University of Massachusetts Lowell

Infobox_University
name = University of Massachusetts Lowell


image_size = 91px
established = 1894 Lowell Normal School
1895 Lowell Textile School 1955 Lowell Technological Institute 1975 University of Lowell (merger) 1991 UMass Lowell (renaming)
type = Public
president = Jack M. Wilson
chancellor = Marty Meehan
undergrad = 11,231 (2008)
postgrad = 2,248 (2008)
faculty = 359 full-time
224 part-time & visiting
staff =
city = Lowell
state = Massachusetts
country = USA
campus = Urban
125 acres/500,000 m²
nickname = River Hawks
mascot = Rowdy the River Hawk
colors = Blue, White & Red
website= [http://www.uml.edu/ www.uml.edu] The University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell) is one of five University of Massachusetts campuses. Located in Lowell, Massachusetts, it is the largest university in the Merrimack Valley.

UMass Lowell was named the University of Lowell from 1975 to 1991, and was created from the merger of the Lowell Technological Institute and Lowell State College in 1975. These colleges in turn were originally named the Lowell Textile School, founded in 1895 to train technicians and managers for the textile industry, and the Lowell Normal School, founded in 1894 to train new teachers.

Academics

UMass Lowell is well-known for its science and engineering programs. It was the first university in the United States to offer a bachelor's degree in plastics engineering, and it is one of a few public universities in the United States to offer a degree in meteorology. UMass Lowell is also the first university to offer a masters in sound recording technology (SRT). The undergraduate SRT program has been consistently recognized as one of the best in the nation.

Notable Achievements

*The University has been ranked as an intensive doctoral/research university by the Carnegie Foundation [http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/classifications/sub.asp?key=748&subkey=5863&start=782] and received a category one ranking, the highest possible, from the American Association of University Professors.

*The Francis College of Engineering's [http://atp.caeds.eng.uml.edu/ Assistive Technology Program] , which focuses on developing devices which improve quality of life for the disabled, has won numerous state and national awards for design excellence and community service.

*All of the programs in the College of Management are fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, the highest level of business school accreditation. The College of Management has been fully accredited since 1987, and the most recent AACSB reaffirmation of accreditation occurred in December 2005.

*The school continues to make advancements in its master's degree program in energy engineering with renowned solar and nuclear specialties. The Energy Engineering Department has been leading the University in its eco-friendly attempts to cut greenhouse gases, in February 2006, switching to wind powered electricity in some *dormitories [http://www.uml.edu/Media/News%20Articles/UML_earns_green-ener.html] .

*The Mechanical Engineering Department has a Baseball Research Center which is the official certification center for baseball bats used by the NCAA and Major League Baseball [http://mechanical.uml.edu/umlbrc] . The center has received grants from Major League Baseball to do comparison testing on regular season and World Series baseballs [http://mechanical.uml.edu/sherwood] .

*The nanotechnology program within the University was honored in 2004 by the John Adams Innovation Institute with a $5 million award for the creation of the UMass Lowell Nanomanufacturing Center of Excellence.

*The Master's program in criminal justice is ranked one of the best in the nation by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences in their "Guide to Graduate Programs in Criminal Justice and Criminology" and one of seven regional programs with an eligible Master's program under the Quinn Bill [http://www.osfa.mass.edu/quinnbill/default.asp?id=elig_institutions] .

*UMass Lowell is also known for its VLSI graduate program, Plastic engineering program, Chemical/Nuclear Engineering program, and its new Nano-technology and Nano-Manufacturing Center. The Francis College of Engineering Programs at UMass Lowell are also accredited by ABET.

*The university maintains the state-of-the-art Radiation Laboratory, complete with a research reactor and Van de Graaff particle accelerator. This facility provides experimental platforms for nuclear, biological, materials testing and other scientific fields. The Radiation Laboratory also allows students in the Radiological Sciences and Protection Program to gain experience in the practical aspects of radiation safety.

*The Work Environment Department, in The School of Health and Environment, is a leading Occupational Safety and Health program which is known internationally. They offer degrees in Occupational Ergonomics, Industrial Hygiene, and Sustainable Production.

Student Life

tudent Organizations

The Big Seven

The Big Seven are the main organizations on campus funded directly from the student activities fee. Generally, they are the largest and most well-funded organizations on campus; other student organizations have budgets granted through the Student Government Association. They are:

*Student Government Association (SGA)
*"The UMass Lowell Connector" (student newspaper)
*WUML (student-run radio station)
*Campus Activities Programming Association (CAPA)
*Off-Broadway Players (student theater group)
*UML Marching Band
*"Sojourn" (student-run yearbook)

Other Clubs

Some of the other student organizations include:

*Association for Students of African Origin (ASAO)
*Latin American Students Association (LASA)
*Muslim Student Association (MSA)
*Music and Entertainment Industry Students Association (MEISA)
*Music Educators National Conference (MENC)
*Audio Engineering Society (AES)
*Society of Plastic Engineers (SPE)
*Spectrum (gay/straight alliance)
*International Relations Club (Model UN)
*Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
*Pre-Law Society
*Magik (Masters gaming konnection)
*Psychology Club
*SWE
*College Bowl
*NSBE
*Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers [http://www.uml.edu/student-groups/SHPE/]
*Society of Physics Students (SPS)
*The UML History Club
*Rugby
*Lacrosse

Building

Academic Buildings

Housing Buildings

Eight residence halls on campus house just over 2300 residents, including 68% of the freshmen class according to the official web site. In addition, the university runs two apartment complexes located at East Meadow Lane which houses graduates, students with families, and 21+ undergraduates. There is a total of 2600 students living on campus. The rest of the students are located at the Raddison Hotel in Nashua. The university leased three floors to handle the overflow of students. The remaining students are in various apartments near the city that were leased as well.

tudent Operated On-Campus Services

* EMS (Emergency Medical Service)
* Transportation Services
* SIC (Student Information Center)

ports

UMass Lowell athletic teams compete in a variety of sports. Men and women compete in Division II, with the exception of men's hockey, which competes in Division I. The men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, ice hockey, track and field, and soccer. The women's sports are basketball, cross country, track and field, field hockey, soccer, rowing, softball, and volleyball. The University's men's hockey team plays in the Hockey East conference, and use Tsongas Arena as their home ice. Past champions include the 1988 men's basketball team, the 1991 men's cross country team, the ice hockey team (three times), and the 2005 field hockey team.

The nickname "River Hawks" came about during the school's transition into UMass Lowell, and was inspired by the campus's location by the Merrimack River. The University of Lowell's nickname was the Chiefs, which was abandoned in favor of the current name. A campus-wide poll was conducted for student input and final candidates included the Ospreys and the Raging Rapids, according to the "Connector" student newspaper.

University Demographics

2008 enrollment totals were 13,479 students, composed of 11,231 undergraduate students and 2,248 graduate students. In-state enrollment totals 92% of undergraduates and 71% of graduate students. International students are 1% of the undergraduate population and 14% of the graduate population. Students of color are 21% of the total undergraduate population and 18% of the graduate population. The male-female ratio is 60%/40% for undergraduates and 52%/48% for the graduate population. The total enrollment is up by twenty percent from 2007. [ [http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_10637549?IADID=Search-www.lowellsun.com-www.lowellsun.com Lowell ] ]

Notable alumni and former students

*Jerry Bergonzi, jazz saxophonist
*Michael Casey, poet
*Craig Charron, Professional Ice Hockey Player
*Brian S. Dempsey, (B.A.), member of the Mass. House of Representatives ("served" 1990 - "present")
*Christopher G. Fallon, (M.S. 1978), member of the Mass. House of Representatives ("served" 1996 - "present")
*Sean Garballey, (B.A.), member of the Mass. House of Representatives ("served" 2008 - "present")
*Colleen M. Garry, (B.S.), member of the Mass. House of Representatives ("served" 1995 - "present")
*Thomas A. Golden, Jr., (B.S.) and (MBA), member of the Mass. House of Representatives ("served" 1995 - "present")
*Ron Hainsey, Professional Ice Hockey Player
*Craig MacTavish, Professional Ice Hockey Player and Coach
*Marty Meehan, Congressman ("served" 1993 - 2007) and current chancellor
*Jack Neary, Playwright Fact|date=February 2008
*John Ogonowski, Pilot of American Airlines Flight 11 on 9/11/2001
*John Pinette, Comedian
*Dwayne Roloson, Professional Ice Hockey Player
*Robert Silvers, Photomosaic artist
*Thelma Todd, movie actress
*John Traphagan, Former Director of the Center for East Asian Studies at the University of Texas at Austin and professor of Japanese Studies and Anthropology
*Barry Burbank, Meteorologist WBZ NEWS Boston.Fact|date=February 2008
*Ryan Lambert, Writer/blogger

ee also

* University of Massachusetts Lowell (Radiation Laboratory)

External links

* [http://www.uml.edu UML Homepage]
* [http://www.uml.edu/maps/maps.htm Official UML Map] .
* [http://www.livejournal.com/community/uml/ Unofficial UML blog] .
* [http://www.goriverhawks.com UML Athletics]
* [http://www.library.uml.edu/clh/ UML Center for Lowell History]
* [http://www.shpe-uml.org/ Society or Hispanic Professional Engineers at UML]

References