University of Rhode Island

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University of Rhode Island
Motto	Hope
Established	1892
Type	Public
Endowment	$72 million USD
President	Robert Carothers
Faculty	675
Students	19,095
Undergraduates	14,546
Postgraduates	4,549
Location	Flagship Campus: Kingston, RI, USA Commonwealth Campuses: Narragansett Providence West Greenwich
Campus	Rural 1,250 acres (5.06 km²)
Colors	Keaney Blue, Dark Blue and White
Nickname	Rams
Mascot	Rhody the Ram
Affiliations	Atlantic 10 Conference
Website	www.uri.edu

The University of Rhode Island, commonly abbreviated as URI, is the principal public research university in the State of Rhode Island, with its main campus in Kingston, Rhode Island, and three other campuses located throughout the state. URI has 14,546 undergraduates and 4,549 graduate students. It is a land grant, sea grant, and urban grant institution.

Contents 1 History 2 Academics 3 Athletics 3.1 Fight Song 4 Student Organizations 5 Traditions and trivia 6 Notable alumni/ae 6.1 Politics 6.2 Sports 6.3 Arts and entertainment 6.4 Business 6.5 Science 6.6 Military 7 Film 8 See also 9 External links

[edit] History

The University was first chartered as the state's agricultural school in 1888. The site of the school was originally the Oliver Watson Farm, and the original farmhouse still lies on the campus today. In 1892, the school became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. The first class was comprised of only seventeen students, and they graduated two years later. In 1909, the school's name was again changed to Rhode Island State College and the school's programs expanded beyond its original mandate. In 1951, the college became the University of Rhode Island by an act of the General Assembly. The Board of Governors for Higher Education, appointed by the governor, became the governing body of the University in 1981.

[edit] Academics

[edit] Athletics

The University of Rhode Island Department of Athletics and Recreation offers 22 intercollegiate sports (12 women and 10 for men) and 17 club sports programs. The university is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, the Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association, and the Colonial Athletic Association in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision for football. The wide range of athletic facilities include the Ryan Center, Keaney Gymnasium, Meade Stadium, Mackal Field House, Tootell Aquatic Center, Boss Ice Arena, URI Soccer Complex, Beck Field and URI Softball Field. Other facilities available for students include fitness rooms, indoor track, swimming and diving pools, twelve tennis courts, and two beach volleyball courts, among others.

The team colors are light blue (formerly officially referred to as "Keaney blue"), white and navy blue. The school's mascot is a ram. It was chosen in 1923 as tribute to the school's agricultural history. There has not been a live ram at the school since 1974, with "Rhody", a student in an anthropomorphic ram costume, roaming the sidelines in his place.[1]

[edit] Fight Song

We're Rhode Island born
and we're Rhode Island bred
and when we die, we'll be Rhode Island dead
so go, go Rhode Island, Island,
go, go Rhode Island, Island
GO Rhode Island
U-R-I!

The fight song features a physical aspect as well as a vocal. To begin the fight song, students start with a slow clap that eventually stops when the words begin. At the end, the "U-R-I!" is emphasized by making a fist with the right hand. Then placing said fist on the left shoulder on "U," the right shoulder on "R," and is completed by throwing it up in the air on "I!"

[edit] Student Organizations

Student organizations are funded by the URI Student Senate, which is in turn funded by fees levied on all students. Prominent organizations are:

• URI Student Senate — the undergraduate student government[2]
• Student Entertainment Committee (SEC) — organizes large concerts and other campuswide entertainment, including comedians, guest speakers, and special activities.
• WRIU — campus radio
• The Good 5 Cent Cigar — campus newspaper
• URI Students for Social Change
• URI Student Action for Sustainability
• Philonymous
• Local branches of national organizations such as: Hillel, the Association for Computing Machinery, Model UN
• Zeta Beta Tau, Rho Iota chapter — Fraternity at URI that has won two of the last three Brummer Cups, which is the award given to the best overall chapter of ZBT. In addition this chapter received the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) Award of Distinction, which is given anually by the governing body of fraternities to a few of the best overall chapters in the country.

[edit] Traditions and trivia

• A rifled cannon, fired by the ROTC students in the 19th century, burst on the Quadrangle. The school placed the barrel of said cannon, known as "Ben Butler", in a permanent mount, guarding the Quad.
• Butterfield Dining and Residence Hall is referred to as "The Butt."
• Roger Williams Dining Hall is referred to as "Ro-Jo's", a reference to the old Howard Johnson's restaurants.
• Many off-campus students live "down the line" in Narragansett, neighborhoods such as Eastward Look, Scarborough Hills, Bonnet Shores, Narragansett Pier and Great Island. This refers to an old bus line.

[edit] Notable alumni/ae

[edit] Politics

• Lincoln Almond, Governor of Rhode Island 1995-2003
• Robert Weygand, Lieutenant Governor of RI 1993-1997, U.S. Representative from RI 1997-2001
• Charles J. Fogarty, (graduate degree) Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island 1999-2006

[edit] Sports

• Ernie Calverley Former NBA player, Former URI Head Coach
• Tom Garrick, Former NBA player for the San Antonio Spurs,and L.A. Clippers, Current Head Coach for URI Women's team.
• Sly Williams, Former NBA player for New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, and Boston Celtics
• Cuttino Mobley, NBA player for the Los Angeles Clippers
• Lamar Odom, NBA player for the Los Angeles Lakers
• Steve Furness, Former NFL player for Pittsburgh Steelers
• Frank Ferrara, Former NFL defensive end for New York Giants, Hollywood stunt man
• Sasha Gotsmanov, MLS player for the Colorado Rapids
• Todd Bozeman, Head Coach, Morgan State University men's basketball
• Jim Christian, Head Coach, Kent State University men's basketball
• Dana Quigley, PGA Golfer
• Patrick Horgan, PGA Golfer
• Paul Kenyon, Sports writer, Providence Journal
• Andy Gresh, Sports Analyst, Fox Sports
• Tim Gray, Sports Reporter, NBC

[edit] Arts and entertainment

• Jim O'Connor, TV host, Food Network
• J.T. Walsh, Actor
• Ross Kauffman, Co-Writer, director, producer, Born into Brothels
• Matt Gallant, Television personality
• Christiane Amanpour, Chief International Correspondent, CNN

[edit] Business

• Robert Crandall, Former President and Chairman of the Board, American Airlines
• Thomas Ryan, CEO of CVS Corporation
• Alfred Verrecchia, CEO Hasbro
• Rodger B. Dowdell, CEO American Power Conversion
• Crosley Jackson, CEO Evergreen Investments

[edit] Science

• Robert Ballard, Oceanographer, discoverer of the RMS Titanic
• Paul Dellegatto, Chief Meteorologist for FOX13 in Tampa

[edit] Military

• Admiral Jeremy M. Boorda, 25th Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

[edit] Film

• The film Outside Providence shot its private school sequences at Green Hall, among other locations at the Kingston Campus.
• The upcoming film Underdog shot some of its scenes at the Providence campus.

[edit] See also

• Dr. Everett Christopher Memorial Arboretum
• URI Botanical Gardens

[edit] External links

• University of Rhode Island
• Official URI Athletics
• 90.3 WRIU (URI's Non-Profit/Community Radio Station)
• The Good 5c Cigar - URI's Student Newspaper
• URI Students for Social Change
• URI Computer Science Department Wiki
• URI Institutional Research - URI Statistics and Information
• Joint Degrees in law at Roger Williams University School of Law

Colonial Athletic Association
Delaware • Drexel • George Mason • Georgia State • Hofstra • James Madison • Northeastern • Old Dominion • Towson • UNC–Wilmington • Virginia Commonwealth • William & Mary

The Atlantic 10
Charlotte • Dayton • Duquesne • Fordham • George Washington • La Salle • UMass • Rhode Island • Richmond • Saint Bonaventure • Saint Joseph's • Saint Louis • Temple • Xavier

Colleges and Universities in Rhode Island
Brown • Bryant • Johnson & Wales • Naval War College • New England Institute of Technology Providence College • Rhode Island College • RISD • Roger Williams • Salve Regina • URI