University of North Texas
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{{Infobox_University
|name = University of North Texas
|image = Image:UNT Seal.jpg
|established = 1890
|type = Flagship State university
|president= Dr. Norval F. Pohl
|city = Denton
|state = Texas
|country = USA
|undergrad = 25,406
|postgrad = 6,775
|staff= 911 full-time; 311 part-time
|free = $33.3 million
|free_label = Endowment
|campus = Suburban, 860 acres (3.3 km²)
|mascot = Eagles
(teams named Mean Green)
|colors = Green and White
|website= www.unt.edu
}}
The University of North Texas (informally UNT or North Texas), is a public university located in Denton, Texas. It was founded in 1890 by Joshua C. Chilton as the Texas Normal College and Teacher Training Institute. From its inception up to present day, the name was modified six times to reflect the institution's growth and change. In 1894, it became North Texas Normal College, and North Texas State Normal College in 1901. It was known as North Texas State Teachers College in 1923, North Texas State College in 1949, and North Texas State University 1961, before finally being named the University of North Texas in 1988. With an enrollment of more than 32,000 students, it is now the largest university in the north Texas area and the fourth largest university in Texas.
The university is a member of the Federation of North Texas Area Universities, offering various graduate degrees in coordination with Texas Woman's University and Texas A&M University-Commerce. The Denton campus is the flagship for the University of North Texas System, which also includes University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, University of North Texas Research Park and the University of North Texas at Dallas.
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Academics
North Texas confers degrees from one of ten schools and colleges.
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Business Administration
- College of Education
- College of Engineering
- College of Music
- College of Public Affairs and Community Service
- School of Library and Information Sciences
- School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management
- School of Visual Arts
- Toulouse School of Graduate Studies
Additionally, students in any major may join the Honors College to enjoy access to honors classes and a wide array of special programs and privileges. Membership is open to undergraduates regardless of major and graduates of the College are entitled to wear the Honors College Medallion upon commencement.
College of Music
The University of North Texas is home to one of the largest music schools in the nation (its enrollment figures are neck-in-neck with Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music). Particularly noted for its world-class jazz program and the world-renowned One O'Clock Lab Band, and often highlighted on campus radio KNTU, it was the first university to offer a degree in Jazz Studies in 1947. Known for its competitive standards and extremely rigorous coursework, the College of Music boasts excellent programs in compositition, theory, history, performance, and education. Additionally, it hosts an extensive collection of early music period instruments and is home to a large music library, with thousands of scores, periodicals, books, and recordings. UNT also features a significant wind ensemble, and their most successful choir as part of the Collegium Musicum directed by Lyle Nordstrom.
College of Engineering
In the spring semester of 2003, UNT opened a College of Engineering at its Research Park campus, in Denton. Bachelor degrees are offered in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, and engineering technology (with choices of focus in electronics, mechanical, manufacturing, or construction). Master degrees are offered in computer science, computer engineering, engineering technology, and materials science. Electrical engineering will begin offering a master's degree in 2007. Doctoral degrees are offered in computer science and materials science.
Toulouse School of Graduate Studies
The Toulouse School of Graduate Studies at the University of North Texas offers 114 master's and 49 doctoral programs in all nine colleges listed above plus a Master of Arts and a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies.
Emergency Administration and Planning
Since offering the first bachelor's degree program for emergency management in the United States in 1983, 777 students have earned their bachelor's degree of science in emergecy administration and planning. In its 24 year history, the degree has drawn students from all of the US, and internationally from Barbados, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Japan, Nigeria, Sweden, and Taiwan.
Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science
One of the highlights of UNT is the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, an early college entrance program that annually admits 200 gifted students into full-time college studies following their 10th grade year. This program has produced numerous Intel Talent Search finalists and semi-finalists, Goldwater Scholars, and National Merit Scholars.
Athletics
UNT competes at the Division I-A level as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. It is a competitive participant in the following sports:
North Texas firsts
- First jazz studies program in the U.S., which is consistently ranked the nation's best.
- First emergency administration and disaster prevention program in the U.S.
- First peace studies program in the Southwest.
- First oil and petroleum accounting program in the U.S.
- First patent for silicon-based ultra-sensitive chemical sensor for use in integrated circuit fabrication.
- First business computer information systems program in the U.S.
- First PhD program in art education in the U.S.
- First bachelor's degree in electronic merchandising in the U.S.
- First online school library preparation program in the U.S.
- First accredited counseling program in the U.S., which still ranks among the nation's best.
- First school in the country to offer a degree in Mechanical and Energy Engineering
- First college in the South to integrate; Class of 1956 was first integrated graduating class.
Mascot
The university as a whole still uses the eagle mascot adopted in 1922. The costumed eagle character Scrappy appears at games and university events, though he didn't always go by that name; in 1974, students who felt "Scrappy" was too warlike dubbed the bird "Eppy," and he kept that name until 1995.
In recent years, however, many of UNT's athletics programs (especially football) have adopted the name Mean Green. The name is associated with football star and 1969 NTSU graduate "Mean" Joe Greene, a legendary member of the famous Steel Curtain defense of the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers; however, stories about the actual origins of "Mean Green" vary.[1]
In the spring of 2002, the school's chapter of the Albino Squirrel Preservation Society attempted to make the group's namesake the school's secondary mascot. The student body narrowly rejected the measure; if it had passed, it would have made North Texas the nation's second university to have a secondary mascot.
Traditions and symbols
- The Spirit Bell is a 2,000-pound bell brought in from Michigan in 1891 to signal class changes and curfew. Members of the Talons spirit group later began running it up and down the field at football games; it was retired to the University Union in 1982 after it developed a crack. A 1,600-pound Spirit Bell is currently in use at games.
- McConnell Tower, the clock tower atop the Hurley Administration Building in the center of campus, is bathed in green light for each victory by a UNT athletic team. It appears on the official class ring with two different times on its faces: 1:00 (for the One O'Clock Lab Band) and 7:00 (the 1892 curfew time for Texas Normal College and Teacher Training Institute students).
- The eagle claw hand gesture is made by curling the thumb, index and middle fingers forward, leaving the ring finger and pinky closed against the palm.
- A bonfire is assembled by members of the Talons spirit group and lit on the Friday night of Homecoming week (when a burn ban is not in effect).
- Boomer, a scale replica of an American Civil War cannon, is fired at football games to signal touchdowns, as well as at special events.
- The Talon car, aka the "Green Machine", is a green Ford Model A Tudor Sedan built in 1931 that is driven by members of the Talons Cannon Crew at home football games and special events.
- "In High Places", a 22-foot-tall bronze statue of a flying eagle created by Gerald Balciar, is a popular landmark and meeting place, and is often decorated in green for school spirit. It was dedicated during the university's centennial celebrations in 1990.
Student media
- The Aerie, student yearbook
- KNTU (88.1 FM), campus radio station with a primarily jazz format
- The North Texas Daily, student newspaper published Tuesday-Friday during the fall and spring semesters and weekly during the summer
- NTTV, 24-hour cable television station featuring student-produced and -centered programming
Notable alumni
External links
- University of North Texas
- North Texas Athletics
- North Texas Daily, the campus newspaper
- Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science
- North Texas Exes Alumni Association
- The North Texan, an alumni magazine
- The Portal to Texas History