Ohio University

George Washington stated "the settlement of southeastern Ohio was not accidental, but the result of the careful deliberation of wise, prudent, and patriotic men." The Confederation Congress, which operated under the Articles of Confederation, did not work with an executor or cabinet.[22] 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 very purpose of expanding education.[23] 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 epithet is engraved on the university's main college gateway.[1 1]

The university was first envisioned by Manasseh Cutler, credited as the school's founder along with Revolutionary War Brigadier General Rufus Putnam. Cutler had served as a chaplain in Washington's Continental Army. The institution's first name was American University.[1 1] President Thomas Jefferson's policy initiatives included a westward expansion of the new nation, with the addition of several territories to U.S. statehood.

In 1797, settlers from Marietta traveled downstream on the Ohio River and up the Hocking River to establish a location for the school, founding Athens due to its location directly between the original capital of Chillicothe and Marietta. In 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, as its charter was certified by the General Assembly of the new state. 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]

Manasseh Cutler Hall, completed in 1819, was the first academic building in the Northwest Territory.

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 a 13,000-seat sports arena (the Convocation Center). It is now America's 25th largest residential college campus.

In 1964, U.S. President Johnson publicly referenced his Great Society initiative for the first time on the College Green, giving the university exposure across America and internationally.

In 1975, Ohio established its medical school, known as the Ohio University Heritage College of Medicine. Heritage is the only medical college in the state to award the D.O. degree. In 2011, the college received the largest private donation ever to be given to a medical college in the U.S. Approximately 240,000 living alumni now consider Ohio their alma mater, with Governors, Senators, Astronauts and media celebrities amongst its ranks. Ohio is consistently classified among the top public universities in U.S. News & World Report ranking of "Best American Colleges," and named by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a Doctoral/High Research Activity institution. Ohio's libraries contain more than 3 million bound volumes.[25]

The historic College Green is the central quadrangle lawn and location of significant campus buildings: Manasseh Cutler Hall, the Office of the President; Wilson Hall, the College of Arts and Sciences; McGuffey Hall, named for William McGuffey; and the College Gateway.[27] 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.[28]

The 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 and World Religions, and Philosophy; Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium; as well as Bryan Hall, an upperclassman residence hall. The College Green is framed by two main university gateways. Alumni Gateway, built in 1915, features verses well known to the university community which may be read upon entering and leaving campus.[29] The words over the gateway (“That thou Mayest Grow In Knowledge, Wisdom and Love”) are borrowed from the Latin phrase inscribed over a gateway to the University of Padua, Italy, and was dedicated at the beginning of the 20th century upon the 100th anniversary of the university's first graduating class. The newer College Gate, built in the 1960s, features words taken from the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 regarding public education and its founding as one of America's first public universities. The bronze university seal, embedded at the college gate, maintains the tradition that freshman must avoid stepping upon it or risk bad fortune. The nearby chimes and bells from the Cutler bell-tower's cupola ring out on the hour and sound the university Alma Mater at noon, which can be heard throughout the surrounding town and valley, as they have since 1820.

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.[30]

Hallway of Presidents, often called the Grand Hallway with its piano.

The five-story facility has been praised by The Association of College Unions International for its visual appeal and consistency with the campus' historic overall classic theme. The building features Federal architecture and large windows that admit a great deal of natural light and afford expansive views of campus. In contrast to the exterior's red brick and white columns, the interior has a more contemporary style with high domed ceilings, ergonomic furniture and a color scheme of sage, plum and mocha. Terrazzo mosaics of aspects of the earth's globe are embedded in the Grand Atrium of the main entrance to the building, which features a rotunda with curved walls, wood monumental staircase and large free-form chandelier. An unusual acoustical quality of the building is the fact that any individual standing at the exact center of the inlaid arrow on the floor of the entering rotunda and facing its entrance, speaking or even whispering, produces a unique reverberating echo similar to the effect created at the center of the United States Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. Another unique feature is the fountain escalator system, the only operating escalator in southeast Ohio, intersecting the huge atrium and connecting College Green and West Green. An outdoor second floor, featuring terraced patio dining, presides over a picturesque natural pond as well as a partial view of Peden Stadium and Byrd Arena.

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 Frontier 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 hot spot for students between classes. Other amenities include a United States Post Office[31] and the Trisolini Art Gallery, named after a prominent fine arts faculty member.[32]

Ohio University Libraries

Established	1814
Location	Athens, Ohio
Collection
Size	3 million+ volumes
Access and use
Population served	Over 20,000
Other information
Director	Dean Neil Romanosky
Staff	over 100
Website	https://www.ohio.edu/library/
Map

Vernon R. Alden Library serves the Athens campus as the central library facility. The collection of the Ohio library contains over 2.3 million units of microfilm material, 13,500 periodical subscriptions and 3 million printed volumes,[25] making it one of the 100 largest libraries in the United States. The university maintains a complex system of archives in its libraries.[33] A university archive maintains and displays rare books and collections, among other treasures is a 13th-century Bible. The Learning Commons, located on the building's second floor, is open 24 hours, 5 days a week allowing students to meet and access library facilities. Laptops and other accessories are available through technology services at the reference desk. The library is organized on the Library of Congress system. Outside Alden Library and directly behind Cutler Hall is Wolfe Garden, a small enclave in the shape of the State of Ohio, and features native Ohio trees and plants, providing a pleasant spot for contemplation.

There are twelve residence halls on East Green.[34] 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. The East Green's Scott Quad, as lore maintains, is a residence hall that provides for a successful relationship to those who kiss beneath its gateway arch.

East Green is also home to Shively Court, a newly-renovated dining hall with dine-in, take-out, and grab-and-go options.[35]

One of the newest additions to East Green is Jefferson Marketplace,[36] 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 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, school supplies, and more

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.[37][38] 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, after an alumnus, Michael Massa, suggested its nomination to 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 on South Green

The Charles J. Ping Center is one of the largest recreational facilities in the nation. 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. 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.

West Green includes buildings around the western part of the Athens campus.[39] 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 famous artist Maya Lin.

Anchoring the West Green quadrangle is the Stocker Center, which houses the Russ College of Engineering.

West Green Quadrangle

There are eight residence halls on the West Green.[40] The West Green also includes:

• The District on West Green, a dining hall with various options, including a kitchen for those with dietary restrictions. Boyd Market is located just outside the District on West Green and provides convenient shopping for the university community, as well as Smooth Moves, a smoothie bar.
• Academic and Research Center
• Ohio Softball Field, home to the softball team.
• Goldsberry Track, home to the track and field teams.[41]
• Bob Wren Stadium, home to baseball team.
• Chessa Field, home to the women's soccer program.
• Pruitt Field, home to the field hockey team.

• The Ridges, formerly Athens Asylum, 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,[42] a particle accelerator used for nuclear physics and astrophysics research.
• The Athena Cinema, an on-campus, century-old movie theater owned by the university.
• Lausche Heating Plant, an on-campus plant that provides heat to all buildings on campus.

The university is divided into several colleges:

• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Business: Established in 1927. Following University-wide restructuring in 2010, it includes the Department of Sports Administration. The college also offers an MBA program for Indian students in Christ University Bangalore. The Schey Sales Centre was initiated in 1997 by the Ohio Board of Trustees and offers a professional sales certificate to students.
• Scripps College of Communication comprises five schools and one research lab (see 'Research Centers'): The E.W. Scripps School of Journalism,[60] the J. W. McClure School of Information and Telecommunication Systems, the School of Communication Studies, the School of Media Arts and Studies (formerly the School of Telecommunications), the School of Visual Communication (VisCom), and the Game Research and Immersive Design (GRID) Lab.
• Patton College of Education: Established in 1959. Its processor was the Normal Department, dating back to May 11, 1886. The Normal Department – the predecessor to today's College of Education – was the first state-supported teacher preparation program in Ohio. The state's first kindergarten opened on the Ohio University campus in 1907. Today, the College of Education is organized into three departments: Counseling and Higher Education, Educational Studies, and Teacher Education. The college currently serves more than 2,100 undergraduate and 800 graduate students.[61] On July 1, 2010, The Patton College became the home of several programs previously housed in the College of Health and Human Services, creating two new departments: Human and Consumer Science Education, and Recreation and Sport Pedagogy.[62]
• Russ College of Engineering and Technology: Established in 1920. Enrolls approximately 1,400 undergraduates and almost 300 graduate students.[63] It is named in honor of Dr. Fritz J. Russ, an alumnus in electrical engineering and the founder of Systems Research Laboratories,[64] who left the college $91.8 million in real estate and securities.[65]

Kennedy Museum of Art

• College of Fine Arts: Established in 1947. The college offers academic programs in art, dance, film, interdisciplinary arts, music, and theater. The university's marching band, The Ohio University Marching 110, nicknamed "The Most Exciting Band In The Land," is based out of the College of Fine Arts, and is currently under the direction of Dr. Richard Suk, Associate Director of Bands. The Ohio University School of Music celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2017. The university's film program is located within the School of Dance, Film, and Theater in the College of Fine Arts. The Kennedy Museum of Art is housed at the Ridges in historic Lin Hall.
• College of Health Sciences and Professions: Originally launched in 1979 as the College of Health and Human Services, and was restructured in 2010.
• The Honors Tutorial College was established in 1972. It offers programs in 34 disciplines, ranging from journalism to astrophysics. The Office of Nationally Competitive Awards is housed in the college.[66][67]
• George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs: Established in 2007 and named for alumnus and former Ohio Governor and Senator George Voinovich.

The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine: Established in 1975.[68] It is the only osteopathic medical college in the state, and offers the degree Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). The college is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association.[69] In 1993, Barbara Ross-Lee, D.O., was appointed to the position of dean of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine; she was the first African-American woman to serve as the dean of a U.S. medical school. In 2014, alongside pre-eminent training partner OhioHealth,[70] the college opened a second medical school campus in Dublin, Ohio.[71] In 2015, the college opened a third campus in affiliation with Cleveland Clinic[72] at Cleveland Clinic South Pointe Hospital in Warrensville Heights, Ohio.[73] Approximately 120 medical students train at the Athens campus, 70 in Dublin and 60 in Cleveland.
• Graduate College: The college for graduate students at Ohio. The college includes over thirty areas of post-baccalaureate concentrations, and awards M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees.

The Contemporary History Institute housed in Brown House

Several research programs and institutes allow students to learn from scientists and scholars who are actively engaged in advancing their disciplines. Ohio University's Board of Trustees-approved research centers and institutes include:

• The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine sponsors the Institute for Neuromusculoskeletal Research, Tropical Disease Institute,[74] Edison Biotechnology Institute, and Appalachian Rural Health Institute.
• In Engineering and Technology, Ohio sponsors the Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment, the Center for Advanced Materials Processing, the Center for Advanced Software Systems Integration, the Automatic Identification Education and Research Center, the Avionics Engineering Research Center,[75] the Institute for Corrosion & Multiphase Technology,[76] the Center for Intelligent, Distributed and Dependable Systems, the Ohio Research Institute for Transportation and the Environment, and the T. Richard and Eleanora K. Robe Leadership Institute.[77]
• The Condensed Matter and Surface Science[78] program supports research in condensed matter and materials physics.
• The Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute[79] (NQPI) supports research in diverse aspects of nanoscience and quantum mechanical phenomena in nature.
• The Institute for Applied and Professional Ethics, the Charles J. Ping Institute for the Teaching of the Humanities, Institute for the Empirical Study of Language; the university's Business Incubator, the Innovation Center, and the Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute[80]
• The College of Arts and Sciences sponsors the African American Research and Service Institute, the Astrophysical Institute,[81] the Contemporary History Institute, the Center for Intelligent Chemical Instrumentation, the Institute of Nuclear and Particle Physics,[82] the Ohio University Cartographic Center, the Institute for Quantitative Biology, and the Center for Ring Theory and Its Applications.
• The School of Business sponsors the Center for eBusiness,[83] the Center for International Business Education and Development, the Ohio University Insurance Institute, and the Sales Center.
• In Communications disciplines, Ohio sponsors the Institute for International Journalism, the Scripps Survey Research Center,[84] the Telecommunications Center, and the Institute for Telecommunication Studies.
• In Education, Ohio sponsors the Center for Cooperative Curriculum Development and Partnerships, the Institute for Democracy in Education,[85] the George Hill Center for Counseling & Research,[86] the Center for Higher Education, and the Edward Stevens Center for the Study and Development of Literacy and Language.[87]
• In Health and Human Services, Ohio sponsors the Child Development Center[88] and the Center for Sports Administration.[89]
• The Center for International Studies was established in 1964.[90]
• In Game Research and Immersive Design, Ohio sponsors the GRID Lab, an initiative of its Scripps College of Communication, providing Ohioans the training, education, and opportunity to develop technical and creative skills with digital game technology. The GRID Lab serves as an innovative and creative center for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff research and project development. It was founded by various faculty and staff from the School of Media Arts and Studies.[91]

University College was established in 2004.[92] The college comprises students who design a major program with faculty approval and awards the Bachelor of Specialized Studies (B.S.S.) degree. The University College faculty are from various disciplines.

More than 9,800 students attend Ohio University's five regional campuses:

• Eastern (St. Clairsville)
• Zanesville
• Lancaster
• Southern (Ironton)
• Chillicothe

Ohio University also has two educational centers:

• Pickerington (part of the Lancaster Campus)
• Proctorville (part of the Southern Campus)

Ohio University also has one extension campus:

• Dublin (with buildings operated by the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Ohio University College of Health Sciences and Professions)

Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine operates two campuses in addition to Athens:

• Dublin (the medical campus is located within the larger Ohio University extension campus)
• Cleveland (affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic)

There are 36 active club sports programs at Ohio, run out of the Department of Campus Recreation. Club sports include sports for both genders, including co-ed sports.[94][95]

Students operate a newspaper, television, and radio stations at Ohio University. The main newspaper, The Post, publishes in print once a week and online all days of the week while the university is in session, and is officially independent of the university and its administration.

Ohio University Public Television is a PBS affiliate broadcasting on WOUB Athens/WOUC Cambridge. In addition to national PBS programs, WOUB features Newswatch, a nightly news broadcast with student reporters. Other student produced programs include Gridiron Glory (following the Southeastern Ohio and parts of West Virginia high school football season, the recipient of many Emmys) and Bobcat Blitz (following the Ohio Bobcats during the year). WOUB also airs The OUtlet,[96] a radio show and podcast featuring stories wherever "campus meets community."

WOUB-FM 91.3 Athens, WOUC-FM 89.1 Cambridge, WOUH-FM 91.9 Chillicothe, WOUL-FM 89.1 Ironton, and WOUZ-FM 90.1 Zanesville broadcast the same programs throughout southeastern Ohio. Separate public radio programming is also heard in Athens on WOUB AM 1340. ACRN ("The Rock Lobster"), founded in 1971, is an Internet radio-only station and the university's only student-run radio station.[97]

Ohio University has an amateur radio (also known as ham radio) club, the Ohio University Amateur Radio Club, call sign W8PZS, that operates out of Stocker Center.[98]

The university also publishes the OHIO News page,[99] the institution's official online news and information resource.

Students maintain a variety of organized and independent service events.[100] The Community Service Leadership Council involves students to oversee a Project of the Week every Saturday. The projects have included work with Good Earth Farms, Last Chance Corral, Cadillac Ranch, Habitat for Humanity, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Phi Omega, Pi Beta Phi, Project C, Rotaract, the Survivor Advocacy Program, and the Thursday Supper Volunteer Corps, among others. Charities at Ohio University have involved flag football tournaments and the 5K Flour Run, and have benefited O'Bleness Health System's Women's Health Fund and the Athens Backpack Program, respectively. Student Senate's Beautification Day regularly receives a large turnout and is particularly unique in the Spring.[101] In early 1962, President Vernon Alden signed the first of several contracts with the federal government to facilitate Peace Corps volunteer training programs. Today, Ohio University hosts a recruiting office for the Peace Corps in a tradition affiliated with that organization since Sargent Shriver's visit.[102]