Utah Valley University

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Utah Valley University
Utah Valley University seal.svg
Seal of the University
Former names
Central Utah Vocational School (1941–1963)
Utah Trade Technical Institute (1963–1967)
Utah Technical College at Provo (1967–1987)
Utah Valley Community College (1987–1993)
Utah Valley State College (1993–2008)
Motto"A Place For You"
Type Public university
Established1941;83 years ago (1941)
Parent institution
Utah System of Higher Education
Accreditation NWCCU
Endowment $84.1 million (2022) [1]
President Astrid S. Tuminez
Students44,653 (Fall 2023) [2]
Undergraduates 43,796 (Fall 2023) [2]
Postgraduates 857 (Fall 2023) [2]
Location,
United States

40°16′40″N111°42′50″W / 40.27778°N 111.71389°W / 40.27778; -111.71389
Campus Suburban
Colors Green and White [3]
   
Nickname Wolverines
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division IWAC
MascotWilly the Wolverine
Website www.uvu.edu OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
UVU-Institutional-Square-Mark-2016.svg
View of the UVU Campus, October 2004. Campus Fall Shots (2312881301) (2).jpg
View of the UVU Campus, October 2004.

Utah Valley University (UVU) is a public university in Orem, Utah. UVU offers master's, bachelor's, associate degrees, and certificates. [4] Previously called Utah Valley State College, the school attained university status in July 2008.

Contents

History

Central Utah Vocational School

The school was founded in the fall of 1941, when the Utah State Vocational Office consolidated federal work program classes into one campus in Provo, just west of the campus of Brigham Young University. At this time, the school was known as Central Utah Vocational School (CUVS). [5]

Utah Trade Technical Institute

Growth brought numerous changes to the school over the following decades, and it was renamed several times to reflect its changing role. In 1963, the name was changed from CUVS [6] to Utah Trade Technical Institute.

Utah Technical College at Provo

In 1967, the school became Utah Technical College in Provo and was given the authority to confer associate degrees for the first time. In 1977, the institution began moving to its present location, at the junction of I-15 and University Parkway in Orem.

Utah Valley Community College

In 1987, it became Utah Valley Community College.

Utah Valley State College

In 1993, the school was named UVSC and began awarding four-year degrees. The Utah legislature approved renaming UVSC as a university in February 2007 (effective July 1, 2008), allowing it to begin offering master's degrees, although the school continues to emphasize its two- and four-year degree programs.

Utah Valley University

On July 1, 2008, UVSC changed to UVU, officially changing to a university. As of Fall Semester 2018, the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) reported [7] UVU as the largest university in the state for the fourth year in a row with 39,931 students, [8] surpassing the University of Utah.

UVU is the largest employer in Orem, [9] with over 1,900 full-time faculty and staff and over 3,300 part-time faculty and staff. [10]

When it was a community college, the school had 8,000 students enrolled, and it was thriving and growing by approximately 3,000 students a year. [11] [12] The university had 32,670 students enrolled for the 2010 fall semester. [13] 31,556 students were enrolled for the fall of 2012. [14]

Dr. Astrid S. Tuminez has been the institution's 7th president since 2018 and is the university's first female president. Tuminez was selected by the Utah State Board of Regents in 2018 [15] and was preceded by Matthew S. Holland.

Academics

UVU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. [16] Individual programs, schools and colleges, and departments are accredited, certified, or recognized by 19 specialized accreditation agencies. [17] Vocational accreditation was granted in 1976, and renewed in 1990 and 1995 by the Utah State Office of Vocational Education. In December 2006, the UVU School of Business received initial accreditation from the AACSB, which was maintained in 2011.

About 88% of UVU students come from Utah, but an increasing number of students come from other states and countries. In 2016, UVU students represented all 50 US states, the District of Columbia, and 74 countries. [18]

UVU's in-state tuition and fees cost roughly $5,530 (2016–17); out-of-state tuition and fees are $15,690 (2016–17). [19]

UVU has a 100% acceptance rate. [20] As of 2021, it holds a US ranking of #369 according to Forbes . [21] For 2022, U.S. News & World Report ranked UVU #94-#122 in Regional Universities West and #114 in Social Mobility for that region's universities. [22]

Campuses

Computer Science Building Computer Science Building (2312865761).jpg
Computer Science Building
Woodbury Building Business Building15 (2604111905) (2).jpg
Woodbury Building

UVU's main campus is in Orem with satellite campuses in Heber City, Spanish Fork, North Orem, Provo Municipal Airport, and Lehi. UVU's main campus encompasses 228 acres (0.92 km2) and includes 48 buildings.

Each building has been built using the same style of exposed reinforced concrete with masonry infill walls (before 2005), with all of the major buildings on campus connected by 30-foot-wide (9.1 m) concourses. UVU grounds include two reflecting ponds on the west side of campus, a stream running through the east part of campus, and a multi-dimensional fountain in the middle of campus.

UVU is home to the Utah Community Credit Union Center, [23] formerly the David O. McKay Events Center which was built in 1996 with a capacity to seat 8,500 people. The events center is governed by a board of representatives from UVU, Utah County, and Orem City. It not only holds campus activities and sporting events but also community events such as major concerts, trade shows and expos, high school sports tournaments, family shows, graduations, and banquets. It is also home to UVU's culinary arts program, including Greg's Restaurant. On average, the Events Center hosts 150–170 events per year. As many as 360,000 people patronize the Events Center on an annual basis. [24]

Utah Valley University

Digital Learning Center

In September 2006, the school began construction of a new Digital Learning Center to replace the 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) Losee Resource Center (library). The "DLC" is 180,000 square feet (17,000 m2) and is located northeast of the Liberal Arts building. It opened on July 1, 2008. UVU President William A. Sederburg hired Cooper, Roberts, Simonsen and Associates, and Layton Construction as the design/build team for the new Digital Learning Center, with acclaimed New York architect Jacob Alspector as lead architect. "We chose the design we’re going with because it was an exceptional design that still kept a lot of the same features of our current campus. So it looks like it’s supposed to be there yet it stands out," said Jim Michaelis, associate vice president of Facilities Planning. The $48 million project includes networked computers, computer labs, a computer reference area (Information Commons), a media center, 31 study rooms, and wireless internet throughout the building. In 2016 money was donated to the Library by Ira A. Fulton and Mary Lou Fulton, and it was renamed Fulton Library. [25]

The library is the "greenest" state-owned building in Utah and won two 2008 awards from Intermountain Construction magazine for its energy efficiency. [26]

List of buildings on main campus

Science building

The UVU Science Building opened in the summer of 2012. [27] The building features study rooms to the west side that have glass whiteboards as well as windows spanning the entire height of the towers. In addition, ZOOL 2320 students can enjoy the new Anatomy Lab, which has vents to decrease the concentration of Phenol in the air.

Organization

Campus at night Orem Campus at Night (2313701582) (2).jpg
Campus at night

UVU is part of the USHE, with the following primary colleges and schools:

Other academic support programs include the Office of Engaged Learning, the Office of Teaching and Learning, Extended Studies, Summer, Concurrent Enrollment, Professional and Continuing Education, Academic Service-Learning, and Honors. [29]

Performing arts

Ballroom dance

UVU is home to one of the largest public collegiate ballroom dance programs in the United States. The company has over 130 members divided into four teams; one touring team, one reserve, and two backup teams. The backup teams provide the students with the training and performance skills necessary to meet the demands of the touring team. The UVU Ballroom Dance Company has received numerous awards, honors, and accolades as they have performed and competed throughout the United States and abroad, including winning the first ever College Dance Championship on ABC's TV series Dancing With The Stars in 2010. [30]

Music

UVU has ten main musical groups. The four choir groups are Chamber Choir, Deep Green, Emerald Singers, and Concert Choir. The two orchestra groups are Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra. Band-related groups include Wind Symphony, Jazz Band, Pep Band, University Band, and Percussion Ensemble.

Theatre

The UVU Theatre program produces five shows each year on its mainstage season. In addition, the president of the university selects a title each year as part of the freshman reading program that the department stages in the university's courtyard. The department partners with the Sundance Resort to produce Sundance Summer Theatre each year. The university creates a play that travels and performs in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as part of its annual Theatre Semester Abroad to London and Scotland. They also host the Rocky Mountain Summer Stock Theatre Auditions each year, where college students from across the region audition for professional summer stock theatres. UVU is the first university in the nation to win back to back national awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. [31] [32] In 2013 they won Outstanding Production of a Play for ‘Vincent in Brixton’ written by Nicholas Wright and directed by Christopher Clark. [33] In 2014 UVU won Outstanding Production of a Musical for the Pulitzer Prize winning ‘Next to Normal’ with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, music by Tom Kitt, directed by David Tinney, and music direction by Rob Moffat. [34] Other national KCACTF awards UVU repeated include Outstanding Director and Outstanding Performance by an Actress. [35]

Athletics

The school mascot is the Wolverine Wolverine Sign Front Entrance (2312922995) (2).jpg
The school mascot is the Wolverine

The school mascot is the Wolverine, and the colors are green and white. [36] The Wolverines compete in the Western Athletic Conference.

The UVU student section was changed to “The Den” in the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year. It was previously called Mighty Athletic Wolverine League, or “MAWL”

The Wolverines play their home basketball games in the 8,500-seat UCCU Center. The baseball team plays at UCCU Ballpark, a 5,000-seat facility that was also formerly home of the Orem Owlz, a minor-league affiliate of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, that competed in the Pioneer Baseball League. Track and Field compete at the Hal Wing Track & Field. Softball at the Wolverine Field. And, Volleyball and Wrestling competed in Lockhart Arena.

Media

The school has an independent, student-run weekly newspaper called the UVU Review . The newspaper began publishing under the name on June 30, 2008, the day before the university transition became official. [37] The school is also the subject of the documentary This Divided State.

Utah Fire and Rescue Academy

The school is one of few Utah universities which provides free training to Utah fire agencies. In August 2009, the university unveiled a Mobile Command Center, acquired by federal grants. The Utah Valley University Fire Academy Mobile Command Training Center cost an estimated $200,000 to $300,000 and provides both students and firefighters with realistic fire training. [38]

Notable alumni

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">UCCU Ballpark</span> Baseball stadium in Orem, Utah, United States

DoTerra Field at UCCU Ballpark, is a baseball park in the western United States, on the campus of Utah Valley University (UVU) in southwestern Orem, Utah. It is the home field of the Utah Valley Wolverines of the NCAA Division I Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah Valley Wolverines</span> Athletic teams of Utah Valley University

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The 2012–13 Utah Valley Wolverines men's basketball team represented Utah Valley University in the 2012–13 college basketball season. This was head coach Dick Hunsaker's eleventh season at UVU. The Wolverines played their home games at the UCCU Center and were members of the Great West Conference. They finished the season 14–18, 3–5 in Great West play to finish in a three way tie for third place. They lost in the first round of the Great West tournament to Houston Baptist.

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The 2021–22 Utah Valley Wolverines women's basketball team represented Utah Valley University in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. Dan Nielson entered the season as head coach for his 3rd season. The Wolverines played their home games at the UCCU Center and Lockhart Arena in Orem, Utah as members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

The 2021–22 Utah Valley Wolverines men's basketball team represented Utah Valley University in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Wolverines, led by third-year head coach Mark Madsen, played their home games at the UCCU Center in Orem, Utah, and compete as members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

The 2022–23 Utah Valley Wolverines women's basketball team represents Utah Valley University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. Dan Nielson entered the season as head coach for his 4th season. The Wolverines played their home games at the UCCU Center and Lockhart Arena in Orem, Utah as members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

The 2022–23 Utah Valley Wolverines men's basketball team represented Utah Valley University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Wolverines, led by fourth-year head coach Mark Madsen, played their home games at the UCCU Center in Orem, Utah, and competed as members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). They finished with an overall record of 24–7, 15–3 in WAC play, to finish in first place. In the 2023 WAC tournament, they defeated Tarleton in the quarterfinals before losing to Southern Utah in the semifinals the following day. As the conference leader who didn't win their tournament, they were offered an automatic bid to play in the NIT. They defeated New Mexico, Colorado, and Cincinnati to reach the semifinal round, where they finally fell to UAB in overtime, 86–88. With a final record of 28–9, the 2022–23 season marked the Wolverine's most successful season to date as a D-I program.

The 2023–24 Utah Valley Wolverines men's basketball team represents Utah Valley University in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Wolverines, led by first-year head coach Todd Phillips, play their home games at the UCCU Center in Orem, Utah, and compete as members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

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