A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
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| Latin: Universitas Ohiensis | |
| Motto | Religio Doctrina Civilitas, Prae Omnibus Virtus (Latin) |
|---|---|
Motto in English | "Religion, Learning, Civility; Above All, Virtue" |
| Type | Public research university |
| Established | February 18, 1804 |
Parent institution | University System of Ohio |
| Accreditation | HLC |
Academic affiliations | |
| Endowment | $714.4 million (2023)[1] |
| President | Lori Stewart Gonzalez[2][3] |
| Provost | Elizabeth Sayrs[4] |
Academic staff | 1,970 |
| Students | 18,502 (Athens) 28,270 (all campuses) |
| Undergraduates | 14,346 (Athens) 18,293 (all campuses)[5] |
| Postgraduates | 4,156 (Athens) 998 (Medical school) 5,154 (all campuses)[5] |
| Location | , , United States 39°19′26″N 82°06′07″W / 39.324°N 82.102°W |
| Campus | Distant town, 1,850 acres (750 ha) |
| Other campuses | |
| Newspaper | The Post |
| Colors | Cutler Green & Cupola White[6][7] |
| Nickname | Bobcats |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division I FBS – MAC |
| Mascot | Rufus the Bobcat |
| Website | ohio |
 | |
Ohio University (Ohio or OU) is a public research university with its main campus in Athens, Ohio, United States.[8] The first university chartered by an Act of Congress[9] and the first to be chartered in Ohio,[10] the university was chartered in 1787 by the Congress of the Confederation and subsequently approved for the territory in 1802 and state in 1804,[11] opening for students in 1809.[12]
Ohio University comprises nine campuses, nine undergraduate colleges, a graduate college, a college of medicine, and a public affairs school. It offers more than 250 areas of undergraduate study[13] as well as certificates, master's, and doctoral degrees.[14] The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission[15] and classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".[16] As of Fall 2020, the university's total enrollment at Athens was slightly more than 18,000, while the all-campus enrollment was just over 30,000.[5]
Ohio's intercollegiate athletic teams are known as the Bobcats and compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level as charter members of the Mid-American Conference.[17] Ohio football has participated in 16 bowl games through the 2023 season. The men's basketball team has made 14 appearances in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, with their most recent appearance in 2021.[18]
History
Charter and establishment
George Washington stated "the settlement of southeastern Ohio was not accidental, but the result of the careful deliberation of wise, prudent, and patriotic men."[19] The Confederation Congress, which operated under the Articles of Confederation, did not work with an executor or cabinet.[20] Executive roles transacted from committees of Congress or appointed persons. The Ordinance of 1787 made Ohio University the first ever to be chartered through acts of Congress, with the purpose of expanding education.[19] Additionally, the 1787 ordinance stated: "Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." This phrase is engraved on the university's main college gateway.[21] The university was first envisioned by Manasseh Cutler, credited as the school's founder along with Revolutionary War Brigadier General Rufus Putnam.[22] In addition to being instrumental in its founding, Putnam was also an original trustee of the university. Putnam Hall there is named for him.[23] Cutler had served as a chaplain in Washington's Continental Army. The institution's first name was American Western University.[21] In 1797, settlers from Marietta traveled downstream on the Ohio River and up the Hocking River to establish a location for the school in what the Congress designated as the College Lands, founding Athens due to its location directly between the original capital of Chillicothe and Marietta. 1802, approval was granted by the territorial government 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. This last approval happened eleven months after Ohio was admitted to the Union. The first three students enrolled in 1809. The first two bachelor's degrees were granted in 1815.[24]
19th century to present
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Ohio University was closed between 1843 and 1848.[26] 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.[27] 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.[26] 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, and the 5th largest in total campus size after acquiring acreage from adjacent hilltop properties in the 1990s.
Ohio restructured its two colleges into five in 1935, establishing the colleges of Commerce, Fine Arts, and Applied Science in addition to the existing colleges of Arts & Sciences and Education. The graduate college was created in 1936, and the first PhD program was initiated in 1956 in chemistry.[28] Starting mid–century, the university also began to establish regional campuses throughout southeast Ohio. The first, Ohio University – Chillicothe, was opened in 1946 to help eliminate post-World War II overcrowding on the university's main campus. The school began with 281 students, 70 percent of which were armed services veterans. Later campuses would come in 1946 at Zanesville, 1956 in Ironton and Lancaster, 1957 in St. Clairsville, and formerly Proctorville in 2006.
In 1964, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson publicly referenced his Great Society initiative for the first time on the College Green,[29][30] giving the university exposure across America and internationally. On May 4, 1970, the Ohio National Guard was ordered to open fire on students demonstrating against the Vietnam War at Kent State University, killing 4 and wounding 9. At the same time, there were sit-ins and anti-war riots at Ohio University, even more intense than those of Kent State. This was partly due to the administration's refusal to close the university; instead of going home, many students from other Ohio universities that did close came to Athens to protest further. When the Ohio National Guard was called in to Athens, there was a 3-hour battle at the Baker Center, resulting in 23 injured and 54 arrested students. On May 15, the campus was closed.[28][31] Alden Library was completed in 1969. In 1975, Ohio established its medical school, known as the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. Heritage is the only medical school in the state to award the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. In 1979, on the university's 175th anniversary, Chubu University of Japan donated 175 cherry trees.[32] The Ohio University Innovation Center, a technology business incubator, started in 1983. The Ohio University Edison Biotechnology Institute was founded in 1984. In the Glidden administration, from 1994 to 2004, new construction included the Life Sciences Research Facility, Emeriti Park, Walter Hall, plus major renovations to Gordy Hall, Grover Center, and Memorial Auditorium; the expansion of Bentley Hall and Copeland Hall; and groundwork for the new Baker Center that opened in 2007.[28] In the Fall of 2012, Ohio University converted its academic calendar from quarters to semesters, after first having changed to quarters in 1967.[28]
Campuses
Athens campus
The main residential university campus is in Athens, Ohio, overlooking the Hocking River.[33] 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
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The historic College Green is the centralized quadrangle lawn and location of significant campus buildings: Manasseh Cutler Hall, the Office of the President; Wilson Hall, the College of Arts & Sciences; McGuffey Hall, named for William McGuffey; and the College Gateway.[34] These three original primary structures are featured elements of the official current university logo and maintain 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 similar to university quadrangles.[35] 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 is framed by two main university gateways. Alumni Gateway, built in 1915, features the text "That thou Mayest Grow In Knowledge, Wisdom and Love," borrowed from the Latin phrase inscribed over a gateway to the University of Padua and was dedicated upon the 100th anniversary of the university's first graduating class.[36] The newer College Gate, built in the 1960s, features words taken from the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 regarding public education. 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.
John Calhoun Baker University Center
The John Calhoun Baker University Center, which opened in January 2007, is named after the 14th president of the university. The facility replaced the original Baker Center located on East Union Street across from College Green and serves as the hub of campus activity. Electronic maps and virtual university e-tours, available at center information desks and online, direct visitors across campus.[37] The building features Georgian-influenced Federal architecture and large windows that admit natural light and afford expansive views of the southern and western sides of the campus. In contrast to the exterior's red brick and white columns, the interior has a more contemporary style with high domed ceilings. Terrazzo mosaics of aspects of the earth's globe are embedded in the atrium of the main entrance to the building. Baker Center contains a large food court called West 82; a pub bistro called Latitude 39; a Grand Ballroom; The Honors Collegium, The Wall of Presidents, the Bobcat Student Lounge, a shop called Bobcat Depot that sells apparel, computers, and accessories; a theater seating 400; study areas; computer labs; administrative offices; and numerous conference rooms. The Front Room, a large coffee house named after a former popular university rathskeller, features a stage, artwork and a community fireplace. It serves Starbucks products and university bakery items and is housed on the fourth floor, which opens onto its own outside terrace as well as onto the intersection of Park Place and Court Streets, making it a popular spot for students between classes. Other amenities include a United States Post Office[38] and the Trisolini Art Gallery, named after a prominent fine arts faculty member.[39]
Vernon R. Alden Library
| Ohio University Libraries | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Location | Athens, Ohio |
| Established | 1814 |
| Collection | |
| Size | 4 million+ volumes |
| Access and use | |
| Population served | Over 20,000 |
| Other information | |
| Employees | over 100[citation needed] |
| Website | https://www.ohio.edu/library/ |
Vernon R. Alden Library serves the Athens campus as the central library facility. There are several, smaller libraries within other academic buildings that serve various departments and programs, as well as smaller, specialized specific collection libraries within the Vernon R. Alden Library building. University librarians work for different departments and all are experts in some discipline of their own choosing. This gives students access to produce their own original research and assistance when needed. Many Ohio University courses require students to utilize the library and librarians to produce their own original writing and many go on to publish their works with the help of the librarians. There is a library annex building which is located on Columbus Road in Athens, which houses preservation and other offices. Also housed within Alden Library, The Ohio University Press is Ohio University's publishing company, located on the first floor. Each regional campus has their own library and printed text collections complete with their own staff and various librarians. The collection of OHIO's library contains over 2.3 million units of microfilm material, 13,500 periodical subscriptions and more than 4 million printed volumes,[40] making it one of the 100 largest libraries in the United States. Alden Library was the first in the world to generate an electronic library record in 1971.[41] The university maintains a complex system of archives in its libraries.[42] The Robert E. and Jean R. Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections maintains and displays rare books and collections, including a 14th-century Gutenberg Bible.[43] Laptops and other accessories are available through technology services at the reference desk. Outside Alden Library and directly behind Cutler Hall is Wolfe Garden, a small enclave in the shape of the State of Ohio, which features native Ohio trees and plants.
East Green
There are twelve residence halls on East Green.[46] This area of the university is the oldest residential green and includes three of the steepest walkways at the hilly Athens campus: Morton Hill, the Bryan Hall terrace and staircase, and Jefferson Hill. Each walkway affords East Green residents access to classrooms if they are willing to walk or bicycle. East Green is also home to Shively Court, a newly renovated dining hall with dine-in, take-out, and grab-and-go options.[47]
One of the newest additions to East Green is Jefferson Marketplace,[48] which features the following concepts:
- Brick City Deli, a New York-style deli
- The Ohio Café, featuring Peet's Coffee
- Steeped & Stirred, a tea and coffee room
- The Culinary Studio, a demonstration kitchen that serves as a televised learning lab for students and customers
- Veggie Butcher and Juiced, a section of the market for produce to be washed, cut, and juiced
- A campus grocery market with food, beverages, health and beauty products, and school supplies
South Green
South Green includes areas near Emeriti Park, and extends along the Hocking River valley. There are eighteen residence halls on South Green, following the addition of four new residence halls in the summer of 2015.[49][50] South Green is home to several facilities, including:
- Nelson Court, the university's largest dining hall with an adjacent market and coffee shop, South Side Espresso Bar.
- Peden Stadium, the university's football field and the oldest football venue in the Mid-American conference, adjacent to a new multipurpose indoor training facility, Walter Fieldhouse. It is a designated Official Ohio Historical Site by the Ohio Historical Society.
- Bird Ice Arena, home to the Ohio University hockey team, recreational skating, and academic skating classes.
- Ohio University Aquatic Center, home to the university's swimming and diving teams.
Charles J. Ping Recreation Center
The Charles J. Ping Center is one of the largest recreational facilities in the nation.[citation needed] Covering 168,000 square feet (15,600 m2) on three floors, Ping houses a 36-foot (11 m), double-sided climbing wall, five basketball/volleyball courts, two multipurpose gymnasiums, an elevated four-lane indoor running track, eight racquetball courts and an enclosed glass fitness area. Ping Center also provides free weight and cardio rooms, aerobics and fitness classes, combative sports, dance, meeting rooms and personal training.[citation needed] The recreation center also houses club sports and intramural sports. Construction began in 1994 and it opened in January 1996. Ping was named in honor of the 18th president of Ohio University, Charles J. Ping. Ping is also one of the largest student employers on campus.[citation needed]
West Green
West Green includes buildings around the western part of the Athens campus.[51] The Ohio Athletic Mall spans the western portion of the campus, near the end of the Athens bike path at the Union street crossing. The mall features lacrosse, baseball, track, field and related athletic venues. Along the surrounding Hocking River is a series of sakura trees planted to commemorate the university's historic partnership with Chubu University. Japanese students sponsor an annual "Sakura Festival" each year, a cultural event celebrating the visually dramatic blossoming of the cherry trees and their evening lightings. Nearby Bicentennial Park features Input, a landscape artwork by artist Maya Lin.
Anchoring the West Green quadrangle is the Stocker Center, which houses the Russ College of Engineering and Technology.
There are eight residence halls on the West Green.[52] The West Green also includes:
- The District on West Green, a dining hall with various options, including a kitchen for those with dietary restrictions.
- Academic and Research Center
- Ohio Softball Field, home to the softball team.
- Goldsberry Track, home to the track and field teams.[53]
- Bob Wren Stadium, home to the baseball team.
- Chessa Field, home to the women's soccer program.
- Pruitt Field, home to the field hockey team.
Other facilities
- The Ridges, formerly Athens Mental Hospital, was acquired by the university. The Victorian styled area has since been re-purposed as a university complex of classrooms and administrative offices surrounded by a large nature preserve. Additionally, a new planetary observatory is located nearby.
- Gordon K. Bush Airport
- Edwards Accelerator Laboratory,[54] a particle accelerator used for nuclear physics and astrophysics research.
- The Athena Cinema, an on-campus, early art deco styled century-old movie theater owned by the university.
- Lausche Heating Plant, an on-campus plant that provides heat to all buildings on campus.
Regional campuses
The first regional campus, Ohio University – Chillicothe, was opened in 1946 to help eliminate post-World War II overcrowding on the university's main campus. The school began with 281 students, 70 percent of which were armed services veterans. Today, more than 9,800 students attend Ohio University's five regional campuses:
- Ohio University Chillicothe – 1946
- Ohio University Zanesville – 1946
- Ohio University Lancaster – 1956
- Ohio University Southern (Ironton) – 1956
- Ohio University Eastern (St. Clairsville) – 1957
Ohio University maintained the Proctorville Center, which was opened in April 2007. It was acquired by the Collins Career Technical Center in October 2023.
The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine operates two campuses in addition to Athens:
- Dublin, which includes an extension campus in addition to a medical campus
- Cleveland, which is affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic
Athens campus gallery
-
Ecohouse[55] -
-
Nelson Commons -
Ping Rock Wall -
Chemistry Building[56] -
Brick Mural -
Ridges Auditorium -
Bobcat Depot -
Greenhouse[57] -
Hammock Park -
Adams Hall -
-
Academics
Ohio University comprises thirteen degree granting colleges and centers.[59] The university honor code includes the traditional pillars of character, citizenship, civility, commitment, and community.[60] 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. Additionally, it maintains five branch campuses, two regional medical campuses in Cleveland and Dublin, Ohio, and an engineering research and development center in Beavercreek, Ohio. 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 more selective with further admission requirements for its journalism and other select schools.[61][62] 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[15] and classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".[16] 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.[63] 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.[64] Since 2008, 16 students have won the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship,[65] 32 students have won the NSF-GRFP[66] and 94 students have become Fulbright Program U.S. grantees.[67] 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[68] 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[69] Distinguished Professors[70] appointed annually since 1959.
Admissions
Undergraduateedit
| Undergraduate admissions statistics | |
|---|---|
| Admit rate | 87.5 (  +13.1) |
| Yield rate | 15.9 (  −12.4) |
| Test scores middle 50% | |
| SAT Total | 1050-1250 (among 25% of FTFs) |
| ACT Composite | 21-26 (among 89% of FTFs) |
Admission to Ohio University is classified as "selective" by both the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and U.S. News & World Report.[73][74] The Princeton Review gives Ohio an "Admissions Selectivity Rating" of 81.[75] 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.[75] The university no longer requires test scores and does not publish average tests scores for public release. Ohio University admitted 85% of all applicants (first year and transfer) for the incoming 2022 class.
The Class of 2026 enrolled as Ohio University's largest class, coming from all 50 states.[76]
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 22,518 | 24,179 | 23,385 | 26,263 | 20,623 | 21,000 |
| Admits | 19,700 | 19,843 | 18,311 | 19,416 | 15,437 | 15,628 |
| Admit rate | 87.5 | 82.1 | 78.3 | 73.9 | 74.9 | 74.4 |
| Enrolled | 3,126 | 3,671 | 3,980 | 4,045 | 4,309 | 4,423 |
| Yield rate | 15.9 | 18.5 | 21.7 | 20.8 | 32.4 | 28.3 |
| ACT composite* (out of 36) |
21–26 (89%†) |
21–26 (90%†) |
21–26 (91%†) |
22–26 (93%†) |
21–26 (93%†) |
22–26 (91%†) |
| SAT composite* (out of 1600) |
1050–1250 (25%†) |
1050–1260 (22%†) |
1070–1270 (21%†) |
1080–1260 (15%†) |
— | — |
| * middle 50% range † percentage of first-time freshmen who chose to submit | ||||||
Colleges and schoolsedit
| Academic rankings | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Forbes[81] | 319 |
| U.S. News & World Report[82] | 179 |
| Washington Monthly[83] | 247 |
| WSJ/College Pulse[84] | 401-500 |
| Global | |
| ARWU[85] | 601-700 |
| QS[86] | 1001-1200 |
| THE[87] | 601-800 |
| U.S. News & World Report[88] | 684 |
| USNWR Undergraduate Rankings[89] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Ranking | ||
| Business | 143 | ||
| Computer Science | 154 | ||
| Engineering | 147 | ||
| Nursing | 183 | ||
| USNWR National Rankings[74] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Ranking | ||
| Audiology | 46 | ||
| Biological Sciences | 190 | ||
| Business | Unranked | ||
| Chemistry | 122 | ||
| Clinical Psychology | 88 | ||
| Computer Science | 119 | ||
| Education | 125 | ||
| Engineering | 138 | ||
| English | 108 | ||
| Fine Arts | 32 | ||
| History | 113 | ||
| Mathematics | 108 | ||
| Medicine: Primary Care | 93–123 | ||
| Medicine: Research | 93–123 | ||
| Nursing: Master's | Unranked | ||
| Nursing: Doctor of Nursing Practice | Unranked | ||
| Physical Therapy | 57 | ||
| Physics | 91 | ||
| Psychology | 98 | ||
| Public Affairs | 64 | ||
| Rehabilitation Counseling | 32 | ||
| Social Work | 96 | ||
| Speech-Language Pathology | 45 | ||
| USNWR Global Rankings[90] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Program | Ranking | ||
| Physics | 621 | ||
The university is organized into 12 degree granting schools and colleges.
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.