Ohio University

Ohio University (OHIO or OU) is a public research university with its main campus in Athens, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1804, it was the first university established in the former Northwest Territory. The university enrolled about 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students in Athens as of 2023. It maintains seven regional and extension campuses across Ohio.

Ohio University comprises nine undergraduate colleges, a graduate college, a college of medicine, and a public affairs school. It offers more than 250 areas of undergraduate study as well as certificates, master's, and doctoral degrees. It is a member of the University System of Ohio. The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research spending and doctorate production".

Ohio's intercollegiate athletic teams are the Bobcats, and compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level as charter members of the Mid-American Conference. Ohio football has participated in 16 bowl games through the 2023 season. The men's basketball team has made 14 appearances in the NCAA Division I basketball tournament.

History

Charter and establishment

A university in the Ohio Country was first envisioned by Manasseh Cutler, credited as the school's founder along with Revolutionary War Brigadier General Rufus Putnam. In addition to being instrumental in its founding, Putnam was also an original trustee of the university. Putnam Hall is named for him. Cutler had served as a chaplain in the Continental Army. In 1787, a contract was made between the Board of Treasury of the United States and the Ohio Company of Associates, which set aside the College Lands to support a university. In 1797, settlers from Marietta, Ohio, traveled downstream on the Ohio River and up the Hocking River to establish a location for the school in the College Lands, founding Athens due to its location directly between Marietta and Chillicothe, Ohio.

In 1802, approval was granted by the government of the Northwest Territory for the establishment of the American Western University, but the school was not operated under that name. Ohio University was recognized by the new state on February 18, 1804, with its charter being certified by the Ohio General Assembly. It was the first university established in the former Northwest Territory. The first three students enrolled in 1809. The first two bachelor's degrees were granted in 1815.

19th century to present

Ohio University was closed between 1843 and 1848. Women were first admitted to the university in 1868. In 1874, the Ohio General Assembly created the new Ohio State University in Columbus as a land grant school upon passage of the Morrill Act of 1862. At that time some representatives proposed that both Ohio University and Miami University be demoted to preparatory schools. In 1880, it was instead suggested that Ohio and Miami be merged directly with Ohio State, but the 1896 Sleeper Bill, introduced by Athenian David L. Sleeper, the speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, provided annual support for the university; this set the precedent for continuing state support of Ohio University. A second challenge was defeated in 1906.

The 20th century saw dramatic growth in student enrollment, academic offerings, and research facilities. Between 1955 and 1970, undergraduate enrollment tripled from 7,000 to 20,000. During this era, the campus grew, with the construction of 25 new dormitories located on two new residential college greens, with radio and television stations, research and classroom facilities, and the construction of the 13,000-seat Convocation Center arena. Ohio University ranks among the top 25 largest residential college campuses in the United States.

Campuses

Athens campus

The main residential university campus is in Athens, Ohio, overlooking the Hocking River. Constructed under the Jefferson presidency, New England and Early Americana Federalist themes are prevalent in the university's earliest architecture. Development of the campus began in 1812 with the erection of the university's central building, Manasseh Cutler Hall, a registered national landmark, and built only 20 years after the White House. Cutler Hall's University Chimes, replacing an existing old cast iron bell, chime on the half hour every day until 9:00pm. The original bell, the 3rd oldest university bell in America, which is still hung in the Cutler Hall Cupola, rang to signal the start and end of the school day, as well as to signal the end of different class periods. Cast in the early 1800s, it served the university for well over a century.

College Green

The historic College Green is the central quadrangle lawn and the location of significant campus buildings: Manasseh Cutler Hall, the office of the president; Wilson Hall, the college of arts and sciences; McGuffey Hall, named for William McGuffey; and the College Gateway. These three original primary structures are featured elements of the current official university logo and remain true to their original design of over 200 years ago. The College Green has changed little in the past two centuries, which contributes to the university's colonial appearance. The green, inspired by the university founders, is based upon the classic layout of traditional English and New England towns and is similar to other university quadrangles. College Green features Galbreath Chapel, the spire of which, topped with a brass weather vane, is modeled after that of the portico of Nash's All Souls Church in London.

Other buildings on the College Green include Chubb Hall, home to Undergraduate Admissions as well as the offices of the bursar and registrar; Ellis Hall, home to the departments of English, classics, religious studies, and philosophy; Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium; as well as Bryan Hall, an upperclassman residence hall. The university sundial, located behind Galbreath Chapel, was constructed in 1907 and marks the original location of the university's first building. College Green has two gateways. Alumni Class Gateway has an inscription facing those entering the green "so enter that thou mayest grow in knowledge wisdom and love", while those departing see the text "so depart that daily thou mayest thy fellowmen thy country and thy god". The other gate, Class Gateway, commemorates the first graduating class of 1815 and features words taken from the Northwest Ordinance of 1787: "Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged". Traditions surrounding College Green include the latter half of first year convocation, where students, led by the Ohio University Marching 110, march up Richland Avenue, onto Presidents Street, turning north onto Court Street, and entering the green through the College Gate at the corner of Court and Union Streets. From there, a large involvement fair is held where students find clubs they wish to join.

Organization

The Athens campus is organized by its 12 degree-granting academic colleges and schools, the Ohio University Libraries system, and various support services. The College of Arts & Sciences is the largest academic division at the university, host to a broad range of liberal arts courses in the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences as the foundation for all undergraduate degrees.

The Russ College of Engineering and Technology is home to the university's highly ranked programs in the traditional fields of engineering at the undergraduate and graduate level. It enrolls approximately 1,400 undergraduates and almost 300 graduate students. It is named in honor of Fritz J. Russ, an alumnus in electrical engineering and the founder of Systems Research Laboratories, a major bioengineering concern.

The Scripps College of Communication comprises five schools and one research lab: The E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, the J. W. McClure School of Information and Telecommunication Systems, the School of Communication Studies, the School of Media Arts and Studies (formerly the School of Telecommunications), the School of Visual Communication (VisCom), and the Game Research and Immersive Design (GRID) Lab.

The College of Business offers nine different majors and a general business minor for students with non-business majors, as well as the "OHIO MBA" in a variety of learning formats. Copeland Hall, seat of the college, maintains six computer labs and two study lounges with computers, as well as many conference rooms and small group rooms for an intimate, collaborative team atmosphere. All business classes are taught by professors instead of graduate students.

The College of Fine Arts offers academic programs in art, dance, film, interdisciplinary arts, music, and theater. The Ohio University School of Music celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2017. The university's film program is located within the School of Dance, Film, and Theater in the College of Fine Arts. The Kennedy Museum of Art is housed at the Ridges in Lin Hall.

The history of the Patton College of Education dates back to May 11, 1886. The Normal Department – the predecessor to today's College of Education – was the first state-supported teacher preparation program in Ohio. The state's first kindergarten opened on the Ohio University campus in 1907. Today, the College of Education is organized into three departments: Counseling and Higher Education, Educational Studies, and Teacher Education. The college currently serves more than 2,100 undergraduate and 800 graduate students. On July 1, 2010, The Patton College became the home of several programs previously housed in the College of Health and Human Services, creating two new departments: Human and Consumer Science Education, and Recreation and Sport Pedagogy.

Academics

Academe at Ohio University comprises its thirteen degree granting colleges and centers.

The university honor code includes the traditional pillars of character, citizenship, civility, commitment, and community. Freshmen formally enter the university with their annual convocation and march beneath Alumni Gateway along with university officials. The university is nationally known for its liberal arts programs, as well as its journalism, business, and medicine programs. The total university student enrollment is in excess of 36,000, encompassing its main campus in Athens and regional campuses; its body mostly hails from the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest and graduated from public high schools. Undergraduate admissions are selective with further admission requirements for its journalism and other schools. The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine maintains separate select admissions criteria and is the most selective college at the university. Ohio University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".

The Chronicle of Higher Education has recognized the university as one of the top producers of U.S. Fulbright scholars by type of institution, with the highest number of recipients in the state as well as the Mid-American Conference in 2011–12. Ohio University was recognized by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs as a top producer of 2014–2015 Fulbright U.S. Students. Since 2008, 16 students have won the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, 32 students have won the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program and 94 students have become Fulbright Program U.S. grantees. One alumnus has shared the Nobel Prize. Ohio faculty has achievements ranging from the first university to successfully accomplish a trans-genetic DNA injection, to Francis Bundy's work on early synthesis of diamond to Paul Murray Kendall's celebrated biography of Richard III. Some sense of research achievements at Ohio University can be seen in the biographies of the Edwin and Ruth Kennedy Distinguished Professors appointed annually since 1959.

Undergraduate admissions

The Princeton Review gives Ohio an "Admissions Selectivity Rating" of 85 on a scale of 60–99. The university extends offers of admission to, on average, around 85% of all applicants yearly after holistic review that includes examination of academic rigor, recommendations, essays, and high school performance, and admissions test scores, when submitted. The university no longer requires test scores and does not publish average tests scores for public release. Ohio University admitted 85% of all applicants, including first year and transfer students, for the incoming 2022 class.

Student life

Marching 110 Band

The Ohio University Marching 110 is the official marching band of Ohio University, founded in 1923 and based out of the College of Fine Arts. The nickname Marching 110 is a reference to the band's original number of members; modern bands consist of approximately 225 members. The 110 represents the university at various athletic functions and other events. The Marching 110 became the first collegiate marching band to perform in Carnegie Hall in 1976. In January 1993, the 110 performed in Bill Clinton's first inaugural parade through Washington, D.C., after Clinton asked campaign chairman and Ohio University alumnus David Wilhelm for the band to perform. Other notable performances include the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2000, 2005, and 2017, as well as the 2010 Rose Parade.

Special Events

Athens' annual Halloween block party is the most well-known and far-reaching tradition, with Ohio University providing support services for the thousands of partiers who attend. Among more traditions which students enjoy being involved in each year are Homecoming Weekend, with its grand parade through the streets of Athens and activities that allow students to mingle with alumni. International Week in the Spring features another colorful parade and festivities along Court Street. The Student Activities Commission (SAC) sponsors a yearly springtime concert with prominent musicians, usually held at the Convocation Center. The university community is well known for its unofficial springtime fests and concerts, as well. Other traditions include the Kissing Circle on College Green, a tradition where couples will kiss on College Green to solidify their relationship so it becomes a "Bobcat Bond;" the week of Hellenic "rushing" in the Fall, for freshmen to become sorority and fraternity members; and the entire month of April featuring ecological advocacy and green awareness programs across all campuses.

Service

Students maintain a variety of organized and independent service events. The Community Service Leadership Council involves students to oversee a Project of the Week every Saturday. The projects have included work with Good Earth Farms, Last Chance Corral, Cadillac Ranch, Habitat for Humanity, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Phi Omega, Pi Beta Phi, Project C, Rotaract, the Survivor Advocacy Program, and the Thursday Supper Volunteer Corps, among others. Charities at Ohio University have involved flag football tournaments and the 5K Flour Run, and have benefited O'Bleness Health System's Women's Health Fund and the Athens Backpack Program, respectively. Student Senate's Beautification Day regularly receives a large turnout and is particularly unique in the Spring. In early 1962, President Vernon Alden signed the first of several contracts with the federal government to facilitate Peace Corps volunteer training programs. Today, Ohio University hosts a recruiting office for the Peace Corps in a tradition affiliated with that organization since Sargent Shriver's visit.

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