Western Oregon University
Encyclopedia
Western Oregon University (WOU) is a public liberal arts
college located in Monmouth, Oregon
, United States
. It was originally established in 1856 by Oregon pioneers as Monmouth University. Subsequent names include Oregon Normal School, Oregon College of Education, and Western Oregon State College. Western Oregon University incorporates both the College of Education and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Enrollment is approximately 6,200 students.
crossed the Oregon Trail
. Upon arrival in the Willamette Valley
, they founded both a church and a school. Monmouth University opened in 1856 with a small number of students.
Through the years, WOU has undergone seven name changes. In 1865, it merged with another private institution, Bethel College, in Bethel
and became Christian College. In 1882, the Oregon State Legislature
approved the college's bid to become a state-supported teacher training (or "normal
") school, Oregon State Normal School. Later the name was changed to Oregon Normal School.
A period of growth in the 1920s more than tripled the school's enrollment to nearly 1,000 students. In 1939, the Oregon Legislature again changed the name to Oregon College of Education. The school entered an extended period of growth, except for a period during World War II
when college enrollments dropped nationwide. New programs were added in the areas of liberal arts and sciences.
In 1977, the institution was renamed Western Oregon State College to reflect the school's growing academic programs in the liberal arts fields. In 1997 the school's name was changed to Western Oregon University.
s (BA
, BS
, BM
, and BFA
) through its two colleges: the College of Education and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Master's degree
s are available in Education (MAT and MSEd), Rehabilitation Counseling (MS), Criminal Justice (MA), Music (MM), Management and Information Systems (MS), and History (MA).
One of the university's most well-known areas is its American Sign Language
/English Interpreting program. In 2008, Sorenson Communications, a provider of Video Relay Services (VRS) for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who use ASL to communicate, awarded WOU’s ASL/English Interpreting program the recipient of the Sorenson VRS Interpreter Education Program Award of Excellence. This award included $10,000 to be reinvested in the curriculum.
The Teacher Education Program was recognized in 2010 by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities as the recipient of the Christa McAuliffe Award for Excellence in Teacher Education.
The Creative Arts Division comprises departments in Art, Music and Theatre/Dance.
The Music Department offers four degrees. The BA and BS in Music are liberal arts
degrees with a third of all coursework in music. The Bachelor of Music in Contemporary Music is a professional degree with two thirds of all coursework in music. The Master of Music in Contemporary Music is perhaps the only degree of its kind in the US. Music programs at WOU are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music
.
Division covers the Computer Science and Information Systems majors, and offers both Majors and Minors in Computer Science and Information Systems, falling into BS and BA degrees.
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
at the Division II level. WOU sponsors 13 intercollegiate sports. Within their history under the NAIA prior to their transition to the NCAA, Western Oregon won multiple NAIA national titles in women’s basketball. The Baseball team on campus has experienced much success in the GNAC, winning ten consecutive conference titles since 2001. The Track and Field teams have also performed well within the conference, with the men's team winning four consecutive GNAC Indoor Track titles since 2008. In the fall of 2010, the men's and women's cross country teams earned their first berths in school history to the NCAA National Championships where they placed 20th and 21st, respectively.
Pertaining to club sports on campus, not regulated by the NCAA or NAIA, the Western Oregon Men's Lacrosse Club has won the Division II PNCLL
championship trophy in 2008, 2009, and 2010. The Western Oregon Men's Rugby Club won the Division II Pacific Northwest Rugby Football Union (PNRFU) championship in 2005, 2009, and 2010.
On April 26, 2008, Sara Tucholsky
, a reserve outfielder on the Wolves softball team (2005–08), hit the first home run
of her college career in a victory over Central Washington University
, but injured her knee rounding first base; Central Washington's Mallory Holtman
and Liz Wallace carried Tucholsky around the rest of the bases to home plate. This act of sportsmanship was heavily covered by national media outlets, and resulted in Tucholsky, Holtman, and Wallace winning the Best Moment award at the 2008 ESPY Awards
.
The National Academic Advising Association
(NACADA) has recognized eight Western Oregon University faculty and staff for academic advising (three in 2008, one in 2009, two in 2010, and two in 2011).
On January 2010, The Education Trust named WOU in the top 10 of the nation for improved graduation rates among underrepresented minorities. WOU also ranked ninth in closing the gap between minority and nonminority graduation rates. WOU is one of the most diverse universities in Oregon and has the highest percentage of Latino students in the Oregon University System. Between 2000 and 2009, enrollment of Latino students increased 75%, Asian-American students by 53%, African-American students by 115% and Native American students by 63%, for an overall increase of these student populations of 73%. The succesful growth in Latino students has resulted in WOU being the only public college or university accepted as a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).
Parade Magazine listed WOU as one of the top twenty small state schools for 2010. WOU was noted for its small classes and exceptional services for first generation to college students.
at WOU is the only museum on the west coast of the contiguous states dedicated to the Arctic culture, and one of two in the entire United States outside of Alaska, the other being in the state of Maine. The museum's collections include art, animals, tools, apparel and information about indigenous Arctic people.
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
college located in Monmouth, Oregon
Monmouth, Oregon
- History :Monmouth was settled in 1853 by a group of pioneers who made a point of allocating to build both a city and a "college under the auspices of the Christian Church" and proceeds from the sale of these lands were used to found Monmouth University. By the early 1880s the college fell on...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was originally established in 1856 by Oregon pioneers as Monmouth University. Subsequent names include Oregon Normal School, Oregon College of Education, and Western Oregon State College. Western Oregon University incorporates both the College of Education and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Enrollment is approximately 6,200 students.
History
In the early 1850s, a group of pioneersAmerican pioneer
American pioneers are any of the people in American history who migrated west to join in settling and developing new areas. The term especially refers to those who were going to settle any territory which had previously not been settled or developed by European or American society, although the...
crossed the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
. Upon arrival in the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
, they founded both a church and a school. Monmouth University opened in 1856 with a small number of students.
Through the years, WOU has undergone seven name changes. In 1865, it merged with another private institution, Bethel College, in Bethel
Bethel, Polk County, Oregon
Bethel is an unincorporated community in Polk County, Oregon, United States at the base of the Eola Hills in Plum Valley. Bethel is considered a ghost town as the only remaining structure is a school, now serving as a church. The locale was named by the Rev. Glen O. Burnett for a Church of Christ...
and became Christian College. In 1882, the Oregon State Legislature
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
approved the college's bid to become a state-supported teacher training (or "normal
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
") school, Oregon State Normal School. Later the name was changed to Oregon Normal School.
A period of growth in the 1920s more than tripled the school's enrollment to nearly 1,000 students. In 1939, the Oregon Legislature again changed the name to Oregon College of Education. The school entered an extended period of growth, except for a period during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
when college enrollments dropped nationwide. New programs were added in the areas of liberal arts and sciences.
Tuition Promise
Beginning with the 2007–2008 academic year, WOU guarantees that undergraduate students will have the same tuition rate for four academic years as the year they entered. WOU is the only public university in the western U.S. to offer this guarantee.Textbook Rental Program
Using a 2010-11 federal grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), WOU has developed a textbook rental program that will result in significant savings to students. Students rent textbooks at a cost of 38% of the purchase price for new textbooks.Academics
Western Oregon University offers bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
s (BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, BS
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
, BM
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree; the majority of work consists of prescribed music courses and study in applied music, usually requiring a...
, and BFA
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
) through its two colleges: the College of Education and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s are available in Education (MAT and MSEd), Rehabilitation Counseling (MS), Criminal Justice (MA), Music (MM), Management and Information Systems (MS), and History (MA).
College of Education
WOU’s College of Education is divided into: Division of Teacher Education, Division of Special Education, Division of Health and Physical Education, Division of Extended Programs, Regional Resource Center on Deafness, Education Evaluation Center, and the Graduate Office The College offers a number of bachelor’s and master’s degrees, in addition to minors available to students.One of the university's most well-known areas is its American Sign Language
American Sign Language
American Sign Language, or ASL, for a time also called Ameslan, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including deaf communities in the United States, in the English-speaking parts of Canada, and in some regions of Mexico...
/English Interpreting program. In 2008, Sorenson Communications, a provider of Video Relay Services (VRS) for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who use ASL to communicate, awarded WOU’s ASL/English Interpreting program the recipient of the Sorenson VRS Interpreter Education Program Award of Excellence. This award included $10,000 to be reinvested in the curriculum.
The Teacher Education Program was recognized in 2010 by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities as the recipient of the Christa McAuliffe Award for Excellence in Teacher Education.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers 30 bachelor degrees in six academic divisions (Business and Economics, Computer Science, Creative Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Psychology and Social Science. The Communications Studies Program received the 2008 Rex Mix Award for Excellence from the National Communication Association.Business and Economics Division
The Business and Economics Division offers courses and training in accounting, finance, management, marketing, and production/operations management. The Economics Division prepares students for careers in the private and public sectors.Creative Arts Division
The Music Department offers four degrees. The BA and BS in Music are liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
degrees with a third of all coursework in music. The Bachelor of Music in Contemporary Music is a professional degree with two thirds of all coursework in music. The Master of Music in Contemporary Music is perhaps the only degree of its kind in the US. Music programs at WOU are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music
National Association of Schools of Music
The National Association of Schools of Music is an association of post-secondary music schools in the United States and the principal U.S. accreditor for higher education in music...
.
Computer Science Division
The Computer ScienceComputer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
Division covers the Computer Science and Information Systems majors, and offers both Majors and Minors in Computer Science and Information Systems, falling into BS and BA degrees.
Social Science Division
The Social Science Division is a cluster of disciplines concerned with the characteristics and interactions of humans in their social and physical settings. These include anthropology, criminal justice geography, history, political science, and sociology. The Social Science Division also includes programs in public policy and administration and international studies. The BA and BS degrees are offered. Masters degrees are offered in Criminal Justice and History.Athletics
Western Oregon University's sports teams are called the Wolves and compete in the NCAA'sNational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
The Great Northwest Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which has historically operated in the Northwestern United States, but also currently includes four schools in areas not usually considered part of that region—two in Alaska , one in eastern Montana The Great Northwest...
at the Division II level. WOU sponsors 13 intercollegiate sports. Within their history under the NAIA prior to their transition to the NCAA, Western Oregon won multiple NAIA national titles in women’s basketball. The Baseball team on campus has experienced much success in the GNAC, winning ten consecutive conference titles since 2001. The Track and Field teams have also performed well within the conference, with the men's team winning four consecutive GNAC Indoor Track titles since 2008. In the fall of 2010, the men's and women's cross country teams earned their first berths in school history to the NCAA National Championships where they placed 20th and 21st, respectively.
Pertaining to club sports on campus, not regulated by the NCAA or NAIA, the Western Oregon Men's Lacrosse Club has won the Division II PNCLL
Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League
The Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League is a conference in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association. The PNCLL incorporates teams from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia and is divided into two divisions, Division I and Division II.-Division I:-Division II:-Past...
championship trophy in 2008, 2009, and 2010. The Western Oregon Men's Rugby Club won the Division II Pacific Northwest Rugby Football Union (PNRFU) championship in 2005, 2009, and 2010.
On April 26, 2008, Sara Tucholsky
Sara Tucholsky
Sara Tucholsky is an American college softball player who played for Western Oregon University, who gained national attention when she was assisted in scoring a home run by members of the opposing team, when an injury prevented her from completing the play by running the bases on her own.In 2008,...
, a reserve outfielder on the Wolves softball team (2005–08), hit the first home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
of her college career in a victory over Central Washington University
Central Washington University
Central Washington University, often abbreviated CWU, is a public university in Ellensburg, Washington in the United States.This location was selected by the state legislature as a consolation prize after Ellensburg lost its bid to be state capital...
, but injured her knee rounding first base; Central Washington's Mallory Holtman
Mallory Holtman
Mallory Holtman is an American college softball coach for Central Washington University. She gained national attention when, as a player for Central Washington, she assisted an opposing player in scoring a home run, when an injury prevented her opponent from completing a play by running the bases...
and Liz Wallace carried Tucholsky around the rest of the bases to home plate. This act of sportsmanship was heavily covered by national media outlets, and resulted in Tucholsky, Holtman, and Wallace winning the Best Moment award at the 2008 ESPY Awards
ESPY Awards
An ESPY Award is an accolade presented by the American cable television network ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. The first ESPYs were awarded in 1993...
.
Notable alumni
- Kevin BossKevin BossKevin Boss is an American football tight end for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League...
– football player, Oakland RaidersOakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, - Jeff CharlestonJeff CharlestonJeffrey David Charleston is an American football defensive end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
– football player, New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... - Marco Hernandez - First Latino to serve as U.S. district court judge in Oregon.
- Sara TucholskySara TucholskySara Tucholsky is an American college softball player who played for Western Oregon University, who gained national attention when she was assisted in scoring a home run by members of the opposing team, when an injury prevented her from completing the play by running the bases on her own.In 2008,...
– NCAA Softball, Best Moment award at the 2008 ESPY Awards - Ariana RichardsAriana RichardsAriana Clarice Richards is an American actress and professional painter. She is best known for her roles as Mindy Sterngood in Tremors, Lex Murphy in the film Jurassic Park, and as Carol Wetherby in the film Prancer....
– Actress
Awards
National Academic Advising Association
The National Academic Advising Association is a 501 non-profit organization. It is an international, educational association of individuals engaged in the work of academic advising...
(NACADA) has recognized eight Western Oregon University faculty and staff for academic advising (three in 2008, one in 2009, two in 2010, and two in 2011).
On January 2010, The Education Trust named WOU in the top 10 of the nation for improved graduation rates among underrepresented minorities. WOU also ranked ninth in closing the gap between minority and nonminority graduation rates. WOU is one of the most diverse universities in Oregon and has the highest percentage of Latino students in the Oregon University System. Between 2000 and 2009, enrollment of Latino students increased 75%, Asian-American students by 53%, African-American students by 115% and Native American students by 63%, for an overall increase of these student populations of 73%. The succesful growth in Latino students has resulted in WOU being the only public college or university accepted as a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).
Parade Magazine listed WOU as one of the top twenty small state schools for 2010. WOU was noted for its small classes and exceptional services for first generation to college students.
Jensen Arctic Museum
The Jensen Arctic MuseumJensen Arctic Museum
The Paul H. Jensen Arctic Museum is a museum focused on the culture and environment of the Arctic in Monmouth in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located on the campus of Western Oregon University, the museum opened in 1985 with 3,000 artifacts collected by its late founder and namesake...
at WOU is the only museum on the west coast of the contiguous states dedicated to the Arctic culture, and one of two in the entire United States outside of Alaska, the other being in the state of Maine. The museum's collections include art, animals, tools, apparel and information about indigenous Arctic people.