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The 'University of Rhode Island', commonly abbreviated as 'URI', is the principal public research university in the State of Rhode Island, with its main campus in Kingston, Rhode Island, and three other campuses located throughout the state. URI has 14,546 undergraduates and 4,549 graduate students. It is a land grant, sea grant, and urban grant institution.

Contents

History

Academics

Athletics

Fight Song

Student Organizations

Traditions and trivia

Notable alumni/ae

Politics

Sports

Arts and entertainment

Business

Science

Military

Film

See also

External links

History

The University was first chartered as the state's agricultural school in 1888. The site of the school was originally the Oliver Watson Farm, and the original farmhouse still lies on the campus today. In 1892, the school became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. The first class comprised only seventeen students, and they graduated two years later. In 1909, the school's name was again changed to Rhode Island State College and the school's programs expanded beyond its original mandate. In 1951, the college became the University of Rhode Island by an act of the General Assembly. The Board of Governors for Higher Education, appointed by the governor, became the governing body of the University in 1981.

Academics

The University comprises ten colleges & over 100 majors:

★ '''University College'''

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★ Undecided Majors/Incoming Students

★ '''College of Arts and Sciences'''

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★ School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics

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★ Chemistry

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★ Computer Science & Statistics

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★ Mathematics

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★ Physics

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★ School of Humanities

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★ Center for Humanities

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★ Writing Program

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★ Communication Studies

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★ Comparative Literature Studies

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★ English

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★ Language Studies

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★ Film Media

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★ History

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★ Journalism

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★ Modern & Classical Language Studies

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★ Philosophy

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★ School of Social Sciences

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★ African & African-American Studies

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★ Economics

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★ Military Science

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★ Political Science

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★ Psychology

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★ Sociology

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★ Anthropology

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★ Women's Studies

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★ School of Fine Arts

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★ Art

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★ Art Galleries

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★ Performance

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★ Music

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★ Jazz

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★ Theatre

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★ Graduate School of Library and Information Studies

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★ Library and Information Studies

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★ School Library Media

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★ Academic Librarianship

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★ Special Librarianship

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★ Dual degrees in Librianship and Public Policy, Literature, History, etc.

★ '''College of Business'''

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★ Accounting

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★ Entrepreneurship

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★ Finance & Insurance

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★ General Business

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★ International Business

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★ Management

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★ Marketing

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★ Supply Chain Management


★ '''College of Engineering'''

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★ '''Chemical'''

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★ '''Civil and Enviromental'''

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★ '''Electrical, Computer and Biomedical'''

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★ '''Industrial'''

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★ Manufacturing

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★ '''Mechanical and Applied Mechanics'''

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★ '''Ocean'''

★ '''College of Environmental & Life Sciences'''

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★ Animal Science & Technology

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★ Aquaculture & Fisheries Technology

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★ Biology

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★ Biological Sciences

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★ Pre-Med

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★ Clinical Laboratory Science

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★ Coastal & Marine Policy & Management

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★ Coastal & Marine Policy Studies

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★ Environmental Economics & Management

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★ Environmental Horticulture & Turf Management

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★ Environmental Science & Management

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★ Environmental Plant Biology

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★ Geology & Geological Oceanography

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★ Geosciences

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★ Landscape Architecture

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★ Marine Biology

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★ Microbiology

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★ Biotechnology

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★ Nutrition & Dietetics

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★ Resource Economics & Commerce

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★ Water & Soil Science

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★ Wildlife & Conservation Biology

★ '''College of Human Science and Services'''

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★ Communicative Disorders

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★ Elementary Education

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★ Secondary Education

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★ Human Development & Family Studies

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★ Human Science & Services

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★ Physical Education & Exercise Education

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★ Textile Marketing

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★ Textiles, Fashion Merchandising, & Design

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★ Gerontology

★ '''College of Nursing'''

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★ Nursing

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★ Registered Nurse Program

★ '''College of Pharmacy'''

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★ Pharmacy

★ '''Graduate School of Oceanography'''

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★ Oceanography

Athletics

The University of Rhode Island Department of Athletics and Recreation offers 22 intercollegiate sports (12 women and 10 for men) and 17 club sports programs. The university is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, the Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association, and the Colonial Athletic Association in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision for football. The wide range of athletic facilities include the Ryan Center, Keaney Gymnasium, Meade Stadium, Mackal Field House, Tootell Aquatic Center, Boss Ice Arena, URI Soccer Complex, Beck Field and URI Softball Field. Other facilities available for students include fitness rooms, indoor track, swimming and diving pools, twelve tennis courts, and two beach volleyball courts, among others.
The team colors are light blue (formerly officially referred to as "Keaney blue"), white and navy blue. The school's mascot is a ram. It was chosen in 1923 as tribute to the school's agricultural history. There has not been a live ram at the school since 1974, with "Rhody", a student in an anthropomorphic ram costume, roaming the sidelines in his place.[1]

Fight Song

We're Rhode Island born

and we're Rhode Island bred

and when we die, we'll be Rhode Island dead

so go, go Rhode Island, Island,

go, go Rhode Island, Island

GO Rhode Island

U-R-I!

Original Rhode Island State College Fight Song Circa 1922

We're Rhode Island born

We're Rhode Island bred

And when we die

We'll be Rhode Island dead

Chorus:-

For it's Rah! Rah! Rah! Rhode Island, Island

Rah! Rah! Rhode Island, Island

Rah! Rah! Rhode Island, R.I. State.

We're here to play

and we're here to win,

and when we play

we play like sin.

Chorus-

The fight song features a physical aspect as well as a vocal. To begin the fight song, students start with a slow clap that eventually stops when the words begin. At the end, the "U-R-I!" is emphasized by making a fist with the right hand. Then placing said fist on the left shoulder on "U," the right shoulder on "R," and is completed by throwing it up in the air on "I!"
A interesting side note: at camp Yawgoog (a boy scout camp 14 miles west on the same road), the fight song is always sung by the staff during meals, due in part to the majority of the staff being students of URI.

Student Organizations

Student organizations are funded by the URI Student Senate, which is in turn funded by fees levied on all students. Prominent organizations are:

★ URI Student Senate — the undergraduate student government[2]

★ Student Entertainment Committee (SEC) — organizes large concerts and other campus-wide entertainment, including comedians, guest speakers, and special activities.

★ WRIU — campus radio

★ ''The Good 5 Cent Cigar'' — campus newspaper

★ URI Students for Social Change

★ URI Student Action for Sustainability

★ Local branches of national organizations such as: Hillel, Campus Crusade for Christ, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, NAACP, and the PRSSA.

★ Zeta Beta Tau, Rho Iota chapter — Fraternity at URI that has won two of the last three Brummer Cups, which is the award given to the best overall chapter of ZBT. In addition this chapter received the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) Award of Distinction, which is given annually by the governing body of fraternities to a few of the best overall chapters in the country.

Traditions and trivia

★ A rifled cannon, fired by Andrew Hartman in the 19th century, burst on the Quadrangle. The school placed the barrel of said cannon, known as "Ben Butler", in a permanent mount, guarding the Quad.

★ Butterfield Dining and Residence Hall is referred to as "The Butt," a comical anatomical reference, or "Butters," a reference to the complimentary slang term popularized by hip-hop music.

★ Roger Williams Dining Hall is referred to as "Ro-Jo's", a reference to the old Howard Johnson's restaurants.

★ Many off-campus students live "down the line" in Narragansett, neighborhoods such as Eastward Look, Scarborough Hills, Bonnet Shores, Narragansett Pier and Great Island. This refers to an old bus line.

★ The University Library has over 1.2 million books and subscriptions to over 20,000 electronic journals.

Notable alumni/ae

Politics

★ Robert Weygand, Lieutenant Governor of RI 1993-1997, U.S. Representative from RI 1997-2001

★ Charles J. Fogarty, (graduate degree) Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island 1999-2006

★ Charles Simons, graduate degree, biomechanics and biochemistry, President and CEO of Showtime Industries Inc.
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★ Lincoln Almond, Former Governor of Rhode Island

Sports

★ Ernie Calverley Former NBA player, Former URI Head Coach

★ Tom Garrick, Former NBA player for the San Antonio Spurs,and L.A. Clippers, Current Head Coach for URI Women's team.

★ Sly Williams, Former NBA player for New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, and Boston Celtics

★ Cuttino Mobley, NBA player for the Los Angeles Clippers

★ Lamar Odom, NBA player for the Los Angeles Lakers

★ Steve Furness, Former NFL player for Pittsburgh Steelers

★ Frank Ferrara, Former NFL defensive end for New York Giants, Hollywood stunt man

★ Sasha Gotsmanov, MLS player for the Colorado Rapids

★ Jeffrey Gonsalves, MLS player for Toronto FC

★ Andy Williams, MLS player for Real Salt Lake

★ Todd Bozeman, Head Coach, Morgan State University men's basketball

★ Jim Christian, Head Coach, Kent State University men's basketball

★ Dana Quigley, PGA Tour golfer

★ Patrick Horgan, PGA Tour golfer

★ Paul Kenyon, Sports writer, ''Providence Journal''

★ Andy Gresh, Sports Analyst, Fox Sports, WSKO, ESPN Radio, Patriots Rock Radio Network

★ Tim Gray, Sports Reporter, NBC Sports

Arts and entertainment

★ Jim O'Connor, TV host, Food Network

★ J.T. Walsh, Actor

★ Ross Kauffman, Co-Writer, director, producer, ''Born into Brothels''

★ Matt Gallant, Television personality

★ Christiane Amanpour, Chief International Correspondent, CNN

Business

★ Robert Crandall, Former President and Chairman of the Board, American Airlines

★ Thomas Ryan, CEO of CVS Corporation

★ Alfred Verrecchia, CEO Hasbro

★ Rodger B. Dowdell, CEO American Power Conversion

★ Crosley Jackson, CEO Evergreen Investments

★ Bruce Sherman, Investor & CEO of Private Capital Management

★ Michael D. Fascitelli, President & Trustee of Vornado Realty Trust

★ Vincent Sarni, Former Chairman & CEO of PPG Industries

Science

★ Robert Ballard, Oceanographer, discoverer of the RMS ''Titanic''

★ Paul Dellegatto, Chief Meteorologist for FOX13 in Tampa

Military

★ Admiral Jeremy M. Boorda, 25th Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.

★ General Leon J. LaPorte, United States Army four star general

Film

★ The film ''Outside Providence'' shot its private school sequences at Green Hall, among other locations at the Kingston Campus.

★ The film ''Hard Luck'' was shot on the W. Alton Jones Campus.

★ The upcoming film ''Underdog'' shot some of its scenes at the Providence campus.

See also

★ Dr. Everett Christopher Memorial Arboretum

★ URI Botanical Gardens

★ Joint Degrees in law at Roger Williams University School of Law

★ Global U8 Consortium GU8

External links

★ University of Rhode Island

★ Official URI Athletics

★ 90.3 WRIU (URI's Non-Profit/Community Radio Station)

★ The Good 5c Cigar - URI's Student Newspaper

★ URI Students for Social Change

★ URI College of Business Administration

★ URI College of Pharmacy

★ URI Computer Science Department Wiki

★ URI Institutional Research - URI Statistics and Information

★ URI Computer Help Desk Wiki