University of Idaho facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
University of Idaho

Motto	"A Legacy of Leading"
Type	Public land-grant research university
Established	January 30, 1889; 136 years ago (1889-01-30)
Parent institution	Idaho State Board of Education
Accreditation	NWCCU
Academic affiliations	Space-grant
Endowment	$465 million (2023)
President	C. Scott Green
Students	11,849 (fall 2023)
Undergraduates	9,796 (fall 2023)
Postgraduates	1,929 (fall 2023)
Location	Moscow , Idaho , United States 46°43′34″N 117°00′40″W / 46.726°N 117.011°W / 46.726; -117.011
Campus	Distant town, 1,585 acres (6.4 km2)
Other campuses	Boise Coeur d'Alene Idaho Falls Post Falls Twin Falls
Newspaper	The Argonaut
Colors	Silver and vandal gold
Nickname	Vandals
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS – Big Sky
Mascot	Joe Vandal

The University of Idaho (often called U of I or UIdaho) is a public university in Moscow, Idaho, United States. It was started in 1889 and opened its doors three years later. For 71 years, it was the only university in the state of Idaho.

The university has ten different schools for students studying for their first degree, advanced degrees, or professional degrees. About 12,000 students attend the university, with 11,000 of them at the main campus in Moscow. The University of Idaho is known as a "Research 1" university. This means it does a lot of important research and gives out many advanced degrees.

The university is located in a countryside area called the Palouse. Its sports teams are called the Idaho Vandals. They play in NCAA Division I, mostly in the Big Sky Conference. Besides the main campus, U of I has other locations in Coeur d'Alene, Boise, and Idaho Falls. It also has a research park in Post Falls and many offices across the state.

History of the University of Idaho

On January 30, 1889, Governor Edward Stevenson of the Idaho Territory signed a bill. This bill officially created the University of Idaho. It was meant to be the state's main university. The university welcomed its first students on October 3, 1892.

The university was formed by the Idaho Territory government in 1889. It opened with 40 students in 1892. The first students graduated in 1896. There were two men and two women in that first graduating class.

Exploring the Campus

The original Administration building (1899) was destroyed by fire in 1906. It was replaced in 1909 by the existing brick Collegiate Gothic structure.

Administration Building's north wing (1912)

The Moscow campus is very large, covering about 1,585 acres. It has 253 buildings. The campus also has many parking lots, bike paths, and computer labs. There is an 18-hole golf course and beautiful gardens called arboreta.

The Administration Building

The Administration Building is a famous part of the university. It has an 80-foot clock tower and a special Collegiate Gothic style. It was built between 1907 and 1909. This building holds classrooms, an auditorium, and offices for the university's leaders.

The first Administration Building was finished in 1899. It had a tall spire that reached 163 feet high. Sadly, it burned down in 1906. While the new building was being built, classes were held in other places in Moscow. The new building was designed by John E. Tourtellotte. He based his design on the Hampton Court Palace in England.

The 1909 Administration Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This means it is a very important historical site.

Campus, c. 1915

Hello Walk

Hello Walk

"Hello Walk" is a well-known path on campus. It has special monuments. One is Presidential Grove, where famous people like Teddy Roosevelt planted trees. There is also a statue honoring the Spanish–American War. The Administration Lawn was designed by the famous Olmsted Brothers.

Idaho Student Union Building

The Idaho Student Union Building (ISUB) was finished in 2000. It is like the center of campus life. It has a food court, a coffee shop, and a convenience store. Students can also find study areas, wireless internet, and places to check out laptops. Many student services are located here, too.

In 2005, the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) was completed. This added classrooms to the ISUB. Now, students can learn, study, relax, and get university services all in one place.

Bruce M. Pitman Center

The Bruce M. Pitman Center is on the east side of campus. It houses offices for financial aid, admissions, and student services. For students, it has meeting rooms, a computer lab, and a movie theater. Student media offices, like The Argonaut newspaper and KUOI-FM radio station, are also here.

In 2014, the university renamed the building to honor Bruce M. Pitman. He was a dean who worked at the university for over 41 years. The new name took effect in 2015.

ASUI-Kibbie Activity Center

Kibbie Dome in 2006

Graduation in the Kibbie Dome, May 2017

The "Kibbie Dome" is a large building used for many sports. It is the main home for Vandal athletics. It hosts football, soccer, tennis, and indoor track and field. Its special roof was built in 1975. It uses natural wood arches that stretch 400 feet wide.

Before the Kibbie Dome, there was Neale Stadium on this spot. It opened in 1937. The Kibbie Dome was fully enclosed in 1975. It can hold 16,000 people for football games. For basketball games, it can seat 7,000 people.

Idaho Central Credit Union Arena

The Idaho Central Credit Union Arena (ICCU Arena) is next to the Kibbie Dome. It became the new home for the men's and women's basketball teams in 2021. The university had wanted a new arena for over 50 years. Construction began in 2019 after a large donation from the Idaho Central Credit Union.

This arena cost about $51 million and seats 4,200 people. It is mostly made from engineered wood, using over 850 Douglas fir beams. These beams came from trees grown in the university's own experimental forest. The arena opened in September 2021. The first game was a men's basketball exhibition on October 29, 2021.

University Golf Course

Palouse Landscape seen from University of Idaho Golf Course

The UI Golf Course was started in 1933. It opened with nine holes in 1937. It was made into an 18-hole course in 1970. The course is known for its hilly land and challenging winds.

Arboretum and Botanical Garden

View of Arboretum and Botanical Garden trail and pond

View of southern section of Arboretum with view of "Red Barn"

Students often call the University of Idaho Arboretum and Botanical Garden "Tree City" or "The Arb." It is a 65-acre area next to the golf course. It has beautiful gardens, ponds, and many different trees and plants. These plants come from Asia, Europe, and North America.

The first part of the arboretum was started in 1910 by Charles H. Shattuck. He was the head of the forestry department. He worked to turn a treeless hill into a thick forest. The arboretum was named after him in 1933.

University Library

The U of I Library is the largest library in Idaho. It has over 1.4 million books, magazines, government documents, and maps. It also has special collections. These include many first edition books by Sir Walter Scott. The library also has works by famous Idaho writers like Ezra Pound.

The library building opened in 1957. It was built on what used to be tennis courts. Before that, the library was in the Administration Building. The library was made 50% bigger in 1993. The first floor was updated in 2016 to add more study spaces and technology.

Memorial Gymnasium

Memorial Gym Tower (1928)

The Memorial Gymnasium is another famous building. It has a Tudor Gothic style. It is known for its fun athletic gargoyles on the ledges. This gym can hold about 1,500 people. It opened in 1928 to honor Idaho citizens who died in World War I and the Spanish–American War.

Memorial Gym was the main place for men's basketball until 1976. The women's team played here until 2001. Today, the gym is still used a lot. It is the home court for the women's volleyball team. It is also used for student sports and activities.

Under the Elms

Rare Camperdown elms trees line the path between the Music building and the Administration Building. These "upside-down" trees have been on campus for over 80 years. They are special because their branches weep downwards and their trunks are knotty.

Steam Plant

The steam plant was built in 1926. It provides heat to all the university buildings from one central spot. It used to burn coal, then oil, then natural gas. In 1986, it was changed to burn waste wood chips from local sawmills. Using wood has made the plant cleaner and cheaper to run.

A cool benefit of the steam plant is that its pipes run under campus walkways. This keeps the walkways clear of ice and snow during the cold north Idaho winters.

University Housing

The University of Idaho offers many places for students to live on campus. There are five residence halls for students. These include Wallace Residence Center and Theophilus Tower. There are also apartments for older students or those with families.

Usually, apartments are for single parents, married couples, law students, or students over 21. Some residence halls are only for first-year students. Students can also choose to live in a Fraternity or Sorority house on campus.

Ridenbaugh Hall in 1980

Ridenbaugh Hall

Ridenbaugh Hall was the first dormitory for women on campus. It was finished in 1901 and cost $17,000. It is the oldest building still standing on campus. It was designed by architect Willis A. Ritchie. The building used stone from Latah County for its walls.

Ridenbaugh Hall was the first building on campus named after a person. It was named for Mary E. Ridenbaugh. She was a leader on the university's Board of Regents from 1901 to 1907. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Academics and Learning

From 1896 through May 2011, the University of Idaho awarded many degrees. This includes over 80,000 bachelor's degrees and over 21,000 master's degrees.

The university has ten different colleges. Two of these colleges are only for students studying for advanced degrees (Law & Graduate Studies).

In 2002, the College of Letters & Science was split into two new colleges. These were the College of Science and the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences (CLASS).

The College of Law opened a second campus in Boise in 2010. At first, only third-year law students could study there. By 2017, students could complete their entire three-year law degree at either the Moscow or Boise campus.

• College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
• College of Art and Architecture
• College of Business and Economics
• College of Education, Health and Human Sciences
• College of Engineering
• College of Graduate Studies
• College of Law
• College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences
• College of Natural Resources
• College of Science

University Rankings and Reputation

U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Idaho among the top public universities in the nation in 2020. In 2024, Washington Monthly ranked U of I 83rd among national universities. This ranking looks at how much universities help the public good.

The University of Idaho is also listed in the 2021 edition of Princeton Review's "Best 386 Colleges." The Princeton Review also named U-Idaho as one of the top environmentally friendly colleges. The university has been recognized for its community service efforts. In 2010, over 3,800 students volunteered more than 150,000 hours.

Student Life at U of I

The University of Idaho campus is in a rural area. Many students live on campus. There are four main residence halls. Students can also choose to live in one of the 27 fraternities and sororities. First-year students are usually required to live on campus.

Apartments on campus are available for families, married couples, and graduate students. There is a special group of apartments for law students. This helps them form study groups and a community close to campus.

Student Organizations and Clubs

Many students at U of I join clubs and organizations. There are over 200 different groups. These clubs cover everything from sports to faith-based activities. Palousafest is a fair where students can learn about all the clubs. It helps them find ways to get involved in campus life.

Greek Life

The University of Idaho has many Greek organizations. These are fraternities and sororities. More than 20% of the students are part of Greek life. Over 44% of students who live on campus are involved in these groups.

University Athletics

Idaho athletics logo

The Idaho Vandals are the sports teams for the University of Idaho. They compete in NCAA Division I. They are part of the Big Sky Conference.

The university's official colors are silver and gold. These colors honor Idaho's history of mining. For sports uniforms, black and gold are often used. Sometimes silver is also included.

The Kibbie Dome is where the Idaho Vandals play four sports: football, tennis, indoor track and field, and soccer. Basketball used to be played there. But in the autumn of 2021, the new Idaho Central Credit Union Arena opened for basketball games.

Notable Alumni

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Idaho para niños

• List of land-grant universities
• List of forestry universities and colleges
• Space-grant colleges