| Western Washington University | |
|---|---|
| Motto | Active minds changing lives.[1] |
| Established | 24 February 1893 |
| Type | Public |
| Endowment | US$26.8 million[2] |
| President | Bruce Shepard |
| Provost | Catherine A. Riordan |
| Academic staff | 463 |
| Admin. staff | 1172[3] |
| Students | 14,575 |
| Undergraduates | 13,396[4] |
| Postgraduates | 1,179 |
| Location | Bellingham, Washington, United States of America |
| Campus | Urban 215 acres (87 ha) |
| Former names | New Whatcom Normal School State Normal School at Whatcom Washington State Normal School at Bellingham Western Washington College of Education Western Washington State College |
| Colors | Blue & White feet[5] |
| Athletics | NCAA Division II Great Northwest Athletic Conference |
| Sports | 15 Varsity Teams |
| Nickname | Vikings |
| Mascot | Victor E. Viking[6] |
| Website | http://www.wwu.edu |
Western Washington University (WWU or Western) is one of six state-funded, four-year universities of higher education in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located in Bellingham and offers bachelor's and master's degrees.
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Western was established as the New Whatcom Normal School, a teachers' school for women, by Phoebe Judson in Lynden, Washington.[7] Eventually the school moved to Bellingham (then "New Whatcom"), and through the efforts of William R. Moultray and George Judson (Phoebe's son),[8] Governor John McGraw signed legislation establishing the New Whatcom Normal School on February 24, 1893. The first official class entered in 1899, composed of 88 students.
The institution that is now Western Washington University has since undergone several name changes. In 1901, the school's name was changed to State Normal School at Whatcom to reflect New Whatcom's name change. Again, in 1904, the name was changed to Washington State Normal School at Bellingham when the townships of Whatcom and Fairhaven joined, and again in 1937, to Western Washington College of Education when it became a 4-year college. Twenty-four years later it became Western Washington State College and finally, in 1977, the institution gained university status.
The 1960s was a period of especially rapid growth for Western, as its enrollment increased from 3,000 students to over 10,000 during the decade. Also during this time, Fairhaven College was founded (1967), with non-traditional education methods that would serve as a model for The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Two years later, the Huxley College of the Environment was founded, continuing Western's trend toward "cluster" colleges. That same year, on a spring afternoon, students gained headlines by blocking Interstate 5 to protest the Vietnam War.
Since this period, the College of Arts and Sciences was founded (1973) and divided into the College of Humanities & Social Sciences and the College of Sciences & Technology (2003); the College of Fine and Performing Arts was formed from several art departments (1975); and the College of Business and Economics was established (1976). During the 1999–2000 school year, Western celebrated its Centennial.
Today, WWU has a major presence in Bellingham's economy, and contributes significantly to the political, social, and artistic aspects of the city. With a student body that currently consists of over 14,000 students, the university is the third largest in Washington after Washington State University at about 26,000 students and the University of Washington at about 43,000 students both undergraduate and graduate.
WWU's scenic location in Bellingham, a rapidly-growing city of about 80,000 people, overlooks Bellingham Bay and many of Puget Sound’s 172 San Juan Islands. It was originally built on a peat bog, and due to this and the area's geography, the university has had to address problems from its buildings slowly sinking into the ground. The university is 90 miles (140 km) north of Seattle, 55 miles (89 km) south of Vancouver, British Columbia, and an hour’s drive from 10,778-foot (3,285 m) Mount Baker. The university is located close to Interstate 5.
The campus is 215 acres (87 ha), including the 38-acre (15 ha) Sehome Arboretum, operated jointly with the city of Bellingham. Campus facilities include an electronic music studio, an air pollution lab, a motor vehicle research lab, a marine research lab, a wind tunnel, an electron microscope, and a neutron generator lab.[9] Western's Vehicle Research Institute has led Automobile Magazine to describe Western as "very possibly the best school in the country for total car design." Western also has off-campus facilities at Shannon Point Marine Center in Anacortes, Washington; Lakewood, a 15-acre (6.1 ha) student-university facility at nearby Lake Whatcom; and Whatcom County property used for environmental and aquatic analyses.
WWU's prized collection of outdoor and indoor public art sculptures is a major presence on its campus. The collection, funded by the Washington State Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, and private donations, includes 30 works:
Western offers bachelor's degrees and the degrees of Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Education, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Business Administration, and Master of Music. The university is composed of the following colleges:
The university is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities; National Association of Schools of Music; National Recreation and Parks Association; American Speech and Hearing Association; National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education; Computing Sciences Accreditation Board; Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology; Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business; and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs.
In 2011, US News ranked Western Washington University number three for regional public universities (west) category,[12] while placing 21st overall in the west (both public and private).[13] Only two public schools are ranked among the top 25 master’s universities (west) category, "a region stretching from Texas to the Pacific."[14] The universities found in this ranking are schools that lack doctoral programs but still retain master's programs. It has a 72% acceptance rate. [15]
Western Washington University ranks sixth among the top medium-sized colleges and universities with alumni serving as Peace Corps volunteers in 2008.[16]
Border Policy Research Institute
Center for Continuing Education and Rehabilitation
Center for Cross-Cultural Research
Center for International Business
Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Center for Performance Excellence
Center for Service Learning
Demographics Research Laboratory
Institute for Literary Sciences
Institute for Watershed Studies
Institute of Environmental Toxicology
Internet Studies Center
Karen W. Morse Institute of Leadership
Shannon Point Marine Center
Vehicle Research Institute
Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association Environmental Science Research Site
2009: The Western Washington Formula SAE team competed in the FSAE west competition in Fontana California finishing 6th place. The car was 100% student designed, manufactured as well as being funded entirely by sponsorships fostered by the team members.
The Model United Nations program, Western Model United Nations (WMUN), won outstanding delegation at the 2009 National Model United Nations conference, held April 5–9, 2009 in New York City for their representation of Ecuador.[19]
2008: The Model United Nations program, Western Model United Nations (WMUN), won an Honorable Mention at the 2008 National Model United Nations (NMUN) conference which was held April 22–26, 2008 in New York City for their representation of Romania.[20] In addition, WMUN members also received accolades at multiple regional conferences, including Northwest Model United Nations (NWMUN), University of British Columbia Model United Nations (UBCMUN), and Oregon State Model United Nations (OSUMUN) for their excellence as delegates.
2007: The Human-Powered Submarine Team competed in the International Submarine Race (ISR) in Bethesda, MD held June 25–29, 2007. With a top speed of 4.775 knots (8.843 km/h), the team placed 6th overall, out of 27 submarines, and 3rd in the two-person propeller-driven submarine category. Western's Sub Team also won the honorable mention awards for "Best Use of Composites" and "Best Overall Performance". The students improved their submarine (Drekar) from the previous year.
2006: The Submarine Team won best presentation at the 2006 Human Powered Submarine Contest in Escondido, Calif. "Driving the only two-person propeller driven submarine, the team had the fourth fastest time of all submarines in the contest. The team also placed second in overall engineering." The students designed and built the sub.[21]
2002: Student filmmakers Andrew Lahmann and Colin Dalvit produced and directed the documentary "An Honorable Calling" along with professors Dr. Sandra Mottner and Wendy Wilhelm. The film was accepted into the ACR Film Festival in Atlanta along with only 15 other titles, where it won the People's Choice Award for Western Washington University.[22]
WWU is a NCAA Division II member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. The university's mascot is a Viking, named Victor E. Viking, identical to the mascot of Portland State University.
The Vikings won the first three GNAC All-Sports Championships and placed 31st among 225 NCAA II schools in U.S. Sports Academy Directors’ Cup standings in 2003-04. In January 2004, the women's basketball team became the 15th NCAA school to win 700 games. A total of 59 Vikings earned league all-star honors and 34 were GNAC academic all-stars in 2003-04. In the 2006 and 2007 seasons, the Vikings participated in football as a member the North Central Conference, as the GNAC discontinued the sport following the 2005 season. However, with the demise of the NCC on July 1, 2008, the GNAC re-started its football program in 2008 and the Vikings joined its five-team football division.
However, on January 9, 2009 the school announced it would be dropping its football program effective immediately, meaning that the 2008 year was the last year football will be played. The school finished the year at 6-5 and the program will finish with an overall record of 383-380-34 in 98 seasons starting in 1903.[23]
Western varsity squads have won a total of five national championships (Softball-1998, Women's Rowing 2005-2008), and the club Cycling team won a title in 2007.[24] With their women's rowing capturing the national title again in 2008, Western became the first school in NCAA history to 4-peat as national champions.[25]
In 2007, the Viking volleyball team finished national runner-up in the NCAA tournament.[26] This was the best finish in school history, bettering a third place in the NAIA tournament in 1990.[27]
In 2007, the Men's Cross Country team finished 11th at nationals, well above their pre-nats ranking of 17th. The nationals squad included four redshirt freshman, and only two seniors, giving the Viking XC team a very promising future.
Cross Country (Men's and Women's), Soccer (Men's and Women's), Volleyball (Women's), Golf (Men's and Women's), Basketball (Men's and Women's), Softball, Track & Field (Men's and Women's), Rowing (Women's)
Lacrosse, baseball, men's crew, cross-country, cycling (road, mountain, track, cyclo-cross), equestrian (English and Western), fencing, ice hockey, Formula SAE Racing, Baja SAE Racing, judo, rugby, sailing, swimming, tennis, water polo, Northwest grappling, Water Ski Team, Ultimate.
The Men's Hockey team plays in the National Association of Intercollegiate Hockey (NAIH). The team was founded in 1980 and before joining the NAIH prior to the 2011-12 season were part of the American College Hockey Association (ACHA) from 1997 to 2010.
In the 2009-2010 season the WWU Vikings Hockey team finished with the best win percentage in the Nation with 22 wins, 1 loss, and 1 shootout loss.[28] Western Captain Jeff Bulger finished the season second overall in points with 97 in 22 games. First overall was Utah State's Brendan MacDonald, who had 105 points in 34 games (including post season points).[29]
The Vikings hockey team repeated this feat in the 2010-2011 season, recording the highest winning percentage in the nation among ACHA Division II schools with an overall record of 23 wins, 5 losses, and 1 shootout loss.[30] This season included victories over nationally ranked opponents San Jose State University (3), and the University of Washington (13).[31]
Notable Alumni of the Vikings Hockey team include: Mike Bahn - Strength and Conditioning Coordinator for the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes [32]
The WWU Men's Lacrosse team competes in the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League (PNCLL). Western has been considered one of the premier lacrosse club teams in the Northwest. In 2007 the Vikings made their first National Tournament appearance in Plano Texas. They ultimately lost to Harding University in the first round 13-10. The Vikings again made the tourney in 2010 losing to #5 Davenport University of Michigan in the first round 11-9. Western competes in the PNCLL Division 2 league with teams such as Western Oregon, Gonzaga, Pacific Lutheran, Whitman and Central Washington. The Vikings have qualified for the playoffs the last 7 seasons never winning the PNCLL title.
The WWU Water Ski Team competed at the 31st Collegiate Water Ski National Championships, Oct. 22-24, at Ironwood Ranch in Arvin, Calif.[33] Hosted by Cal Poly and sanctioned by USA Water Ski and the National Collegiate Water Ski Association, the competition included 12 teams in Division 1 and 10 teams in Division 2. The WWU Water Ski Team led the field after two events and managed to stay in 1st after their second event, slalom skiing. As the last day of competition started, Westerns team brought their 'A' game and managed to stay top three after the final event, trick skiing. The WWU Water Ski Team took 3rd place after multiple days of intense competition. Noted achievements are: Carl Skerlong, 5th place in Mens Division II jump with 121 ft; Aly Howisey, 4th Place Women's Division II jump with 64 ft.
Kenny O'Connell, alumni of WWU, recently donated $13 million to help fund a new Water Ski facility, the KOC Center. This facility, according to star skier Cameron Van Til, "will help us go the distance, if you know what I mean." O'Connell however, declined to comment when asked by the Hillsborough Times of whether or not he will be in attendance at any of the 2012 WWU competitions.
Western hosts the only collegiate fencing organization in western Washington. Its team competes at the club level (there is no varsity fencing in the NCAA Northwest Region or any of the northwestern states). The other Washington colleges with fencing teams are Eastern Washington University, Central Washington University, Washington State University, and Whitman College.
The Associated Students of Western Washington University (ASWWU) is "an organization designed and run by Western students, the Associated Students (AS) seeks to ensure a fulfilling college and academic experience for all university students through the many services, facilities and programs it offers."[34] Within ASWWU, there are four main areas of focus: clubs, programs, facilities & services, and governance.
The AS aims to provide "funding, space and services" to students "uniting around common interests."[34] The AS staff assist student development of clubs and provide advising, "continuity, referral and record keeping" throughout the entire process. Currently there are over two hundred student clubs in the following categories: Arts and Music, Cultural, Political, Special Interest, Gaming, Social Issues, Departmental, Limited Membership, Service, Religious, and Recreational.[34]
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