University of New Orleans
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| University of New Orleans | |
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| Motto: | Get there from here |
| Established: | 1958 |
| Type: | Public coeducational |
| Chancellor: | Timothy P. Ryan |
| Staff: | 785 |
| Undergraduates: | 8,653[1] (Fall, 2007) |
| Postgraduates: | 2,710[1] (Fall, 2007) |
| Location: | New Orleans, La., USA |
| Campus: | Urban |
| Sports teams: | Privateers |
| Colors: | Reflex Blue & Silver |
| Mascot: | Lafitte, an Alligator & Pierre the Pirate |
| Website: | www.uno.edu |
The University of New Orleans, often locally called UNO, is a medium sized public urban university located in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is a member of the LSU System and the Urban 13 and is currently headed by Chancellor Timothy P. Ryan.
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[edit] History
UNO was founded in 1958 by Dr. Homer L. Hitt as the New Orleans branch of Louisiana State University, originally as "Louisiana State University in New Orleans" or "LSUNO", but became more independent and changed the name to "University of New Orleans" in 1974. However, the school remains part of the Louisiana State University System.
Dr. Homer Hitt died on Sunday, January 27, 2008, at age 91.[2]
[edit] Colleges
UNO has six colleges within the university:
- College of Business Administration
- College of Education and Human Development
- College of Engineering
- College of Liberal Arts
- College of Science
- Metropolitan College
[edit] Campuses
The university has six campuses in the New Orleans metropolitan area.
- Lakefront Campus, the main campus, located at the Lake Pontchartrain end of Elysian Fields Avenue on the former site of Camp Leroy Johnson
- Research and Technology Park adjacent to the main campus on the former site of the Pontchartrain Beach amusement park
- East Campus at the corner of Franklin Avenue and Leon C. Simon Boulevard; includes the Nat G. Kiefer UNO Lakefront Arena and Maestri Field at Privateer Park, UNO's basketball and baseball facilities
- Downtown Center
- Jefferson Center
- Slidell Campus
[edit] Athletics
[edit] Hurricane Katrina
On August 29, 2005, the University suffered damage due to Hurricane Katrina. The main campus is on relatively high ground and the damage was caused mostly by winds, rain-driven-water, and human activity during the storm. (The University was used as an evacuation point and staging area by the National Guard.) A levee breach on the London Avenue Canal occurred just a few blocks south of the main campus and caused the flooding of the first floor of the Bienville Hall dormitories, the Lafitte Village couples apartments, and the Engineering Building.
UNO was the first of the large, damaged universities in New Orleans to re-open, albeit virtually, by using web-based courses starting in October of 2005 .[3] The university was able to offer classes in the fall semester immediately following Hurricane Katrina at satellite campuses; the main campus re-opened in December 2005.
Because of hurricane damage and reduced enrollment, Chancellor Ryan declared "financial exigency". This allowed the university to restructure its departments, colleges, and programs. Restructuring involved the elimination of several programs of study and layoffs of some faculty and staff members. [1] Lower enrollments since the storm have complicated the rebuilding process.[2][3]
[edit] Notable alumni
- Walter Boasso - Former Louisiana state senator from St. Bernard Parish who made national headlines for fighting to combine levee boards in southeast Louisiana; gubernatorial candidate in 2007, Democrat.
- Randy Bush - former Major League baseball player; member of 1987 and 1991 World Series champion Minnesota Twins.
- Joel Chaisson - President of the Louisiana State Senate, attorney
- James H. Clark - co-founder of Silicon Graphics, Inc., and Netscape Communications
- Carl Crane - state representative from Baton Rouge since 1984, Republican.
- Ellen DeGeneres - American actress, stand-up comedian.
- Clancy DuBos - columnist, editor and owner of Gambit Weekly, New Orleans' alternative weekly newspaper.
- Djuan Edgerton - entrepreneur, co-founder of No Limit Communications and Skybar New Orleans
- Reggie Fontenot - poet.
- Ervin Johnson - current National Basketball Association
- James Letten - U.S. Attorney for the Eastern district of Louisiana.
- Paul Mainieri - current Louisiana State University head baseball coach.
- Joe Slusarski - former Major League baseball player
- Roy C. Strickland -- businessman and politician in Louisiana and later The Woodlands, Texas
- Ly Tong - Vietnamese American anti-Communist freedom fighter
- Brian Traxler - former Major League baseball player
- James Wayne "Jim" Tucker - first Republican to become Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives since Reconstruction, effective January 14, 2008
- James Westfall - Jazz Musician.
[edit] References
- ^ a b UNO enrollment summaries
- ^ Hunter, Michelle. "Homer Hitt, UNO founder and chancellor, dies at 91", "Nola.com", January 27, 2008. Accessed January 28 2008.
- ^ University of New Orleans reopens online - Networks - Breaking Business and Technology News at silicon.com
[edit] External links
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