The University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island Seal
Established | 1888 |
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School type | Public University |
President | Robert Carothers |
Location | Flagship Campus: Kingston, RI, USA Commonwealth Campuses: Narragansett Providence West Greenwich |
Enrollment | 10,784 undergraduates, 3,396 graduates |
Faculty | 677 |
Endowment | US $72 million |
Campus | Rural: Kingston, 1,250 acres (5.06 km²) |
Sports teams | URI Rams NCAA Division I 10 mens' teams 12 womens' teams 17 club sports teams URI Athletics |
Website | www.uri.edu |
The University of Rhode Island, commonly abbreviated as U.R.I., is the principal public research university in the State of Rhode Island, with its main campus in Kingston, Rhode Island, and three other campuses located throughout the state. URI has 10,320 undergraduates and 3,115 graduate students. It is a land grant, sea grant, and urban grant institution.
The University was first chartered as the state's agricultural school in 1888. The site of the school was originally the Oliver Watson Farm, and the original farmhouse still lies on the campus today. In 1892, the school became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. The first class was comprised of only seventeen students, and they graduated two years later. In 1909, the school's name was again changed to Rhode Island State College and the school's programs expanded beyond its original mandate. In 1951, the college became the University of Rhode Island by an act of the General Assembly. The Board of Governors for Higher Education appointed by the governor became the governing body of the University in 1981.
The University of Rhode Island Department of Athletics and Recreation offers 22 intercollegiate sports (12 women and 10 for men) and 17 club sports programs. The university is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, the Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association, and the NCAA Division I (Division I-AA for football). The wide range of athletic facilities include Keaney Gymnasium, Meade Stadium, Mackal Field House, Tootell Aquatic Center, URI Soccer Complex, Beck Field and URI Softball Field. Other facilities available for students include fitness rooms, indoor track, swimming and diving pools, twelve tennis courts, and two beach volleyball courts, among others.