University of Pittsburgh

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University of Pittsburgh

Motto	"Veritas et Virtus" (Truth and Virtue)
Established	1787
Type	Public, State-related
Endowment	$1.53 Billion
Chancellor	Mark Nordenberg
Staff	1,548 full time
Undergraduates	17,024[1]
Postgraduates	9,535[2]
Location	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Campus	Urban
Colors	Blue and Gold
Mascot	Panthers
Website	www.pitt.edu

Coordinates: 40.44278° N 79.95944° W

The University of Pittsburgh is a state-related, doctoral/research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, along with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, is a leading academic medical center and particularly well known as an organ transplant center. It performs more organ transplants than any other institution in the United States. UPMC has 40,000 employees with more than $5 billion in revenue, which makes it the biggest employer in western Pennsylvania. [3] Pitt is a major center of medical research; in FY 2004, it ranked 7th in NIH funding among American universities and 13th among hospitals nationwide by USNews[4]. Particularly topical is Pitt's strength in stem cell science. Additionally, Pitt has a key role in the development of a bioterrorism defense system.

Pitt ranked sixth in the number of start-ups spawned by technologies developed by Pitt researchers according to Association of University Technology Managers[5].

In addition to its outstanding reputation in the medical field, the University of Pittsburgh is also a leader in the field of business. The Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business is currently ranked 36th in the nation and 56th in the world among business schools by the Financial Times of London ranking, and consistently ranks among the top ten public business schools in the United States according to the Wall Street Journal.

Pitt is home to the Cathedral of Learning, at 42 stories and 535 feet the tallest educational building in the Western hemisphere and second-tallest in the world, after the main tower at Moscow State University in Moscow, Russia.

Pitt is tied with Ohio State University at #19 among public universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report in their 2007 university rankings edition [6]. It is also tied with Ohio State University and Boston University at #57 among all national universities [7]. It is ranked 43 worldwide in the Academic Ranking of World Universities. Newsweek International, in its "The Complete List: The Top 100 Global Universities," which is based solely on the number of articles published and the number of research citations by professors [8], has listed Pitt 37th among all universities in the world. [9] The University is one of 60 elected members of the Association of American Universities.

Contents 1 History of the University 2 Location and Campus 3 Education 4 Regional Campuses 5 Athletics 6 Greek Life 7 Notable alumni 8 Student Media 9 References 10 External links 11 Footnotes

[edit] History of the University

Originally founded by Hugh Henry Brackenridge as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787, the University of Pittsburgh is among a select group of universities and colleges founded in the 18th Century in the United States. It was renamed The Western University of Pennsylvania in 1819 and took its current name in 1908. In 1966 it was designated by Pennsylvania as a "state-related" university. As such, Pitt receives public funds (currently more than $200 million per annum) and offers reduced tuition to Pennsylvania residents, but is under independent control. It is generally considered a public university.¹ Pitt's endowment is $1.53 billion (2005).

Jonas Salk, along with other Pitt researchers, invented the first polio vaccine at the university's Virus Research Lab.

In 1991, long time chancellor Wesley Posvar retired after 24 years in office. While his term in office ended with controversy, overall his term was considered very positive for the university. In 1999, Pitt Stadium, the long time home of the Pitt Panthers was torn down. Mark Nordenberg has served as chancellor of the university since 1996.

[edit] Location and Campus

The University of Pittsburgh campus is located in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, just west of Schenley Park. The main campus is bordered by Bouquet Street to the west and Bellefield Avenue to the east; Forbes and Fifth Avenues traverse the campus from west to east. The focal point of the main campus is the 42 story Cathedral of Learning. The University of Pittsburgh is home to the following buildings and residence halls:

• Allegheny Observatory
• Allen Hall
• Alumni Hall
• Benedum Hall
• Bouquet Gardens
• Carnegie Complex
• Cathedral of Learning
• Center for Biotechnology and Bioengineering
• Chevron Science Center
• Clapp, Langley and Crawford Halls
• Cost Sports Center
• David Lawrence Hall
• Fitzgerald Field House
• Forbes Tower
• Frick Fine Arts
• Graduate School of Public Health
• Heinz Chapel
• Hillman Library
• Information Sciences
• Law School
• Learning Research and Development Center
• Litchfield Towers
• Lothrop Hall
• Mervis Hall
• Music Building
• Pennsylvania Hall
• Petersen Events Center
• Salk Hall
• Scaife Hall
• Sennott Square
• Space Research Coordination Center
• Thomas E. Starzl Biomedical Science Tower
• Sutherland Hall
• Thackeray Hall
• Trees Hall
• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
• Victoria Hall
• Wesley Posvar Hall
• William Pitt Union

Carnegie Mellon University is almost adjacent to the campus, the two schools being located on opposite sides of Panther Hollow. Some Pitt professors also hold adjunct professorships at Carnegie Mellon and vice versa.

[edit] Education

Bachelor's, master's, doctoral and professional programs are offered through the following academic units:

• School of Arts and Sciences
• College of Business Administration
• Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business
• School of Dental Medicine
• School of Education
• School of Engineering
• College of General Studies
• School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
• University Honors College
• School of Information Sciences
• School of Law
• School of Medicine
• School of Nursing
• School of Pharmacy
• Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA)
• Graduate School of Public Health
• School of Social Work

The University Center for International Studies (UCIS) coordinates international education curricula, centers for area studies and centers on topical specializations in international studies. It does not give degrees but awards certificates of attainment to degree candidates in the university's schools.

[edit] Regional Campuses

The regional campuses offer undergraduate education. They permit students to take preliminary courses and relocate to other regional campuses or the Oakland campus to complete their degrees. They also locally offer degrees and certificates as follows:

• University of Pittsburgh at Bradford - Master's, Bachelor's, Associate's and Certificate
• University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg - Bachelor's and Certificate
• University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown - Bachelor's and Certificate
• University of Pittsburgh at Titusville - Associate's and Certificate

[edit] Athletics

Main article: University of Pittsburgh Panthers

Pittsburgh's sports teams are called the Panthers. The Panthers participate in NCAA Division I (Division I-A for football) and in the Big East Conference. The Pitt football team lays claim to nine NCAA National Championships, in 1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937 and 1976. [10] It deserves to be noted that some of them were awarded years after the fact and other schools claim national titles in these years as well. The Panthers have twice won the AP national championship by topping the media polls in 1937 and 1976.[11] Pitt also claims several other national championships by such polls as the New York Times and computer polls in 1980 and 1981.

Pitt Football has a long and glorious history. Pop Warner, Jock Sutherland, Tony Dorsett, Mike Ditka, Joe Schmidt, Marshall Goldberg, Dan Marino, Hugh Green, Mark May, Russ Grimm, Jimbo Covert, Bill Fralic, Rickey Jackson, Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, Chris Doleman, Tony Siragusa, Mark May, Johnny Majors, Jackie Sherill, Jimmy Johnson and Dave Wannstedt are just some of the alumni, coaches, and staff that have achieved prominence. Current NFL stars with Pitt Panther ties include Jets Kevan Barlow, 49ersShawntae Spencer, Antonio Bryant, and Andy Lee, Jets Curtis Martin, Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald, Greg Lee and Gerald Hayes, Carolina Panther Nick Goings, Raven Darnell Dinkins, Bronco Brandon Miree, Texan Ramon Walker, Chief Kris Wilson, Patriot Hank Poteat, Buccaneer Torrie Cox, Ram Matt Morgan, Cowboys Rob Petitti and Lousaka Polite, Bear Ruben Brown, Charger coach Marty Schottenheimer, and Bucs coach Jon Gruden.

The football team moved into the NFL-grade Heinz Field in 2001 from their longtime home at Pitt Stadium, built in the 1920s. The upper section of the Cathedral of Learning is still illuminated with blue and gold lights on campus after each football team victory.

Former NFL head coach and Pitt alum Dave Wannstedt was hired in late 2004 as head football coach. Although Pitt had a lot of success the previous five years under former head coach Walt Harris, many fans hoped Wannstedt's pedigree and resume as a coach in both the pro and college game would be a catalyst to rekindle the glory days of the football program during the 1970s and early 1980s. Although Wannstedt's team did go 5-6 in his first year and narrowly missed a sixth straight bowl bid, the coaching staff also was able to put together one of the best incoming high school recruiting classes in the country.

Pitt's men's basketball team has also won national championships, both in 1928 and 1930. More recently,^{[year needed]} over the last six years The Panthers (under first Ben Howland and then Jamie Dixon) have been one of the most successful programs in major college basketball, winning three straight Big East regular season titles, and the Big East Tournament in 2003. They have also had success in the NCAA Tournament as well, advancing to three straight Sweet 16 appearances from 2002-2004. Pitt basketball also compiled one of the nation's three best winning percentages (.846 with an 88-16 record) from 2001-2004.

In 2006, the Panthers had been one of three undefeated teams left in college basketball to start the season. Pitt finished 2006 in the NCAA tournament for the fifth straight year, losing in the second round to Bradley in a major upset. The 2006-2007 season started out in a promising fashion, with Pitt reaching a ranking as high as number 2 in December.

The Ben Howland/Jamie Dixon era has produced many fantastic and memorable players at Pitt, though only one (Chris Taft - Golden State Warriors.) played so much as one game in the NBA (though Brandin Knight was briefly on the Houston Rockets' roster.

[edit] Greek Life

North-American Interfraternity Conference(IFC) Alpha Epsilon Pi Delta Chi Delta Phi Delta Tau Delta Kappa Sigma Lambda Chi Alpha Phi Kappa Theta Phi Sigma Kappa Pi Kappa Alpha Sigma Alpha Epsilon Sigma Alpha Mu Sigma Chi Sigma Phi Epsilon Tau Epsilon Phi Tau Kappa Epsilon Triangle Zeta Beta Tau

National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) Alpha Kappa Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Delta Sigma Theta Kappa Alpha Psi Omega Psi Phi Phi Beta Sigma Sigma Gamma Rho Zeta Phi Beta Other Fraternities Phi Delta Theta

National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Alpha Delta Pi Alpha Epsilon Phi Chi Omega Delta Delta Delta Delta Phi Epsilon Delta Zeta Kappa Delta Kappa Kappa Gamma Sigma Delta Tau Sigma Sigma Sigma Theta Phi Alpha Multicultural Theta Nu Xi

[edit] Notable alumni

• List of notable University of Pittsburgh people

[edit] Student Media

• WPTS-FM is a non-commercial radio station owned by the University of Pittsburgh, and offers a mix of student-run programming. The station operates at 92.1 MHz with an ERP of 16 watts, and is licensed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their web site allows visitors to listen online.
• The Pitt News is an independent, student-written, and student-managed newspaper for the Oakland (main) campus of the University of Pittsburgh. It is published Monday through Friday during the regular school year and Wednesdays during the summer. www.pittnews.com
• Telefact is an informational telephone service run by University of Pittsburgh students that researches and answers callers' questions.
• Friday Nite Improvs, Pittsburgh's longest-running theatre show, was started in 1989 by graduate theatre students. It takes place weekly inside the Cathedral of Learning's studio theatre.
• UPTV is a student-managed, student-produced, closed-circuit television station. As of June 2006, only students living in on-campus dormitories can receive the broadcast.
• Three Rivers Review and Collision are two undergraduate, bi-annual literary journals publishing both poetry and prose.
• The 'Redeye Theatre Project is a festival of one-act plays cast, written, and rehearsed in 24 hours.

[edit] References

• Alberts, Robert C. (1987). Pitt: The Story of the University of Pittsburgh 1787–1987. University of Pittsburgh Press. ISBN 0-8229-1150-7.

[edit] External links

• University of Pittsburgh official website
• Pittsburgh Panthers intercollegiate athletics official website
• Pitt cuts ties with Semester at Sea

[edit] Footnotes

1. The other "state-related" universities in Pennsylvania are Pennsylvania State University and Temple University, which like Pitt, are both large doctoral/research universities, and Lincoln University, one of Pennsylvania's two historically black universities. These four universities are under the Commonwealth System of Higher Education; other Pennsylvania public universities are directly controlled by the state under the purview of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

Universities and Colleges in the Pittsburgh Metro Area
Universities	Carnegie Mellon | Duquesne | University of Pittsburgh | Penn State Beaver | Penn State McKeesport | Penn State New Kensington | Slippery Rock | Pittsburgh-Bradford | Pittsburgh-Greensburg
Colleges	Art Institute of Pittsburgh | Carlow | Chatham | Community College of Allegheny County | Geneva | La Roche | Saint Vincent College | Seton Hill | Pittsburgh Theological | Point Park | Robert Morris | Trinity Episcopal | Westminster College

Big East Conference
Football: Cincinnati • Connecticut • Louisville • Pittsburgh • Rutgers • South Florida • Syracuse • West Virginia Non-football: DePaul • Georgetown • Marquette • Notre Dame • Providence • St. John's • Seton Hall • Villanova

Association of American Universities v • d • e
Public	Arizona • Buffalo (SUNY) • UC Berkeley • UC Davis • UC Irvine • UC Los Angeles • UC San Diego • UC Santa Barbara • Colorado • Florida • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Iowa State • Kansas • Maryland • Michigan • Michigan State • Minnesota • Missouri • Nebraska • North Carolina • Ohio State • Oregon • Penn State • Pittsburgh • Purdue • Rutgers • SUNY Stony Brook • Texas • Texas A&M • Virginia • Washington • Wisconsin
Private	Brandeis • Brown • Caltech • Carnegie Mellon • Case Western • Chicago • Columbia • Cornell • Duke • Emory • Harvard • Johns Hopkins • MIT • Northwestern • NYU • Penn • Princeton • Rice • Rochester • USC • Stanford • Syracuse • Tulane • Vanderbilt • Wash U • Yale
Canadian	McGill • Toronto