Interamerican University of Puerto Rico

Inter American University of Puerto Rico
Inter American University Seal
Type Private
Established 1912
President Manuel J. Fernós
Students 50,000
Location

Puerto Rico

Multiple Campuses, Puerto Rico
Colors Green and Yellow
         
Athletics  • Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria
 • NCAA Division II
Mascot Tiger
Website www.inter.edu

The Inter American University of Puerto Rico (Spanish: Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico; abbreviated UIPR in Spanish, and often referred as "Inter") is a private, co-educational, and Christian university in Puerto Rico. It was founded in 1912 in San Germán, Puerto Rico. The University has campuses in Aguadilla, Arecibo, Barranquitas, Bayamón, Fajardo, Guayama, Ponce, San Juan, and San Germán. The university also has three professional schools: School of Optometry, School of Law, and the School of Aeronautics. The Inter offers academic programs in 11 teaching units.[1] The San Germán campus is also the home to the Inter American School, a private co-educational college-preparatory school.

History

The Inter American University was founded as Polytechnic Institute of Puerto Rico in 1912 by Rev. John Will Harris and his brother Clarence Harris. It was founded as an elementary and high school in the Lomas de Santa Marta sector of the town of San Germán in land now occupied by the University's San Germán Campus. In 1927, the first high school class graduation took place. In 1944, the institute was accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, thus becoming the first liberal arts college to receive such accreditation in Puerto Rico, as well as the first outside the continental United States. This accreditation has been maintained over the years.

Governance

The governing body of the Inter American University of Puerto Rico is its Board of Trustees, which perpetuates itself and whose members are elected freely without interference from any external authority. The President of the University is the executive officer and senior scholar at the Institution. Systemic Management Council comprises the President of the University who chairs the Council, the Vice-Rectors, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Dean of the School of Optometry, an Executive Secretary appointed by the President, the Executive Director Information Systems, the Director of the Legal Office and the Director of the Office of Systemic Research and Evaluation. Students will participate in the meetings of the Council when systemic issues are under consideration relevant to its functions, the following advisers: the President of the University Council, the Director of the Office of Human Resources, the Director of the Office of Promotion and Recruitment and the Director- Systemic Development Planning and Physical Plant.

The faculty and administration of the Faculty of Law and School of Optometry determine their own programs and rules subject to approval by the President and Board of Trustees. In all other respects, these two professional schools are governed by the rules, policies and general procedures of the University. Academic Senates of the teaching units and the University Council, Academic Senate heirs agencies was established in 1966 and the University Senate who succeeded him in 1973, dealing with the academic welfare of the University through a process of formal articulation between the units. The Academic Senates made academic standards and the University Council the ratification, subject mainly to the presence of the President of the University. Both bodies formulate recommendations on matters relating to educational policy, administrative and research.

Religious Life Policy

Inter American University of Puerto Rico is an ecumenically oriented institution, but does not adhere to any one particular theology or ecclesiastical body. Founded by Dr. John William Harris, a minister of the Presbyterian Church, Inter American University maintains a historic, friendly and enriching association with the Presbyterian Church (USA) as well as with other Christian groups in accordance with its ecumenical spirit.

Inter American University of Puerto Rico is a community of higher education dedicated to a comprehensive search for truth within an environment of responsible freedom and through the encouragement of a mature academic life which guarantees true freedom of investigation. Within this context, religion is studied in the University as an academic discipline designed to engage in fruitful dialog with other university disciplines. In affirming its commitment to the Christian ecumenical ideal, the University dedicates itself to the renewal and reaffirmation not only of its own Christian heritage, but also the culture within which it is situated and which it serves. This does not oblige the acceptance of all the details of our Christian past nor of all the elements of modern Christianity.

Nevertheless, the University has fostered and will continue to foster the convergence of all Christians in the one faith centered about the person of Jesus Christ as He is made known to us in the apostolic tradition of the Scriptures as the One whom Christians regard as decisive, definite and normative in man‟s relations with God and his fellow men and society. The University affirms its conviction that to be a Christian today implies, on the one hand, knowledge of and obedience to the Gospel and, on the other, identification with the Universal church by means of an individual commitment to a particular Christian communion.

The ecumenical posture of the University involves openness to society, science, technology and a plurality of faiths; it involves an integral education of each individual so he or she may exercise a vocation within his or her community in a responsible and productive way; it involves a commitment to serve though not to dominate society; and it involves the development of friendliness, fellowship and understanding to bridge human barriers.

Accreditations

The eleven academic units of Inter American University of Puerto Rico are authorized by the Council on Education of Puerto Rico and accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education to offer university studies of the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels, as the case may be. Likewise, the University is committed to the professional accreditation of its academic programs. For this reason, some academic units have programs accredited by organizations, such as:

  • Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Bayamón Campus
  • Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) School of Optometry
  • American Bar Association (ABA) School of Law
  • Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Program (CANAEP) Arecibo Campus
  • Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Arecibo and Fajardo campuses (B.A.) Metropolitan Campus (B.A., M.S.W.)
  • International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) Aguadilla, Arecibo, Barranquitas, Bayamón, Fajardo, Guayama, Metropolitano, Ponce and San Germán campuses, School of Law and School of Optometry
  • Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) San Germán Campus (A.A.S., B.S.)
  • National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) Metropolitano and San Germán campuses (BS, Professional Certificate)
  • National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) Aguadilla and Arecibo campuses (B.S.N.) Recinto Metropolitano (A.A.S., B.S.N.)
  • Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) Metropolitan Campus (Division of Economic and Administrative Sciences)
  • Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) Barranquitas, Fajardo, Metropolitan, Ponce and San Germán campuses (Teacher Education Program)

Campuses

  • Aguadilla
  • Arecibo
  • Barranquitas
  • Bayamón
  • Fajardo
  • Guayama
  • Metropolitano
  • Ponce
  • San Germán

Academics

Inter American University offers pre-university, undergraduate, graduate and professional academic programs for obtaining certificates and Associate, Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees in subject matters normally offered by institutions of higher education of a nature, educational mission and goals similar to those of this University. The School of Law of Inter American University grants the Juris Doctor degree and the School of Optometry, the Doctor of Optometry degree.

Language on Instruction

Graduate courses may be taught in Spanish.

Notable alumni


See also

References

  1. ↑ By Inter American University of Puerto Rico. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  2. ↑ London 2012:Luguelín Santos Archived 2012-08-22 at the Wayback Machine. from www.london2012.com; retrieved 7 August 2012
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