University of Connecticut

The University of Connecticut (UConn), is a land grant public research university located in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. The University of Connecticut was founded in 1881 and is a Sea Grant university and a member of the Space Grant Consortium. The university serves more than 30,000 students on its six campuses, including more than 8,000 graduate students in multiple programs.

UConn is one of the founding institutions of the Hartford, Connecticut/Springfield, Massachusetts regional economic and cultural partnership alliance known as New England's Knowledge Corridor. UConn is a member of Universitas 21, a global network of 24 research-intensive universities, who work together to foster global citizenship.UConn is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

UConn was founded in 1881 as the Storrs Agricultural School, named after two brothers who donated the land for the school. In 1893, the school became a land grant college. In 1939, the name was changed to the University of Connecticut. Over the next decade, social work, nursing, and graduate programs were established, and existing schools of law and pharmacy were absorbed into the university. During the 1960s, UConn Health was established for new medical and dental schools. John Dempsey Hospital opened in Farmington in 1975.

Competing in the American Athletic Conference as the Huskies, UConn has been particularly successful in their Men's and Women's Basketball programs. The Huskies have won a total of 21 NCAA championships.

> History

UConn was founded in 1881 as the Storrs Agricultural School. It was named after Charles and Augustus Storrs, two brothers who donated the land for the school as well as initial funding. Women began attending classes in 1891 and were officially admitted in 1893, when the name was changed to Storrs Agricultural College and it became Connecticut's land grant college. In 1899, the name changed again to Connecticut Agricultural College; in 1933, to Connecticut State College; and finally in 1939, to the University of Connecticut.

In 1940, the school was first divided into individual colleges and schools, reflecting its new university status. This was also the year that the School of Social Work and School of Nursing were first established. The graduate program was also started at this time, and existing schools of law and pharmacy were absorbed into the university. Ph.D.s have been awarded since 1949.

During the 1960s, the UConn Health was established in Farmington as a home for the new School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine. John Dempsey Hospital opened in Farmington in 1975 and has been operated by UConn ever since.

In 1995, a state-funded program called UConn 2000 was passed by the Connecticut General Assembly and signed into law by then-Governor John G. Rowland. This 10-year program set aside $1 billion to upgrade campus facilities, add faculty, and otherwise improve the university.An additional $1.3 billion was pledged by the State of Connecticut in 2002 as part of a new 10-year improvement plan known as 21st Century UConn.


> Campus

The UConn campus at Storrs is home to the Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) run by the Department of Dramatic Arts. The theatre complex contains three venues, the 486-seat Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre, the 241-seat Nafe Katter Theatre, and the 116-seat Studio Theatre. CRT is a member of the Theatre Communications Group, the national service organization for the professional theatre. The Storrs campus also houses the William Benton Museum of Art and the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry, which is the only institution in the Unites States that offers a Masters degree in puppetry.

Among the research facilities on campus is the George Safford Torrey Life Sciences Building, one of the primary sites of biology research and education at UConn. Built in 1961, in 1980 the building was named in honor of Torrey, former head of the university's botany department. Torrey, who came to Connecticut Agricultural College in the fall of 1915 to teach botany, became head of the Department of Botany in 1929 and served in that role until 1953. A collection of his papers, including notebooks, correspondence, memoranda, administrative records, reports, photographs, and various types of slides and filmstrips are housed in the Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center. The Torrey Life Sciences Building houses offices for the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, the Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, and Biology Central Services.

Because it is situated in a fairly rural area, the UConn campus at Storrs has facilities that allow it to be virtually self-sufficient. All heat on campus is steam, and where possible sidewalks were laid over the underground connectors to keep the snow off. In 2005, a cogeneration plant was activated, which generates most of the electricity for the campus, and uses the exhaust steam for the campus central heating system. The University also owns its own public water system and waste water treatment facility. With the support of a growing number of industry leaders based in Connecticut, UConn is at the forefront of developing clean, alternative sources of renewable energy using fuel cell technology. In April 2012, UConn commissioned a fuel cell power plant at its Depot Campus that will supply the campus with clean and efficiency energy, cooling and heating. The installation of a ClearEdge Power, former UTC Power, PureCell System is the latest step by UConn to reduce its carbon footprint and build a sustainable community. The fuel cell installation was made possible through a federal stimulus grant from Connecticut’s Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority.


The University of Connecticut Police Department is a fully functional police agency with the same statutory authority as any municipal police department in the State of Connecticut. State and internationally accredited, the department is responsible for the protection of lives and property at the University of Connecticut and all adjacent areas within the jurisdiction of the UConn Police Department. This includes the main campus in Storrs and the regional campuses located statewide. The UConn Division of Public Safety also includes the UConn Fire Department, and Office of the Fire Marshal and Building Inspectors. The UConn Storrs campus is equipped with the blue-light system which allows for students to press one of these emergency buttons which will notify the police and they will come to the location in which the button was pushed.

UConn 2000 was a public-private partnership to rebuild, renew and enhance the University of Connecticut from 1995 to 2005, funded by the State of Connecticut. UConn 2000 was enacted by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1995 and signed into law by Governor John G. Rowland. The construction projects were overseen by President Philip E. Austin. The legislature renewed the construction investments through 21st Century UConn. 21st Century UConn is the continuation of UConn 2000 and is another billion dollar construction investment by the state of Connecticut to upgrade facilities at the University of Connecticut. It passed the Connecticut General Assembly and was signed into law by Governor Rowland in 2002. By the time of the project's completion, every building on campus will be either new or completely renovated. Money has also been put into the regional and satellite campuses, including the new School of Business facilities in downtown Hartford. Next Generation Connecticut is a multi-faceted $1.5 billion plan to build the state's economic future through strategic investments in science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines (STEM). It passed the Connecticut General Assembly and was signed into law by Governor Dannel Malloy in June 2013. The funds will be used over a ten-year period to hire 250+ new faculty, increase undergraduate enrollment by 6,580 students, and upgrade aging campus infrastructure. Money has also been allocated to build new STEM facilities, construct new STEM teaching laboratories and to create a premier STEM honors college. NextGenCT will also allow for the construction of student housing and a digital media center at the Stamford campus, and allow for the relocation of the Greater Hartford campus back to downtown Hartford.


>> Avery Point campus

Overlooking Long Island Sound in the town of Groton, UConn's Avery Point campus is home to the National Undersea Research Center, the Connecticut Sea Grant College, Project Oceanology and the Long Island Sound Resource Center. In recent years, the campus has undergone an extensive transformation, including new Marine Science and Project Oceanology buildings, a new research vessel and renovations of the Branford House, the gymnasium and the main Academic Building.

The campus was formerly the summer estate of Morton Freeman Plant, a 19th-century railroad, steamship and hotel magnate. Branford House, his mansion overlooking Long Island Sound, was reportedly worth $3 million when it was completed in 1904. Also located on the estate was a caretaker's house (the current police station) and a barn and horse stable (the current physical plant buildings). The estate included what is now the Shennecossett Public Golf Course located just north of the campus. The Plant estate was turned over to the State of Connecticut in the 1930s. During World War II, it was leased to the Coast Guard as a training center, and the Avery Point Light was built. In 1967, the estate was converted into the Southeastern Campus of the University of Connecticut, later renamed the University of Connecticut at Avery Point.

Students have access to classes for all of UConn's traditional majors as well as the Bachelor of General Studies. In addition to the BGS degree, there are three other majors that can be completed at the Avery Point campus: Coastal Studies, Maritime Studies, and American Studies. Graduate programs are also offered at Avery Point in STEM Teacher Education, Engineering, and Nursing. In 2012-2013 the UCONN branch of Avery Point was renovated, and a new student center was built.


>> Stamford campus

In 1951, the University of Connecticut began offering extension courses at the former Stamford High School. In fall of 1952, the University formally established a regional campus in Stamford. Upon inception, UConn’s Stamford Campus offered five courses — English, Mathematics, History, Speech and Sociology and enrolled 21 part-time students.

A newly constructed UConn Stamford Campus opened in 1962 on Scofield Town Road, and a separate library building was added in 1974. Also in the mid-1970s, the academic program was expanded to provide a four-year degree in several fields of study.

In 1990, planning began for a new UConn Stamford Campus in the heart of downtown Stamford. One of the first UConn 2000 building projects, the new state-of-the-art campus opened in 1998, offering a variety of academic programs including undergraduate and graduate degrees. The contemporary glass-enclosed campus features a high-tech approach to learning with internet access in classrooms, laboratories, student amenities and public spaces. Design for the new UConn building was led by Aaron Schwarz, then of Perkins Eastman.

The Stamford Campus partners with many corporate leaders and offers students hands-on work experience. In collaboration with area businesses, UConn’s Stamford Campus established the Connecticut Information Technology Institute, a full-service resource center that provides IT professional development and cyber-business research.

The Stamford Campus of the University of Connecticut offers complete undergraduate degree programs in thirteen majors as well as The Bachelor of General Studies Degree Program. Majors are American Studies, Business Administration (BSBA), Business Data Analytics (BSBDA), Financial Management (BSFM), Digital Media and Design (BA) and (BFA), Economics, English, Human Development and Family Studies, History, Political Science, Psychology and a Certificate Entry into Nursing (CEIN/BS) an accelerated pre-licensure program. At the graduate level, Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and an MS in Financial Risk Management are offered.


>> Greater Hartford campus

UConn's Greater Hartford campus, as its name indicates, serves a broad section of the area’s populace. Opened in 1939 in the City of Hartford, the University of Connecticut’s Greater Hartford Campus moved in 1970 to its present location in West Hartford. In November 2012, the University decided to return the campus to downtown Hartford, citing significant costs to modernize the West Hartford campus as well as a desire to give students easier access to Hartford's professional and cultural opportunities. Planned to take place in for the Fall semester of 2016, the new campus will be located within Hartford's Front Street neighborhood, a portion of the Adriaen's Landing project. The centerpiece of the new campus will be the historic Beaux-Arts former headquarters of the Hartford Times.

The Greater Hartford Campus offers a wide range of Liberal Arts and Sciences courses and degrees to over 1,400 undergraduate and more than 600 graduate students.[28] Students pursue undergraduate degrees in American Studies, Business and Technology, Business Administration, English, General Studies, Human Development and Family Studies, Psychology, and Urban and Community Studies. The Center for Continuing Studies provides a number of certificate program options, in addition to the Bachelor of General Studies, an interdisciplinary degree program tailored to meet individual needs and goals of returning, non-traditional, part-time adult students. Due to the Greater Hartford Campus’ proximity to the State Capitol and legislative offices, the University’s Department of Public Policy is based on the Greater Hartford Campus and offers a Master of Arts in Survey Research and a Master of Arts in Public Administration, as well as certificate programs. The University’s School of Social Work is also located at the Greater Hartford Campus and offers a Master of Social Work and Ph.D in Social Work. The Greater Hartford Campus also offers the popular one-year Master of Education with Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates.

Located at Constitution Plaza in downtown Hartford, UConn's Graduate Business Learning Center is home to the UConn School of Business part-time and Executive MBA Hartford program and MS in Business Analytics and Project Management (MSBAPM), as well as the SS&C Technologies Financial Accelerator. The center was remodeled in 2004 to create a state-of-the-art facility featuring the latest technology. The University has announced that the Graduate Business Center will be relocating to Hartford's Front Street in 2016 as part of the relocation of the Greater Hartford campus.


>> Waterbury campus

The University of Connecticut's Waterbury campus serves more than 1,000 students annually. In its 60 years of operation, UConn Waterbury has opened the doors to educational access and excellence to thousands of Connecticut residents, many of whom have distinguished themselves in the fields of community service, business, education, law and politics. Today, the campus is located in a modern, state-of-the-art facility in the heart of downtown Waterbury.

Students at UConn Waterbury enjoy smaller classes and a more intimate campus environment. With a low student to faculty ratio, students are able to engage in frequent classroom discussions with the school's distinguished faculty. Professors come from diverse academic backgrounds and are actively involved in scholarly research. Many serve as student advisors and mentors. Uconn Waterbury offers a variety of campus resources and support services. Students can use the library, writing center, math center, peer tutoring assistance, computer labs and counseling services.

>> Torrington campus

The University of Connecticut at Torrington was founded in 1957; opening its present campus in 1965. The 100-acre (0.40 km2) campus consists of the M. Adela Eads Classroom Building and the Litchfield County Extension Service Building. The facilities include high-tech classrooms, a learning center, art studio, computer rooms, a branch of the UConn Co-op bookstore, a 250-seat auditorium, student lounge, and a cafeteria. The Julia Brooker Thompson Library has a collection of 17,000 books and videos and 25 print journals and newspapers, and provides access to all other UConn libraries as well as to public libraries and libraries of other schools. Approximately 400 students matriculate at the campus, enjoying a student-faculty ratio of about 10 to 1. UConn Torrington offers the following undergraduate degree programs: American Studies, Human Development and Family Studies, English, General Studies, Business and Technology, Psychology, and Urban and Community Studies. Also noteworthy is the Litchfield County Writers Project, a focus for cultural activity in the region. The campus Academic Plan of 2007 envisions an increasing focus on the arts and humanities.

>> Bioscience Connecticut

In June 2011, the Connecticut General Assembly approved legislation for Bioscience Connecticut, a plan proposed by Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to jump-start the Connecticut economy.

According to the proposal, Bioscience Connecticut will result in the creation of 3,000 construction jobs annually from 2012 through 2018 and a $4.6 billion increase in personal income by 2037, while generating more than 16,000 jobs. The initiative includes plans for renovations to existing facilities on the UConn Health campus in Farmington, Conn., as well the construction of a new patient tower and ambulatory care facility, and seeks to increase UConn Health’s medical and dental school enrollments by 30 percent.

>> Jackson Laboratory

In January 2012, Gov. Malloy announced that Jackson Laboratory (JAX) had reached an agreement to launch a $1.1 billion genomic medicine laboratory on the campus of the UConn Health. Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution based in Bar Harbor, Maine.

According to the agreement, Jackson Laboratory will enter into a collaborative research agreement with UConn Health and will create at least 300 positions within 10 years, 30 percent of total employees being senior scientist positions. Once fully developed, the facility is projected to employ 600 scientists and technicians. The state of Connecticut has approved $291 million of the total capital and research budget; Jackson Laboratory will raise the balance of $860 million through federal research grants, philanthropy, and service income.

> Academics

>> Undergraduate, ranking and admission

Students at UConn have the opportunity to pursue over 100 majors, eight undergraduate degrees, 17 graduate degrees and five professional degree programs.Students have the opportunity to choose between 87 different minors at UConn, including areas of study that are not offered as formalized majors.

UConn participates in the New England Board of Higher Education's Regional Student Program (NERSP), allowing students from the five other New England states to enroll at the university at a reduced out-of-state tuition rate if their intended major is not provided by one of their in-state universities.

The university also participates in a special guaranteed admissions program[40] with the Connecticut Community Colleges (CCC) that is designed for academically qualified students who are attending a Connecticut community college and who are planning to transfer to the University of Connecticut in Liberal Arts & Sciences, Agriculture & Natural Resources, Business, or Engineering. Each year, more than 1,000 transfer students are admitted to the university.

Of the over 31,000 people who applied to be undergraduate students at UConn in the fall of 2014, aboalf were admitted and about half of those who were admitted enrolled at the university. Approximately 50,000 prospective students and their families tour the main campus in Storrs annually. UConn's retention rate is among the best for public universities in the nation, with 93% of students returning for their sophomore year.


The university has achieved numerous commendations as a result of its focus on academics and the resources it provides for its students and faculty. For example:

In 2001, authors Howard and Matthew Greene of Greenes' Guides named UConn a "Public Ivy" in their book The Public Ivies: America's Flagship Public Universities
The university was ranked tied for 19th among Public Universities and tied for 57th among National Universities in the 2016 U.S. News and World Report rankings.
Kiplinger's Personal Finance named UConn the 28th best value in public higher education for 2015 (26th on the basis of out-of-state tuition).
The 2015 Sierra Club "Cool Schools" list of environmentally responsible universities ranked UConn 8th in the U.S.
In 2012, the University of Connecticut was ranked as the most sustainable campus among 215 universities worldwide.