University of Kentucky
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
University of Kentucky |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Motto | Dream • Challenge • Succeed |
| Established | 1865 |
| Type | Public |
| Endowment | $555 million[1] |
| President | Dr. Lee T. Todd, Jr. |
| Staff | 11,526 [2] |
| Undergraduates | 19,318 |
| Postgraduates | 7,890 |
| Location | Lexington, KY, USA |
| Campus | 670 acres (3.16 km²) |
| Athletics | 21 varsity teams, called "Wildcats" |
| Colors | Blue █ and White █ |
| Mascot | "Blue", "The Wildcat", "Scratch" |
| Affiliations | Southeastern Conference |
| Website | www.uky.edu |
The University of Kentucky, also referred to as UK, is a public, co-educational university located in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865, UK is the largest university in the state with 27,209 students [2].
Contents |
[edit] History
John Bowman founded the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, a publicly chartered department of Kentucky University, as a land-grant university in 1865. The first degree from A&M was awarded in 1869, and James Kennedy Patterson became the first president of the university in that same year. In 1878, A&M separated from Kentucky University, which is now Transylvania University. For the new school, the city of Lexington donated a 52 acre (210,000 m²) park and fair ground, which became the core of UK's present campus. The modern campus covers 670 acres (2.7 km²).
The college was initially for men only, but women were admitted beginning in 1880. The first female degree recipient was Belle Gunn in 1888. The school's first women's dormitory, Patterson Hall, built in 1904, was the first building constructed apart from the main campus; residents had to cross a swamp (where the Student Center now stands) to reach classrooms. The building was renovated recently and is the oldest still-existing UK dormitory.
The school's name was changed to "State University, Lexington, Kentucky" in 1908, then to "University of Kentucky" in 1916. The University of Kentucky became racially integrated in 1949 when Lyman T. Johnson, a black man, won a lawsuit to be admitted to the graduate program. Undergraduate classes desegregated in 1954.
As a land-grant university, UK is affiliated with several satellite institutions spread throughout the state. It formerly operated fourteen community colleges with more than 100 extended sites, centers and campuses, which were apart of the former University of Kentucky's Community College System (UKCCS), but in a major reorganization of the state's higher education system in 1997, the community colleges were placed under an independent governing board, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). Nearby Lexington Community College, despite the 1997 reorganization of the community colleges, remained integrated with the university itself, but separated from UK in 2004 and became apart of KCTCS. The College of Engineering operates a satellite campus in Paducah, located on the campus of West Kentucky Community and Technical College.
In an interesting show of school pride, Lexington and the surrounding Bluegrass area code was changed several years ago to 859, which spells out "UKY" on the phone.
[edit] Buildings
The University of Kentucky is home to many notable structures, including three high-rises. Major construction projects are underway or are being planned that includes a new hospital, School of Pharmacy building, and several new college structures.
The tallest of these is the 18 floor Patterson Office Tower. Constructed in 1968, it houses faculty offices, numerous conference rooms, and several computer labs. It was constructed over White Hall.
Kirwan Tower and Blanding Tower, part of the Kirwin-Blanding Complex, are two 23 level towers that house undergraduate students.
[edit] Academics
UK has 88 certified bachelor degree programs for undergraduates, 93 master's degree programs, and 60 programs in PhD and other doctoral degrees.
[edit] Organizations
- College of Agriculture
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Communications & Information Studies
- College of Dentistry
- College of Design
- College of Education
- College of Engineering
- College of Fine Arts
- College of Health Sciences
- College of Law
- College of Medicine
- College of Nursing
- College of Pharmacy
- College of Public Health
- College of Social Work
- Gatton College of Business and Economics
- Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce
[edit] Libraries
The university is home to 15 campus libraries. Among them is the William T. Young Library, which houses the university's social sciences, humanities and life sciences collections, it also acts as a United States federal repository and a public library for the state of Kentucky. Here is a list of the libraries on campus:
- Agricultural Information Center
- Chemistry-Physics Library
- Design Library
- Distance Learning Library Services
- Education Library
- Geological Sciences Library
- Law Library
- Library Link at the Patterson Office Tower
- Lucille Caudill Little Fine Arts Library and Learning Center
- Mathematical Sciences Library
- Medical Center Library
- Shaver Engineering Library
- Special Collections and Digital Programs
- William T. Young Library
[edit] "Top 20 Plan"
In 1997, the Kentucky General Assembly formed a Compact with the University of Kentucky that mandates the university become a Top 20 public research university by 2020 [3]. The Compact, formed because of "low education levels, low wages and poor health" in the state of Kentucky, is an essential component to the vitality of the citizens. According to the Compact, states with Top 20 universities feature higher average household incomes, higher education attainments, healthier lives and more financial security [4]. As a result, fewer citizens live in poverty and as a result, fewer public dollars are spent on health care [3]. It would also spur technological advancements due to university-based research and increase the marketability of the state to investors.
As part of the Top 20 plan, the university plans to [3],
- Increase enrollment by 7,000 students to 34,000;
- Increase the state's highest graduation rate by 12% to 72%;
- Increase the number of faculty by 625 to total 2,500;
- Increase research expenditures by $470 million to total $768 million per year; and
- Increase the university's role in Kentucky's "schools, farms, businesses and communities."
The Top 20 plan has already produced results [4],
- Total enrollment increased from 24,061 in 1996 to 26,440 in 2004, an increase of 2,379.
- The graduation rate increased from 48.1 percent in 1991 to 59.5 percent in 1998.
- Research expenditures increased from $124.8 million in 1996 to $297.6 million in 2003.
- Endowment increased from $195.1 million in 1997 to $538.4 million in 2005.
Although currently the university's undergraduate program is ranked 112th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report's widely acknowledged college rankings,[1] the university already has top-20 programs in pharmacy[citation needed], geography[citation needed], hispanic studies [5], plant pathology [5], anatomy and neurobiology [5][6], nursing [5], counseling psychology [5], educational psychology [5], entomology [5], physiology [6] , surgery[citation needed], public finance/budget[citation needed], behavioral science[citation needed], applied communications[citation needed], architecture[citation needed], real estate studies[citation needed], diplomacy/international relations [7] (ie, the Patterson School), Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology [6], Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics [6], Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry [6], Surgery [6], and Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health [6]. UK as a whole has been ranked the 19th best public research university based on the scholarly activity of faculty [5]. It should be noted that many of these rankings are at the departmental level, and from a student perspective, are more reflective of specialized graduate study.[citation needed]
[edit] Athletics
The University of Kentucky is a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky's sports teams (nicknamed the Wildcats) include football, men's & women's basketball, women's volleyball, baseball, softball, men's & women's cross country, men's & women's swimming/diving, women's gymnastics, men's & women's soccer, men's & women's track & field (indoor & outdoor), men's & women's golf, men's & women's tennis, and the coeducational sport of rifle.
Because the SEC does not sponsor men's soccer, that team had competed in the Mid-American Conference. However, in 2005, the program jumped to Conference USA, along with fellow SEC member South Carolina, who had also been part of the former Metro Conference (the predecessor to C-USA).
The University of Kentucky cheerleaders have won the UCA Division I-A Cheerleading Championship 15 times, more than any other school.
The school's men's basketball team is the winningest program in Division I college basketball with over 1,974 victories, seven NCAA national championships (1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998) -- which is second all-time to UCLA's 11 -- two NIT national championships (1946, 1976), one Helms national title (1933), forty-eight NCAA tournament appearances, runner-up three times, 13 Final Fours, and 28 Elite Eight appearances. As of 22 March 2007, the school has begun looking for a new basketball coach upon the resignation of Tubby Smith.
[edit] Media
The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department was the home and sponsor of one of the earliest college amateur radio stations in the United States. W4JP began continuous operation before World War I and persisted until amateur radio licenses were granted by the US Government.
The university is currently served by an independent student-funded 88.1 FM WRFL and the Triple-A station 91.3 FM WUKY. The campus is also served by the Kentucky Kernel, a student-run, financially independent daily newspaper. The official yearbook of the University of Kentucky is the Kentuckian. First published in 1906, it was preceded by at least one previous book, the Echo. Many former members of the staff have gone on to successful careers in journalism. One of the more notable is National Geographic photographer Sam Abell. As one of UK's student publications, the book is currently closely associated with the school's independent daily student newspaper.
[edit] Student life
The University offers seven main dining facilities, 23 residence halls, and numerous recreation facilities spread between three distinct campuses: north, south, and central. It is also home to more than 250 student-run organizations.
[edit] Campus safety
UK suffers from a perception that the campus is unsafe. In a survey of 1000 female UK students, conducted in Spring 2004, 36.5% reported having been victims of rape, stalking, or physical assault while at UK. [8] [9] Campus law enforcement statistics do not bear out these numbers, however, [10] and it can be assumed either that many serious crimes go unreported or that the survey conclusions were erroneous.
In response to the survey, President Todd launched an initiative in September 2005 called the "Campus Safety Imperative," including a quadrupling of annual expenditures on safety. [11] Todd specifically linked campus safety to the goal of becoming a top 20 public research institution, saying, “We will never make gains toward becoming a top-20 public research institution if our students are unsafe or if they lack a sense of physical security. It is part of our fundamental mission, then, to create a campus that provides a safe place to live, to work, and to learn." [9]
[edit] Greek life
There are 15 sororities and 26 fraternities that serve the university.
[edit] Notable people
The university has been home to many notable people, including current Kentucky governor Ernie Fletcher; Ken Lucas, a former U.S. representative from the state's fourth congressional district; U.S. Senator Addison Mitchell McConnell, Jr., and Ashley Judd, an actress (as well as a noted celebrity fan of the school's basketball team).
[edit] Points of interest
- Commonwealth Stadium
- Memorial Coliseum
- Memorial Hall
- University of Kentucky/Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Arboretum
- University of Kentucky Research and Education Center Botanical Garden
- William T. Young Library
[edit] External links
[edit] Official sites
- University of Kentucky - Official
- Martin School of Public Policy and Administration
- College of Engineering
- Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce homepage
[edit] University-affiliated media sites
[edit] Sports-related sites
- Official UK athletics site
- WildcatNation.net - UK Athletics for fans site
- Wildcat Fanatics - UK Sports forum
- Jon Scott's Kentucky Basketball Statistics site
[edit] References
- ^ a b America's Best Colleges 2007: University of Kentucky: At a glance (2006). Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
- ^ a b "Stats At A Glance." University of Kentucky. 17 Oct. 2005. University of Kentucky. 7 Sept. 2006 [1].
- ^ a b c Todd, Lee T. "UK Reaching Top 20 Critical to Moving Kentucky Forward." University of Kentucky. February 28, 2007 [2].
- ^ a b "Top 20 Business Plan Presentation" University of Kentucky 2005. February 28, 2007 [3].
- ^ a b c d e f g h UK Ranks #1 in Hispanic Studies and Plant Pathology. University of Kentucky (2007). Retrieved on 2007-02-06.Two College of Agriculture Departments Rank in Top 10 Nationally. usagnet.com (2007). Retrieved on 2007-02-06.
- ^ a b c d e f g Medicine Departments Rank in NIH Top-20. University of Kentucky (2004). Retrieved on 2007-02-06.
- ^ Inside the Ivory Tower. foreignpolicy.com (2006). Retrieved on 2007-02-06.
- ^ Women's Place Safety Imperative. University of Kentucky (2006). Retrieved on 2007-02-06.
- ^ a b UK President Announces Initiatives to Improve Women’s Safety. University of Kentucky (2004). Retrieved on 2007-02-06.
- ^ University of Kentucky Campus Safety and Security Report 2006. University of Kentucky (2006). Retrieved on 2007-02-06.
- ^ $1.25 Million Committed to Improving Campus Safety. University of Kentucky (2005). Retrieved on 2007-02-06.
| Southeastern Conference |
|---|
| Eastern Division: Florida • Georgia • Kentucky • South Carolina • Tennessee • Vanderbilt Western Division: Alabama • Arkansas • Auburn • LSU • Mississippi • Mississippi State |
