University of Kentucky

The University of Kentucky (also known as UK or simply Kentucky) is a public, co-educational university located in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865, UK is the largest university in the state with over 26,000 students.

UK has 88 certified bachelor degree programs for undergraduates, 93 master's degree programs, and 60 programs in PhD and other doctoral degrees.

History

University Logo

My UK Wildcat- Watercolor by Haydar Hatemi-1999

Built in 1898, Miller Hall is one of the University of Kentucky's oldest buildings

John Bowman founded the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, a publicly chartered department of Kentucky University, as a land-grant university in 1865. The first degree from A&M was awarded in 1869, and James Kennedy Patterson became the first president of the university in that same year. In 1878, A&M separated from Kentucky University, which is now Transylvania University. For the new school, the city of Lexington donated a 52 acre (210,000 m²) park and fair ground, which became the core of UK's present campus. The modern campus covers 670 acres (2.7 km²).

The college was initially for men only, but women were admitted beginning in 1880. The first female degree recipient was Belle Gunn in 1888. The school's first women's dormitory, Patterson Hall, built in 1904, was the first building constructed apart from the main campus; residents had to cross a swamp (where the Student Center now stands) to reach classrooms. The building was renovated recently and is the oldest still-existing UK dormitory.
The school's name was changed to "State University, Lexington, Kentucky" in 1908, then to "University of Kentucky" in 1916. The University of Kentucky became racially integrated in 1949 when Lyman T. Johnson, a black man, won a lawsuit to be admitted to the graduate program. Undergraduate classes desegregated in 1954.

As a land-grant university, UK is affiliated with several satellite institutions spread throughout the state. It formerly operated fourteen community colleges with more than 100 extended sites, centers and campuses, which were apart of the former University of Kentucky's Community College System (UKCCS), but in a major reorganization of the state's higher education system in 1997, the community colleges were placed under an independent governing board, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). Nearby Lexington Community College, despite the 1997 reorganization of the community colleges, remained integrated with the university itself, but separated from UK in 2004 and became apart of KCTCS. The College of Engineering operates a satellite campus in Paducah, located on the campus of West Kentucky Community and Technical College.

In an interesting show of school pride, Lexington and the surrounding Bluegrass area code was changed several years ago to 859, which spells out "UKY" on the phone.

Academics

Completed in 1998, the William T. Young Library serves both the university campus and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

In 1997, the Kentucky General Assembly mandated that UK be among the top 20 public research universities in the nation by 2020. Under President Todd, the university has articulated a plan to achieve that goal. To this end, UK is becoming more selective in admission, motivating current students, and working to improve its academic programs. Expansions in the medical center and research programs are also planned. The university already has top-20 programs in pharmacy, geography, hispanic studies, anatomy and neurobiology, surgery, public finance/budget, behavioral science, applied communications, architecture, real estate studies, and diplomacy/international relations (ie, the Patterson School).

The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department was the home and sponsor of one of the earliest college amateur radio stations in the United States, call sign W4JP. The station began continuous operation before World War I and persisted until amateur radio licenses were granted by the US Government. UK's campus is presently home to the independent student-funded 88.1 FM WRFL and the Adult Album Alternative (known as Triple-A) station 91.3 FM WUKY. Finally, UK's campus is also home to The Kentucky Kernel, a student-run, financially independent daily newspaper and a yearbook, the Kentuckian.

Athletics

The Kentucky cheerleaders at Rupp Arena during a basketball game. Seating Capacity of Rupp arena is 23,000.

The North Campus residence halls, with downtown Lexington in the background.

UK's two largest residence halls, Blanding (right) and Kirwan (left) Towers. The Blanding-Kirwan complex (each including 4 smaller buildings) is home to nearly 5,000 UK students, most are freshman. The two towers are each 23 stories tall.

The University of Kentucky is a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky's sports teams (nicknamed the Wildcats) include football, men's & women's basketball, women's volleyball, baseball, softball, men's & women's cross country, men's & women's swimming/diving, women's gymnastics, men's & women's soccer, men's & women's track & field (indoor & outdoor), men's & women's golf, men's & women's tennis, and the coeducational sport of rifle.

Because the SEC does not sponsor men's soccer, that team had competed in the Mid-American Conference. However, in 2005, the program jumped to Conference USA, along with fellow SEC member South Carolina, who had also been part of the former Metro Conference (the predecessor to C-USA). The soccer team didnt enjoy there best season in 2005 however this year (2006) they are looking to compete for the national championship. With many incoming freshman looking to make a big impact.

The University of Kentucky cheerleaders have won the UCA Division I-A Cheerleading Championship 15 times, more than any other school.

The school's basketball team is the winningest program in Division I college basketball with over 1,974 victories, seven national championships(the only school with more is UCLA with 11), forty-six NCAA tournament appearances, runner-up three times, 13 Final Fours, and 28 Elite Eight appearances.