Sam Houston State University

      Sam Houston State University (known as SHSU or Sam) was founded in 1879 and is the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas. It is located approximately one hour north of downtown Houston in the hills, lakes, and forests region of East Texas in Huntsville. It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first such institution of its type in Texas. The school is named for Sam Houston, who made his home in the city and is buried there.

SHSU is a member of the Texas State University System and has an enrollment of more than 18,400 students across over 80 undergraduate, 54 masters', and 6 doctoral degree programs. The university also offers more than 20 online bachelor's and graduate degrees, and its online programs are ranked high by U.S. News & World Report

The Sam Houston State University campus was originally home to Austin College, the Presbyterian institution that relocated to Sherman, Texas in 1876. Austin Hall was constructed in 1851 and is the oldest university building west of the Mississippi still in operation. It was renovated in 2012 and is used today for special meetings and events. Notably, Sam Houston himself attended and participated in the original dedication of the building.The one-room Peabody Memorial Library was the first free-standing campus library in Texas; it was constructed in 1901 with funds provided by the George Peabody Foundation. According to the Normal Institute's catalogue, the library was "a very handsome structure, and especially designed for the purpose for which it is to be used. It is said that no school of this kind in the South has a Building equal to it."Fully restored, it is now used as a venue for special university events.

The oak-studded rural main campus sits on 316 acres in the central area of Huntsville. Two large agricultural complexes feature a 1,600 acre teaching and research farm and a rodeo arena. The campus also features a planetarium, an observatory, a body farm, and an 18-hole golf course named Raven Nest. The mall area of the main campus includes Blatchley Bell Tower and Clock and a fountain.

Programs within the College of Criminal Justice were recently ranked by the Journal of Criminal Justice in the top five nationally. The theater and dance programs were ranked by Dance Spectrum Magazine in the top 25 nationally, and according to the National Dance Association, SHSU is home to quality athletic dance team.The university offers the only Professional Golf Management program in Texas, one of 20 in the country. SHSU also boasts one of the oldest speech and debate programs in the nation.

Sam Houston State's colors are orange and white and their nickname is the Bearkats. Sam Houston State sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (Championship Subdivision for football) in the Southland Conference. Most recently, the top-ranked Bearkat football team was defeated by North Dakota State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I Football Championship.

SHSU's athletic teams have been nicknamed "The Bearkats" since 1923 when the University's name was changed by the Texas State Legislature from Sam Houston Normal Institute to Sam Houston State Teachers College. Prior to 1923, the varsity sports teams were nicknamed "The Normals."

It is doubtful those who coined the "Bearkat" nickname had a particular animal in mind. More likely, the name came from a popular local saying of the time, "tough as a Bearkat!" The late Reed Lindsey, who was a student/athlete in the 1920s and later retired as University registrar, once said that "it was a good fighting name of the time." Since the animal in the saying was thought more mythical than real, the spelling settled upon was "Bearkat."

Club sports are very popular at SHSU. Some available to students include: Ultimate Frisbee, lacrosse, rugby, martial arts, trap and skeet, inline hockey, basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, and baseball. The Sam Houston Quidditch team won the 2013 IQA World Cup Division 2 championship. The Spirit Programs, cheer, dance, and mascots, of Sam Houston hold the most National titles out of all of the sports and recreational activities at Sam Houston. The coed team is the reigning champions from NCA this past April. The All Girl team made school history by winning their first National Championship in April 2014.

California State University, Fullerton

     California State University, Fullerton (known as CSUF, Cal State Fullerton, or Fullerton State) is a public comprehensive university located in Fullerton, California. With a total enrollment of almost 39,000 it has the second largest student body out of the 23 campus California State University ("CSU") system, and its approximately 5,900 graduate student body is the second largest in the CSU and one of the largest in all of California. As of Fall 2013, the school had 1,932 faculty, of which 707 (36.6%) were on the tenure track.

The Orange County university offers over 240 degrees including 120 different Bachelor's degrees, 118 types of Master's degrees, 3 Doctoral degrees including a Doctor of Nursing and two Doctor of Education, and 19 teaching credentials.

CSUF is designated both as a Hispanic-serving institution and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISIs).The university is nationally accredited in art, athletic training, business, chemistry, communications, communicative disorders, computer science, dance, engineering, music, nursing, public administration, public health, social work, teacher education and theater. Spending related to CSUF generates an impact of around $1 billion to the California and local economy, and sustains nearly 9,000 jobs statewide.

In 1957, CSUF became the twelfth state college in California to be authorized by the state legislature as a degree-granting institution. The following year, a site was designated for the campus to be established in northeast Fullerton. The property was purchased in 1959. This is the same year that Dr. William B. Langsdorf was appointed as founding president of the school.

The University was originally named Orange County State College. Classes began with 452 students in September 1959. The name of the school was changed to Orange State College in July 1962. In 1964, the name of the school was changed for a second time to California State College at Fullerton. In June 1972, the final name change occurred and the school became California State University, Fullerton.

Academics -

California State University, Fullerton is the only campus in California that offers the Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in school nursing.

CSUF's academic departments and programs are organized into eight colleges: 

• College of the Arts

• Steven G. Mihaylo College of Business and Economics

• College of Communications

• College of Education

• College of Engineering and Computer Science

• College of Health and Human Development

• College of Humanities and Social Sciences

• College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Rankings and distinctions -

• CSUF was ranked the 39th top college in the United States by the Social Mobility Index college rankings.

• Forbes has recognized CSUF as one of the top 100 public universities in the nation.

• The Daily Beast ranked CSUF 94th in the country out of the nearly 2000 schools it evaluated for its 2013 Best Colleges ranking.

• Money Magazine ranked CSUF as 285th in the country out of the nearly 1500 schools it evaluated for its 2014 Best Colleges ranking.

• CSUF was ranked No. 23 among regional universities in the West by U.S. News and World Report in its 2012 rankings.

• CSUF tied at No. 6 for top public regional universities in the West with California State University, Chico and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in the U.S. News and World Report 2012 rankings. This is up from No. 10 the previous year.

•  In 2010, CSUF was ranked among the nation's 16 toughest grading colleges.Princeton Review lists CSUF in the "Best 294 Business Schools" publication.

• The Mihaylo College of Business and Economics is the largest accredited business school in the state of California and the fifth-largest in the United States.

• The Mihaylo College of Business and Economics is one of five undergraduate business schools in California with an accreditation in accounting.

• At the 2009 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, both winners of the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship represented CSUF's Department of Theatre and Dance. Also in 2001, a CSUF student was a winning contestant.

• CSUF's graduate program in Nursing-Anesthesia's Program was ranked No. 22 by U.S. News and World Report in the 2012 publication.

• CSUF's graduate program in Information Technology is ranked No. 5 nationally by U.S. News and World Report.

Athletics -

CSUF participates in the NCAA Division I Big West Conference. They have 13 national championships in eight different sports. (1970, Women's Basketball (CIAW); 1971, 1972, 1974 Men's Gymnastics; 1971 Cross country team; 1973 Women's Fencing; 1989, Men's Bowling; 1979, Women's Gymnastics; 1979, 1984, 1995, 2004 Baseball; 1986; Softball). Their baseball team is a perennial national powerhouse with four national titles and dozens of players playing Major League Baseball. The CSUF Dance Team holds the most national titles at the school currently, with 15 national titles from UDA Division 1 Jazz; 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016; as well as one national title from UDAs in Division 1 Hip Hop. The Dance Team also holds multiple titles from United Spirit Association.

Grand Valley State University

    Grand Valley State University (commonly referred to as GVSU, GV, or Grand Valley) is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on 1,322 acres (5.35 km2) approximately 12 miles (19 km) west of Grand Rapids.Classes are also offered at the university's growing Robert C. Pew Campus in Downtown Grand Rapids, Meijer Campus in Holland, and through centers at Muskegon and Traverse City established in cooperation with local community colleges.

GVSU is a comprehensive coeducational university serving more than 25,094 students as of fall 2014,from all 83 Michigan counties and dozens of other states and foreign countries.It is one of America's 100 largest universities as well as the fifth largest in Michigan in terms of enrollment, and employs more than 3,000 people with about 1,657 academic faculty and 1,623 support staff.The university currently has alumni residing in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, and 25 countries around the world.For the 2010–2011 academic year, GVSU was recognized as a top producer of Fulbright Scholars for master's institutions by The Chronicle of Higher Education.GVSU has also been noted for its sustainability efforts, ranking as high as 16th in the world for environment-friendly university management by GreenMetric World University Ranking in 2011.

In 1958 the Michigan Legislature commissioned a study that demonstrated a need for a four-year college in the Grand Rapids area, Michigan's second largest metropolitan region. Local businessman Bill Seidman created a committee to study the report and spearhead the planning and promotion to create such an institution. In the following year the Michigan Legislature established the college. A naming contest was held, and out of 2500 submissions, "Grand Valley State College" was chosen. Private donations, including $350,000 to purchase land and $1,000,000 for construction, were secured from 5,000 individuals, organizations, and business throughout West Michigan. In 1961, the Grand Valley State College Board of Control chose a 876-acre (3.55 km2) site in Ottawa County near the Grand River for the new campus, and construction of academic buildings began the following year.

Academics -

 

Grand Valley State University is a large, primarily residential comprehensive university that has a large undergraduate enrollment and emphasis.GVSU offers over 200 areas of study, including 82 undergraduate majors and 36 graduate programs that include 74 graduate emphases and certificate programs at the certificate, bachelor's, post-bachelor's, master's, post-master's, and doctoral levels.GVSU conferred 4,448 undergraduate degrees and 1,033 graduate degrees in 2012-2013.

Grand Valley's student body consists of 21,636 undergraduates and 3,458 graduate students across all campuses and centers with the majority being on the Allendale campus.The fall 2014 incoming freshman undergraduate class of 4,199 students, represented 80 Michigan counties, 23 states, and 20 countries. 86% of first year students live on campus: 3,591 freshman chose to live on-campus in fall 2014, while 608 chose to live off-campus.As of fall 2014, more than 400 international students were enrolled at the university representing 82 different countries.

GVSU's undergraduate admissions are classified as "more selective" by US News & World Report as Grand Valley admitted 69% of applicants for the 2008–2009 school year.The fall 2014 freshman class entered Grand Valley with an average high school GPA of a 3.54 and an average ACT composite score of a 24.

US News and World Report noted in its "Best Colleges 2011" that 98 percent of Grand Valley graduates either find employment or pursue advanced degrees after graduation.

Rankings -

 

U.S. News and World Report ranked Grand Valley 3rd in the "Top Public Regional Universities in the Midwest" category and 26th in the "Regional Universities (Midwest) tier 1" category for 2014.Grand Valley is also ranked a Best Midwestern College by The Princeton Review.GVSU is also ranked as one of "America's Best Colleges" by Forbes magazine and the fourth in the state of Michigan, only behind the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Michigan Technological University, in terms of quality of education and student achievement and experience.Grand Valley is ranked 10th among U.S. master's degree-granting institutions for total number of study abroad students, according to the Institute of International Education in New York.According to U.S. News and World Report, Grand Valley is also the number one most up-and-coming masters university in the Midwest, ahead of Xavier University, Butler University, Truman State University and Alverno College.As of fall 2009, GVSU had the third highest freshman to sophomore retention rate among Michigan's 15 public universities at 84 percent.For 14 consecutive years, Grand Valley has been named one of America's 100 Best College Buys by Institutional Research and Evaluation, Inc.The university has also been ranked as one of the top 25 "cutting edge" green colleges in the United States for 2009 by the Kaplan College Guide, the only Michigan university to receive this ranking.Upwards of 5,000 students are enrolled in health science related courses and majors, making GVSU the number one largest provider of health care professionals in Michigan.Grand Valley's Seidman College of Business is named one of "The Best 301 Business Schools" by The Princeton Review.US News and World Report has also ranked several of GVSU's graduate programs as being some of the best in the country. These "top" programs include: Physical Therapy, Nursing, Social Work, Physicians Assistant, Occupational Therapy, Public Affairs, and Business.

Athletics -

 

The Grand Valley State Lakers are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Grand Valley State University.The GVSU Lakers compete at the NCAA Division II level and offer 20 varsity sports including 11 for women and 9 for men.The university currently participates in and is a founding member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).Grand Valley's varsity athletic teams have won 15 national championships in seven sports and have been national runners-up thirteen times in eight sports. GVSU has also won the prestigious National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Directors' Cup for NCAA Division II schools in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2015 after finishing second in 2002, 2003, 2012 and 2013.The cup is awarded to the top athletic programs based on overall team national finishes. Grand Valley is the first college east of the Mississippi River to win the Director's Cup for NCAA Division II.

Endicott College

     Endicott College was founded in 1939 by Eleanor Tupper and her husband, George O. Bierkoe, as Endicott Junior college, a two-year women’s college with the mission of educating women for greater independence and an enhanced position in the workplace.The college was issued its first charter by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that same year, and graduated its first class of 20 students in 1941.

The school was named for John Endicott, an early overseer of Harvard University and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

In 1944, the school was approved by the state for the granting of associate's degrees, and in 1952, Endicott was accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. In 1975, the college dropped the 'Junior' from its name. In 1994, Endicott became co-educational.

George Bierkoe served as Endicott’s first president from its opening until 1971.Eleanor Tupper then served as president until 1980. She subsequently wrote Endicott and I, published in 1985, which details the founding and history of the college.Carol Hawkes became the third president of Endicott College in 1980, and during her tenure the college transitioned from a 2-year to a 4-year institution.Francis Gamelin served as Endicott's fourth president as the college searched for Hawkes successor.In 1988, Richard E. Wylie became the fifth and current president of Endicott.
Endicott's campus includes many historic buildings. On June 6, 1939, Endicott College purchased its first building, an estate known today as Reynolds Hall,which has served as a residence hall since the college opened on September 17, 1939.In 1940, Endicott College purchased two more buildings: Alhambra and College Hall. Both structures were a part of the William Amory Gardner estates. Built in 1750 by Thomas Woodbury, Alhambra is the oldest building on Endicott’s campus, and prior to its purchase, was used as a summer home by Isabella Stewart Gardner (until 1906).Since its purchase by the college, it has been used as student housing. College Hall, built in 1916, was designed as a summer home by Henry Richards and subsequently purchased by Endicott in 1940. The building currently houses multiple administrative offices, including the Office of the President.

Campus -

The college campus is located on 235-acre (0.95 km2) oceanfront property on the North Shore of Massachusetts Bay, in an area known as the Gold Coast.This area includes two beaches, Tupper Beach and Brindle Beach, frequented by the campus community.

Endicott's main academic buildings include the Wax Academic Center, Judge Science Center, Gerrish School of Business, Manninen Center for the Arts, Center for Nursing and Health Professions, and Van Loan School of Graduate and Professional Studies.The Halle Library serves as the main library on campus and also houses additional classrooms and student support services.

The Callahan Center is the main student activities building on campus and houses the main dining hall,as well as a number of student services.

The Post Sports Fitness and Science Center was opened in 2009 and is the main center for the School of Sports Science and Fitness Studies. The building includes a gymnasium, a field house with an indoor track, workout facilities, aerobics and dance rooms, and classrooms.

The Manninen Center for the Arts opened in 2009 and houses the School of Visual and Performing Arts.The facility includes a number of spaces for performances and exhibitions, including the 250-seat Rose Performance Hall and a 100-seat black box theater.

In July 2014, Endicott broke ground on the Raymond J. Bourque Ice Arena, which will house the college's NCAA Division III men’s and women’s ice hockey programs, as well as serve as home to Beverly Youth Hockey, Beverly High School Hockey, and other local sports activities.

Endicott currently houses all on-campus students in a variety of residence halls, from large dormitory-style arrangements to smaller apartment-style housing. Some residence halls serve particular populations, including a healthy-living dorm and women-only dorms, or offer themed programming.Many historic buildings are used as residence halls, including Reynolds Hall, Alahambra Hall, Winthrop Hall, Kennedy Hall, and Hamilton Hall. The latter was built in the late 1800s and by the Cotting family, whose members founded the Cotting School in 1893, and later owned by Herbert Sears Tuckerman.The college has also announced plans to build a new 300 bed residence hall in 2015.

Academics -

Endicott offers 23 Bachelor programs, 27 concentrations, and 27 minors.The college is composed of the School of Arts and Sciences, Gerrish School of Business, School of Communication, School of Education, School of Hospitality Management, School of Sport Science and Fitness Studies, School of Nursing, School of Visual and Performing Arts, and the Van Loan School of Graduate and Professional Studies.Graduate programs are offered in Business, Education, Nursing, Computer Science, and Political Science.The most popular major is Business Management, followed by Fitness and Recreation Studies, Psychology and Visual/Performing Arts.

In 2014 the college initiated its first doctoral program (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership in Higher Education, and currently also offers an Ed.D. in PreK-12 Educational Leadership, a Ph.D. in Applied Behavioral Analysis, and a Ph.D. in Nursing.

Endicott employs 94 full-time faculty members and 298 adjunct faculty members.Endicott's student-to-faculty ratio is 14:1.

All bachelor's degree candidates must complete three distinct internship experiences before graduation, including two 120-hour positions and a semester-long internship during their senior year.Students majoring in Nursing and Athletic Training earn internship credits with clinical educational experiences, while Education majors gain experience in the classroom through student teaching.

Student Life -

Endicott offers over 60 student organizations,numerous academic honor societies, and varsity, club, and intramural sports. Many students also choose to participate in national community service organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, or volunteer in the local community.

In addition to traditional undergraduate and graduate students, Endicott offers a program called Keys to Degrees, which allows single parents to live on campus with their children. The program was launched in 1993 and offers financial assistance, workshops, and a baby-sitting cooperative for this population of students.In 2014, the college was awarded a grant to replicate the program across the U.S.

Athletics -

Endicott College teams participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III. The Gulls are a member of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC). Endicott was formerly a member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, equestrian, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis and volleyball, while women's sports include basketball, cross country, equestrian, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.Endicott offers 8 men’s and women’s club sports: Cheerleading, Crew, Dance, Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey, Men’s and Women’s Rugby, and Sailing. Beginning with the 2015 season, Men’s Ice Hockey will become a Division III sport as a member of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC).

Virginia Commonwealth University

    Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a public research university located in Richmond, Virginia. VCU was founded in 1838 as the medical department of Hampden–Sydney College, becoming the Medical College of Virginia in 1854. In 1968, the Virginia General Assembly merged MCV with the Richmond Professional Institute, founded in 1917, to create Virginia Commonwealth University.Today, more than 31,000 students pursue 226 degree and certificate programs through VCU's 13 schools and one college.The VCU Health System supports the university's health care education, research and patient care mission.

Virginia Commonwealth University begins in 1967, when the Medical College of Virginia and the Richmond Professional Institute merged to become one, single university in Richmond, Virginia. The earliest roots of the school trace back to 1838, when the Medical College of Virginia was founded.

In 2013, VCU was awarded a $62 million federal grant to oversee a national research consortium of universities, hospitals and clinics to study what happens to service members and veterans who suffer mild traumatic brain injuries or concussions.

In 2010, VCU received a $20 million National Institutes of Health grant to join a nationwide consortium of research institutions working to turn laboratory discoveries into treatments for patients.The Clinical and Translational Science Award made VCU the only academic health center in Virginia to join the prestigious CTSA network. In 2011, The Carnegie Foundation elevated Virginia Commonwealth University to "Very High Research Activity," with over 255 million in sponsored research.

In 2009, Michael Rao was appointed the fifth president of VCU and continues in his tenure to focus on VCU's growth as a premier public research university

Virginia Commonwealth University has two main campuses in Richmond, Va.: the Monroe Park Campus, located west of downtown Richmond, and the MCV Campus in the urban center. Additionally, VCU has a branch campus in Education City, Qatar, along with numerous regional facilities.VCU's International Partnership Universities Initiative provides faculty and students the opportunity for involvement and collaboration in an international and multicultural arena. Fifteen international Partnership Universities and VCU School in Qatar are strategically located in 11 countries.

Ranks -  

• According to the 2016 U.S. News & World Report, VCU is classified as a Tier 1 University with an overall National University rank of No. 156 and holds a rank of No. 84 among all public colleges and universities in the United States.

• The Academic Ranking of World Universities conducted in 2005 by the Institute of Higher Education at Shanghai Jiao Tong University ranks VCU in the top 100 universities in North & Latin America and one of the top 200 universities in the world.

• Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts (VCUarts) is ranked the No. 1 public university school of arts and design in the country by U.S. News & World Report in 2015.

• The School of Business currently ranks as the No. 51 part-time MBA program and No. 97 best undergraduate business program in the United States according to Bloomberg Businessweek and U.S. News & World Report, respectively.

• According to the 2012 U.S. News & World Report VCU School of Social Work is ranked 11 and the Public Affairs graduate program is currently ranked 53 in the nation.

• VCU is among the top 100 institutions according to the National Science Foundation rankings. 

 

Athletic -

Having competed at the NCAA Division I level for little more than 30 years, Virginia Commonwealth University has sponsored a broad-based program of intercollegiate athletics. The VCU Rams have won in excess of 30 conference championships, participated in numerous NCAA post-season championship events, including a run to the Final Four in men's basketball in 2011, and had a number of All-Americans — both academic and athletic.VCU currently sponsors sixteen varsity teams in NCAA Division I play through the Atlantic 10 Conference (A10).VCU also has many student run club teams. These sports not sponsored by the university include coed & allgirl cheerleading, baseball, softball, men's and women's rugby union, ice hockey,ultimate,men's and women's lacrosse, cycling, men's and women's crew and dodgeball. Previous club sports have also included wrestling and tennis.

University of Tennessee

   The University of Tennessee (also referred to as the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, UT Knoxville, UTK, or UT) is a public sun-grant and land-grant university headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee entered the Union as the 16th state, it is the flagship institution of the statewide University of Tennessee system with nine undergraduate colleges and eleven graduate colleges and hosts almost 28,000 students from all 50 states and more than 100 foreign countries. In its 2014 ranking of universities, U.S. News & World Report ranked UT 106th among all national universities and 46th among public institutions of higher learning. Seven alumni have been selected as Rhodes Scholars; James M. Buchanan, M.S. '41, received the 1986 Nobel Prize in Economics. UT's ties to nearby Oak Ridge National Laboratory, established under UT President Andrew Holt and continued under the UT–Battelle partnership, allow for considerable research opportunities for faculty and students.

On September 10, 1794, two years before Tennessee became a state and at a meeting of the legislature of the Southwest Territory at Knoxville, the University of Tennessee was chartered as Blount College. The new, all-male, non-sectarian institution struggled for 13 years with a small student body and faculty, and in 1807, the school was rechartered as East Tennessee College as a condition of receiving the proceeds from the settlement devised in the Compact of 1806. When Samuel Carrick, its first president and only faculty member, died in 1809, the school was temporarily closed until 1820. When it reopened, it began experiencing growing pains. Thomas Jefferson had previously recommended that the college leave its confining single building in the city and relocate to a place it could spread out. Ironically, in the Summer of 1826 (the year that Thomas Jefferson died), the trustees explored "Barbara Hill" as a potential site and relocated there by 1828.In 1840, the college was elevated to East Tennessee University (ETU)

The University of Tennessee at Knoxville is the flagship campus of the statewide University of Tennessee system, which is governed by a 26-member board of trustees appointed by the Governor of Tennessee. The campus is headed by a Chancellor who functions as the chief executive officer of the campus, responsible for its daily administration and management. The chancellor reports to the president of the university system and is elected annually by the UT Board of Trustees at the recommendation of the system president. Jimmy Cheek has been Chancellor of the Knoxville campus since February 1, 2009. Joseph A. DiPietro has been system president since January 1, 2011. Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Susan D. Martin is responsible for the academic administration of the Knoxville campus and reports directly to the Chancellor.

    The University of Tennessee is ranked tied for 47th among public universities of America and tied for 103rd among all United States universities by U.S. News & World Report in its 2016 rankings.

Specialty World Reports are: 

• UT School of Art's Graduate Program in Printmaking, 2012 U.S. News & World Report.

• UT Nuclear Engineering Graduate Program, 2014 U.S. News & World Report.

• The supply chain management/logistics programs in the UT College of Business Administration, according to U.S. News & World Report.

• UT College of Social Work's Graduate Program, 2012 U.S. News & World Report.

• UT Health Science Center - College of Pharmacy, 2014 U.S. News & World Report.

• UT College of Information Sciences, 2014 U.S. News & World Report.

• UT College of Business Business Administration Undergraduate Program, 2012 U.S. News & World Report.

• UT College of Social Work, 2012 U.S. News & World Report.

• UT College of Engineering Undergraduate Program, 2012 U.S. News & World Report.

• UT College of Social Work, 2014 U.S. News & World Report.

• UT Master of Fine Arts program, U.S. News & World Report.

• UT School of Art, 2014 U.S. News & World Report.

Nova Southeastern University

     Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a private nonprofit university, with a main campus located on 300 acres (120 ha) in Davie, in the US state of Florida. Formerly referred to as "Nova" and now commonly called "NSU," the university currently consists of 18 colleges and schools offering over 175 programs of study with more than 250 majors. The university offers professional degrees in law, business, osteopathic medicine, allied health, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, occupational therapy and nursing. Nova Southeastern enrolled 24,148 students in the 2014-2015 academic year,and has produced over 164,000 alumni.

The university was founded as the Nova University of Advanced Technology on a former Naval Outlying Landing Field built during World War II.The university first offered graduate degrees in the physical and social sciences.Leo Goodwin, Sr. left a $16 million bequest to the university in 1971 which funded its expansion throughout the 1970s and 1980s. In 1994, the university merged with the Southeastern University of the Health Sciences and assumed its current name.

The university, originally named Nova University of Advanced Technology, was chartered by the state of Florida on December 4, 1964.With an inaugural class of 17 students,the university opened as a graduate school for the social and physical sciences.

The university was originally located on a campus in downtown Fort Lauderdale but later moved to its current campus in Davie, Florida.A portion of the site of this campus was once was a naval training airfield during World War II, called the "Naval Outlying Landing Field Forman."The remnants of the taxiway surrounding the airfield are still present in the form of roads used on the campus.

The university awards associate's, bachelor's, master's, specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, psychology, and other social sciences.A total of 65 undergraduate majors are offered at NSU.

Nova Southeastern University has the only college of optometry in the state of Florida,one of three dental schools and one of three pharmacy schools in the state.NSU offers programs for families on parenting, preschool, primary education, and secondary education, which are provided through the through the Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies and the NSU University School.

Nova Southeastern University is classified as a Doctoral/Research University Carnegie Foundation.About 95 percent of professors at NSU hold doctoral or terminal degrees in the their field of pedagogy.NSU is ranked by the Washington Monthly as the 259th best national university.

Rosenthal Student Center -

In 2015, NSU was ranked by The Economist at 290 of 1,275 colleges based on income of graduate, compared to expected income.

New Physical plant facilities -

In 2000, and again in 2014, Nova Southeastern University was ranked 3rd for highest total debt burden amongst its students.In 2014, students at NSU carried the #1 highest debt load compared to all other students at non-profit universities.

In 2015, NSU was ranked 9th for diversity by U.S. News & World Report.NSU was ranked 8th by Best College Reviews for diversity.In 2014 and 2015, NSU awarded more professional doctoral degrees to minorities than any other university in the nation.