University of Alabama

The University of Alabama (also known as Alabama, UA, or colloquially as 'Bama) is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1831, UA is the flagship university of the University of Alabama System. Within Alabama, it is often called "the Capstone". UA is the senior and the largest in terms of enrollment of the state's major research universities, the others being rival Auburn University and fellow UA System institutions the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville) and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

The University of Alabama offers programs of study in 12 academic divisions leading to bachelor's, master's, Education Specialist, and doctoral degrees. The only publicly-supported law school in Alabama is at UA. Other academic programs unavailable elsewhere in Alabama include doctoral programs in anthropology, library and information studies, metallurgical engineering, music, Romance languages, and social work.

As of fall 2008, Alabama has an enrollment of 27,052 students and its president is Dr. Robert Witt. Under his leadership, the University has experienced significant growth, despite lower admission acceptance rates, and higher academic standards. The UA Honors Program has grown rapidly as well, with one in five freshmen now enrolled in UA’s Honors College. In fall 2007, these 1,066 scored in the top 2 percent nationally on the ACT.^[3]

History

In 1818, Congress authorized the newly created Alabama Territory to set aside a township for the establishment of a "seminary of learning". When Alabama was admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819, a second township was added to the land grant, bringing it to a total of 46,000 acres (186 km²). The General Assembly of Alabama established the seminary on December 18, 1820, named it "The University of the State of Alabama", and created a Board of Trustees to manage the construction and operation of the university. The board chose as the site of the campus a place which was then just outside the city limits of Tuscaloosa, the state capital at the time. The University's charter was presented to the first University president in the nave of Christ Episcopal Church in Tuscaloosa. Alabama opened its doors to students on April 18, 1831, with the Reverend Alva Woods as President.

Academic divisions

Clark Hall, home of the College of Arts and Sciences, at The University of Alabama

The eight divisions of The University granting undergraduate degrees are:

• College of Arts and Sciences
• Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration
• College of Communication and Information Sciences
• College of Education
• College of Engineering
• College of Human Environmental Sciences
• Capstone College of Nursing
• School of Social Work

Degrees in those eight divisions at the master's, specialist, and doctoral level are awarded through the Graduate School.

The School of Law offers J.D. and LL.M. degree programs. The College of Community Health Sciences provides advanced studies in medicine and related disciplines and operates

family practice residency program. Medical students are also trained in association with the University of Alabama School of Medicine. Finally, the College of Continuing Studies provides correspondence courses and other types of distance education opportunities for non-traditional students. It operates a distance education facility in Gadsden.

Founded in 1971 and merged into the College of Arts and Sciences in 1996, the New College program allows undergraduate students more flexibility in choosing their curriculum while completing a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Sciences degree. The program allows students to create a "depth study" in a particular field chosen by the student. The student completes approved independent studies alongside their normal coursework. The objective of New College is to inspire interdisciplinary learning at the undergraduate level.

[edit] Campus

UA is composed of a singular campus of approximately 1,000 acres (4 km²). The campus is notable for its abundance of buildings built in the Greek Revival style. Four University of Alabama buildings survived the Civil War: Gorgas House, Maxwell Hall (the Old Observatory), the Little Round House (Civil War lookout post), and the President's Mansion. All are still used today.

Landmarks include the President's Mansion, the Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library, and Denny Chimes, a campanile equipped with a 25-bell carillon, all of which are located on or near the Quad, the central green on campus. The Quad lies roughly at the geographic center of the campus.

On-campus cultural facilities include the Paul Bryant Museum, the Alabama Museum of Natural History, the Allen Bales Theater, the Marion Gallaway Theater, the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art, Morgan Auditorium, and the Frank M. Moody Music Building, which houses the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra and the UA Opera Theatre, as well as three resident choirs.

The University also maintains The University of Alabama Arboretum in eastern Tuscaloosa and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab on Dauphin Island.

Student life

With more than 25,000 students enrolled, The University has a substantial student life component, although some^[who?] students complain that increasing enrollment without a commensurate increase in the size of the faculty has led to excessively large class sizes in some areas. Except in a few colleges, this complaint has no bearing in reality, as avg. class size has not increased due to record new funding for faculty hires and pay increases. In fact, University of Alabama Provost Judy Bonner stated "I’ve been here 25 years, and I have never before seen this level of funding for new faculty positions. "^[17]

The University continues to hire additional faculty, qualified staff and build additional classrooms, dining facilities, and residence halls to accommodate its planned, but controlled, growth.^{[citation needed]}