| University of Washington | |
|---|---|
| Motto | Lux sit |
| Established | 1861 |
| Type | Public flagship |
| Endowment | $2.0 billion [1] |
| President | Michael K. Young |
| Academic staff | 5,803 |
| Admin. staff | 16,174 |
| Students | 42,907 |
| Undergraduates | 30,790 |
| Postgraduates | 12,117 |
| Location | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Campus | Urban, 643 acres (2.6 km2) |
| Colors | Purple and Gold[2] |
| Athletics | NCAA Division I Pacific-12 Conference |
| Sports | 21 Varsity Teams |
| Nickname | Huskies |
| Mascot | Harry the Husky |
| Website | washington.edu |
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast.[3] The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University District, Seattle, and two other campuses in Tacoma and Bothell. Its operating expenses for fiscal year 2010 was more than US$ 5.0 billion.[4] The UW occupies over 500 buildings, with over 20 million gross square footage of space, including the latest University of Washington Plaza consisting of the 325 ft tall UW Tower and conference center.
In 2011, the University of Washington was ranked 16th worldwide by the Academic Ranking of World Universities,[5] 23rd worldwide by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. UW is considered a Public Ivy university.
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The city of Seattle was one of several settlements in the mid to late 19th century vying for primacy in the newly formed Washington Territory. In 1854, territorial governor Isaac Stevens recommended the establishment of a university in Washington. Several prominent Seattle-area residents, chief among them Methodist preacher Daniel Bagley, saw the siting of this University as a chance to add to the city's prestige. They were able to convince early founder of Seattle and member of the territorial legislature Arthur A. Denny of the importance of Seattle winning the school. The legislature initially chartered two universities, one in Seattle and one in Lewis County, but later repealed its decision in favor of a single university in Lewis County, provided locally donated land could be found. When no site emerged, the legislature, encouraged by Denny, relocated the university to Seattle in 1858.
In 1861, scouting began for an appropriate 10 acres (4 ha) site in Seattle to serve as the campus for a new university. Denny, along with fellow pioneers Edward Lander and Charlie Terry, donated a site on "Denny's Knoll" in downtown Seattle. This tract was bounded by 4th and 6th Avenues on the west and east and Union and Seneca Streets on the north and south.
UW opened officially on November 4, 1861, as the Territorial University of Washington. The following year, the legislature passed articles formally incorporating the University and establishing a Board of Regents. The school struggled initially, closing three times: in 1863 for lack of students, and again in 1867 and 1876 due to shortage of funds. However, Clara Antoinette McCarty Wilt became the first graduate of UW in 1876 when she graduated from UW with a bachelor's degree in science. By the time Washington entered the Union in 1889, both Seattle and the University had grown substantially. Enrollment had increased from an initial 30 students to nearly 300, and the relative isolation of the campus had given way to encroaching development. A special legislative committee headed by UW graduate Edmond Meany was created for the purpose of finding a new campus better able to serve the growing student population. The committee selected a site on Union Bay northeast of downtown, and the legislature appropriated funds for its purchase and subsequent construction.
The University relocated from downtown to the new campus in 1895, moving into the newly built Denny Hall. The regents tried and failed to sell the old campus, and eventually settled on leasing the area. The University still owns what is now called the Metropolitan Tract. In the heart of the city, it is among the most valuable pieces of real estate in Seattle and generates millions of dollars in revenue annually.
The original Territorial University building was torn down in 1908 and its former site currently houses the Fairmont Olympic Hotel. The sole surviving remnants of UW's first building are four 24-foot (7.3 m), white, hand-fluted cedar, Ionic columns. They were salvaged by Edmond S. Meany--one of the University's first graduates and the former head of the history department. Meany and his colleague, Dean Herbert T. Condon, dubbed each of the columns "Loyalty," "Industry," "Faith" and "Efficiency," or "LIFE." The columns now stand in the Sylvan Grove Theater.[6]
Organizers of the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition eyed the still largely undeveloped campus as a prime setting for their world's fair. They came to an agreement with the Board of Regents that allowed them to use the campus grounds for the exposition. In exchange, the University would be able to take advantage of the development of the campus for the fair after its conclusion. This included a detailed site plan and several buildings. The plan for the A-Y-P Exposition prepared by John Charles Olmsted was later incorporated into the overall campus master plan and permanently affected the layout of the campus.
Both World Wars brought the military to the campus, with certain facilities temporarily loaned to the federal government. The subsequent post-war periods were times of dramatic growth for the University. The period between the wars saw significant expansion on the upper campus. Construction of the liberal arts quadrangle, known to students as "The Quad," began in 1916 and continued in stages until 1939. The first two wings of Suzzallo Library, considered the architectural centerpiece of the University, were built in 1926 and 1935, respectively. Further growth came with the end of World War II and passage of the G.I. Bill. Among the most important developments of this period was the opening of the medical school in 1946. It would eventually grow into the University of Washington Medical Center, now ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the top ten hospitals in the United States. It was during this era in University of Washington history in which many Japanese Americans were sent away from the university to internment camps along the West-coast of the United States as part of Executive Order 9066 following the attacks on Pearl Harbor. As a result, many Japanese American "soon-to-be" graduates were unable to receive their diplomas and be recognized for their accomplishment at the university until the University of Washington's commemoration ceremony for the Japanese Americans entitled The Long Journey Home held on May 18, 2008 at the main campus.
In the early 1950s, the University of Washington Police Department was established. It currently has jurisdiction over the University of Washington campus and University-owned housing, except for the Radford Court apartments in Sand Point.
The 1960s and 1970s are known as the "golden age" of the university due to the tremendous growth in students, facilities, operating budget and prestige under the leadership of Charles Odegaard from 1958 to 1973. Enrollment at UW more than doubled—from around 16,000 to 34,000—as the baby boom generation came of age. As was the case at many American universities, this era was marked by high levels of student activism, with much of the unrest focused around opposition to the Vietnam War. Odegaard instituted a vision of building a "community of scholars" and convinced the state of Washington legislatures to increase their investments towards the university. Additionally, Washington senators, Henry M. Jackson and Warren G. Magnuson used their political clout to funnel federal research monies to the University of Washington and to this day, UW is among the top recipients of federal research funds in the United States. The results included an operating budget increase of $37 million in 1958, to over $400 million in 1973, and 35 new buildings that doubled the floor space of the university.
The University opened campuses in Bothell and Tacoma in 1990. Initially, these campuses offered curricula for students seeking bachelor's degrees who have already completed two years of higher education, but both schools have transitioned to four year universities, accepting the first freshman class in the fall of 2006. Both campuses offer master's degree programs as well. In 2009 the University opened an office in the spanish city of León in collaboration with the local university.
The University of Washington, Seattle campus is situated on the shores of Union and Portage Bays, with views of the Cascade Range to the east and the Olympic Mountains to the west. The main campus is bounded on the west by 15th Avenue N.E., on the north by N.E. 45th Street, on the east by Montlake Boulevard N.E., and on the south by N.E. Pacific Street. East Campus stretches east of Montlake Boulevard to Laurelhurst and is largely taken up by wetlands and sports fields. South Campus occupies the land between Pacific Street and the Lake Washington Ship Canal which used to be a golf course and is given over to the health sciences, oceanography, fisheries, and the University of Washington Medical Center. West Campus is less of a separate entity than the others, many of its facilities being on city streets, and stretches between 15th Avenue and Interstate 5 from the Ship Canal to N.E. 41st Street. University Way, known locally as "The Ave", lies nearby and is a focus for much student life at the university.
The oldest building on campus is Denny Hall. Built of Tenino sandstone in 1895, it is in the French Renaissance style and named in honor of Seattle pioneers Arthur A. and Mary Denny. It served as the core of the University for many years. The Theodore Jacobsen Observatory, the on campus observatory situated just north of Denny Hall, was built from the left over sandstone used in the construction of Denny Hall. Although it is rarely used today, the observatory is the second oldest building on campus. After other structures were erected near Denny Hall with apparently little overall planning, the Board of Regents determined that a master plan was needed. Early plans, including a preliminary proposal by John Charles Olmsted, stepson of renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, had little impact.
Instead, it was the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition that defined much of the campus' future layout. The exposition plan, also designed by John C. Olmsted, defined the University's major axis on the lower campus. Oriented to the southeast, it provides the University with its primary vista of Mount Rainier on clear days. Most of the University's science and engineering buildings line this axis.
After the exposition, the Board of Regents sought a master plan that would unite the newly developed lower campus with the original buildings of the upper campus including Denny Hall. Rejecting a further proposal from Olmsted, the regents instead turned to local architects Carl F. Gould and Charles H. Bebb. Their proposal was accepted, and came to be called the Regents' Plan. It specified a northeast-southwest axis on upper campus around which would be centered the University's liberal arts departments. This axis joins the lower campus axis laid down during the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition at an open space left behind after a large temporary structure built for the fair was torn down. This space was later paved with a distinctive red brick and has come to be known as Red Square. Some of the buildings from the exposition were kept by the university and have been retrofitted over the years since. One of these is Architecture Hall.
Bebb and Gould's plan also called for all future construction to adhere to a Collegiate Gothic style. This style is best exemplified on the University campus by the early wings of Suzzallo Library, the University's central library.
New construction in the 1960s saw a deviation from the Collegiate Gothic style as specified in the Regents' Plan. Business facilities on the upper campus, science and engineering structures on lower campus, and a new wing of Suzzallo Library, were all built in a modernist style, as was a unique, glass-walled building housing an experimental nuclear reactor. The reactor opened in 1961; a small radiation leak in 1972 resulted only in a temporary shutdown, but security concerns eventually led to it being decommissioned. It was deactivated in 1988, dismantled in 2006,[7] and as of 2008 the building is being considered for demolition.[8]
An apparent attempt to harmonize future development with the Regents' Plan can be seen in the University's most recent construction, including the 1990 Kenneth Allen wing of the central library and a new generation of medical, science and engineering buildings. Significant funding came from Microsoft co-founders Paul Allen and Bill Gates, who have strong family connections to the university but did not attend UW. Mary Gates Hall opened in May 2000, and in September 2003, the UW law school relocated to the $74 million William H. Gates Hall on the northwest corner of campus, and the $90 million UW Medical Center surgery pavilion opened for operation. The $72 million Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering opened in October 2003. In March 2006, the $150 million William H. Foege bioengineering and genome sciences building was dedicated by Bill Gates and former U.S. president Jimmy Carter.
In September 2006, then President Mark Emmert announced that the University had finalized the purchase of the neighboring 22-story Safeco Plaza (a University District landmark) as well as several adjacent buildings for the sum of $130 million. At present, plans are being finalized to relocate UW administration and support services to the complex, leaving the main campus (two blocks away) for teaching and research.
Most of the streets and major walkways on campus are named after the state's counties. Major exceptions are Memorial Way and George Washington Lane. Memorial Way is named in honor of members of the UW community who died in World War I and also features a flagpole engraved at its base with the members of the UW community who died in World War II.
Other attractions on campus include the Henry Art Gallery and the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. The Washington Park Arboretum, south of main campus across Union Bay, is run by the university, though owned by the city of Seattle. The Warren G. Magnuson Health Sciences Center is also an interesting attraction. The building, at 5,740,200 square feet (533,280 m2), is the second largest office building in the United States.
Several major motion picture films were filmed on campus or used it as a backdrop, including The Sixth Man, WarGames, and What the Bleep!?: Down the Rabbit Hole.
The current President of the University of Washington is Michael K. Young. Phyllis Wise, who had previously served as Provost and Executive Vice President and for a year as Interim President, was named the Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in August 2011.[9]
The University is governed by ten regents, one of whom is a student. Its most notable current regent is likely William H. Gates, Sr., father of Bill Gates. The undergraduate student government is the Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW) and the graduate student government is the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS).
The University offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees through its 140 departments, themselves organized into various colleges and schools:[10]
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In 2006, the University of Washington research budget passed the $1 billion milestone.[11] Virtually all of the funding came from peer-reviewed research proposals. UW research budget consistently ranks among the top 5 in both public and private universities in the United States.[12][13] UW is also the largest recipient of federal research funding among public universities and second among all public and private universities in the country, a position that the university has held each year since 1974.[14] The university is an elected member of the Association of American Universities.
In 2009, the University of Washington admitted 61% of applicants.[15] As of the 2006–07 autumn term, the university had 40,216 students, making it the largest university (in terms of student population) on the west coast.[16] In 2007, the average high school GPA of incoming freshmen was 3.75, and the average SAT (math and critical reading) score was 1,251. About 33% of all undergraduates are members of minority groups.[17][18]
Among the faculty, there are five winners of Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research, one winner of the Fields Medal, eight winners of the Gairdner Foundation International Award, twelve MacArthur Fellows, two winners of the National Book Award, one winner of the National Medal of Arts, five winners of the National Medal of Science, six Nobel Prize laureates, nineteen winners of the Presidential Early Career Awards in Science and Engineering, and two Pulitzer Prize winners. Additionally, among UW faculty are fifty-eight members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, four members of the American Philosophical Society, thirteen Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators, forty-eight members of the Institute of Medicine, fifteen members of the National Academy of Engineering, and sixty members of the National Academy of Sciences.[19]
The University of Washington library system is the 18th largest library in the United States, with holdings of more than 7.5 million volumes.[20] The Association of Research Libraries ranked the UW library system between the top fifth and fifteenth in various categories.[21]
UW is also the host university of ResearchChannel program, the only TV channel in the United States dedicated solely for the dissemination of research from academic institutions and research organizations.[22] Current participation of ResearchChannel includes 36 universities, 15 research organizations, two corporate research centers and many other affiliates.[23] UW also disseminates knowledge through its proprietary UWTV channel and online.[24]
To promote equal academic opportunity, especially for people of low income, UW launched Husky Promise in 2006. Families of income up to 65 percent of state median income or 235 percent of federal poverty level are eligible. With this, up to 30 percent of undergraduate students may be eligible. The cut-off income level that UW set is the highest in the nation, making top quality education available to more people. Then UW President, Mark Emmert, simply said that being "elitist is not in our DNA".[25][26] "Last year, the University of Washington moved to a more comprehensive approach [to admissions], in which the admissions staff reads the entire application and looks at grades within the context of the individual high school, rather than relying on computerized cutoffs."[27]
Since 1977, there has been a Transition School and Early Entrance Program on campus.[28] "The Early Entrance Program is the Robinson Center’s original early university entrance program. Recognized as one of the most prestigious early university entrance programs in the nation, this program facilitates early entry to the University of Washington for a carefully selected group of sixteen highly-capable young students younger than fifteen (15) years old. As mandated by state law, students must have completed 6th grade in order to enroll in the Transition School." This Robinson Center also has a program called the UW Academy for Young Scholars: "The UW Academy is the premier early university entrance program for high school students in Washington State. A small cohort of up to thirty-five academically advanced and highly motivated students are admitted to the UW Academy each year. Students apply to the UW Academy during their 10th grade year, and if accepted, withdraw from high school at the end of 10th grade to enroll as freshmen at the University of Washington." All Academy students are automatically admitted into the UW Honors Program.
| University rankings (overall) | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| ARWU[29] | 14 |
| Forbes[30] | 134 |
| U.S. News & World Report[31] | 42 |
| Washington Monthly[32] | 16 |
| Global | |
| ARWU[33] | 16 |
| Times[34] | 23 |
In 2011, the University of Washington was ranked 16th worldwide by the Academic Ranking of World Universities,[5]
In 2010, the University of Washington was ranked 23rd worldwide by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings[35]
In 2006, the University of Washington ranked 22nd internationally by Newsweek "Top 100 Global Universities".[36] In 2011, the University of Washington ranked 42nd in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report.[37]
The UW School of Medicine is ranked No.1 in primary care and No.9 in research.[38][39][40] The UW Graduate School of Nursing has been ranked No.1 in the nation since 1984, when the first survey of graduate nursing schools was conducted.[41] The School of Public Health and Community Medicine is as well ranked fourth by US News.[42]
The graduate program in social work is ranked third,[43] the pharmacy school fifth,[44] the Library and Information School fourth,[45] the graduate program in computer science seventh,[46] the graduate school of education seventh,[47] the school of engineering 21st,[48] and the UW School of Law 34th.[49]
The Performance Ranking of Scientific Research Papers of World Universities ranked UW 4th internationally in terms of overall research productivity.[50]
Human Resources & Labor Review, the human competitiveness index & analysis published in Chasecareer Network, ranked the university 13th internationally in 2011; tied with Cornell University in term of total points.[51]
The Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index created by Academic Analytics ranks University of Washington overall at No.19.[52][53][54]
G Factors ranked UW No.7 internationally in 2006.[55]
A private review by the National Opinion Research Center, and published in the Washington Monthly,[56] ranked the university 14th in the United States for 2006.
The Top American Research Universities report from the Center at Arizona State ranked UW eleventh overall and third among public institutions.[13]
Global Language Monitor, produced at Austin that ranks college based on media presence, placed University of Washington at No.16 in the nation.[57]
University of Washington ranks No.1 in Peace Corps volunteers in 2007 and No.3 throughout the years.[58][59]
Kiplinger[60] ranked the University of Washington #7 of the top 100 colleges in early 2009 as one of the Best values in Public Colleges.
In 2012, UW's undergraduate program was ranked 42nd among "national universities" and 10th among public universities by U.S. News and World Report.[61]
The student newspaper is The Daily of the University of Washington, usually referred to as simply The Daily. It is the second largest daily in Seattle and is published every day school is in session during Fall, Winter and Spring quarters, and weekly during Summer quarter.
The Daily earned the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Apple Award for the best four-year college newspaper (tabloid) in the United States at the CMA Spring Convention in New York City.[62][63] It has also been recognized with the 2007, 2008 & 2009 Mark of Excellence Award for the Best All-Around Newspaper in Region X by the Society of Professional Journalists (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska). It was a finalist for the 2009 Pacemaker Newspaper of the Year, and earned second place for Best of Show at the National College Media Conference held in Austin, Texas.
The Daily launched a half-hour weekly television magazine show, "The Daily's Double Shot" in 2010. It is shown on UWTV, Channel 27, and is available to two million cable subscribers across the state of Washington.
The Beta chapter of Phrateres, a non-exclusive, non-profit social-service club, was installed here in 1929. Between 1924 and 1967, 23 chapters of Phrateres were installed in schools across North America.
The IMA (intramural activities) Center underwent a $41 million remodel and expansion project in 2001 and reopened in fall 2003. The original 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2) facility constructed in 1968 was upgraded and expanded with a 95,000 square feet (8,800 m2) addition to its northwest. [64][65][66] North of the building, the project eliminated three of the nine outdoor tennis courts with the expansion, but included an all-weather FieldTurf surface for an existing intramurals field.
UW students, sports teams, and alumni are called Washington Huskies, and often referred to metonymically as "Montlake," due to the campus's location on Montlake Boulevard N.E.[67] (It should be noted that the traditional bounds of the Montlake neighborhood do not extend north of the Montlake Cut to include the campus.) The husky was selected as the school mascot by student committee in 1922. It replaced the "Sun Dodger," an abstract reference to the local weather that was quickly dropped in favor of something more tangible. The costumed "Harry the Husky" performs at sporting and special events, and a live Alaskan Malamute, currently named Dubs, has traditionally led the UW football team onto the field at the start of games. The school colors of purple and gold were adopted in 1892 by student vote. The choice was purportedly inspired by the first stanza of Lord Byron's The Destruction of Sennacherib:
The sports teams participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I-A and in the Pacific-12 Conference. Among its facilities on campus are Husky Stadium (football and track & field), the Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion (basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics), Husky Ballpark (baseball), Husky Softball Stadium, The Bill Quillian Tennis Stadium, The Nordstrom Tennis Center, Dempsey Indoor (Indoor track & field, football) and the Conibear Shellhouse (rowing). The golf team plays at the Washington National Golf Club and the swimming team calls the Weyerhaeuser Aquatic Center and the Husky pool home.
The University football team is traditionally competitive, having won a share of the 1991 national title with the University of Miami, to go along with eight Rose Bowl victories and an Orange Bowl title. From 1907 to 1917, Washington football teams were unbeaten in 63 consecutive games, an NCAA record.[68] Tailgating by boat has been a Husky Stadium tradition since 1920 when the stadium was first built on the shores of Lake Washington. The Apple Cup game is an annual game against cross-state rival Washington State University that was first contested in 1900 with UW leading the all-time series, 65 wins to 31 losses and 6 ties. Steve Sarkisian is the current head football coach.
The men's basketball team has been moderately successful, though recently the team has enjoyed a resurgence under coach Lorenzo Romar. With Romar as head coach, the team has been to six NCAA tournaments (2003–2004, 2004–2005, 2005–2006, 2008–2009, 2009–2010 and 2010-2011 seasons), 2 consecutive top 16 (sweet sixteen) appearances, and secured a #1 seed in 2005. On December 23, 2005, the men's basketball team won their 800th victory in Hec Edmundson Pavilion, the most wins for any NCAA team in its current arena.
Rowing is a longstanding tradition at the University of Washington dating back to 1901. The Washington men's crew gained international prominence by winning the gold medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, defeating the German and Italian crews much to the chagrin of Adolf Hitler who was in attendance.[69] In 1958, the men's crew furthered their lore with a shocking win over Leningrad Trud's world champion rowers in Moscow, resulting in the first American sporting victory on Soviet soil, and certainly the first time a Russian crowd gave any American team a standing ovation during the Cold War.[70] The men's crew have won 15 national titles (14 Intercollegiate Rowing Association, 1 National Collegiate Rowing Championship), 15 Olympic gold medals, two silver and five bronze. The women have 10 national titles and two Olympic gold medals. The Husky men are the 2011 national champions.
Recent national champions include the softball team (2009), the men's rowing team (2011, 2009, 2007), NCAA Division I women's cross country team (2008), and the women's volleyball team (2005). Individually, Scott Roth was the 2011 NCAA men's Outdoor Pole Vault and 2011 & 2010 NCAA men's Indoor Pole Vault champion. James Lepp was the 2005 NCAA men's golf champion. Ryan Brown (men's 800 meters) and Amy Lia (women's 1500 meters) won individual titles at the 2006 NCAA Track & Field Championships. Brad Walker was the 2005 NCAA men's Outdoor and Indoor Pole Vault champion.
Husky Stadium is one of several places that may have been the birthplace of the crowd phenomenon known as "The Wave". It is claimed that the wave was invented in October 1981 by Husky graduate Robb Weller and UW band director Bill Bissel. Their opponent that night was Stanford.
On May 1, 2009, the athletic department announced it was discontinuing both men's and women's swimming programs effective immediately due to budget cuts.[71]
The new Husky Stadium is the first and primary income source of a completely remodeled athletic district. This major remodel of the athletic village will take decades to complete, as it will take place at the same time as a massive project by the Washington State Department of Transportation on nearby highways and bridges. The stadium project consists of a new grand concourse, underground light-rail station, enclosed west end of the stadium, replacement of bleachers with individual seating, removal of track and Huskytron, new press box, private box seating, lowering of the field, football offices, permanent seating in the east end zone that does not block the view of Lake Washington, and new and improved amenities, concession stands and bathrooms throughout. In addition, the concession areas will be constructed to face inward, allowing spectators to view the game through the main concourse which will circle around the field. Along with the Husky Stadium remodel, new parking garages will be constructed and renovated facilities throughout the athletic village.[72]
The stadium has developed numerous structural problems, particularly in the lower bowl, caused by age and the continually moist weather. Renovation plans are slated to begin in November 2011. The project was approved by University of Washington regents in November 2010 at a cost of $250 million.
Several drawings by Populous (formerly HOK Sport) have been released depicting what the future Husky Stadium might look like.[73][74]
Student Services The UW offers many services for its students and alumni, even beyond the standard offered by most colleges and universities. Its "Student Life" division houses 16 departments and offices that serve students directly and indirectly, including those below and overseen by Vice President and Vice Provost, Eric Godfrey.
New building construction and renovations are scheduled to take place through 2020. The plan includes the construction of three six-story residence halls and two apartment complexes in the west section of campus, near the existing Terry and Lander Halls, in Phase I, the renovation of six existing residence halls in Phase II, and additional new construction in Phase III. The projects will result in a net gain of approximately 2,400 beds.
In addition to on-campus housing the undergraduate student government, Associated Students of the University Washington, provides a free service to students, faculty, and staff looking to live off-campus called Off-Campus Housing Affairs.[75] They provide a free online search engine to local housing and resources to assist first time renters.
Many of the sustainable changes at the University of Washington have resulted from campus activism. Several environmental-activism groups on campus include:
The University of Washington Husky Marching Band performs at many Husky sporting events including all football games. The band was founded in 1929, and today it is a cornerstone of Husky spirit. The band marches using a traditional high step, and it is one of only a few marching bands left in the United States to do so. Like many college bands, the Husky band has several traditional songs that it has played for decades, including the official fight song "Bow Down to Washington" and "Tequila", as well as fan-favorite "Africano". In addition to athletic events, the band also plays at various other events such as commencement and convocation.
The University of Washington's mascot is Harry the Husky. The University of Washington has hosted a long line of Alaskan Malamutes as mascots. The 13 dogs thus far have been:
Originally the dogs were cared for by the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, followed by a 49 year tradition (1959–2008) of care by the Cross family (a UW professor followed by his son).
Then UW President Emmert signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment.[78] To help follow through on this promise, the UW has created a Climate Action Team.[79] He has also created an Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee (ESAC), which recently created an inventory of UW's greenhouse gas emissions,[80] an environmental stewardship coordinator position, and has formalized a policy on environmental stewardship to give full institutional support to the cause of campus sustainability.[81]
As of February 2006, the UW joined a partnership with Seattle City Light as part of their Green Up Program. All of Seattle campus' electricity is purchased from renewable sources.[82] Housing and Food Services (HFS) spends several million dollars annually on locally produced, organic, and natural foods. HFS does not use styrofoam containers for any of its facilities on campus, instead using compostable cups, plates, utensils, and packaging whenever possible. Students Expressing Environmental Concern (SEED) is funded by HFS and is responsible for most of the sustainable changes made to HFS. Several new residence halls are planned for 2020, all of which are expected to meet silver or gold LEED standards.[83] All new state-funded buildings and major renovations must meet a LEED standard of at least Silver.[84] The University of Washington was one of only six universities to receive the highest grade on the Sustainable Endowments Institute's College Sustainability Report Card 2008, an "A-".[85] The report card identified the UW as one of 15 Overall College Sustainability Leaders among the 300 institutions surveyed.[84]
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