University of Texas at Arlington
Encyclopedia
The University of Texas at Arlington (also referred to as UT-Arlington or UTA) is a public
research university located in Arlington, Texas
, United States
. The campus is situated southwest of downtown Arlington, and is located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. The university was founded in 1895 and served primarily a military academy
during the early 20th century. After spending several decades in the Texas A&M University System
, the institution joined The University of Texas System in 1965. In the fall of 2010, UT-Arlington reached a student population of 32,956, a gain of 31% from autumn 2008, and is currently the second-largest institution within the UT System
. UTA is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a high research activity institution. The university offers 80 baccalaureate, 74 masters, and 31 doctoral degrees.
The university also operates the Fort Worth Education Center and the Automated Robotics & Research Institute, with campuses at the Fort Worth ITC and River Bend Park.
Carlisle was already established as a respected educator in the North Texas region, and he opened the Carlisle Military Academy in the fall of 1902. His program consisted of a balance between course work and military training. Enrollment increased to 150 students by 1905, and he began a large expansion of the campus. Baseball, football, basketball, and track teams were begun between 1904–1908. Around the same time, new barracks, a track, a gymnasium, and an indoor pool were built. The academy became known as one of the best at its level in the country. Unfortunately, enrollment did not continue to increase with the expansion in facilities and Carlisle ran into serious financial problems. Lawsuits for the mortgages on the property were filed in 1911, and Carlisle Military Academy was closed in 1913. In the fall of 1913, H.K. Taylor moved from Missouri where he was president of the Northwest State Teachers' College to set up another military academy called Arlington Training School. He also was required to manage the finances and campus for the property owners. By the 1914–1915 school year, the campus contained 11 buildings on 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of land with 95 students enrolled. The school was incorporated in 1915 in order to raise funds to make improvements to the existing buildings, but more financial problems arose and another series of lawsuits were filed. Taylor left Arlington, and the property owners hired John B. Dodson to establish a third military academy for the 1916–1917 school year called Arlington Military Academy. Enrollment was apparently very low, and Arlington Military Academy closed after one year.
campus was overcrowded and had only one affiliate school. Vincent Woodbury Grubb, a lawyer and education advocate, organized Arlington officials to lobby the state legislature to create a new junior college. The campus in Arlington was established as a branch under the authority of Texas A&M University and was called Grubbs Vocational College. Myron L. Williams was appointed as the first Dean. Students were either enrolled in a high school or junior college program, and all men were required to be cadets. Its name changed again in 1923 to the North Texas Agricultural College (NTAC). Edward Everett Davis replaced Williams as Dean in 1925 and held that position for 21 years. Davis continually worked to improve the quality of students, faculty, and facilities. The Great Depression
resulted in major cuts to funding and a decline in students, so more general college courses were gradually introduced at NTAC instead of vocational classes. During World War II
, the college trained students with a 'war program' focus and participated in the V-12 Navy College Training Program
, offered at 131 colleges and universities in 1943, which gave students a path to a Navy commission.
In 1948, the Texas A&M System was restructured and Dean Ernest H. Hereford was named the first president of the college. However, NTAC was still subordinate to the Texas A&M campus at College Station. The name was changed to Arlington State College (ASC) in 1949 to reflect the fact that agriculture was no longer an important part of the curriculum. Efforts were begun to turn ASC into a four-year institution, but the Texas A&M administration refused to consider the idea since it was possible that ASC could grow to be larger than College Station. The growth of the city of Arlington in the 1950s led to a major expansion of ASC. The student population increased from 1,322 in 1952 to 6,528 in 1959, which led to land acquisition and construction of many buildings. Dr. Jack Royce Woolf was named president in 1959 as serious efforts began to make ASC a four-year college. The Texas legislature approved the four-year status on April 27, 1959. Enrollment reached 9,116 students in the fall of 1963, a larger total than the Texas A&M College Station campus. Although Texas A&M proposed a reorganization for the system to recognize ASC's growth, President James Earl Rudder
would not guarantee that ASC would be developed into a university with graduate programs. Rudder and the Texas A&M board of directors wanted to remain focused on the College Station campus, and funding for ASC construction would not be made available.
Wendell Nedderman
served as acting president from 1972–1974 and president from 1974–1992. His tenure was characterized by steady academic growth. In these years, the graduate student population increased from 936 to 4,200 and the overall university enrollment reached 25,135 students. Faculty research and publishing was also emphasized along with doctoral programs in science, engineering, and business. The Texas Select Committee on Higher Education recognized UT Arlington as an emerging research institution in 1987. Enrollment in the fall of 1998 dropped to 18,662 students but recovered within a few years to previous levels. In 2001, the first on-campus residence hall in 35 years was completed as part of an effort to transition the university away from a commuter school image. Several more construction projects followed, including a Chemistry and Physics building with 120000 square feet (11,148.4 m²) of space and an expansion of the activities center. Under the current administration of president James D. Spaniolo, the university has been characterized by rapid growth in both student population and research activity. Between 2006–2010, total research expenditures rose from $34.9 to $63.6 million (+82%) while enrollment rose from 24,824 to 32,975 students (+33%). A 234000 square feet (21,739.3 m²) engineering research building opened in 2011. In 2005, the University administration proposed a new special events center for basketball, volleyball, and other university activities. This proposal was approved, and ground was broken on the College Park Center on March 5, 2010. The center will contain an arena with seating for 6,500 spectators, apartments, retail space, an 1800 car parking garage, and a park. The UT Arlington main campus also sits above the Barnett Shale
formation. Natural gas drilling on the campus began in 2008. UT Arlington is projected to earn about $25–75 million over the next 10 years from gas production. These funds will be used for scholarships, faculty recruitment, and infrastructure upgrades of the campus.
that contains the city government offices as well as the Texas and Pacific Railway
line that the city was originally established around. Johnson Creek
, a tributary of the Trinity River
, runs along the southern portion of the campus. Cooper Street runs through the middle of the campus and provides access to Interstates 20
and 30. The amount of traffic on Cooper Street became hazardous for students in the 1960s, and it was eventually depressed with three bridges built over it for students to cross in the early 1990s. The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Cowboys Stadium, and the Six Flags Over Texas
theme park are all located 2–3 miles to the northeast.
as a high research activity institution. As of 2011, the U.S. News and World Report has ranked UT Arlington as a national university with the Colleges of Nursing and Engineering ranked #64 and #85 in the nation, respectively.
UT Arlington’s College of Engineering offers eight baccalaureate programs, 12 master’s and 9 doctorates. It is the fourth largest engineering college in Texas, with about 3,700 students. The staff includes approximately 150 full time and 20 part time faculty members, over twenty of whom are Fellows in professional societies. UT Arlington's College of Nursing has grown and developed into a nationally recognized program and one of the largest in the United States with more than 100 faculty and 1,000 nursing students.
UT Arlington's business program consistently ranks among the state's top programs in accounting graduates passing the certified public accountant
exam. http://www2.uta.edu/accounting/news.and.events/notices/cpa.exam.notice.htm
Unique liberal arts programs include Southwestern Studies and Mexican-American studies.
UT Arlington's Interdisciplinary Studies program, a department in the School of Urban and Public Affairs, is one of the largest and fastest growing programs on campus. The INTS program allows students to custom build their own program of study resulting in either a B.A.I.S. or B.S.I.S. degree. Interdisciplinary studies is a thirty-five year-old academic field and the thirteenth most popular major across the United States. Nationally, almost 500,000 students graduated with an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary degree in Spring 2007. There are 652 interdisciplinary programs nationwide, along with 215 interdisciplinary masters and 65 doctoral programs. The INTS program at UTA is the largest program of its kind in Texas. In building custom degree plans, students mix the required core components with various disciplinary components to meet the academic and professional needs of the student.
UT Arlington's library system has five locations: the Central Library, Science and Engineering Library, Architecture and Fine Arts Library, and two electronic libraries at the College of Business Administration and the School of Social Work.
Special Collections of the university library include historical collections on Texas, Mexico, the Mexican-American War, and the greater southwest. An extensive cartography collection holds maps and atlases of the western hemisphere covering 5 centuries. Also included is the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
photo archives, a collection representing over 100 years of North and West Texas history. All together, Special Collections holds more than 30,000 volumes, 7,000 linear ft. of manuscripts and archival collections, 5,000 historical maps, 3.6 million prints and negatives, and thousands of items in other formats. http://library.uta.edu/spco/
UT Arlington has the only accredited school of architecture in the North Texas
region.
research facility, NanoFab Research and Teaching Facility.
For FY 2008, the university's research expenditures totaled $66.6 million.
. Females account for about 55% of the total population. The top three countries of origin for international students are India
, China
, and Taiwan
.
choice in 1980). UT Arlington is a charter member of the Southland Conference
and one of two charter members still in the conference. UT Arlington has won the Southland Conference's Commissioners Cup three times since the award was first instituted in 1998. The Commissioners Cup is awarded to the athletics program with the highest all-around performance in all conference events, including all men's and women's events.
UT Arlington's basketball and volleyball teams play at Texas Hall
, which may be one of collegiate athletics' most distinctive facilities. Texas Hall is a 4,200-seat theater, and the teams play on the theater stage. Fans can sit either in the theater seats or in bleachers on the stage. In 2005, the University administration proposed a new Special Events Center
, including a state-of-the-art arena better designed for basketball and volleyball as well as other university activities. This proposal has been approved, and ground was broken on the Special Events Center on March 5, 2010. The Center is expected to be complete in December 2011 and seat approximately 6,500 people.
UT-Arlington will become a member of the Western Athletic Conference
on July 1, 2012.
, basketball
, tennis
, golf
, track
and volleyball
.
Volleyball achieved the greatest team success of all sports in the history of the university by advancing to the 1989 NCAA Volleyball Final Four
. The women's basketball team played in the 2005 and 2007 NCAA tournaments; the men's basketball team made its first appearance in the 2008 NCAA tournament, losing in the first round against #1 seed Memphis
, who was later forced to vacate this and all other wins from the 2007-2008 season.
UT Arlington fielded a football
program, playing out of Maverick Stadium
, until 1985 when it disbanded football after the season. The school administration blamed its decision on major losses, nearly $1 million a year, as well as low average attendance (5,600, the student body at the time was 23,100). By the end, the program was funded by the university's auxiliary enterprise income while the other 14 sports were under-funded, as football accounted for half the total athletic budget. In April 2004, UT Arlington students voted by a 2-to-1 margin to increase their student athletic fees by $2 per semester-credit hour should the university reinstate football and begin women's golf and women's soccer teams; however, after review, President James D. Spaniolo dismissed the idea as too costly in terms of time and resources.
since both schools held junior college status in the Texas A&M system. Similar to the Aggie Bonfire
tradition at the College Station campus, the host of the yearly football game between these teams built a bonfire. In 1939, two NTAC students flew a Taylorcraft Aircraft
to the JTAC campus and dropped a phosphorus bomb on the bonfire to light it prematurely. While the plane was flying low after the bomb was dropped, a JTAC student was able to throw a piece of wood into the propeller and cause the plane to crash. The students were dragged from the wreckage and a 'J' was shaved into their heads. Bonfires were canceled after this event.
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...
research university located in Arlington, Texas
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The campus is situated southwest of downtown Arlington, and is located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. The university was founded in 1895 and served primarily a military academy
Military academy
A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps of the army, the navy, air force or coast guard, which normally provides education in a service environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned.Three...
during the early 20th century. After spending several decades in the Texas A&M University System
Texas A&M University System
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the United States. Through a statewide network of eleven universities, eight state agencies and a comprehensive health science center, the Texas A&M System educates over 100,000 students, conducts more than $600...
, the institution joined The University of Texas System in 1965. In the fall of 2010, UT-Arlington reached a student population of 32,956, a gain of 31% from autumn 2008, and is currently the second-largest institution within the UT System
University of Texas System
The University of Texas System encompasses 15 educational institutions in Texas, of which nine are academic universities and six are health institutions. The system is headquartered in Austin and has a total enrollment of over 190,000 students...
. UTA is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a high research activity institution. The university offers 80 baccalaureate, 74 masters, and 31 doctoral degrees.
The university also operates the Fort Worth Education Center and the Automated Robotics & Research Institute, with campuses at the Fort Worth ITC and River Bend Park.
Establishment (1895–1916)
The university traces its roots back to the opening of Arlington College in September 1895. Arlington College was established as a private school for primary through secondary level students, equivalent to the modern 1st–10th grades. At the time, the public school system in the city of Arlington was underfunded and understaffed. Local merchant Edward Emmett Rankin organized fellow citizens of the city to donate materials and land to build a schoolhouse where the modern campus is now located. Rankin also convinced the two co-principals of the public school in Arlington, Lee Morgan Hammond and William H. Trimble, to invest in and hold the same positions at Arlington College. In the first few years, between 75 and 150 students were enrolled in the college. The public school began to rent space at Arlington College, and was eventually sold to the city in 1900. The public school building became so unsafe that all of the space in Arlington College was rented for the 1901–1902 school year until the creation of the Arlington Independent School District in 1902. Although the public education system was set to improve, Arlington College was closed and the property was sold to James McCoy Carlisle.Carlisle was already established as a respected educator in the North Texas region, and he opened the Carlisle Military Academy in the fall of 1902. His program consisted of a balance between course work and military training. Enrollment increased to 150 students by 1905, and he began a large expansion of the campus. Baseball, football, basketball, and track teams were begun between 1904–1908. Around the same time, new barracks, a track, a gymnasium, and an indoor pool were built. The academy became known as one of the best at its level in the country. Unfortunately, enrollment did not continue to increase with the expansion in facilities and Carlisle ran into serious financial problems. Lawsuits for the mortgages on the property were filed in 1911, and Carlisle Military Academy was closed in 1913. In the fall of 1913, H.K. Taylor moved from Missouri where he was president of the Northwest State Teachers' College to set up another military academy called Arlington Training School. He also was required to manage the finances and campus for the property owners. By the 1914–1915 school year, the campus contained 11 buildings on 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of land with 95 students enrolled. The school was incorporated in 1915 in order to raise funds to make improvements to the existing buildings, but more financial problems arose and another series of lawsuits were filed. Taylor left Arlington, and the property owners hired John B. Dodson to establish a third military academy for the 1916–1917 school year called Arlington Military Academy. Enrollment was apparently very low, and Arlington Military Academy closed after one year.
Texas A&M University System (1917–1964)
Since the turn of the century, the prospects for turning the campus into a public, junior vocational college had been discussed. By 1917, the Texas A&M UniversityTexas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
campus was overcrowded and had only one affiliate school. Vincent Woodbury Grubb, a lawyer and education advocate, organized Arlington officials to lobby the state legislature to create a new junior college. The campus in Arlington was established as a branch under the authority of Texas A&M University and was called Grubbs Vocational College. Myron L. Williams was appointed as the first Dean. Students were either enrolled in a high school or junior college program, and all men were required to be cadets. Its name changed again in 1923 to the North Texas Agricultural College (NTAC). Edward Everett Davis replaced Williams as Dean in 1925 and held that position for 21 years. Davis continually worked to improve the quality of students, faculty, and facilities. The Great Depression
Great 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...
resulted in major cuts to funding and a decline in students, so more general college courses were gradually introduced at NTAC instead of vocational classes. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the college trained students with a 'war program' focus and participated in the V-12 Navy College Training Program
V-12 Navy College Training Program
The V-12 Navy College Training Program was designed to supplement the force of commissioned officers in the United States Navy during World War II...
, offered at 131 colleges and universities in 1943, which gave students a path to a Navy commission.
In 1948, the Texas A&M System was restructured and Dean Ernest H. Hereford was named the first president of the college. However, NTAC was still subordinate to the Texas A&M campus at College Station. The name was changed to Arlington State College (ASC) in 1949 to reflect the fact that agriculture was no longer an important part of the curriculum. Efforts were begun to turn ASC into a four-year institution, but the Texas A&M administration refused to consider the idea since it was possible that ASC could grow to be larger than College Station. The growth of the city of Arlington in the 1950s led to a major expansion of ASC. The student population increased from 1,322 in 1952 to 6,528 in 1959, which led to land acquisition and construction of many buildings. Dr. Jack Royce Woolf was named president in 1959 as serious efforts began to make ASC a four-year college. The Texas legislature approved the four-year status on April 27, 1959. Enrollment reached 9,116 students in the fall of 1963, a larger total than the Texas A&M College Station campus. Although Texas A&M proposed a reorganization for the system to recognize ASC's growth, President James Earl Rudder
James Earl Rudder
James Earl Rudder was a United States Army Major General, Texas Land Commissioner, and President of Texas A&M University.-Early life:...
would not guarantee that ASC would be developed into a university with graduate programs. Rudder and the Texas A&M board of directors wanted to remain focused on the College Station campus, and funding for ASC construction would not be made available.
University of Texas System (1965–present)
The decision by the Texas A&M University governing board to focus on the College Station campus led officials of Arlington State College and a number of Arlington citizens to enlist the support of Governor John Connally and key members of the Texas Legislature to separate Arlington State College from the Texas A&M University System and to join The University of Texas System. As part of a plan that reorganized several university systems in Texas, Arlington State College officially became a part of The University of Texas System on September 1, 1965. In the UT System, ASC was immediately able to begin a graduate program in 1966 and start new construction projects. The university adopted its current name in 1967. A Ph.D. program in engineering was started in 1969. During this period of transition, controversy erupted over the use of a Rebel theme, including Confederate symbols, for the campus that had been established around 1950. After several years of efforts by President Frank Harrison to let students pick another theme, the UT System abolished the rebels. The Maverick theme was adopted after a student vote in 1971.Wendell Nedderman
Wendell Nedderman
Wendell Herman Nedderman, Ph.D served over 18 years as President of The University of Texas at Arlington. After 10 years as engineering dean, he served as vice president for academic affairs and simultaneously held such positions as graduate school administrator and vice president for research...
served as acting president from 1972–1974 and president from 1974–1992. His tenure was characterized by steady academic growth. In these years, the graduate student population increased from 936 to 4,200 and the overall university enrollment reached 25,135 students. Faculty research and publishing was also emphasized along with doctoral programs in science, engineering, and business. The Texas Select Committee on Higher Education recognized UT Arlington as an emerging research institution in 1987. Enrollment in the fall of 1998 dropped to 18,662 students but recovered within a few years to previous levels. In 2001, the first on-campus residence hall in 35 years was completed as part of an effort to transition the university away from a commuter school image. Several more construction projects followed, including a Chemistry and Physics building with 120000 square feet (11,148.4 m²) of space and an expansion of the activities center. Under the current administration of president James D. Spaniolo, the university has been characterized by rapid growth in both student population and research activity. Between 2006–2010, total research expenditures rose from $34.9 to $63.6 million (+82%) while enrollment rose from 24,824 to 32,975 students (+33%). A 234000 square feet (21,739.3 m²) engineering research building opened in 2011. In 2005, the University administration proposed a new special events center for basketball, volleyball, and other university activities. This proposal was approved, and ground was broken on the College Park Center on March 5, 2010. The center will contain an arena with seating for 6,500 spectators, apartments, retail space, an 1800 car parking garage, and a park. The UT Arlington main campus also sits above the Barnett Shale
Barnett Shale
The Barnett Shale is a geological formation located in the Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin. It consists of sedimentary rocks of Mississippian age in Texas...
formation. Natural gas drilling on the campus began in 2008. UT Arlington is projected to earn about $25–75 million over the next 10 years from gas production. These funds will be used for scholarships, faculty recruitment, and infrastructure upgrades of the campus.
Surroundings
The university encompasses approximately 420 acres (1.7 km²) and 100 buildings. The campus is situated near the southern edge of the downtown area of ArlingtonArlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
that contains the city government offices as well as the Texas and Pacific Railway
Texas and Pacific Railway
The Texas and Pacific Railway Company was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas, and San Diego, California....
line that the city was originally established around. Johnson Creek
Johnson Creek (Texas)
Johnson Creek is a stream in the Trinity River watershed in North Texas .The creek rises near Interstate 20 in eastern Tarrant County and runs northeasterly for to the West Fork of the Trinity River in Grand Prairie, within Dallas County...
, a tributary of the Trinity River
Trinity River (Texas)
The Trinity River is a long river that flows entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It rises in extreme north Texas, a few miles south of the Red River. The headwaters are separated by the high bluffs on the south side of the Red River....
, runs along the southern portion of the campus. Cooper Street runs through the middle of the campus and provides access to Interstates 20
Interstate 20 in Texas
Interstate 20 in Texas is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States, running east from a junction with Interstate 10 east of Kent, Texas, through the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to the border with Louisiana near Waskom, Texas...
and 30. The amount of traffic on Cooper Street became hazardous for students in the 1960s, and it was eventually depressed with three bridges built over it for students to cross in the early 1990s. The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Cowboys Stadium, and the Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Over Texas is a major amusement park located in Arlington, Texas , east of Fort Worth and about west of Dallas. It is the oldest park of the Six Flags chain. The park opened on August 5, 1961 following just a year of construction and an initial investment of US$10 million by real estate...
theme park are all located 2–3 miles to the northeast.
Architecture
In the past few years, several construction and renovation projects have been initiated. New buildings currently under construction include a $150 million engineering research complex, a $78 million special events center, and the $80 million College Park. The special events center and adjacent College Park area are located on the eastern edge of the campus and will serve as a link to downtown Arlington and alleviate a shortage of parking through the addition of 1,800 spaces.Academic profile
UT Arlington has been classified by the Carnegie FoundationCarnegie Foundation
The Carnegie Foundation is an organization based in The Hague, Netherlands. It was founded in 1903 by Andrew Carnegie in order to manage his donation of US$1.5 million, which was used for the construction, management and maintenance of the Peace Palace...
as a high research activity institution. As of 2011, the U.S. News and World Report has ranked UT Arlington as a national university with the Colleges of Nursing and Engineering ranked #64 and #85 in the nation, respectively.
UT Arlington’s College of Engineering offers eight baccalaureate programs, 12 master’s and 9 doctorates. It is the fourth largest engineering college in Texas, with about 3,700 students. The staff includes approximately 150 full time and 20 part time faculty members, over twenty of whom are Fellows in professional societies. UT Arlington's College of Nursing has grown and developed into a nationally recognized program and one of the largest in the United States with more than 100 faculty and 1,000 nursing students.
UT Arlington's business program consistently ranks among the state's top programs in accounting graduates passing the certified public accountant
Certified Public Accountant
Certified Public Accountant is the statutory title of qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA...
exam. http://www2.uta.edu/accounting/news.and.events/notices/cpa.exam.notice.htm
Unique liberal arts programs include Southwestern Studies and Mexican-American studies.
UT Arlington's Interdisciplinary Studies program, a department in the School of Urban and Public Affairs, is one of the largest and fastest growing programs on campus. The INTS program allows students to custom build their own program of study resulting in either a B.A.I.S. or B.S.I.S. degree. Interdisciplinary studies is a thirty-five year-old academic field and the thirteenth most popular major across the United States. Nationally, almost 500,000 students graduated with an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary degree in Spring 2007. There are 652 interdisciplinary programs nationwide, along with 215 interdisciplinary masters and 65 doctoral programs. The INTS program at UTA is the largest program of its kind in Texas. In building custom degree plans, students mix the required core components with various disciplinary components to meet the academic and professional needs of the student.
UT Arlington's library system has five locations: the Central Library, Science and Engineering Library, Architecture and Fine Arts Library, and two electronic libraries at the College of Business Administration and the School of Social Work.
Special Collections of the university library include historical collections on Texas, Mexico, the Mexican-American War, and the greater southwest. An extensive cartography collection holds maps and atlases of the western hemisphere covering 5 centuries. Also included is the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is a major U.S. daily newspaper serving Fort Worth and the western half of the North Texas area known as the Metroplex. Its area of domination is checked by its main rival, The Dallas Morning News, which is published from the eastern half of the Metroplex. It is owned...
photo archives, a collection representing over 100 years of North and West Texas history. All together, Special Collections holds more than 30,000 volumes, 7,000 linear ft. of manuscripts and archival collections, 5,000 historical maps, 3.6 million prints and negatives, and thousands of items in other formats. http://library.uta.edu/spco/
UT Arlington has the only accredited school of architecture in the North Texas
North Texas
North Texas is a distinct cultural and geographic area forming the central-northeastern section of the U.S. state of Texas. North Texas is generally considered to include the area south of Oklahoma, east of Abilene, and north of Waco...
region.
Colleges and schools
The university contains 11 colleges and schools, each listed with its founding date:
|
|
|
Faculty and Research
UT Arlington is home of a university-based nanotechnologyNanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
research facility, NanoFab Research and Teaching Facility.
For FY 2008, the university's research expenditures totaled $66.6 million.
Student profile
As of the fall 2010 semester, UT Arlington has a student population of 32,956. UT Arlington is currently the second largest institution of the UT SystemUniversity of Texas System
The University of Texas System encompasses 15 educational institutions in Texas, of which nine are academic universities and six are health institutions. The system is headquartered in Austin and has a total enrollment of over 190,000 students...
. Females account for about 55% of the total population. The top three countries of origin for international students are India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
| UTA | Texas | U.S. Census | |
|---|---|---|---|
| African American African American African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States... |
14.5% | 11.6% | 12.1% |
| Asian American Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,... |
10.2% | 3.3% | 4.3% |
| Caucasian White people White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin... |
46.5% | 71.5% | 65.8% |
| Hispanic American | 16.5% | 35.5% | 14.5% |
| Native American Native Americans in the United States Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as... |
0.5% | 0.6% | 0.9% |
| International student International student According to Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development , international students are those who travel to a country different from their own for the purpose of tertiary study. Despite that, the definition of international students varies in each country in accordance to their own national... |
10.0% | N/A | N/A |
| Not reported | 1.8% | N/A | N/A |
Residential life
The campus contains five residence halls, which have a combined capacity of 1,680 students. The university also has 17 on-campus apartment complexes and a limited number of houses for students with dependent children.Traditions
- Bed Races: Since 1980, hundreds of students have gathered to watch teams consisting of four pushers and a rider race against each other in a race just over the length of a football field. Teams consist of student organizations, Greek organizations, and residence halls from around UT Arlington.
- International Week: "I-Week" is hosted by the International Student Organization, and branches out throughout the UT Arlington community in its entirety, celebrating diversity between cultures on campus. I-week typically includes a Food Fair, Fashion Show, Global Extravaganza, Exhibits, and more.
- UT Arlington Marching Band: Known as "The Ambassadors of the University," the UT Arlington Marching Band is one of the few college marching bands in the nation to exist without a football team. For almost 25 years, the UT Arlington Marching Band has pioneered a new path in musical and visual excellence, striving to provide audiences with state-of-the-art presentations. The band performs annually for crowds numbering 100,000 and is featured in exhibition performances at state and local contests, such as Bands of America and Regional UIL, as well as festivals and high school and professional football games. In 2001, the band performed in exhibition at the Bands of America Grand Nationals Championship, held in Indianapolis, Indiana. The 175 student musicians in the band represent almost all academic disciplines and majors within the University.
- Rubbing Hereford's Head: Dr. E.H. Hereford was UT Arlington's president from 1946-58. His sculpted likeness still watches over students from its perch in the University Center. Superstition holds that rubbing Dr. Hereford's head gives good luck on exams. This tradition is now carried out online to bring good luck.
- Ooozeball: OozeballOozeballOOzeball is an annual mud volleyball tournament, a tradition at many universities that originated at the University of Connecticut in 1984. OOzeball is volleyball played in 8 inches of mud and is often staged as a fundraising event...
is a tradition hosted by the Student Alumni Association and Campus Recreation to raise money for the Student Alumni Association Sophomore Scholarship. Once the amount for the scholarship is reached, all excess funds are donated to charity. In OozeballOozeballOOzeball is an annual mud volleyball tournament, a tradition at many universities that originated at the University of Connecticut in 1984. OOzeball is volleyball played in 8 inches of mud and is often staged as a fundraising event...
, students play volleyball in artificial mud pits. Since its creation in 1989 in the Greek Life community, OozeballOozeballOOzeball is an annual mud volleyball tournament, a tradition at many universities that originated at the University of Connecticut in 1984. OOzeball is volleyball played in 8 inches of mud and is often staged as a fundraising event...
has become one of the most popular student traditions. - Soaping the fountain: Occasionally mischievous students will pollute the main UT Arlington fountain at the east end of the flying bridge over Cooper street with soap, causing it to be filled with suds and requiring it to be drained and cleaned. Less often other fountains on campus are subject to the same soap abuse.
- MavsMeet Convocation: MavsMeet, the New Student Convocation, is a formal assembly commemorating the beginning of the academic year. Students, faculty and staff are welcomed by the University president, provost, student congress president, and a distinguished UT Arlington faculty speaker. This major academic event honors all undergraduate and graduate students, but particularly new UT Arlington students. Immediately following the New Student Convocation, the MavsMeet AfterParty kicks off the year with live music acts, free food, games and activities.
- Homecoming: Paired with basketball season in the Spring, UT Arlington Homecoming features activities as diverse as the campus. Activities include several alumni events, The Bash, Boom at Noon firing of the Carlisle Cannons, the Golf Cart Parade, Step Show and homecoming game match-up.
- Maverick Celebration: Formally known as Graduation Celebration, Maverick Celebration is a formal assembly commemorating the conclusion of the academic year. This major academic event honors all undergraduate and graduate students, but particularly candidates for graduation.
Athletics
UT Arlington's athletic teams are known as the Mavericks (the selection was made in 1971 and predated the Dallas MavericksDallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
choice in 1980). UT Arlington is a charter member of the Southland Conference
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
and one of two charter members still in the conference. UT Arlington has won the Southland Conference's Commissioners Cup three times since the award was first instituted in 1998. The Commissioners Cup is awarded to the athletics program with the highest all-around performance in all conference events, including all men's and women's events.
UT Arlington's basketball and volleyball teams play at Texas Hall
Texas Hall
Texas Hall on the campus of the University of Texas at Arlington is a combination theater and special events center. Seating capacity is 2,709 for stage productions and 3,309 for athletic events.Texas Hall hosts an average of 200-300 events per year...
, which may be one of collegiate athletics' most distinctive facilities. Texas Hall is a 4,200-seat theater, and the teams play on the theater stage. Fans can sit either in the theater seats or in bleachers on the stage. In 2005, the University administration proposed a new Special Events Center
New Texas-Arlington arena
The UT Arlington College Park Center is an indoor arena on the University of Texas at Arlington campus currently under construction in Arlington, Texas. It will seat about 6,500 spectators....
, including a state-of-the-art arena better designed for basketball and volleyball as well as other university activities. This proposal has been approved, and ground was broken on the Special Events Center on March 5, 2010. The Center is expected to be complete in December 2011 and seat approximately 6,500 people.
UT-Arlington will become a member of the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
on July 1, 2012.
Varsity sports
UT Arlington fields teams or competitors in 14 NCAA Division I events, including baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
.
Volleyball achieved the greatest team success of all sports in the history of the university by advancing to the 1989 NCAA Volleyball Final Four
NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship
The NCAA has contested team championships in women's volleyball since 1981. The following is a list of the champions of each division with their record for the year in which they won the championship, and the runner up, city, site and other final four participants for division I...
. The women's basketball team played in the 2005 and 2007 NCAA tournaments; the men's basketball team made its first appearance in the 2008 NCAA tournament, losing in the first round against #1 seed Memphis
Memphis Tigers
The Memphis Tigers represent the University of Memphis in Division I of the NCAA. They are members of C-USA and currently feature nine women's sports and nine men's sports...
, who was later forced to vacate this and all other wins from the 2007-2008 season.
UT Arlington fielded a football
UT Arlington Mavericks football
The UT Arlington Mavericks football team represented the University of Texas at Arlington from the 1959 through 1985 seasons. Between 1919 through 1958, UTA competed as a junior college prior to moving to Division II in 1959 and ultimately Division I in 1970...
program, playing out of Maverick Stadium
Maverick Stadium
Maverick Stadium is a 15,000-seat multi-purpose stadium on the western edge of University of Texas at Arlington campus.It hosts the university's track and field teams as well as many community events, and is also leased to the Arlington Independent School District for use by its high school...
, until 1985 when it disbanded football after the season. The school administration blamed its decision on major losses, nearly $1 million a year, as well as low average attendance (5,600, the student body at the time was 23,100). By the end, the program was funded by the university's auxiliary enterprise income while the other 14 sports were under-funded, as football accounted for half the total athletic budget. In April 2004, UT Arlington students voted by a 2-to-1 margin to increase their student athletic fees by $2 per semester-credit hour should the university reinstate football and begin women's golf and women's soccer teams; however, after review, President James D. Spaniolo dismissed the idea as too costly in terms of time and resources.
Rivalries
Sports rivalries began at UT Arlington while it was a junior college known as the North Texas Agricultural College. A fierce rivalry developed in the 1930s with John Tarleton Agricultural CollegeTarleton State University
Tarleton State University is a public, coeducational, state university located in Stephenville, Texas. It is the largest non-land-grant university primarily devoted to agriculture in the United States....
since both schools held junior college status in the Texas A&M system. Similar to the Aggie Bonfire
Aggie Bonfire
Aggie Bonfire was a long-standing tradition at Texas A&M University as part of the college rivalry with the University of Texas at Austin. For 90 years, Texas A&M students—known as Aggies—built and burned a bonfire on campus each autumn...
tradition at the College Station campus, the host of the yearly football game between these teams built a bonfire. In 1939, two NTAC students flew a Taylorcraft Aircraft
Taylorcraft Aircraft
-Bibliography:* Fromow, Lt-Col. D.L. Canada's Flying Gunners, Air Observation Post Pilot's Association, Ottawa, Canada. 2002. ISBN 0973005505* Simpson, R.W Airlife's General Aviation, Airlife Publishing, England, 1991. ISBN 1 85310 104 X-External links:...
to the JTAC campus and dropped a phosphorus bomb on the bonfire to light it prematurely. While the plane was flying low after the bomb was dropped, a JTAC student was able to throw a piece of wood into the propeller and cause the plane to crash. The students were dragged from the wreckage and a 'J' was shaved into their heads. Bonfires were canceled after this event.
University leaders
Presidents, Deans, and other heads of U.T. Arlington and its predecessor institutions:- Lee Morgan Hammond & William H. Trimble, Co-principals, Arlington College, 1895–1902
- James McCoy Carlisle, Chief Administrator, Carlisle Military Academy, 1902–1913
- Henry Kirby TaylorHenry Kirby TaylorHenry Kirby Taylor was president of Kentucky Wesleyan College, Northwest Missouri State University and the University of Texas at Arlington.-Kentucky Wesleyan:...
, Chief Administrator, Arlington Training School, 1913–1916 - John B. Dodson, Chief Administrator, Arlington Military Academy, 1916–1917
- Myron L. Williams, Dean, Grubbs Vocational College, 1917–1923
- Edward Everett Davis, Dean, North Texas Agricultural College, 1923–1946
- Ernest H. Hereford, Ph.D., Dean, North Texas Agricultural College, 1946–1948
- Ernest H. Hereford, Ph.D., President, Arlington State College 1948–1958
- Jack R. WoolfJack WoolfJack Royce Woolf is President Emeritus of the University of Texas at Arlington. He served the University from 1957, when he became Dean of Engineering, until 1989, when he retired. After serving as Dean of Engineering, Woolf became acting President in 1958 and President in 1960...
, Ph.D., President, ASC and UTA, 1959–1968 - Frank Harrison, Ph.D., President, UT Arlington, 1968–1972
- Wendell NeddermanWendell NeddermanWendell Herman Nedderman, Ph.D served over 18 years as President of The University of Texas at Arlington. After 10 years as engineering dean, he served as vice president for academic affairs and simultaneously held such positions as graduate school administrator and vice president for research...
, Ph.D., President, UT Arlington, 1972–1992 - Ryan Amacher, Ph.D., President, UT Arlington, 1992–1995
- Robert E. WittRobert Witt (American academic)Robert E. Witt is president of the University of Alabama, as of March 1, 2003. His experience includes 35 years in the University of Texas system, including 10 years as dean of the University of Texas at Austin business school and eight years as president of the University of Texas at Arlington...
, Ph.D., President, UT Arlington, 1995–2003 - Charles A. Sorber, Ph.D., Interim President, UT Arlington, 2003–2004
- James D. Spaniolo, M.P.A., J.D., President, UT Arlington, 2004–present
See also
- List of largest Texas universities by enrollment
- Texas HallTexas HallTexas Hall on the campus of the University of Texas at Arlington is a combination theater and special events center. Seating capacity is 2,709 for stage productions and 3,309 for athletic events.Texas Hall hosts an average of 200-300 events per year...
, UT Arlington's on-campus special events center - The ShorthornThe shorthornThe Shorthorn is the campus newspaper for the University of Texas at Arlington. It is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. During the summer, it is published on Wednesday. The Shorthorn contains News, Sports, Opinion, and Scene sections as well as a Classifieds...
, UT Arlington's daily student-run paper
External links
- The University of Texas at Arlington
- University Overview
- School of Urban and Public Affairs
- Interdisciplinary Studies
- University History
- Tejano Voices Project — 77 interviews of racial discrimination
- The University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks
- The Shorthorn - Campus newspaper
- Honors College
- UTAMavericks - Fan Site
- Maverick Scholars Learning Communities
- UTA Ambassador program
- UT Arlington Degrees