University of Oregon facts for kids
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| Latin: Universitas Oregonensis | |
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Former names
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Oregon State University (1876–1877) |
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| Motto | Mens agitat molem (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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"The Mind Moves Mountains" / (lit.) "Mind moves the mass" |
| Type | Public research university |
| Established | October 12, 1872 (established) October 16, 1876 (opened) |
| Accreditation | NWCCU |
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | $1.47 billion (2023) |
| Budget | $1.05 billion (2017) |
| President | Karl Scholz |
| Students | 23,202 |
| Location |
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United States
44°02′39″N 123°04′33″W / 44.0443°N 123.0758°W |
| Campus | Midsize city, 295 acres (1.19 km2) |
| Other campuses | |
| Newspaper | Daily Emerald |
| Colors | Green and Yellow |
| Nickname | Ducks |
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Sporting affiliations
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| Mascot | The Oregon Duck |
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The University of Oregon (UO or Oregon) is a large public university in Eugene, Oregon. It was started in 1876. The university also has two places in Portland. It runs a marine station in Charleston called the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology. There is also an observatory in Central Oregon called Pine Mountain Observatory.
The University of Oregon has nine colleges and schools. It offers 420 different study programs for students. Most programs follow a 10-week Quarter System. The university is known for its "very high research activity." It is also a member of the Association of American Universities. Since 2014, a special board of trustees has managed UO.
UO's campus is 295 acres big and is next to the Willamette River. Students who play sports are called the Ducks. They are part of the Pac-12 Conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Oregon Ducks have eighteen teams. They are famous for their football and track and field teams. These two teams are even part of the school's "O" logo. In 2022, UO hosted the 2022 World Athletics Championships. This was the first time this big event happened in the United States. UO's colors are green and yellow.
The university has a long connection with Nike, Inc. and its co-founder Phil Knight. Mr. Knight is a former student. He has given over $1 billion to UO since the late 1980s. Much of this money has helped the sports programs. Nike designed the school's "O" logo in 1998.
Contents
History of the University of Oregon
The Land Where UO Stands
The University of Oregon is built on land that once belonged to the Kalapuya people. This land is called Kalapuya ilihi. Between 1851 and 1855, the U.S. government made treaties. The Kalapuya people had to leave their homeland. They were moved to the Coast Indian Reservation in Western Oregon. Today, many Kalapuya descendants are part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.
University Motto
The university's motto is mens agitat molem. This Latin phrase means "mind moves mass." It can also mean "minds move mountains." This saying comes from an old poem called the Aeneid by Virgil.
Early Years of UO
The state of Oregon started the university in 1872. It was first called Oregon State University. People in Eugene raised $27,500 to buy 18 acres of land. The university opened its doors in 1876. Its first building was University Hall. In the first year, 155 students learned from five teachers. The first students graduated in 1878.
In 1881, the university was almost closed because it owed $8,000. But Henry Villard gave $7,000 to help. In 1913 and 1932, there were ideas to combine UO with what is now Oregon State University. Both ideas were stopped.
Growing as a University
From 1902 to 1925, Prince Lucien Campbell was the president. During this time, the university grew a lot. More money, more students, more buildings, and more teachers came to UO. Many new schools were also started. These included the School of Music (1902) and the School of Law (1915).
In 1917, the university started using a "three-term" calendar. This is now called the Quarter System. It has been used ever since.
The University of Oregon Medical School began in Portland in 1887. In 1974, it became its own school. It is now known as Oregon Health Sciences University.
The Institute of Molecular Biology started at the university in 1959. UO was also a filming spot for the 1978 movie National Lampoon's Animal House.
A Golden Age
The 1960s and 1970s were a great time for the university. In 1964, UO was ranked 25th in the country for research grants. In 1969, UO joined the Association of American Universities. This group includes top research universities.
More students earned advanced degrees during this time. From 1970 to 1979, 2,614 students earned doctoral degrees.
Recent History
In recent years, UO has built many new buildings. These include Matthew Knight Arena and new dorms. This happened while the state gave less money to the university. Tuition fees went up, and more students from out of state joined.
In 2016, the university changed the name of Dunn Hall. It was named after Frederic Stanley Dunn. He was involved with the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s and 30s.
Less State Support
In the 1990s, a law called Measure 5 limited property taxes in Oregon. This meant less money for the state budget. UO had to cut some programs. By 1997, over 20 programs were closed or made much smaller.
The university started big fundraising campaigns. From 1992 to 1998, they raised $255.3 million. In 2001, they aimed to raise $600 million. They raised over $253 million more than their goal. This was thanks to people like Phil Knight and Lorry I. Lokey.
In 2014, UO aimed to raise $2 billion from donors. By 2018, they changed the goal to $3 billion. Phil Knight and his wife Penny gave huge gifts. In 2016, they gave $500 million to start the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact. This was the largest gift ever to a public research university at the time. Knight gave another $500 million to this campus in 2021.
In 2022, Steve Ballmer gave $425 million. This money will fund a new center for children's mental health.
"University of Nike"
The school's "O" logo became official for the whole university in 2002. Nike designed it. The inside of the "O" looks like Hayward Field, the track and field stadium. The outside looks like Autzen Stadium, UO's football stadium.
Phil Knight has paid for many building projects on campus. This started in the late 1980s. He helped with the Knight Library and the William W. Knight Law Center. Knight has also helped build many sports facilities.
Big newspapers like the New York Times have called UO the "University of Nike." A book called The University of Nike talks about Nike's influence. As of 2022, 16.5% of UO's building space is for sports.
Push for Independence
In 2010, UO's president, Richard Lariviere, wanted a new way to run the university. He wanted UO to have its own board and more money. This would help the university plan better for the future.
Phil Knight supported this idea. He said it would give UO more control. It might even let UO set its own tuition for students from Oregon.
In 2013, the Oregon Legislature passed a law. This law created local boards for the state's three biggest universities. In 2014, the University of Oregon got its own board. This board helps manage the university. This change allowed UO to move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten Conference.
Karl Scholz became the university's president in 2023.
Academics at UO
| Colleges and Schools | |||
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| ARWU World | 401–500 |
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| THES World | 401–500 |
| USNWR National University | 98 |
| Washington Monthly National University | 122 |
| Forbes | 133 |
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USNWR graduate school rankings |
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| Business | 72 |
| Education | 14 |
| Law | 67 |
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USNWR graduate department rankings |
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| Biological Sciences | 62 |
| Chemistry | 59 |
| Clinical Psychology | 33 |
| Computer Science | 64 |
| Earth Sciences | 31 |
| Economics | 59 |
| English | 47 |
| Fine Arts | 53 |
| History | 53 |
| Mathematics | 55 |
| Physics | 56 |
| Political Science | 65 |
| Psychology | 45 |
| Public Affairs | 65 |
| Sociology | 47 |
| Speech-Language Pathology | 38 |
As of 2024, UO offers 420 different study programs. Students come from all 50 U.S. states and 91 countries. In Fall 2023, the most popular major was Pre-Business Administration. Psychology, Human Physiology, Economics, and Political Science were also popular.
UO has nine colleges and schools. The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) has many different subjects. The Charles H. Lundquist College of Business (LCB) teaches business topics. The College of Design (COD) focuses on design and planning. It was founded in 1914. The College of Education started in 1910. The Robert D. Clark Honors College is a small college for top students. The School of Journalism and Communication is one of the oldest in the U.S. It started in 1912. The School of Law moved to Eugene in 1915. The School of Music and Dance began in 1900.
The University of Oregon Medical School became a separate school in 1974. It is now called Oregon Health & Science University.
| Tuition and fees | |
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| Resident undergraduate | $10,288.50 |
| Non-resident undergraduate | $32,023.50 |
| Estimated annual cost | |
| Resident undergraduate | $25,523.50 |
| Non-resident undergraduate | $47,258.50 |
Applying to UO
It is "selective" to get into the University of Oregon. For students starting in Fall 2019, 22,329 out of 27,358 applicants were accepted. This means about 81.6% of students who applied got in. About 4,525 students chose to enroll.
For students who started in Fall 2019, the middle 50% of SAT scores were between 1100 and 1310. The middle 50% of ACT scores were between 22 and 28. The average high school GPA for new students was 3.65.
Teachers and Staff
As of 2022, at least 19 UO teachers have been chosen for the National Academy of Sciences.
In Fall 2023, the university had 2,097 teachers. Many of these teachers are on a special track to become permanent professors. UO ranks well for professor salaries compared to other universities.
Research at UO
UO is part of the Association of American Universities. It is also known for "Very High Research Activity." This means it does a lot of important research. In 2018, UO spent $111 million on research and development.
The university has 13 research centers and institutes. It also has nine "research core facilities." These are places with special equipment for research.
How UO is Organized
Accreditation
The university is approved by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. This group is recognized by the United States Department of Education. This means UO meets high standards for education.
How the University is Run
The University of Oregon is run by its own rules, called The Constitution of the University of Oregon. Teachers, students, and staff work together to make decisions. They do this through the University Senate.
The UO Board of Trustees took control in 2014. This board has the power to manage the university. They make sure it follows all laws and rules.
Karl Scholz became the 19th president of UO in 2023.
Budget
In 2014, UO's total money for running the university was $905 million. The university helps the local economy by about $2.6 billion each year. Even though more students are joining, the state gives less money than it used to. UO gets less state support than many other similar universities.
Campus Safety
The University of Oregon Police Department keeps the campus safe.
UO Campus
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The campus is about 295 acres big. It has about eighty buildings. The campus is also like a park with 500 types of trees. There are over 3,000 trees in total. It is next to the West University neighborhood and Pioneer Cemetery. Eugene is close to the Willamette River, Cascade Mountains, and the Pacific Ocean. Portland is also only a two-hour drive away.
Many new buildings are being built or planned. The campus is also home to the Oregon Bach Festival.
Many buildings are planned around open areas called quadrangles. The university is known for a special way of designing buildings. It's called the Oregon Experiment. This idea says that people who will use the buildings should help design them. Also, buildings should be built in many small steps, not just one big project.
Most academic buildings are along East 13th Avenue. Student centers and dorms are in the middle and east parts of campus. Sports facilities are in the south-central part. Autzen Stadium and PK Park are across the Willamette River. UO also has other locations. These include a large building in Portland and the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology in Charleston.
Since 2012, the campus has been smoke and tobacco free.
Old Campus and Memorial Quad
The oldest part of campus is in the northwest. The first building, University Hall, opened in 1876. It was renamed University Hall in 2020. The second building is Villard Hall. It was finished in 1886. Both University and Villard Halls are important historical places.
South of the Old Campus is the Memorial Quad. The main library, Knight Library, is at one end. The Lillis Business Complex is at the other. Prince Lucien Campbell Hall (PLC) is the tallest building on campus. The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art is also nearby. Chapman Hall, which houses the Robert D. Clark Honors College, is also here.
Central Campus
The center of campus has academic buildings, administration offices, and student recreation centers. Johnson Hall has offices for the university president. Across 13th Avenue is "The Pioneer" statue. It shows a pioneer man. The "Pioneer Mother" statue is on the other side of Johnson Hall. They are placed so they can "see" each other.
Lawrence Hall houses the School of Architecture and Allied Arts. Allen Hall is next to it and has the School of Journalism and Communication.
The Erb Memorial Union (student union) and the recreation center are also in this area.
Lorry I. Lokey Science Complex and East Campus
The Lorry I. Lokey Science Complex has many science buildings. Willamette Hall is for the physics department. Cascade Hall is for geology. Deschutes Hall is for Computer Science. These buildings were finished in 1989.
The Lokey Laboratories are also in this complex. They have special tools for science. These labs are named after Lorry I. Lokey who donated $25 million.
The Allan Price Science Commons and Research Library is also here. It was updated and reopened in 2016.
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The Ford Alumni Center and Matthew Knight Arena are in the northeast part of campus. Most of the east side has dorms. Carson Hall has dining services and dorms. The Living-Learning Center opened in 2006. It has dorms, classrooms, and study areas all in one place. The newest dorm, the Global Scholars Hall, opened in 2012.
South Campus
The south part of campus has most of the sports facilities. Hayward Field is for track and field. It has hosted many big events like the US Olympic Trials.
West of the sports areas is Pioneer Cemetery. The College of Education buildings are in the southwest corner. The HEDCO Education building and the Frohnmayer Music Center are nearby. The Knight Law Center is in the southeast corner. The Many Nations Longhouse and the Museum of Natural and Cultural History are also in this area.
Knight Campus
The Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact is a huge science campus. It cost a billion dollars. It is on the north side of Franklin Boulevard.
Phil and Penny Knight gave two $500 million gifts for this campus. The rest of the money comes from state bonds and other private donations.
It is hoped that the Knight Campus will help Oregon's science and technology grow. It aims to create new jobs and help the state's economy.
Other Areas and Satellite Campuses
The Riverfront Research Park is a small facility. It is used for creating new technologies. For example, it has research on artificial intelligence. It also houses the Zebrafish Information Network (ZFIN).
UO Portland
The university also has space in Old Town Portland. UO-Portland offers a city study environment. It is used by the School of Architecture, Journalism, Law, and Business.
In 2022, UO bought the campus of the closed Concordia University. Most of UO's programs in Portland will move there in 2023.
Sustainability Efforts
UO's architecture program is highly ranked for "Sustainable Design." This means they teach how to design buildings that are good for the environment.
The University of Oregon got a "B+" for its sustainability efforts in 2011.
New buildings or renovations on campus must use sustainable design. The Lillis Business Complex was the first. It earned a LEED Silver rating. As of 2016, 15 buildings on campus had LEED Silver or higher ratings.
Libraries and Museums
The University of Oregon Libraries help students and teachers. They have many books, offer help with research, and provide technology services. UO is the only Oregon member of the Association of Research Libraries. The main library is the Knight Library. It has books on humanities and social sciences. It also has special collections and media services. Other library locations include:
- The Design Library
- The John E. Jaqua Law Library
- The Loyd & Dorothy Rippey Library at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology
- The Mathematics Library
- The Portland Library & Learning Commons
- The Science Library
The UO Libraries also have Scholars' Bank. This is a digital place to share research from the university.
The Special Collections & University Archives has unique items. These include writings by Gardner Fox and a rare collection of Japanese senjafuda (votive slips).
The University of Oregon is home to the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural and Cultural History.
Campus Life and Events
| Race and ethnicity | Total | ||
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| White | 61% |
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| Hispanic | 15% |
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| Other | 11% |
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| Asian | 7% |
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| Foreign national | 3% |
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| Black | 2% |
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| Native American | 0% | ||
| Pacific Islander | 0% | ||
| Economic diversity | |||
| Low-income | 24% |
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| Affluent | 76% |
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Special Events
UO hosts many special events. One very popular event is the Oregon Bach Festival. This music festival is linked to the university. It started in 1970. It brings hundreds of musicians and over 40,000 people each year.
The festival has featured famous artists. It also asks composers to create new music. A recording from the Bach Festival won a Grammy Award in 2001.
Clubs and Groups
There are over 250 student groups at the University of Oregon. Most of them are based in the Erb Memorial Union.
UO has three student-run singing groups that perform without instruments. They are called Divisi, On the Rocks, and Mind the Gap.
Media
The University of Oregon has many student-run media groups. These include the Daily Emerald newspaper and Ethos Magazine.
The university also has two radio stations: KWAX (classical music) and KWVA (campus radio).
Student Government
There are two main student government groups at UO. The biggest is the Associated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO). It helps students with social, cultural, and educational activities.
Students also have a voice in the University Senate. Five students are voting members. The ASUO president is also a member. Students are also on the university's board of trustees.
The second largest group is the Residence Hall Association (RHA). They speak up for students living in dorms. They help improve dorm life through activities and ideas.
Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation
The University of Oregon Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation (GTFF) started in 1976. It represents graduate students who work at the university. It is one of the oldest groups like this in the U.S.
In 2014, the GTFF went on strike for the first time. They wanted better pay and paid sick leave. The strike lasted one week. They reached an agreement with the university.
Facilities and Housing
The Erb Memorial Union (EMU) is the student union building. It is a main place for student life. It had a big renovation from 2013 to 2016. The new building has better dining options and meeting spaces.
South of the EMU is the Student Recreational Center (SRC). The Lyllye Reynolds-Parker Black Cultural Center opened in 2019. It is named after Lyllye-Reynolds Parker.
There are several dorms. Kalapuya Ilihi opened next to Global Scholars Hall. It houses 531 students. Unthank Hall opened in 2021.
Athletics at UO
The University of Oregon is part of the Pac-12 Conference as of 2023. It competes in Division I sports. The athletic teams have won 28 NCAA team championships. They have also had 60 individual champions in track and field. Because of its strong track program, Eugene is known as "Track Town, USA."
The two main rivals for the Oregon Ducks football team are the Washington Huskies and the Oregon State Beavers. The football game against Oregon State University is one of the oldest rivalries. They play almost every year since 1894.
The university has teams in 14 sports. These include football, basketball, baseball, and track and field. Club sports also compete at a high level.
Cross country and track and field are the most successful programs. They have won 20 NCAA championships. These programs have produced many famous athletes like Steve Prefontaine. Nike was started by former track coach Bill Bowerman and runner Phil Knight.
The football team started in 1893. They won their first Rose Bowl in 1917. The 1938–39 men's basketball team, called the "Tall Firs," won the first-ever NCAA basketball tournament.
Baseball was stopped in 1981 but brought back in 2007.
Joining the Big Ten Conference
On August 4, 2023, the Big Ten Conference voted to accept the University of Oregon. The University of Washington also joined. This change will happen on August 2, 2024. This means UO will leave the Pac-12 Conference. The university said this will not end the yearly Oregon–Oregon State football rivalry game.
Relationship with Nike
The Athletic Department and the university have a long connection with Nike Inc.. Nike was founded by two UO alumni. Phil Knight, a Nike founder, has given a lot of money to UO. He has invested heavily in the sports programs.
Mascot
The mascot of the University of Oregon is the fighting duck. The famous Disney character Donald Duck has been the mascot for many years. This started with an agreement in 1947.
Song
The university's fight song is "Mighty Oregon." It was written in 1916.
People from UO
Famous Alumni
- '''Notable alumni of the University of Oregon include:'''
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Sam Adams, first openly gay Mayor of Portland
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Lee Bollinger, President of Columbia University
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Suzanne Bonamici, U.S. Representative
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Bill Bowerman, Track and Field coach and co-founder of Nike, Inc.
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Walter Houser Brattain, Nobel Prize winner in Physics
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Neil Goldschmidt, former Governor of Oregon
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Justin Herbert, NFL Quarterback
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Sabrina Ionescu, NCAA all-time leader in triple-doubles
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James Ivory, Oscar-winning director
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Phil Knight, co-founder of Nike, Inc.
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Choo Kyung-ho, South Korean Deputy Prime Minister
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Kaitlin Olson, actress
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William P. Murphy, Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine
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Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club
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William V. Roth, former U.S. senator
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Paul Simon, former U.S. senator
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Nguyen Thien Nhan, former Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam
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Ron Wyden, U.S. senator from Oregon
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Hilda Heine, former President of the Marshall Islands
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Marcus Mariota, NFL Player
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Many famous people have graduated from the University of Oregon. These include two Nobel Prize winners and 16 Pulitzer Prize winners. There are also 19 Rhodes Scholars.
More than 195,000 people around the world have graduated from UO. The Ford Alumni Center has exhibits about UO's history.
Famous alumni include: academic leaders Lee Bollinger (president of Columbia University) and Gene Block (chancellor of UCLA). Also, TV host Ann Curry, author Ken Kesey (who wrote One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), and businessman Phil Knight (who started Nike, Inc.). NFL quarterbacks Marcus Mariota and Justin Herbert also went to UO. Other notable alumni are actress Kaitlin Olson and Hilda Heine, former president of the Marshall Islands.
Teachers and Staff
Current and past teachers at UO include one Nobel Prize winner. There are also 11 members of the National Academy of Sciences. Two Oregon researchers have won the President's National Medal of Science.
Famous teachers and staff include: architect Arthur Erikson, neuroscientist Michael Posner, and molecular biologist George Streisinger. Knight Research Professor David Wineland won the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Famous former sports staff include: track coach Bill Bowerman (co-founder of Nike, Inc.) and football coach Chip Kelly.
See also
In Spanish: Universidad de Oregón para niños
