University of Rochester

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University of Rochester

University of Rochester Seal
University of Rochester Seal
Motto Meliora
Latin: Always better
Established 1850
Type Private, nonsectarian
Endowment $1.52 billion USD[3]
President Joel Seligman
Staff 1,225
Undergraduates 4,561
Postgraduates 3,892
Location Rochester, New York, USA
Campus Suburban/Urban,[1] 600 acres (2.4 km²)
Colors Dandelion Yellow and Blue[2]            
Mascot Yellowjacket
Website http://www.rochester.edu
University of Rochester Logotype

The University of Rochester (UR) is a private, coeducational and nonsectarian research university located in Rochester, New York. The university is one of 62 elected members of the prestigious Association of American Universities.

Founded in 1850, UR offers degree programs at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, as well as in several professional disciplines. Its undergraduate and graduate degree programs in physics, medicine, economics, philosophy, clinical psychology, health and society, religion, political science, nursing, business administration and music are among the best in the nation. The Institute of Optics at the university is also the oldest and preeminent optics program in the U.S., having granted about half of the optics degrees in the nation. UR is a highly research oriented institution, hosting numerous centers of research, including the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, which boasts the most powerful ultraviolet laser in the world, and the University of Rochester Medical Center, featuring numerous biomedical and healthcare research facilities.

Since 2005, UR with its affiliated Strong Health System, has been the largest employer in the Greater Rochester area. The university's current president is Joel Seligman, who replaced Thomas H. Jackson as the university's 10th president on July 1, 2005.

Contents

[edit] History and administration

The University of Rochester was founded in 1850 as a Baptist-sponsored institution. The impetus to form the university came primarily from the little town of Hamilton, New York, which has been home to Colgate University since 1819.[4] In 1850, the Baptist Education Society planned to move Colgate University to the city of Rochester, but was halted by legal action. Dissenting Colgate trustees, faculty, and students founded the University of Rochester.

Major growth occurred under the leadership of the third president, Rush Rhees, during his 1900-1935 tenure. During this time, George Eastman became a major donor, giving more than $50 million to the university, and the River Campus was established in 1927. The first Ph.D. was awarded in 1925.

In 1955, the separate colleges for men and women were merged into The College. In 1958, three new schools were created in engineering, business administration, and education.

The university is headed by a board of trustees, which appoints the president of the university.

[edit] Campuses

[edit] River Campus

Rush Rhees Library
Rush Rhees Library

The River Campus is the center of the university's academic and administrative activities. It is located in a bend of the Genesee River about 2 miles south of downtown Rochester and covers around 200 acres. It is bounded by Bausch & Lomb Riverside Park, an 18-acre public park along the east bank of the Genesee River. The original buildings of the campus, including Rush Rhees Library, were dedicated in 1930. The main academic buildings, designed in the Greek revival–style, are centered around the Eastman Quadrangle, generally referred to as the academic quad, which is formed by Rush Rhees Library, Bausch & Lomb, Dewey, Morey and Lattimore Halls and is widely considered the best landscaped area of the university. Rush Rhees Library, an unofficial symbol of the university, is also home to the Hopeman Memorial Carillon, one of only six in New York and features 50 bells that chime on the quarter hour. During the summer, the carillon features a recital series where various artists perform on the instrument.

Eastman Quadrangle with the Meridian Marker (center)
Eastman Quadrangle with the Meridian Marker (center)

The southeastern portion of the River Campus is the site of other academic buildings, including Gavett, Harkness, Hopeman, Hutchinson, the Computer Science Building and Carlson Library, Hylan, Wilmot and Goergen Halls, the latter 5 forming the bounds of a new science and engineering quadrangle.[5]

Students often congregate outdoors during the warmer months on the various quads. Other centers of student life include Todd Union, Frederick Douglass Dining Center, Danforth Dining Center, the Goergen Athletic Center, Wilson Commons, a student center designed by I.M. Pei, Rush Rhees Library, and the ITS Center, the largest computing location on the campus. A majority of the academic buildings, including the Rush Rhees Library building are connected by a tunnel system, which is used extensively, especially during unfavorable weather. Many common areas, such as the academic buildings and quad, Wilson Commons, Susan B. Anthony Halls, Gilbert Hall, and Hoeing Hall also have access controlled Wi-Fi internet access.[6]

[edit] University of Rochester Medical Center

The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) is the primary campus for the university's medical education and research as well as the main patient care facility. The Medical Center is located adjacent to the River Campus and is dominated by a single large structure that houses the majority of the education, research and patient care facilities, including Strong Memorial Hospital.

[edit] Eastman School of Music

The Eastman School of Music is situated on its own campus in downtown Rochester, which includes a residence for students, classroom and performance facilities, including the Eastman Theatre. The campus also features the Sibley Music Library, the largest academic music library in North America.

[edit] South Campus

The South Campus is located largely in Brighton, NY, south of Rochester proper. The campus includes the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, the Center for Optics Manufacturing, the Center for Optoelectronics and Imaging, and the now defunct Nuclear Structure Research Laboratory (NSRL). Graduate student housing is also provided at the Whipple Park complex.

[edit] Rochester Area Properties

[edit] Academics and Research

UR's undergraduate enrollment at The College and the Eastman School of Music consists of about 4,500 full-time and about 100 part-time students from across the U.S. and over 90 countries.[7] Graduate enrollment at The College, Eastman and the four graduate and professional schools comprises about 3,300 full-time and about 550 part-time graduate students. The university has more than 97,000 alumni living. The university employs more than 1,200 tenure-track faculty, with more than 17,000 faculty and staff across the university and the Strong Health System. UR's faculty include fellows of all four National Academies of the U.S., Guggenheim Fellows, and recipients of many other awards and recognitions.[8]

[edit] Organization

Academics at the University of Rochester are generally organized and administered by school. The various departments offer degree programs ranging from certificates and bachelors degrees to doctorates.

  • The College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering
The College offers undergraduate and graduate education in large number of fields and encompasses the majority of undergraduate and graduate enrollment at the university. The College is primarily located on the River Campus.
  • Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is a premier music institution offering both undergraduate and graduate education in a broad range of fields, including composition, theory and performance.
  • Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development
Main article: Warner School
The Warner School is the university's primary graduate school for education. It is located on the River Campus.
  • School of Medicine and Dentistry
The School of Medicine and Dentistry is a top rated graduate school that prepares students in medical, dental and research disciplines. The school is located in the University of Rochester Medical Center.
  • School of Nursing
The university also includes an accredited School of Nursing, located on the campus of the University of Rochester Medical Center.
  • William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration
The Simon School is a nationally ranked business school located on the River Campus.

[edit] Rankings

UR is one of 25 schools named a "New Ivy League" in the 2007 Kaplan/Newsweek "How to Get into College Guide." The elite list, produced for the first time, includes institutions whose first-rate academic programs and top students rival traditional Ivy League schools. The rankings are based on admissions statistics as well as interviews with administrators, students, faculty, and alumni.[9]

The University of Rochester also placed 21st on The Washington Monthly College Rankings list. The list, presented for only the second time by the political magazine, includes institutions that The Washington Monthly believes are "benefiting the country." The rankings take into account how a school contributes to social mobility by helping the poor improve their economic standing. Other criteria include the institution's support for research in the humanities and in the sciences and its promotion of an ethic of service to country.

The Eastman School of Music ranks first among graduate music programs in the U.S. according to U.S. News & World Report. Other schools in the university also rank highly, with The School of Medicine and Dentistry at 30th overall among medical schools and its primary-care program ranks 17th among primary-care medical schools, and The Simon School ranked 23rd among graduate business schools.

The new Biomedical Engineering-Optics building (left), the Computer Science Building (right) with URMC in the background.
The new Biomedical Engineering-Optics building (left), the Computer Science Building (right) with URMC in the background.

UR also consistently ranks among the top 50 national research universities, being the third highest in New York.[10]

[edit] Research

UR is a leading private university and a major center for diverse fields of research. The university boasts eight Nobel Prize winners among its faculty and alumni. UR consistently ranks among the top 40 colleges and universities nationwide in federally financed science, engineering, medical, and other research, with a total research budget of around $350 million spread across many departments and research centers, including the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, a laser-based nuclear fusion facility, and an NIH-designated AIDS vaccine evaluation center. Recently, the university has also engaged in a series of new initiatives to expand its programs in biomedical engineering and optics, including the construction of the new $37 million Robert B. Goergen Hall for Biomedical Engineering and Optics on the River Campus.[11]

[edit] University symbols and traditions

[edit] Symbols

Flagpole on the River Campus bearing the seal of the university.
Flagpole on the River Campus bearing the seal of the university.

UR's official symbol is the seal of the university, which features a book, representing arts and sciences, a symbol of music and a modified symbol of medicine.[12] The official flower of the university is the dandelion, purportedly prolific on the cow pasture that became the university's first campus.[13] The mascot is the Yellowjacket.[14]

The university uses Dandelion Yellow and a shade of blue ("Rochester" blue) as its official colors, which are the prominent colors on the official regalia.[15]

The motto of UR is Meliora, which loosely means "better" with the connotation of "always better", which is the meaning adopted by the university.[16]

Many other unofficial symbols in prevalent use, including the image of Rush Rhees Library's main dome.

UR also has official logos for the university as a whole as well as individual units, including The College, URMC and Eastman. President Seligman, as part of his efforts to improve UR's external appearance, commissioned Bill Murphy, the Vice President of Communications, to start an initiative to develop a new graphic identity, including a new logo, in hopes of improving uniformity and overall usage of official standards.[17] As of March 2007, the communications office is soliciting opinions and comments on finalist designs for the new logo, which can be viewed here.

[edit] Traditions

Graduation at the university.
Graduation at the university.

UR features several traditional events throughout the year with diverse history.[18]

  • The Boar's Head Dinner began in 1934 and continues as an annual event.
  • Convocation celebrates the start of the academic year and provides the opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to come together. The ceremony opens with a processional by faculty and administrators in traditional regalia, features presentation of the Goergen Awards for contributions to undergraduate education, and is accompanied by a picnic, activities fair and performances.
  • Dandelion Day, colloquially known as D-Day, is a day late in the spring semester that was established as an annual respite around final exams with extensive celebrations.
  • Meliora Weekend is celebrated in the fall, combining class reunions, homecoming, family weekend, and a regatta.
  • Wilson Day is day of community service for all incoming university students which include working on neighborhood picnics, voter registrations, painting, landscaping, meal service, and various other service efforts in the community.

[edit] School song

The Genesee: words by T. T. Swinburne 1892, melody arranged by Herve D. Wilkins, 1966.[19]

I.

Full many fair and famous streams
Beneath the sun there be,
Yet more to us than any seems
Our own dear Genesee.
We love her banks and stately falls,
For to our minds they bring
Our dear old alma mater's halls
Where sweetest mem'ries cling.

II.

No castled crags along her way
Romantic splendors cast;
No fabled or historic lay
Recalls the golden past.
But more than battlemented walls,
Or legends they may bear,
Are alma mater's vine-clad halls
And mem'ries ling'ring there.

III.

As flows the river gath'ring force,
Along her steadfast way,
May we along life's devious course
Grow stronger day by day.
And may our hearts, where'er we roam,
Forever loyal be
To our beloved college home
Beside the Genesee.

Traditionally only the first and third verses are sung at University functions.

[edit] Student life

[edit] Residences

The majority of undergraduate students at the university live and take classes on the River Campus. Underclassmen are generally required to live on campus while upperclassmen have the option to live off campus. Some graduate housing is provided by the university, but a significant number also live off campus. Housing is provided at multiple locations spread across the several campuses.[20]

[edit] River Campus

River Campus residences house primarily undergraduates, with some graduate students serving as Graduate Head Residents (GHRs). Residences include:

  • Fraternity Quad - several fraternities and special interest housing groups, such as the Community Living Center and Drama House maintain housing here.
  • Freshmen Housing - consists of Susan B. Anthony Halls (Gannett, Gates, Hollister, and Morgan Halls) located near Rush Rhees Library, and Hoeing Hall and Gilbert Hall which are located on the Residence Quad. Freshmen live together in these specially designated residences that tend to feature increased supervision, regulation and residence-related activities by inclusion of upperclassmen D'Lions and Freshmen Fellows along with Residential Advisors in living areas.
  • Hill Court - upperclassmen housing that consists of Chambers, Fairchild, Gale, Kendrick, Munro, and Slater houses, which are connected by underground tunnels. This residence area is colloquially known as "Phase" and is the newest residential area on the River Campus.
  • Residence Quad - consists of Burton, Crosby, Lovejoy, and Tiernan Halls and houses upperclassmen.
  • River Campus Towers - consists of Anderson and Wilder Towers and houses upperclassmen and special living groups.
  • Southside Apartments - formerly and still commonly called the Graduate Living Center (GLC - pronounced "glick"), Southside consists of Valentine and DeKiewiet towers which offer apartment style living to upperclassmen. The residences also tend to serve as overflow space for student housing. The residences are located south of the River Campus near the medical center, but house mostly River Campus students.

Special interest housing floors and Fraternity floors also exist within the residence halls. Special interest housing floors include the International Living Center (ILC), Interclass Living Center (ICLC), Music Interest Floor (MIF), Health and Home, Computer Interest Floor (CIF), Tiernan Project, Film Interest Floor (FIF), and the WRUR interest floor.

[edit] Eastman School of Music

Housing is provided at the Eastman School of Music campus at the Eastman Student Living Center at 100 Gibbs Street in downtown Rochester. The new building was opened at the corner of Main and Gibbs Streets, replacing the University Avenue dormitories built nearly 70 years earlier. It is a four-story quadrangle and 16-story tower surrounding a landscaped inner courtyard.

[edit] URMC and Mount Hope Campuses

Graduate student housing is provided at 4 locations near the URMC and Mount Hope.

  • The George Washington Goler House (GHS) immediately adjacent to the grounds of the URMC. It is a high rise apartment building with 321 apartments. The building also houses university community members, including faculty and staff.
  • The University Towne House (UTH) is a group-living style, two story building located on the Mount Hope Campus with 60 studios. The building is adjacent to Mount Hope businesses as well as university offices.
  • The University Park (UPK) is a complex of two story buildings that include 40 studio, 86 one-bedroom, and 80 two-bedroom unfurnished apartments. UPK is located near the URMC off of Kendrick Road.
  • The Graduate Living Center Maisonettes (GLC Maisonettes) are located adjacent to the Southside Apartments (formerly and frequently still called the Graduate Living Center or "Glick") off of Kendrick Road. There are 22 apartments in 7 single story buildings.

[edit] South Campus

The South Campus has graduate student housing at the Whipple Park (WPK) complex, which features 250 garden apartments and townhouses with ample storage space. WPK also features a park-like setting with large wooded and lawn areas, areas for gardens and low street noise. Some housing is also provided at the River Road complex, which tends to serve as overflow housing for both undergraduate and graduate students.

[edit] Students' Association

The interior of Wilson Commons, the primary student union at UR.
The interior of Wilson Commons, the primary student union at UR.

The Students' Association (SA) is the primary student governing body and includes most of the student groups at UR. The SA is governed by the SA Senate, President and Vice President, all of whom are elected by the student body. The SA President is advised by a cabinet, which is a volunteer group of students. There is also a judicial branch, composed of the All Campus Judicial Council (ACJC), the members of whom are nominated by an interview committee and approved by the SA Senate. The offices of the SA are located in the Wilson Commons student union. [21]

A full list of campus groups can be found at the Campus Club Connection Web site.

[edit] Athletics

UR's athletics teams are called the Yellowjackets. They participate in the Division III of the NCAA and in the University Athletic Association. One exception to this is the squash team, which plays in Division I.[22] There are also numerous club and intramural athletics groups.

The main athletics facilities of the university are in the Robert B. Goergen Athletic Center and Fauver Stadium on the River Campus, with other facilities located in the Spurrier building (River Campus) and the URMC.[23][24]

[edit] Campus & area transportation

The UR campuses are served by several bus lines of the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RTS). Students with IDs ride free on a few designated bus lines, including the dedicated campus transportation routes that serve the River Campus, URMC, South Campus and the Eastman Campus. There are also lines that run between the River Campus and local shopping and entertainment in Henrietta and Pittsford.

Rochester is also served by the Greater Rochester International Airport, which is located a short distance from the River Campus, Amtrak and Greyhound Lines, the latter two located in downtown Rochester.

See also: Rochester, New York#Transportation

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] Nobel laureates

[edit] Academia

[edit] Performing arts

[edit] Government

[edit] Literature

[edit] Science and technology

[edit] Other

  • Jeremy Glick, a passenger on United Flight 93 and widely considered to be a hero in the September 11 attacks
  • Zeng Zhe, a trained emergency technician who lost his life while trying to save others on September 11 attacks at the World Trade Center site.
  • Gerald B. Zornow, former Chairman of the Board of Eastman Kodak Company

[edit] Notable Faculty

[edit] Points of interest

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Eastman School campus is in downtown Rochester (urban), while the majority of the university is located in a more suburban environment.
  2. ^ UR Publications Services: Graphics Standards University Colors
  3. ^ 2006 Report on Endowment [1]
  4. ^ History of the University of Rochester [2]
  5. ^ [http://www.rochester.edu/maps/river_campus/index.html Interactive Map of the River Campus
  6. ^ UR Wirless Coverage[3]
  7. ^ Diversity at Rochester, Office of Admissions
  8. ^ Faculty and Students at UR
  9. ^ America's 25 New Elite 'Ivies' - Kaplan College Guide
  10. ^ U.S. News & World Report College Rankings[4]
  11. ^ Press Release: Funding for New BME Building [5]
  12. ^ University of Rochester Seal
  13. ^ University of Rochester: Dandelion
  14. ^ University of Rochester Mascot: The Yellowjackets
  15. ^ University of Rochester Colors
  16. ^ UR Press Release:Meliora Weekend
  17. ^ Rochester Review:Interview with Bill Murphy]
  18. ^ UR Traditions, Events and Entertainment
  19. ^ Songs of the University of Rochester
  20. ^ University of Rochester Residential Life
  21. ^ SA Student Government
  22. ^ UR Athletics
  23. ^ UR Athletics Facilities
  24. ^ URMC Fitness & Wellness Center

[edit] External links

Official Pages

Publications

Community Links

Internet Communities


University of Rochester
Academics

The College of Arts, Sciences, and EngineeringEastman School of MusicMargaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human DevelopmentSchool of Medicine and DentistrySchool of NursingWilliam E. Simon Graduate School of Business AdministrationThe Institute of OpticsEastman Composition DepartmentEastman Department of Dentistry

Campuses and Locations

River CampusUniversity of Rochester Medical CenterEastman CampusSouth CampusRush Rhees Library • Memorial Art Gallery • George Eastman HouseEastman TheatreUniversity of Rochester ArboretumOther Properties

Research Facilities

C. E. K. Mees ObservatoryLaboratory for Laser EnergeticsUniversity of Rochester Medical Center