University of Rhode Island
Encyclopedia : U : UN : UNI : University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island, commonly abbreviated as U.R.I., is the principal public research university in the State of Rhode Island, with its main campus in Kingston, Rhode Island, and three other campuses located throughout the state. URI has 10,320 undergraduates and 3,115 graduate students. It is a land grant, sea grant, and urban grant institution.
History
The University was first chartered as the state's agricultural school in 1888. The site of the school was originally the Oliver Watson Farm, and the original farmhouse still lies on the campus today. In 1892, the school became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. The first class was comprised of only seventeen students, and they graduated two years later. In 1909, the school's name was again changed to Rhode Island State College and the school's programs expanded beyond its original mandate. In 1951, the college became the University of Rhode Island by an act of the General Assembly. The Board of Governors for Higher Education, appointed by the governor, became the governing body of the University in 1981.Academics
The University comprises ten colleges:- University College - mainly for incoming or undecided undergraduates
- College of Arts and Sciences - natural sciences, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, fine arts
- College of Continuing Education - focused on older or part-time students
- College of Business Administration
- College of Engineering - electrical engineering, computer engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, ocean engineering
- College of Environment and Life Science - biology, landscape architecture, geosciences, food sciences, plant sciences, natural resource sciences, marine affairs, environmental and natural resource economics
- College of Human Science and Services - communicative disorders, human development and family studies, education, physical education, textiles, and fashion merchandising and design
- College of Nursing
- College of Pharmacy
- Graduate School of Oceanography
Athletics
The team colors are light blue (formerly officially referred to as "Keaney blue"), white and navy blue. According to school legend, the color was refined by legendary coach Frank Keaney (who was also a chemistry teacher) to distinguish the teams on the field. [link] (It is worth noting, however, that this color was already in use by two other popular schools, Columbia and North Carolina, at the time of its inception.) The school's mascot is a ram. It was chosen in 1923 as tribute to the school's agricultural history. There has not been a live ram at the school since 1974, with "Rhody," a student in an anthropomorphic ram costume, roaming the sidelines in his place.[link]
Student Organizations
Student organizations are funded by the Student Senate, which is in turn funded by fees levied on all students. Prominent organizations are:
- Student Entertainment Committee (SEC) - organizes large concerts and other campuswide entertainment, including comedians, guest speakers, and special activities; notable events in the 2005-2006 school year included concerts by Kanye West and My Chemical Romance, a show by stand-up comedian Dane Cook, and various free 'Daytime Distractions'.
- WRIU - campus radio
- The Good 5 Cent Cigar - campus newspaper
- URI Students for Social Change - www.urissc.org
- Local branches of national organizations such as: Hillel, the Association for Computing Machinery, Model UN
Traditions and Trivia
- A rifled cannon, fired by the ROTC students in the 19th century, burst on the Quadrangle. The school placed the barrel of said cannon, known as "Ben Butler", in a permanent mount, guarding the Quad.
- Butterfield Dining and Residence Hall is referred to as "The Butt".
- Roger Williams Dining Hall is referred to as "Ro-Jo's," a reference to the old Howard Johnson's restaurants.
- Many off-campus students live "down the line" in Narragansett or Matunuck.
Film
- The film "Outside Providence" shot its private school sequences at Green Hall, among other locations at the Kingston Campus.
See also
External links
- [University of Rhode Island]
- [Official URI Athletics]
- [90.3 WRIU (URI's Non-Profit/Community Radio Station)]
- [The Good 5c Cigar - URI's Student Newspaper]
- [URI Students for Social Change]
- [URI Computer Science Department Wiki]
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