University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) is a public research university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The 358-acre (145 ha) campus is located approximately 1.5-mile (2.4 km) east of the Las Vegas Strip. The university includes the Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, which houses the School of Dental Medicineâ€" the only dental school in the state of Nevada. In addition, UNLV's law school, the William Boyd School of Law, is also the only law school in the state.
Noted for its strong emphasis on science and technology, business management, and the law programs, the university is classified a "research-intensive university" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The William Harrah College of Hotel Administration is annually ranked among the top hospitality programs in the United States due to the university's proximity to the Las Vegas Strip. Its famed Thomas & Mack Center hosted the 2007 NBA All-Star Game, concerts, as well as lectures by Bill Clinton and Mikhail Gorbachev as part of various UNLV-affiliated lecture series.
History
The first college classes which would eventually become the classes of UNLV were offered as the southern regional extension division of the University of Nevada, Reno in 1959 in a classroom at Las Vegas High School. In 1955, State Senator Mahlon Brown "sponsored the legislation to provide $200,000 to construct the campus's first building" - Frazier Hall. Groundbreaking on the original 60-acre (24Â ha) site was in April 1956, and the university purchased a 640-acre (260Â ha) site in North Las Vegas for future expansion. UNLV was officially founded by the Nevada Board of Regents as the Southern Division of the University of Nevada, Reno in 1957. The first classes were held on the current campus in the post and beam Mid Century Modern Maude Frazier Hall designed by the award winning local architectural firm, Zick and Sharp. Twenty-nine students graduated in the first commencement ceremonies in 1964.
In 1965, the Nevada Legislature named the school Nevada Southern University, and the Board of Regents hired the campus's first president, Donald C. Moyer. who passed away in 2008 at the age of 88.
In 1968, Nevada Southern was given equal status with its parent institution in Reno, and the present name was approved by the Regents in January 1969, during a winter session and without input by representatives from the University of Nevada, Reno . During this time Nevada Southern University also adopted the southern "Rebel" athletics moniker and a mascot dressed in a southern Confederate uniform named Beauregard. The popular reasoning behind such a controversial moniker and mascot is that they did it to oppose the northern Union traditions and symbols of their northern rival, the University of Nevada. It was not long, however, before protests from NSU/UNLV students forced a slight change to their Confederate mascot, but the "Rebels" moniker remains to this day. Since its founding, the university has grown rapidly, expanding both its academic programs and campus facilities.
In 1969, the Board of Regents approved the new name of University of Nevada at Las Vegas and the abbreviation UNLV.
In 1973 Jerry Tarkanian was hired as the men's basketball coach by UNLV's second president, Roman Zorn.
In 1981 Claes Oldenburg's Flashlight sculpture was installed on the plaza between Artemus Ham Hall and Judy Bayley Theatre.
In 2001, The School of Dental Medicine opened to train students and offer low-cost dental care to residents. Also, the Lied Library on campus opened.
In 2003, the Institute for Security Studies was established to address Homeland Security concerns. The Lynn Bennett Childhood Development Center opened.
In 2004, UNLV opened its first regional campus on Shadow Lane, near the University Medical Center. The School of Dental Medicine is located on the Shadow Lane Campus. Also, The School of Public Health was established in the Division of Health Sciences to address new and emerging public health issues.
In 2005, construction began on the $113 million science and engineering building, which has 200,000 square feet of teaching space, laboratories, and high-tech conference rooms. The building, was completed in 2008. It was designed to support interdisciplinary research; draw students to high-demand fields such as electrical engineering, computer science, and environmental science; and attract national and international researchers. UNLV launched its first comprehensive campaign, Invent the Future, with the goal of raising $500 million by December 2008. Also, the Air Force ROTC program was established on campus.
In 2006, The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents raised the minimum GPA to 3.0 for admittance to UNLV. UNLV opened its first international campus in Singapore, where the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration offered its bachelor's degree program in hospitality management. UNLV plans to end its partnership with the Singapore Institute of Technology by 2015, due to economic issues such as rising tuition in Las Vegas and the falling value of the U.S. dollar in Singapore.
In 2007, an expanded student union (with study and social lounges, eateries, a new ballroom, and a 300-seat theater) and a new student recreation center (with high-tech weight and fitness rooms, swimming pools, and a juice bar) opened in the fall. Both these facilities reflected UNLV's goal of becoming more student-centered. The Greenspun College of Urban Affairs broke ground for the $94 million Greenspun Hall, which showcased the latest environmental and technological advancements and served as an anchor for "Midtown UNLV."
In 2010, UNLV cut Clinical Laboratory Sciences, and continued cutting all Health Science majors until 2013.
UNLV Now
UNLVNow is a proposed public/private partnership between UNLV and Majestic Realty Co. The project is part of UNLV’s Campus Master Plan and includes:
A mega-events center on the northwest part of campus. The center would give UNLV a state-of-the-art home for its athletics teams and provide the region with the only events center capable of hosting concerts, sports, and other special events for 60,000 spectators.
A student village offering housing, dining, and shopping, as well as the retail and service activities customarily found adjacent to or as part of residential campuses.
New initiatives
In 2005, the university received over $95 million in extramural research funding, about a 30 percent increase over the previous year. Its fund raising campaign, "Invent the Future", reached its $500 million goal in 2009.
In 2009, a $59.7 million Advanced Clinical and Research Training Center was constructed under architect Carpenter Sellers. This LEED equivalent building is expected to be completed by summer 2010. It will serve to consolidate the University of Nevada Health Sciences System programs through the shared use of classrooms, teaching labs, and simulated patient lab space.
Sustainability
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas has created an Urban Sustainability Initiative that strives to implement sustainable practices both on campus and in the larger Las Vegas community. In addition to having two campus buildings in the process of LEED Silver Certification and one building in the process of LEED Gold Certification, UNLV has reduced its use of electricity and natural gas by 38 percent per square foot since 2001 by retrofitting older campus buildings. In the 2009 edition of the Sustainable Endowment Institute’s College Sustainability Report Card, University of Nevada-Las Vegas received a grade of "C".
The Science and Engineering building received a LEED Silver rating in March 2009. SEB achieved this rating by using recycled glass, steel, concrete, and wood. More than 60% of the leftover construction materials were recycled. The roof of SEB was made to reflect 92 percent of sunlight. This reduces the amount of heat absorbed into the building and therefore, reduces energy needed to cool the building. Incoming air to SEB is also pre-cooled through evaporation so the need for air conditioning is reduced. High performance window glazing also allows light to come in while keeping the building insulated. Occupancy sensors allow lights to automatically turn off when a room is not occupied, saving electricity. Low-flow sinks, toilets, and showers, as well as a drip irrigation system for the native desert landscape reduces water usage by 42%. SEB also uses a reclaimed water system that captures wastewater, providing 750 gallons of water a day that is used to flush toilets.
The Greenspun College of Urban Affairs building of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas received a LEED Gold rating in April 2010.
In 2009, UNLV received the Cashman Good Government Award for the campus' sustainability measures. UNLV earned the award for "maintaining consistent energy costs despite substantial campus growth," saving nearly $11 million from 2001-2009. UNLV was also recognized for managing the xeric demonstration garden and for its recycling efforts.
Budget
In an effort to stop or at least reduce the budget cuts to UNLV and the rest of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE), rallies were held early 2009 to protest the situation. Tuition was raised by 10% for fall 2009 as a partial measure to alleviate Nevada's financial hardship. Resources and amenities aiding students in their research and learning may be cut. Faculty and staff are also affected by Nevada's budget shortfalls. They remain worried about pay cuts, lost benefits, and job security.
Academics
Admissions
UNLV offers about 220 programs of study in varying fields leading to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, which are taught by approximately 850 faculty members.
UNLV's colleges include:
- School of Community Health Sciences
- College of Education
- Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering
- College of Fine Arts
- Graduate College
- Honors College
- William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration
- College of Liberal Arts
- College of Sciences
- Greenspun College of Urban Affairs
UNLV's schools include:
- School of Allied Health Sciences
- School of Architecture
- Lee Business School
- School of Dental Medicine
- School of Environment and Public Affairs
- Hank Greenspun School of Journalism & Media Studies
- William S. Boyd School of Law
- School of Nursing
- School of Social Work
The Atlantic recognized UNLV's English Department as having one of the nation's most innovative Master of Fine Arts programs and one of the top five doctoral programs in creative writing.
Down Beat Magazine, the internationally recognized industry standard trade publication for jazz music, recognized the work of the 2010 UNLV Jazz Ensemble as "Outstanding Large Jazz Ensemble Performance" among graduate college-level jazz bands in their annual Student Music Award issue of that year.
In 2006, UNLV opened its first international campus in Singapore. The UNLV Singapore campus is housed on the 10th and 11th floors of the National Library of Singapore, a prestigious building comparable to the United States Library of Congress. The campus offers bachelor’s degree programs in Hotel Administration and Hospitality Management. UNLV Singapore is offering the college's upper division courses, which include Hotel Administration, Hospitality Marketing, Food & Beverage Management and Hotel Law. Students may also earn an executive master's degree in hospitality.
An elementary school, Paradise Professional Development School, is located on campus and operated as a partnership between UNLV and the Clark County School District.
Undergraduate
UNLV offers 95 different undergraduate major fields of study that lead to a bachelor's degree as well as 71 minors from its colleges and schools.
William S. Boyd School of Law
The William S. Boyd School of Law was founded in 1997. Despite its young age, the law school has risen to national prominence. U.S. News ranked the William S. Boyd School of Law 76th overall in the country. Many of the law school's specialty areas are highly rated including dispute resolution and legal writing, which are rated 10th and 3rd respectively.
UNLV School of Dental Medicine
The UNLV School of Dental Medicine is currently the only dental school the state of Nevada. The UNLV Shadow Lane Campus, where the dental school is located, is in the heart of Las Vegas's medical district. The dental school also offers quality, low-cost dental services to the surrounding communities.
Lee Business School
The UNLV Lee Business School is a public academic and research institution located in Las Vegas, Nevada. It holds International dual accreditation in business and accounting by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The Lee Business School is the largest college at UNLV and offers nine undergraduate and five graduate programs. It has about 85 faculty members and 4,000 students.
Ranking
Lee Business School's part-time MBA program is ranked in the top 28 percent in U.S. News & World Report's 2014 ranking of best business graduate programs.
History
The Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) was established in 1975 to make available academic expertise in research projects that assist in the development of the Nevada economy and assist state and local agencies and private-sector enterprises in the collection and analysis of economic and market data. The Lied Institute for Real Estate Studies was established in 1989 to foster excellence in real estate education and research.
In 2011 the UNLV's business college was formally renamed after a US$15 million donation from the Ted and Doris Lee Family, the Las Vegas real estate, hotel, restaurant and casino investors.
Departments
- Accounting
- Economics
- Finance
- Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology
- Marketing and International Business
Student Life
Much of the student life at UNLV revolves around its Student Union, or SU. The SU houses the offices for its student government and student organizations on its third floor.
Student Government
The Consolidated Students of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, abbreviated CSUN, is the undergraduate student government at UNLV. It is a body that consists of an executive board, a senate of 25 members from all of the colleges at UNLV, a judicial council, and directors that plan and organize events and marketing. CSUN currently has an annual budget of about 1 million U.S. dollars that is funded through student fees. The senate ways and means committee determines how that the CSUN budget will be divided up to be set aside for such items as student organization funding and scholarships. The final say on spending in CSUN is the senate.
Together with UNLV, CSUN founded an on-campus preschool in 1974 as part of the College of Education. Both students and staff can utilize this accredited preschool.
The graduate student government at UNLV is separate from the undergraduate student government. The Graduate & Professional Student Association, or GPSA, is the graduate student government at UNLV.
Student Organizations
According to U.S. News, UNLV has over 250 student organizations. To become a student organization, the organization must become recognized by UNLV's Office of Civic Engagement and Diversity.
The Rebel Yell
The Rebel Yell is the student newspaper on campus. It covers many topics about higher education in Nevada and the state of UNLV as well. The Rebel Yell extensively covers CSUN senate meetings and elections. It is printed twice weekly and also posts its articles online.
UNLV Fight Song
"Win with the Rebels" by Gerald G. Willis
Win with the Rebels a victory today!
Win with the Rebels, the Scarlet and Gray.
From mountains that surround you,
To far across the sea.
We'll win with the Rebels of UNLV.
U-N-L-V
UNLV Go. Fight. Win.
We'll win with the Rebels of UNLV.
Greek Life
Campus
The main campus of UNLV is located on a 332-acre land grant in centrally located Paradise, Nevada.
Midtown UNLV is an ongoing private-public development along Maryland Parkway, a border street to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Development began in 2002 and the purpose is to expand the university to meet the demands of a major university in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The project is designed to improve the "front door" of the University by improving amenities for students and businesses along Maryland Parkway. The goals are to reduce vacant spaces, lower business turnover rates, as well as create new space for the University to expand. Additionally, the project aims to create new housing developments close to campus. Major funding is through state funding sources along with private donations.
Residence Halls
There are four different residence hall complexes on the [8] campus. Dayton Complex, Tonopah Complex, South Residential Complex (SOU), Upper Class Complex (UCC).
Libraries
UNLV has several libraries on the main campus. The biggest library on campus is the Lied Library located in the center of campus. Opened in 2001, the 301,000-square-foot (28,000Â m2), $58 million facility is named for real estate entrepreneur Ernst W. Lied.
Many colleges also have their individual libraries that hold materials more closely related to the college:
- The Architecture Studies Library in the UNLV School of Architecture
- The Curriculum Materials Library in the College of Education
- The Music Library in the Lee & Thomas Beam Music Center
- The Wiener-Rogers Law Library in the William S. Boyd School of Law
Athletic Facilities
UNLV's main athletic facilities include Sam Boyd Stadium, Thomas & Mack Center(1983), Cox Pavilion, and Earl Wilson Stadium. These facilities hold home games for UNLV sports programs and have hosted outside events such as the Mountain West Conference Basketball Tournament and the National Finals Rodeo.
In 2007, the 188,000 sq ft (17,500 m2) recreation center was completed. This recreation center is designed to cater to the needs of UNLV students' physical and mental health.
Most recently, the Mendenhall Center, a training center dedicated for the UNLV basketball program, opened up in 2012.
Other Notable Buildings
Performing arts facilities include the Judy Bayley Theatre (1972), the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall (1976), the Black Box Theatre, the Alta Ham Fine Arts Complex (1982), and the Lee and Thomas Beam Music Center (2001).
In 1997 the Paul B. Sogg Architecture Building opened.
In 2007, a new 135,000 sq ft (12,500 m2) student union was opened. This building offers many amenities for students including a social atmosphere, a diverse food court, conference rooms, a game room, student government offices, and student organization offices.
One of the newer buildings on campus, the Greenspun Hall, opened its doors in 2008. Home to the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs and the Brookings Mountain West Institute, this five-story, 120,000 square foot building is home to state-of-the art media facilities. It also houses the campus radio station KUNV-FM, student-run HD2 radio station, and the television station, UNLV-TV. Certified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, the building was named after Las Vegas Sun founder and publisher, Hank Greenspun. The Greenspun family also donated $37 million to the total cost of the building.
In 2008, the Sciences and Engineering Building opened. The building was created to serve the both the College of Sciences and the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering in environmentally friendly manner.
Athletics
UNLV supports varsity teams in 17 different sports. The men's basketball team is referred to as the Runnin' Rebels and the men's baseball team is referred to as the Hustlin' Rebels. The Rebels are a founding member of the Mountain West Conference, in the NCAA's Division I. The only exception is the UNLV men's soccer team, which competes in the Western Athletic Conference.
The school's official colors of scarlet and gray can be traced to the late-1950s when UNLV adopted as mascot a wolf wearing a Confederate uniform. Scarlet and Gray were traditional colors of the Confederacy with its gray uniforms and red-based flag. UNLV's mascot is Hey Reb, the toned down version of the original mascot named Beauregard, which was a wolf character dressed in Confederate hat and uniform. UNLV's Hey Reb mascot made his debut in 1983. He received his first makeover in 1997 and second in 2009. Named one of 12 All-American Mascots, he competed for the title of 2004 Capital One Mascot of the Year and made a strong showing by coming in second in online voting. No stranger to national television, Hey Reb has also appeared in two memorable ESPN SportsCenter commercials.
UNLV has many traditions in its athletic programs. Each year the men's football team plays the Nevada Wolf Pack in a football game called the Battle for Nevada. The trophy for that game is the Fremont Cannon. Built by the Kennecott Copper Corp., Nevada Mines Division, the cannon is valued at more than $10,000 and is considered one of the best, and loudest, symbols of rivalry in college football. UNLV Trails Nevada in the series 16-24.
UNLV is most known for its men's basketball program. Made famous by Coach Jerry Tarkanian in the 1970sâ€"1990s, the Runnin' Rebels are the third most winning team in Division I basketball history by percentage, only behind Kentucky and North Carolina.(.713, 1037-418 through 2008) UNLV is well known for their 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship by defeating Duke University 103-73, which was and still is the largest margin of victory in a championship game. In that same game, UNLV became the first team to ever break 100 points in a championship game.
UNLV is also well known for its golf program. Led by coach Dwaine Knight, the UNLV Golf program has turned out PGA Tour pros such as Adam Scott, Chris Riley, Chad Campbell, Ryan Moore, Skip Kendall, Charlie Hoffman, Bill Lunde, and Andres Gonzales. They won the NCAA National golf team championship in 1998. In February 2011, the Rebel men's swimming and diving team won their seventh straight Mountain West Conference titles. Three Rebel swimmers competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics; Joe Bartoch and Richard Hortness represented Canada and Jonas Anderson represented Sweden.
Faculty
Notable faculty include:
- R. Jacob Baker
- Maile Chapman
- Hans-Hermann Hoppe
- Michel Hugo
- Claudia Keelan
- Lawrence L. Larmore
- Donald Revell
- Willard Hughes Rollings
- Murray Rothbard
- Cathy Scott
- Wole Soyinka
- Randall Stout
- Dina Titus
- Michael Tylo
- Douglas A. Unger
- Richard Wiley
- Clarence Gilyard
Alumni
UNLV has seen many of its former students go on to local and national prominence. This includes many athletes that have excelled at the collegiate and professional levels,
- Anthony Bennett
- Greg Anthony
- Joel Anthony
- Stacey Augmon
- Chad Campbell
- Randall Cunningham
- Cecil Fielder
- Joe Hawley
- Larry Johnson
- Ryan Ludwick
- Shawn Marion
- Keenan McCardell
- Efren Navarro
- Adam Scott
- Reggie Theus
- Matt Williams
- Ickey Woods
Former Rebels in the entertainment world include:
- Chris Cox (DJ), Grammy Award nominated record producer and DJ
- Guy Fieri, chef, restauranteur, and Food Network star
- Jimmy Kimmel, comedian, actor, and late-night talk show host on ABC
- Suge Knight, entrepreneur and CEO of Death Row Records
- Anthony E. Zuiker, creator and executive producer of the CSI television series franchise.
- Kenny Mayne, ESPN personality
- Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo, Emmy Award-winning married choreographers.
- Ginger Fish, band member of Marilyn Manson.
- Ronnie Vannucci, drummer for the American rock band The Killers
- Eric Whitacre, Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor.
- Tom Miller, artist, singer and songwriter for American rock band Black Camaro
- Brian Garth, sound engineer, producer, songwriter and guitarist for American rock band Black Camaro
UNLV has also produced politicians including:
- U.S. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley
- U.S. Senator John Ensign
- Clark County District Attorney David Roger
Other notable alumni include:
- Christian philosopher Francis J. Beckwith
- President of Maloof Hotels and former owner of the Sacramento Kings George J. Maloof, Jr.
- YouTube personality Ryan Higa.
Gallery
References
External links
- Official UNLV website
- The Rebel Yell, student newspaper
- Official UNLV athletics website
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