball. The University's mens' hockey team plays in the Hockey East conference, and use Tsongas Arena as their home ice. Past champions include the 1988 men's basketball team, the men's cross country team, the ice hockey team (three times), and the 2005 field hockey team.
The nickname "River Hawks" came about during the school's transition into UMass Lowell, and was inspired by the campus's location by the Merrimack River. The University of Lowell's nickname was the Chiefs, which was abandoned in favor of the less offensive current name. A campus-wide poll was conducted for student input and final candidates including the Ospreys and the Raging Rapids, according to the Connector student newspaper.
[edit] Radio Station
UMass Lowell is home to the WUML radio station.
[edit] University Demographics
2005 enrollment totals were 10,666 students, comprised of 6,178 undergraduate students, 1,921 graduate day students and 2,567 continuing education students. In-state enrollment totals 89.1% of undergraduates and 70.1% of grad students. International students are 1.2% of the undergraduate population and 17% of the graduate population. Students of color are 20.6% of the total undergraduate population and 18.6% of the graduate population. The male-female ratio is 60%/40% for undergraduates and 54%/46% for the graduate population.
[edit] Notable alumni and former students
- Brian S. Dempsey, (B.A.), member of the Mass. House of Representatives (served 1990 - present)
- Christopher G. Fallon, (M.S. 1978), member of the Mass. House of Representatives (served 1996 - present)
- Ron Hainsey, Professional Ice Hockey Player
- Craig MacTavish, Professional Ice Hockey Player and Coach
- Marty Meehan, Congressman
- Jack Neary, Playwright
- John Ogonowski, Pilot of American Airlines Flight 11 on 9/11/2001
- John Pinette, Comedian
- Dwayne Roloson, Professional Ice Hockey Player
- Robert Silvers, Photomosaic artist
[edit] External links
| Northeast Ten Conference |
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| American International • Assumption • Bentley • Bryant • Franklin Pierce • Le Moyne • Long Island Post† • Massachusetts Lowell • Merrimack • Pace • Saint Anselm • Saint Michael's • Saint Rose • Southern Connecticut State • Southern New Hampshire • Stonehill † football-only member |
| Hockey East |
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| Men's Division: Boston College • Boston University • Maine • Massachusetts • UMass Lowell • Merrimack • New Hampshire • Northeastern • Providence • Vermont Women's Division: Boston College • Boston University • UConn • Maine • New Hampshire • Northeastern • Providence • Vermont |
