University of Utah

About the U

The University of Utah (also referred to as the U, the U of U, or Utah) is a public coeducational space-grant research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. As the state's flagship university, the university offers more than 100 undergraduate majors and more than 92 graduate degree programs. Graduate studies include the S.J. Quinney College of Law and the School of Medicine, Utah's only medical school. As of Fall 2015, there are 23,909 undergraduate students and 7,764 graduate students, for an enrollment total of 31,673.

The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest institution of higher education. It received its current name in 1892, four years before Utah attained statehood, and moved to its current location in 1900.

The university ranks among the top 50 U.S. universities by total research expenditures, with over $486 million spent in 2014. 22 Rhodes Scholars, three Nobel Prize winners, three MacArthur Fellows, several Pulitzer Prize winners, two Gates Cambridge Scholars, and one Churchill Scholar have been affiliated with the university as students, researchers, or faculty members in its history. In addition, the university's Honors College has been reviewed among 50 leading national Honors Colleges in the U.S. The university has also been ranked the 12th most ideologically diverse university in the country.

The university's athletic teams, the Utes, participate in NCAA Division I athletics (FBS for football) as a member of the Pac-12 Conference. Its football team has received national attention for winning the 2005 Fiesta Bowl and the 2009 Sugar Bowl.

• College of Architecture + Planning

  The mission of the College of Architecture + Planning is to nurture a culture of discovery, design and innovation in our designed world rooted in an ethic of care, community and commitment. Our efforts will be the spark for positive transformation in our designed world to promote the health and well-being of our society and environment through research, community engagement and educational experiences shaped to nurture the agile, inventive minds necessary to address global challenges that are yet unknown.

  The College of Architecture + Planning at the University of Utah is a community of award-winning and highly recognized set of faculty, entrepreneurial students and supportive staff which together create a creative community unlike any other.  Structurally, the College is made up of the School of Architecture, the Department of City and Metropolitan Planning and the fledgling Multi-disciplinary Design program.  We are also home to three research centers: the Ecological Planning Center, the Integrated Technology in Architecture Center, and the Metropolitan Research Center.  I hope you will explore our College and see how you might join us….to make a difference.

• David Eccles School of Business

  Founded in 1917 on a rich tradition of business success and leadership, the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business offers an experiential learning environment for students.

  We’re home to seven institutes and centers that deliver academic research and support an ecosystem of entrepreneurship, technology and innovation.

  The University of Utah in Salt Lake City is nestled in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, just 30 minutes from seven ski resorts and less than five hours from several national parks.

  Salt Lake City is an urban hub of diverse nightlife, dining, art and music, and boasts a top-ranked business environment for U.S. job growth and economic prowess.

• School of Dentistry

  Nestled in Research Park on the south side of campus, the School of Dentistry offers an innovative curriculum and unparalleled views of the Salt Lake Valley. With a focus on research, instruction, and patient care, the school serves both the patient community and the future leaders of dental health.

  The School of Dentistry represents a new chapter in the history of the Health Sciences and the University of Utah.

  The School of Dentistry has served students, educators, and communities since 1980.

• College of Education

  The College of Education at the University of Utah is housed in a new state-of-the-art building. This inspirational workspace was made possible through the generosity of visionaries, especially the Beverley Taylor Sorensen family, who appreciate the critical role arts and education play in the overall health of learners. In this wondrous space our technology-enhanced classrooms help us bring an interactive learning environment to students in satellite classrooms in Southern Utah and beyond. Our new building also provides dynamic spaces for collaborative group project work.

  The college is a very remarkable place where our nationally distinguished faculty members are engaged in cutting-edge research and at the same are devoted to their teaching and to mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.  As a community, we are dedicated to preparing teachers, administrators, school psychologists, counselors, professors, and community leaders who share a common commitment to improve the learning experiences of all children, youth, their families and their communities. In this way, our alumni become change agents and full participants as global citizens.

• College of Engineering

  Concern over U.S. global competitiveness has become a national priority, and with it, efforts to increase the number of U.S. students seeking degrees in engineering and computer science. The need is so important that Congress passed the America COMPETES (Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science) Act, authorizing $43.3 billion in federal spending in science, engineering, mathematics and technology research and education programs. The bipartisan bill passed unanimously in the Senate, and by an overwhelming 367-57 margin in the House. Former President Bush signed the bill into law on August 9, 2007.

  At the University of Utah, we have been focused on this issue for over a decade, leading a statewide effort to increase engineering and computer science degrees to support growth in the state, regional and national economies. Our efforts are paying off. In May 2015, the College awarded a record-high 876 degrees (497 B.S., 291 M.S., 88 Ph.D.)

  Additionally, the faculty has grown engineering research to $80.4 million per year, placing our College in the top 50 engineering universities in the country for research productivity. The College’s success in research has contributed to its being ranked among the top 150 Engineering/Technology and Computer Sciences programs by the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

• College of Fine Arts

  The University of Utah College of Fine Arts faculty and programs challenge, immerse and ultimately prepare the committed student for a rewarding career in the arts. While here, students study under passionate, world-renowned faculty who provide exciting, diverse experiences that are truly life changing for our students. And the rigorous practice and ardent curriculum prepares our students to gracefully transition from their education into meaningful lives as artists, scholars, and educators. Our alumni become change factors in their communities and full participants as global citizens.
  Read more at http://www.finearts.utah.edu/about-us#EqWgORhM8BCU0gIF.99

• College of Health

  The College of Health is among the largest colleges and schools at the University with 2500 undergraduates and 600 graduate students. Degree options include 18 BA/BS degree emphases, 16 master’s degree programs, 3 clinical doctorates, and 5 PhD programs. This combination of graduate degrees, professional programs, and undergraduate majors uniquely positions the College to contribute to the clinical and research missions of Health Sciences and high impact educational practices on the main campus.

• Honors College

  The Honors College is the place where we expect you to be bold and challenge the status quo.

  When you graduate with an Honors Degree, you will have developed and practiced the skills necessary to become a force in your chosen field. You will be armed with the critical thinking, writing and nimble problem solving skills needed to contribute to the economic and social vitality of our communities.

• College of Humanities

  The College of Humanities is the second largest on campus and is at the core of the University of Utah’s mission and the experience of higher education. It is composed of seven academic departments and eight interdisciplinary centers, including two National Resource Centers (Asia Center and the Center for Latin American Studies). 

  The College also hosts numerous interdisciplinary programs including Peace & Conflict Studies, International Studies, and the nationally recognized Environmental Humanities graduate program. The College collaborates in research and instruction with departments and colleges throughout the University.

• S.J. Quinney College of Law

  Established in 1913, the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law is nationally recognized for its outstanding academic reputation, stellar faculty, small student population, low student-to-faculty ratio, innovative curriculum, and stunning location.

  The College of Law is a vibrant learning community with both well-established expertise and exciting new projects on the critical issues of our time: climate change, conflict and security, health justice, the new frontier of family law, technology commercialization, conservation, addiction, innocence, victims’ rights, global mediation, and many others. We have also launched four innovative initiatives in leadership, cross-disciplinary training, smart technology, and global legal education. These creative intellectual investments have generated astounding results for each class of entering students.

  Among the students, there is a prevailing sense of community fostered by an open and service-oriented faculty and administration. The law school is less than a 10-minute drive or light rail ride from downtown Salt Lake City—the seat of federal, state, and local governmental bodies. Salt Lake City is the economic center of the region and is regularly voted one of America’s most livable cities. This location provides ample professional opportunities for our students, as well as superb outdoor recreational access and a strong cultural scene.

• School of Medicine

  In 1905, the University of Utah established a two-year medical school. It was a modest accomplishment fueled by an ambitious vision that met with improbable success. The medical school became a four-year program, and noteworthy faculty members were somehow recruited away from such prominent institutions as Stanford, Harvard, and Johns Hopkins. By June 1952, an article in Newsweek magazine praised the U’s medical school as “The Johns Hopkins of the West.”

  One critical piece of the vision was still missing, however – a companion hospital.

  A hospital “that would not be palatial or fancy, but which would facilitate carrying on the highest grade of scientific work, which by the quality and reputation of its clinical work would attract patients from the whole Mountain Region irrespective of their economic status, and which would have such a standing in the community that the best physicians and surgeons of the city would aspire to its visiting staff.”

  – Philip B. Price, M.D., joined the U of U faculty as head of surgery in 1943 and later became dean of the medical school. He persuaded the U’s Board of Regents to approve a $10 million medical center in 1956.

  In 1965, Dr. Price’s vision was realized. The University of Utah Medical Center opened its doors. It was a gift of health to the entire Intermountain Region.

  Over the past 45 years, University Hospital has continued to strategically expand with a singular goal in mind: To best meet the health care needs of a growing community.

• College of Mines and Earth Sciences

  The College of Mines and Earth Sciences’ location in a mineral- and energy-rich geographical area provides a study and research environment that extends far beyond campus boundaries. Because of Utah’s mineral resources, the college is pivotal in developing a region increasingly vital to the nation’s mining and energy future.

  The college consists of four academic departments that offer six majors and four baccalaureate and graduate degrees. All faculty have doctorates, at least one-third have significant industrial experience, and many retain ties to industry. In addition to teaching, faculty engage in a wide variety of research activities. Graduate students and some undergraduates also participate in research.

  The College of Mines and Earth Sciences occupies the Frederick A. Sutton Building, the William C. Browning Building, Mineral Processing Lab (Building 58), Hedco Building (Building 57), Grinding Laboratory, and Mining Systems Research Laboratory (Building 59), and the Intermountain Network Scientific Computation Center.

• College of Nursing

  The College of Nursing is an integral part of the University of Utah Health Sciences Center and the University of Utah. We are committed to working together to serve the people of Utah and beyond by continually improving the quality of life for individuals and communities. We strive for excellence in education, research and clinical care, and each mission is vital to our overall success. Diversity and inclusiveness, independent inquiry and collegiality form the fabric of everyday life for faculty and students.

  We offer nursing education programs in both traditional and online formats covering a wide range of degrees and specializations. Degrees include: Bachelor of Science, which includes an online RN-BSN track, Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and Doctor of Philosophy. The University of Utah’s College of Nursing is a strong, interactive and financially affordable option for students of all age ranges and background experience.

  The College of Nursing is also home to the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Program offering a degree and certificates in gerontology, and the Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence.

• College of Pharmacy

  The University of Utah College of Pharmacy supports the missions of the University of Utah and the University of Utah Health Sciences Center. The Mission of the University of Utah College of Pharmacy is to: 1) advance health care related to optimal medication outcomes through education and training; 2) discover, develop and disseminate new biomedical knowledge and technology; and 3) provide pharmacy-based services and outreach activities to the community.

  The College is committed to the highest level of work in the education of future pharmacists, research in the pharmaceutical sciences, and service to the institution, our community, and the profession. Through this commitment, we strive to be a national leader in the application of the pharmaceutical sciences to personalized medicine, thereby realizing improved healthcare delivery to patients through optimized medication outcomes.

• College of Science

  Established in July of 1970, the College of Science has become one of the largest colleges within the University of Utah, offering the following undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics & astronomy:

  • Bachelor of Arts, B.A.
  • Bachelor of Sciences, B.S.
  • Master of Arts, M.A.
  • Master of Science, M.S.
  • Master of Statistics, M. Stat.
  • Master of Philosophy, M.Phil.
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D.

  The College of Science provides a variety of academic and outreach programs for high school and college students, teachers, alumni, and the general public interested in pursuing science careers or simply enhancing their understanding of the physical sciences.

  The College provides systematic programs for those who wish to pursue careers as professional scientists. It presents courses of instruction for students not specializing in science but who plan careers that require a science background. We provide general instruction for those who are studying science as part of a well-rounded education. Those who major in departments of the college are encouraged to develop breadth not only in science disciplines but also in areas outside the sciences.

• College of Social and Behavioral Science

  The College of Social and Behavioral Science is home to some of the world's greatest thinkers and academic minds. Our faculty consist of a collection of tireless individuals who excel at both teaching and researching in their respective discipline. They continually receive accolades from students, fellow faculty members, and the university for their dedication and mentoring both in and out of the classroom.

  Research is a large component of social and behavioral science. We are one of only few colleges across the country that facilitates research opportunities at the undergraduate level. Both undergraduate and graduate students can work on collaborative research with one of our faculty mentors or even author their own research.

  Through teaching and research, the College of Social and Behavioral Science provides students with the experience necessary to solve real-world problems even before they graduate. They can take what they've learned and apply it to internships, local government and non-profit organizations, active community research projects, and study abroad programs, which then benefit their career placement opportunities upon graduating.

• College of Social Work

  Since 1937, the College of Social Work has been educating and training students to meet the needs of their communities through service, research, and policy implementation. As we gratefully reflect on the strong foundation established so many years ago by our determined predecessors, we find ourselves preparing to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world.

  Through our programs and our facilities, we have invested in the future well-being of our community. In our Wilford W. and Dorothy P. Goodwill Humanitarian building, our students benefit from two clinical training suites that include floor-to-ceiling, one-way mirrors. Students collaborate with faculty and agency coordinators in our state-of-the-art community meeting room, and our technology-enhanced classroom helps us bring an interactive learning environment to students in satellite classrooms in Southern Utah. Renovations to our original building have provided dynamic spaces for group project work, cost-saving and environmentally friendly updates, and a spacious computer lab for classes and individual student use.

  Please take a moment to learn more about the University of Utah College of Social Work, our successes, and our aspirations. We hope you share our enthusiasm for our many endeavors and welcome your support as we work toward advancing the social work profession.

History of the U

A Board of Regents was organized by Brigham Young to establish a university in the Salt Lake Valley. The university was established on February 28, 1850, as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, and Orson Spencer was appointed as the first chancellor of the university. Early classes were held in private homes or wherever space could be found. The university closed in 1853 due to lack of funds and lack of feeder schools.

Following years of intermittent classes in the Salt Lake City Council House, the university began to be re-established in 1867 under the direction of David O. Calder, who was followed by John R. Park in 1869. The university moved out of the council house into the Union Academy building in 1876 and into Union Square in 1884. In 1892, the school's name was changed to the University of Utah, and John R. Park began arranging to obtain land belonging to the U.S. Army's Fort Douglas on the east bench of the Salt Lake Valley, where the university moved permanently in 1900. Additional Fort Douglas land has been granted to the university over the years, and the fort was officially closed on October 26, 1991. Upon his death in 1900, Dr. John R. Park bequeathed his entire fortune to the university.

The university grew rapidly in the early 20th century but was involved in an academic freedom controversy in 1915 when Joseph T. Kingsbury recommended that five faculty members be dismissed after a graduation speaker made a speech critical of Utah governor William Spry. One third of the faculty resigned in protest of these dismissals. Some felt that the dismissals were a result of the LDS Church's influence on the university, while others felt that they reflected a more general pattern of repressing religious and political expression that might be deemed offensive. The controversy was largely resolved when Kingsbury resigned in 1916, but university operations were again interrupted by World War I, and later The Great Depression and World War II. Student enrollment dropped to a low of 3,418 during the last year of World War II, but A. Ray Olpin made substantial additions to campus following the war, and enrollment reached 12,000 by the time he retired in 1964. Growth continued in the following decades as the university developed into a research center for fields such as computer science and medicine.During the 2002 Winter Olympics, the university hosted the Olympic Village, a housing complex for the Olympic and Paralympic athletes, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. Prior to the events, the university received a facelift that included extensive renovations to the Rice–Eccles Stadium, a light rail track leading to downtown Salt Lake City, a new student center known as the Heritage Center, an array of new student housing, and what is now a 180-room campus hotel and conference center.

The University of Utah Asia Campus opened as an international branch campus in the Incheon Global Campus in Songdo, Incheon, South Korea in 2014. Three other European and American universities are also participating. The Asia Campus was funded by the South Korean government.

Accreditation

• Institutional Accreditation or Recognition  - Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
• Year of first Accreditation - 1933

Rankings

Student life @the U

Close to 50% of freshman live on campus, but most students choose to live elsewhere after their first year, with 13% of all undergraduates living on campus. The university is located in a large metropolitan area, but many students live in the neighborhoods immediately surrounding the university. An additional 1,115 family apartments are available to students, staff, and faculty. One of the university's primary four goals for long-term campus growth is to increase student engagement through the addition of on-campus housing, intramural fields, athletic centers, and a new student activity center.

The current student activity center, the A. Ray Olpin University Union, is a common gathering place for university-wide events such as Crimson Nights, roughly monthly student activity nights; PlazaFest, a fair for campus groups at the start of the school year; and the Grand Kerfuffle, a concert at the end of the school year. The building includes a cafeteria, computer lab, recreational facilities, and a ballroom for special events. The Union also houses the Lowell Bennion Community Service Center, the Union Programming Council which is in charge of promoting student life on campus through events like Crimson Nights, and ASUU (the Associated Students of the University of Utah), which is responsible for appropriating funds to student groups and organizations on campus. ASUU holds primary and general elections each year for student representatives, typically with 10–15% of the student population voting.

Due to the large number of LDS Church members at the university, there is an LDS Institute of Religion building near main campus, as well as several LDS student groups and 46 campus wards. Approximately 650 students are part of 6 sororities and 8 fraternities at the university, most of which have chapter houses on "Greek Row" just off campus.

The University of Utah has a dry campus, meaning that alcohol is banned on campus. In 2004, Utah became the first state with a law expressly permitting concealed weapons on public university campuses. The University of Utah tried to uphold its gun ban but the Utah Supreme Court rejected the ban in 2006.

Media

The university has several public broadcasting affiliations, many of which utilize the Eccles Broadcast Center. These stations include KUED channel 7, a PBS member station and producer of local documentaries; KUEN channel 9, an educational station for teachers and students from the Utah Education Network; KUER 90.1 FM, a public radio affiliate of National Public Radio, American Public Media, and Public Radio International; and K-UTE 1620.

NewsBreak is the student-run television newscast on campus. During 2011, the program celebrated its 40th anniversary. Broadcasts air every Thursday night at 10 pm during the fall and spring semesters on KUEN.

The Daily Utah Chronicle, also referred to as the Chrony, has been the university's independent, student-run paper since 1890. It publishes daily on school days during fall and spring semesters and weekly during summer semester. The paper typically runs between eight and twelve pages, with longer editions for weekend game guides. The paper converted to a broadsheet format in 2003 when the Newspaper Agency Corporation began printing it. The Society of Professional Journalists selected the newspaper as one of three finalists for best all-around daily student newspaper in the nation in both 2007 and 2008. Staff from the Chronicle feed into Utah journalism circles, some of them rising to considerable prominence, such as former editor Matt Canham, whose work with The Salt Lake Tribune earned him the Don Baker Investigative Reporting Award from the Utah Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

The University of Utah Press, the oldest press in Utah and now part of the J. Willard Marriott Library, publishes books on topics including the outdoors, anthropology and archaeology, linguistics, creative nonfiction, Mesoamerica, Native American studies, and Utah, Mormon, and Western history. The university is also home to a national literary journal, Quarterly West.

Athletics

The university has 7 men's and 11 women's varsity teams. Athletic teams include men's baseball, basketball, football, golf, skiing, swimming/diving, and tennis and women's basketball, cross country, gymnastics, skiing, soccer, softball, swimming/diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. The school's sports teams are called the Utes, though some teams have an additional nickname, such as "Runnin' Utes" for the men's basketball team. The university participates in the NCAA's Division I (FBS for football) as part of the Pac-12 Conference. There is a fierce Utah–BYU rivalry, and the Utah–BYU football game, traditionally a season finale, has been called the "Holy War" by national broadcasting commentators. The university fight song is "Utah Man", commonly played at athletic games and other university events. In 1996, Swoop was introduced as the new mascot of the University of Utah. Because of relationships with the local Ute Indians, Utah adopted a new mascot. While still known as the Utes, Utah is now represented by the Red-tailed Hawk known for the use of his tail feathers in Ute head-dresses, and said he "Reflects the soaring spirit of our state and school".

In 2002, the university was one of 20 schools to make the U.S. News & World Report College Sports Honor Roll. In 2005, Utah became the first school to produce No. 1 overall draft picks in both the NFL draft and NBA draft for the same year. Alex Smith was picked first overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2005 NFL Draft, and Andrew Bogut was picked first overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2005 NBA Draft. The university has won ten NCAA Skiing Championships, most recently in 2003, as well as the 1977 AIAW National Women's Skiing Championship.

Men's basketball

The men's basketball team won the NCAA title in 1944 and the NIT crown in 1947.[109] Arnie Ferrin, the only four-time All-American in Utah basketball history, played for both the 1944 and 1947 teams. He also went on to help the Minneapolis Lakers win NBA Championships in 1949 and 1951. Wat Misaka, the first person of Asian descent to play in the NBA, also played for Utah during this era.

Utah basketball rose again to national prominence when head coach Rick Majerus took his team, including guard Andre Miller, combo forward Hanno Möttölä, and post player Michael Doleac, to the NCAA Final Four in 1998. After eliminating North Carolina to advance to the final round, Utah lost the championship game to Kentucky, 78–69.

Football

In 2004–2005, the football team, coached by Urban Meyer and quarterbacked by Alex Smith, along with defensive great Eric Weddle, went 11–0 during the regular season and defeated Pittsburgh 35–7 in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl, becoming the first team from a conference without an automatic Bowl Championship Series (BCS) bid to go to a BCS bowl game. The team ended its perfect 12–0 season ranked 4th in AP polling.

2008–2009 was another undefeated year for the football team, coached by Kyle Whittingham, as they finished the season 13–0 and defeated Alabama 31–17 in the 2009 Sugar Bowl. Utah finished the season 2nd in AP polling, their highest rank ever. At the end of the season, the Utes were the only unbeaten team in the country, with the nation's longest active streak of bowl victories (8).

The Utah Utes moved to the Pac-12 Conference for the start of the 2011–2012 football season. They are in the South Division with University of Colorado, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, UCLA and University of Southern California. Their first game in the Pac-12 was at USC on September 10, 2011, and resulted in a 23–14 Utah loss.

Gymnastics

The women's gymnastics team, coached by Megan Marsden, has won ten national championships, including the 1981 AIAW championship, and placed 2nd nationally eight times. As of 2013, it has qualified for the NCAA championship every year since 1976, the only program to do so. The program has averaged over 11,000 fans per meet 1992–2010 and has been the NCAA gymnastics season attendance champions 16 of these 19 years. In 2010, there was an average of 14,213 fans per meet, the largest crowd being 15,030.

Marching band

The university marching band, known as the "Pride of Utah", perform at all home football games, as well as some away games and bowl games. They performed at the 2005 BCS Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, the 2009 BCS Allstate Sugar Bowl, and the Inaugural Parade of President Barack Obama.

The band began as a military band in the 1940s. In 1948, university president A. Ray Olpin recruited Ron Gregory from Ohio State University to form a collegiate marching band. Support for the band dwindled in the 60s, and ASUU (the Associated Students of the University of Utah) discontinued its funding in 1969. The band was revived in 1976 after a fund raising effort under the direction of Gregg I. Hanson. As of 2011, the band is under the direction of Dr. Brian Sproul.

Men's rugby club

In 2012, Utah's men's rugby club was suspended for an unspecified alcohol 'incident' for the 2012–2013 rugby year.