Eastern Oregon University
Encyclopedia
Eastern Oregon University (or "EOU") is one of seven state-funded
, four-year universities
of higher education
in the State of Oregon
and belongs to the Oregon University System
. The school is the smallest of the state-supported universities in Oregon, and is the only public university in the state that does not charge out-of-state residents and international students higher tuition fees.
Located in La Grande, Oregon
, the school offers bachelor's and master's degrees.
between Portland, Oregon
and Boise, Idaho
just off Interstate 84
. Driving to La Grande takes approximately four hours from Portland, three from Boise, five from Seattle
, and four from Spokane
. The school has about 1,650 students on the La Grande campus, and has almost 2,100 students in their distance education
programs.
The campus contains 26 buildings, including four living facilities – Alikut Hall, Hunt Hall, North Hall, and Daugherty Hall – all of which are co-ed. Inlow Hall, Eastern's administration building, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
The school is composed of the following colleges in order of size:
In addition, EOU has dental hygiene
, military science
, agricultural science
, nursing
, and distance education
programs (eight degrees are 100% online) that may be used to obtain a degree from the University.
.
is the Mountaineer
. EOU is a member of the NAIA and the Cascade Collegiate Conference
in Women's Soccer, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Women's Volleyball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Women's Softball, and Men's and Women's Track and Field.
In 2005, EOU's football
program joined the NAIA's
division I Frontier Conference
, previously having competed independently in NCAA's
Division III.
EOU's football team plays at Community Stadium located on campus. The La Grande High School football team also plays their home games there.
EOU's current kicker, Tom Akers, was second team All Frontier Conference for the 2007 season. He's also one of the nation's biggest kickers with a 5'10 260 lb frame.
Athletic Director: Robert Cashell
Sports Information Director: Barrett Henderson
Defunct Sports: Women's Golf, Skiing, Wrestling,and Baseball
Rodeo is also making a comeback to EOU
Volleyball started the 2007 season with first year head coach Kaki Mclean. The Mountaineer women had an overall record of 16-10 and a conference record of 13-7. The volleyball team continues to improve each season and Kaki is building a strong squad for next year's season. It is also important to note that the women of the volleyball team exceed not only on the court but in the class room as well. This fall season, the team earned the highest combined GPA out of all the other sports teams at EOU.
occurred and starting a career as a teacher.
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
, four-year universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
of higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
in the State of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and belongs to the Oregon University System
Oregon University System
The Oregon University System consists of seven public, four-year universities in the State of Oregon administered by the Chancellor of the OUS, who is appointed by the Oregon State Board of Higher Education...
. The school is the smallest of the state-supported universities in Oregon, and is the only public university in the state that does not charge out-of-state residents and international students higher tuition fees.
Located in La Grande, Oregon
La Grande, Oregon
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,327 people, 5,124 households, and 2,982 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,833.5 people per square mile . There were 5,483 housing units at an average density of 1,260.3 per square mile...
, the school offers bachelor's and master's degrees.
History
EOU opened its doors in 1929 as Eastern Oregon Normal School, a Teachers College. In 1939, the Oregon Legislature changed the name to Eastern Oregon College of Education. The words "of Education" were dropped from the college's name in 1956. The 1973 Legislature changed EOC's name to Eastern Oregon State College. In 1997, Eastern Oregon State College became Eastern Oregon University.Campus setting
EOU's location in La Grande is in the heart of the Blue Mountain rangeBlue Mountains (Oregon)
The Blue Mountains are a mountain range in the western United States, located largely in northeastern Oregon and stretching into southeastern Washington...
between Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
just off Interstate 84
Interstate 84 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, Interstate 84 travels east–west, following the Columbia River and the rough path of the old Oregon Trail from Portland east to Idaho. For this reason, it is also known as most of the Columbia River Highway No. 2 and all of the Old Oregon Trail Highway No. 6 . It...
. Driving to La Grande takes approximately four hours from Portland, three from Boise, five from Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, and four from Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
. The school has about 1,650 students on the La Grande campus, and has almost 2,100 students in their distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
programs.
The campus contains 26 buildings, including four living facilities – Alikut Hall, Hunt Hall, North Hall, and Daugherty Hall – all of which are co-ed. Inlow Hall, Eastern's administration building, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Academic organization
EOU offers bachelor's degrees and the degrees of MBA, Master of Education and Master of Arts in Teaching. The university offers innovative live business and elementary education programs at a satellite campus in Gresham, Oregon.The school is composed of the following colleges in order of size:
- College of BusinessBusinessA business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
- College of EducationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
- College of ArtsARtsaRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
& Sciences
In addition, EOU has dental hygiene
Dental hygienist
thumb|right|300px|Dental hygienist holding a scalerA dental hygienist is a licensed dental professional who specializes in preventive oral health, typically focusing on techniques in oral hygiene. Local dental regulations determine the scope of practice of dental hygienists...
, military science
Military science
Military science is the process of translating national defence policy to produce military capability by employing military scientists, including theorists, researchers, experimental scientists, applied scientists, designers, engineers, test technicians, and military personnel responsible for...
, agricultural science
Agricultural science
Agricultural science is a broad multidisciplinary field that encompasses the parts of exact, natural, economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. -Agriculture and agricultural science:The two terms are often confused...
, nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
, and distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
programs (eight degrees are 100% online) that may be used to obtain a degree from the University.
Accreditation
EOU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education IACBE and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher EducationNational Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education was founded in 1954 to accredit teacher certification programs at U.S. colleges and universities. NCATE is a council of educators created to ensure and raise the quality of preparation for their profession. NCATE is recognized by the U.S....
.
Athletics
EOU's mascotMascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is the Mountaineer
Mountaineer
-Sports:*Mountaineering, the sport, hobby or profession of walking, hiking, trekking and climbing up mountains, also known as alpinism-University athletic teams and mascots:*Appalachian State Mountaineers, the athletic teams of Appalachian State University...
. EOU is a member of the NAIA and the Cascade Collegiate Conference
Cascade Collegiate Conference
The Cascade Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Member schools are located in the Northwestern United States. Its basketball teams compete in Division II, the lower of the two levels of NAIA basketball competition. ...
in Women's Soccer, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Women's Volleyball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Women's Softball, and Men's and Women's Track and Field.
In 2005, EOU's football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
program joined the NAIA's
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
division I Frontier Conference
Frontier Conference
The Frontier Conference is a college athletic conference, founded in 1952 and affiliated with the NAIA. Member institutions are located in the northwestern United States, in the states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Utah....
, previously having competed independently in NCAA's
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division III.
EOU's football team plays at Community Stadium located on campus. The La Grande High School football team also plays their home games there.
EOU's current kicker, Tom Akers, was second team All Frontier Conference for the 2007 season. He's also one of the nation's biggest kickers with a 5'10 260 lb frame.
Athletic Director: Robert Cashell
Sports Information Director: Barrett Henderson
Defunct Sports: Women's Golf, Skiing, Wrestling,and Baseball
Rodeo is also making a comeback to EOU
Volleyball started the 2007 season with first year head coach Kaki Mclean. The Mountaineer women had an overall record of 16-10 and a conference record of 13-7. The volleyball team continues to improve each season and Kaki is building a strong squad for next year's season. It is also important to note that the women of the volleyball team exceed not only on the court but in the class room as well. This fall season, the team earned the highest combined GPA out of all the other sports teams at EOU.
Notable alumni
- Fouad AjamiFouad AjamiFouad A. Ajami , is a MacArthur Fellowship winning, Lebanese-born American university professor and writer on Middle Eastern issues. He is currently a senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution....
, Middle EastMiddle EastThe Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
expert and political advisor - Rod ChandlerRod ChandlerRodney Dennis "Rod" Chandler was a U.S. Representative from Washington. He is the great-great-grandnephew of long-time U.S. Senator Zachariah Chandler of Michigan....
, U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from the state of Washington - Tyrone Gross, NFL football player, San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
The oldest graduate person
Leo Plass, 99 years old has received his diploma in June 2011. He dropped out less than one semester away from graduation in 1932 when Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
occurred and starting a career as a teacher.