University of Kentucky
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| |
| Motto | Dream • Challenge • Succeed |
|---|---|
| Established | 1865 |
| Type | Public |
| Endowment | $555 million |
| President | Dr. Lee T. Todd, Jr. |
| Staff | 11,000+ <ref name="stats">"Stats At A Glance." University of Kentucky. 17 Oct. 2005. University of Kentucky. 7 Sept. 2006 [1].</ref> |
| Undergraduates | 18,492 |
| Postgraduates | 5,825 |
| Location | Lexington, KY, USA |
| Campus | 670 acres (3.16 km²) |
| Athletics | 21 varsity teams, called "Wildcats" |
| Colors | Blue █ and White █ |
| Mascot | "The Wildcat", Scratch |
| Affiliations | Southeastern Conference |
| Website | www.uky.edu |
The University of Kentucky, also referred to as UK, is a public, co-educational university located in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865, UK is the largest university in the state with 26,682 students <ref name="stats"/>.
Contents |
[edit] History
John Bowman founded the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, a publicly chartered department of Kentucky University, as a land-grant university in 1865. The first degree from A&M was awarded in 1869, and James Kennedy Patterson became the first president of the university in that same year. In 1878, A&M separated from Kentucky University, which is now Transylvania University. For the new school, the city of Lexington donated a 52 acre (210,000 m²) park and fair ground, which became the core of UK's present campus. The modern campus covers 670 acres (2.7 km²).
The college was initially for men only, but women were admitted beginning in 1880. The first female degree recipient was Belle Gunn in 1888. The school's first women's dormitory, Patterson Hall, built in 1904, was the first building constructed apart from the main campus; residents had to cross a swamp (where the Student Center now stands) to reach classrooms. The building was renovated recently and is the oldest still-existing UK dormitory.
The school's name was changed to "State University, Lexington, Kentucky" in 1908, then to "University of Kentucky" in 1916. The University of Kentucky became racially integrated in 1949 when Lyman T. Johnson, a black man, won a lawsuit to be admitted to the graduate program. Undergraduate classes desegregated in 1954.
As a land-grant university, UK is affiliated with several satellite institutions spread throughout the state. It formerly operated fourteen community colleges with more than 100 extended sites, centers and campuses, which were apart of the former University of Kentucky's Community College System (UKCCS), but in a major reorganization of the state's higher education system in 1997, the community colleges were placed under an independent governing board, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). Nearby Lexington Community College, despite the 1997 reorganization of the community colleges, remained integrated with the university itself, but separated from UK in 2004 and became apart of KCTCS. The College of Engineering operates a satellite campus in Paducah, located on the campus of West Kentucky Community and Technical College.
In an interesting show of school pride, Lexington and the surrounding Bluegrass area code was changed several years ago to 859, which spells out "UKY" on the phone.
[edit] Buildings
The University of Kentucky is home to many notable structures, including three high-rises. Major construction projects are underway or are being planned that includes a new hospital, School of Pharmacy building, and several new college structures.
The tallest of these is the 18 floor Patterson Office Tower. Constructed in 1968, it houses faculty offices, numerous conference rooms, and several computer labs. It was constructed over White Hall.
Kirwan Tower and Blanding Tower, part of the Kirwin-Blanding Complex, are two 23 level towers that house undergraduate students.
[edit] Academics
UK has 88 certified bachelor degree programs for undergraduates, 93 master's degree programs, and 60 programs in PhD and other doctoral degrees.
[edit] Organizations
- College of Agriculture
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Communications & Information Studies
- College of Dentistry
- College of Design
- College of Education
- College of Engineering
- College of Fine Arts
- College of Health Sciences
- College of Law
- College of Medicine
- College of Nursing
- College of Pharmacy
- College of Public Health
- College of Social Work
- Gatton College of Business and Economics
- Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce
[edit] Libraries
The university is home to 15 campus libraries. Among them is the William T. Young Library, which houses the university's social sciences, humanities and life sciences collections, it also acts as a United States federal repository and a public library for the state of Kentucky. Here is a list of the libraries on campus:
- Agricultural Information Center
- Chemistry-Physics Library
- Design Library
- Distance Learning Library Services
- Education Library
- Geological Sciences Library
- Law Library
- Library Link at the Patterson Office Tower
- Lucille Caudill Little Fine Arts Library and Learning Center
- Mathematical Sciences Library
- Medical Center Library
- Shaver Engineering Library
- Special Collections and Digital Programs
- William T. Young Library
[edit] "Top 20 Plan"
In 1997, the Kentucky General Assembly mandated that UK be among the top 20 public research universities in the nation by 2020. Under President Todd, the university has articulated a plan to achieve that goal. To this end, UK is becoming more selective in admission, motivating current students, and working to improve its academic programs. Expansions in the medical center and research programs are also planned. The university already has top-20 programs in pharmacy, geography, hispanic studies, anatomy and neurobiology, physiology, surgery, public finance/budget, behavioral science, applied communications, architecture, real estate studies, and diplomacy/international relations (ie, the Patterson School).
[edit] Athletics
The University of Kentucky is a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky's sports teams (nicknamed the Wildcats) include football, men's & women's basketball, women's volleyball, baseball, softball, men's & women's cross country, men's & women's swimming/diving, women's gymnastics, men's & women's soccer, men's & women's track & field (indoor & outdoor), men's & women's golf, men's & women's tennis, and the coeducational sport of rifle.
Because the SEC does not sponsor men's soccer, that team had competed in the Mid-American Conference. However, in 2005, the program jumped to Conference USA, along with fellow SEC member South Carolina, who had also been part of the former Metro Conference (the predecessor to C-USA). The soccer team didn't enjoy their best season in 2005 however this year (2006) they are looking to compete for the national championship. With many incoming freshman looking to make a big impact.
The University of Kentucky cheerleaders have won the UCA Division I-A Cheerleading Championship 15 times, more than any other school.
The school's men's basketball team is the winningest program in Division I college basketball with over 1,974 victories, seven national championships(the only school with more is UCLA with 11), forty-six NCAA tournament appearances, runner-up three times, 13 Final Fours, and 28 Elite Eight appearances.
[edit] Media
The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department was the home and sponsor of one of the earliest college amateur radio stations in the United States. W4JP began continuous operation before World War I and persisted until amateur radio licenses were granted by the US Government.
The university is currently served by an independent student-funded 88.1 FM WRFL and the Triple-A station 91.3 FM WUKY. The campus is also served by the Kentucky Kernel, a student-run, financially independent daily newspaper. The official yearbook of the University of Kentucky is the Kentuckian. First published in 1906, it was preceded by at least one previous book, the Echo. Many former members of the staff have gone on to successful careers in journalism. One of the more notable is National Geographic photographer Sam Abell. As one of UK's student publications, the book is currently closely associated with the school's independent daily student newspaper.
[edit] Student life
The University offers seven main dining facilities, 23 residence halls, and numerous recreation facilities spread between three distinct campuses: north, south, and central. It is also home to more than 250 student-run organizations.
[edit] Campus safety
UK suffers from a perception that the campus is unsafe. In a survey of 1000 female UK students, conducted in Spring 2004, 36.5% reported having been victims of rape, stalking, or physical assault while at UK. [2][3] Campus law enforcement statistics do not bear out these numbers, however, [4] and it can be assumed either that many serious crimes go unreported or that the survey conclusions were erroneous.
In response to the survey, President Todd launched an initiative in September 2005 called the "Campus Safety Imperative," including a quadrupling of annual expenditures on safety. [5] Todd specifically linked campus safety to the goal of becoming a top 20 public research institution, saying, “We will never make gains toward becoming a top-20 public research institution if our students are unsafe or if they lack a sense of physical security. It is part of our fundamental mission, then, to create a campus that provides a safe place to live, to work, and to learn." [6]
In the fall 2006, two UK students died with blood-alcohol levels more than twice the legal limit. This is the fifth year out of the last six in which an undergraduate has died in an alcohol-related accident early in the school year. [7]
[edit] Greek Life
There are 15 sororities and 26 fraternities that serve the university.
[edit] Notable people
The university has been home to many notable people, including current Kentucky governor Ernie Fletcher, Ken Lucas, a U.S. representative from the state's fourth congressional district, and Mitch McConnell, a U.S. Senator, and Ashley Judd, an actress (as well as a noted celebrity fan of the school's basketball team).
[edit] Points of interest
- Commonwealth Stadium
- Memorial Coliseum
- Memorial Hall
- University of Kentucky/Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Arboretum
- University of Kentucky Research and Education Center Botanical Garden
- William T. Young Library
[edit] External links
[edit] Official sites
- University of Kentucky - Official
- Martin School of Public Policy and Adminstration
- College of Engineering
- Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce homepage
[edit] University-affiliated media sites
[edit] Sports-related sites
- Official UK athletics site
- WildcatNation.net - UK Athletics for fans site
- Jon Scott's Kentucky Basketball Statistics site
[edit] References
<references/>
| Southeastern Conference |
|---|
| Eastern Division: Florida • Georgia • Kentucky • South Carolina • Tennessee • Vanderbilt Western Division: Alabama • Arkansas • Auburn • LSU • Mississippi • Mississippi State |
