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North Carolina State University is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Also known as NC State or NCSU, the university is the principal technological institute of the University of North Carolina System. The North Carolina General Assembly founded NC State in 1887 as a land-grant college. Today, NC State has an enrollment of over 30,000, making it the largest university in North Carolina. While NC State has historical strengths in design, agriculture, engineering, and textiles, it offers over 100 Bachelor degree areas of study including mathematics, meteorology, economics, political science, forestry, physics, and education.

History

Main Article: History of North Carolina State University

The North Carolina General Assembly founded NC State in 1887 as a land-grant college under the name North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. As a land-grant college, NC State would provide a “liberal and practical education” while focusing on military tactics, agriculture and the mechanical arts without excluding classical studies. Since its founding, the university has maintained these objectives while building on them.

After opening its doors in 1889, NC State saw its enrollment fluctuated and its mandate expand. Due to the Great Depression, the North Carolina government administratively combined the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Women’s College at Greensboro, and NC State. This conglomeration later became the University of North Carolina system in 1971. After World War II, the university has constantly grown and changed.

Currently, NC State has over 7,000 employees, over 30,000 students, an $820 million annual budget, and a $380 million endowment. It is also widely recognized as one of the three anchors of North Carolina's Research Triangle, together with Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Academics

  • Biological Sciences
  • Animal Science
  • Biochemistry
  • Art and Design
  • Graphic Design
  • Architecture
  • Higher Education Admin
  • Mathematics Education
  • School Admin
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Psychology
  • Political Science
  • Communications
  • Accounting
  • Business Management
  • Economics
  • Parks, Recreation and Tourism
  • Forest Management
  • Professional Golf Management
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Textile and Apparel Management
  • Textile Engineering
  • Textile Technology
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Immunology
  1. This list is not inclusive;
    full lists are available of bachelor degrees and graduate degrees
  2. An additional 352 students are pursuing Associate's degrees.
  3. Graduate programs are run by the respective colleges,
    but all graduate degrees are awarded by the Graduate School.
Academic Units Table
College Enrollment (Fall 2005) Degrees include1
Undergrad Graduate
Agriculture
and
Life Sciences 		3,7492 848
Design 494 188
Education 532 932
Engineering 5,400 1,795
Humanities
and
Social Sciences 		3,988 763
Management 2,190 461
Natural Resources 597 200
Physical
and
Mathematical Sciences 		849 724
Textiles 622 137
Veterinary Medicine 0 384
First Year College 1,413 0 (Non-degree granting)
Graduate School - - (See colleges above)3

Academic units

NC State is known for its programs in engineering and design. The textile and paper science programs are notable, given the University’s location near active textile and paper producers. Students can alternate semesters in the cooperative program, which gives them college credit for time-spent working on-site. NC State also provides a First Year Program for incoming freshmen to give incoming freshmen an opportunity to experience several disciplines before selecting a major.NC State Profile as provided by the UNC System Office[http://www.brevard.edu/fyc/ruproject/ncstate/cooped.htm Co-op information Page

NC State offers bachelor's degrees in 100 areas of study, master's degrees in 109 areas and doctorate degrees in 55 areas. Only the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences offers associate's degrees.

Admission

Considered a more selective university, NC State accepts fewer than 60% of those who apply. Out of the 3,175 students in the 2004 freshmen class, 43% were ranked in the top 10% of their high school class and 48% scored greater than 1200 on the SAT. Twenty-five percent were in both categories. State law limits the admission of students from outside North Carolina, so there is strong competition among non-residents for admissions.

Uniquely, NC State requires admission candidates to choose a preferred college of study. After determining that an applicant meets the overall university requirements, the individual college must also agree to accept the student. Due to this process, some colleges have significantly higher admission requirements than others. For example, the College of Engineering has higher admission standards than the College of Natural Resources. In addition, students might have a difficult time transferring between colleges. Transferring to the College of Design from another college could be difficult due to lack of design experience.

Library

The NC State Library, ranked 27th out of 113 North American research libraries, includes 3.4 million volumes and 54 thousand journal subscriptions (as of 2005). The library system has an annual budget of over $20 million and consists of 5 libraries. The largest library, D.H. Hill Library, located on Main Campus is over 11 stories tall and covers over 119 thousand square feet (11 thousand square meters). NC State as a member of the Triangle Research Libraries Network (TRLN), has interlibrary loan services with Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina Central University.

Rankings and classifications

NC State’s rankings are significantly hurt by its 29.7% four year graduation rate (for freshmen entering in 1998), as compared to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s 66.7% rate for the same class. The administration of NC State claims that this rate is a product of high participation in the cooperative education program (which adds a year to an undergraduate’s tenure) and the difficulty of the engineering degrees.
  • US News and World Report in 2006
    • Undergraduate education: 78th out of 248 national universities (34th out of public colleges)
    • Graduate Engineering Programs: 34th
    • 2nd best value colleges
  • Kiplinger Best Values in Public Colleges in 2006
    • 28th best value for in-state tuition
    • 49th best value for out-of-state tuition
  • Princeton Reviews
    • 2nd America's Best Value Colleges
    • Among the 25 Most Connected Campuses (this category is not ranked)
    • Among the 120 Best Southeastern Colleges (this category is not ranked)
    • Among the 81 Colleges With a Conscience (this category is not ranked)
    • 8th: Everyone Plays Intramural Sports
    • 18th: Campus Is Tiny, Unsightly, Or Both
    • 18th: Jock Schools
  • Carnegie Foundation2000
    • Type: Doctoral/Research Universities-Extensive
    • Undergraduate profile: Full-time four-year, more selective, higher transfer-in
    • Graduate Instructional Program: Doc/STEM: Doctoral, STEM dominant

Student life

Thirty-three percent of all students live on campus in one of twenty different residence halls. Most residence halls provide academic and social events as well as host programs that acclimate incoming students to the college experience. Each residence hall or residence hall area has an elected council to provide for local event programming and an outlet for student concerns. Collectively, representatives from each hall make up the Inter-Residence Council which represents the on-campus residence-life community as a whole. NC State has a growing Greek presence, and the university plans to renovate and improve many of the fraternity or sorority houses located on campus.

While Greeks do offer some social events, many residence halls host their own events, though alcohol policies are strictly enforced. One significant party is the "Design School Halloween Bash" hosted by the College of Design every October. By far the largest party and social events are those associated with sporting events.

The student center of the University includes an African-American Cultural Center which has an art gallery and a library. There is also a multicultural student affairs office.

Student life at North Carolina State University includes opportunities in a diverse range of activities and organizations. Besides fraternities and sororities, there are multicultural groups, arts groups, political and social action groups, service and professional groups, religious groups, sports and recreation groups, academic and professional groups, and special interest groups such as the Clogging Team, the Film Society, the Judo Club, the Equestrian Club, and the Black Finesse Modeling Troupe.

Student government

The Student Government at NCSU is composed of 3 branches. Founded in 1921, the Student Government is a student-run organization that serves as the official voice of the student body and attempts to better the student experience at the University. Both a governing body and an advocacy group, Student Government is involved in policy-making, adjudication, programming, advocating, community service, and countless other activities. The organization is a clearinghouse for concerns from students and answers from administrators.

Current officers (2006-2007):

  • Student Body President: Will Quick
  • Student Senate President: Zach Adams
  • Student Body Treasurer: Adam Compton
  • Student Body Chief Justice: Lock Whiteside, III
  • Student Senate President Pro Tempore: James E. O. Hankins, II

Student media

Technician has been North Carolina State University’s student-run newspaper since 1920. It employs more than 100 students throughout the year and reports on campus news, sports, entertainment, and state and national news. Technician is published Monday through Friday when school is in session with a circulation of about 15,000. The paper is funded by advertisement and the student government; it is distributed for free at numerous locations on campus and at area merchants.

NC State’s oldest student publication, the Agromeck yearbook, celebrated its 100th birthday with the 2002 edition. It acts as a compendium of student life on campus including sporting events, social activities, and day-to-day living. The Agromeck serves as a historian of campus and is a reminder of the way things used to be. Each year, nearly 1,000 copies are printed and sold.

NC State has its own student-run radio station, WKNC. WKNC is a non-commercial station and cannot run traditional advertisements. It does seek sponsors, who can be acknowledged on the air, but 90% of the station's funding is from the university. The radio station broadcasts at 25,000 watts and reaches around 200,000 people. The station host several formats run by student disc jockies.

Student demographics

  • Student-faculty ratio: 16:1
  • Average SAT: 1193
  • Average ACT: 25
  • Male-Female ratio: 4:3
  • African American: 10%
  • Asian American: 5%
  • Caucasian: 80%
  • Hispanic: 2%
  • Native American: 0.7%
  • Classes with fewer than 30 students: 61%
  • In state students: 87%
  • International students: 5.2%
  • Men who join fraternities: 8%
  • Women who join sororities: 10%
  • Students in on-campus housing: 33%
  • Percent of students age 25 and older: 9%
  • Average age of full-time students: 21
(Demographics last updated Dec 6,2005)

Athletics

As an Atlantic Coast Conference founding member, NC State competes in 24 intercollegiate varsity sports. Also known as the Wolfpack, NC State has won eight national championships: two NCAA championships, two AIAW championhips, and four titles under other sanctioning bodies.
Varsity Sports Table
Sport Coach (since) Facility Notes
Baseball Elliott Avent Doak Field ACC Championships: 4 (1975,'74,'73,'68)
Big Four Championships: 1 (1946)
South Atlantic Championships: 1 (1910)
State Titles: 1 (1907)
Basketball men's Sidney Lowe (2006) RBC Center National Championships: 2 (1983, '74)
ACC Championships: 10 (1987,'83,'74,'73,'70,'65,'59,'56,'55,'54)
ACC Regular Season Championships: 7 (1989,'85,'74,'73,'59,'56,'55)
women's Kay Yow (1976) Reynolds Coliseum ACC Championships: 4 (1991,'87,'85,'80)
ACC Regular Season Championships: 5 (1990,'85,'83,'80,'78)
Cheerleading¹ Harold Trammel National Championships¹: 4 (2001, ?, ?, ?)
Cross Country men's Rollie Geiger (1982) ACC Championships: 9
women's Rollie Geiger (1982) National Championships²: 2 (1980, '79)
ACC Championships: 20
Dance Team³
Football Chuck Amato (2000) Carter-Finley Stadium ACC Championships: 7 (1979,'73,'68,'65,'64,'63,'57)
Southern Conference Championships: 1 (1927)
Other Conference Championships: 3 (1913,'10,'07)
Bowl Games: 22 (Record 11-10-1)
Golf men's Richard Sykes (2001)
women's Page Marsh (1997)
Gymnastics (women's) Mark Stevenson (1981) Reynolds Coliseum
Rifle men's Keith Miller
women's Keith Miller
Soccer men's George Tarantini (1986) Method Road Soccer Stadium
women's Laura Kerrigan (1997) SAS Stadium
Softball Lisa Navas (2004) Walnut Creek Softball Complex ACC Championships: 1 (2006)
Swimming & Diving men's Brooks Teal (2001) Willis R. Casey Aquatic Center
women's Brooks Teal (2001) Willis R. Casey Aquatic Center
Tennis men's Jon Choboy (2002) J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center
women's Hans Olsen (2001) J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center
Track & Field men's Rollie Geiger (1985) Paul Derr Track ACC Championships: 6
women's Rollie Geiger (1985) Paul Derr Track
Volleyball (women's) Charita Stubbs (2006) Reynolds Coliseum
Wrestling Carter Jordan (2004) ACC Championships: 14
(2004,'02,'01,1996,'91,'90,'89,'88,'83,'82,'81,'78,'76)


Notes:

¹ Cheerleading is not sanctioned by the NCAA. NC State does not field a full varsity team: scholarships are not offered to participants.

² NC State's women's teams competed in AIAW competition, prior to the NCAA's decision to allow Division I schools to award scholarships to women.

³ The dance team is not a full varsity team (no scholarships), nor does it compete in NCAA-sanctioned contests.


Campus

Main

NC State’s Main Campus has three general areas: North Main Campus, Central Main Campus, and South Main Campus. North Main Campus is the oldest part of NC State and is home to most academic departments and a few residence halls. Central Main Campus is mainly residence halls, cafeterias, gymnasiums and student support departments. North and Central Main Campus are separated by a rail road track. Pedestrian and road tunnels are used to cross the tracks. Western Boulevard separates Central and South Main Campuses. Greek Court and a large conference center are found on South Main Campus. Main Campus is also divided into West, Central, and East Campus. West and Central campuses are divided by Dan Allen Drive, while Central and East are divided by Morill Drive and Reynolds Coliseum.

Architecturally, Main Campus is known for its distinctive red brick buildings. Due to oversupply, odd brick statues dot the landscape, a large section of main campus is paved over with brick (University Plaza, a.k.a. "the brickyard"), and most sidewalks are also made with brick. These sidewalks are also dotted with white brick mosaics.

The Memorial Bell Tower, located in the Northeast corner of North Main Campus, serves as the signature of NC State and appears in the NC State Official Seal. It was constructed as a monument to alumni killed in World War I. The granite tower, completed in 1937, is 115 feet (35 meters) tall. As a tradition, the Bell Tower is lighted in red at night immediately following athletic victories and certain academic achievements.*

The Court of North Carolina, just West of the Memorial Bell Tower, is surrounded by the 1911 Building; the College of Humanities and Social Sciences in Tompkins, Caldwell, Winston Halls and Poe Hall; Page Hall, home to College of Engineering offices; and Leazar Hall, location of the Computer Science Teaching Labs. It was once home to 100 trees (one for every county in North Carolina), but damage caused by Hurricane Fran in 1996 reduced the number significantly, including the destruction of a particularly old and large tree which was some 12 feet in diameter. Some replanting has occurred, but the Court's former appearance is far from being restored. Southwest of the Court of North Carolina is another landmark, the Free Expression Tunnel. The Free Expression Tunnel functions as one of three pedestrian tunnels underneath the railroad tracks separating North Main Campus and Central Main Campus. This particular tunnel is the site of sanctioned graffiti; anyone may paint there, and it is often the place for political statements, personal messages, and unique art. The tunnel was closed in June 2005 and has been partially demolished to be rebuilt with wheelchair accessibility. After numerous delays the tunnel completed construction and was reopened in May of 2006.

Centennial

NC State's main campus is augmented by the 1,334 acre (5.4 km²) mixed-use Centennial Campus. Located 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the Memorial Bell Tower, this campus houses university, corporate, and government research, in addition to classrooms and non-student residences. The College of Textiles is based on this campus and long-term plans have the majority of the College of Engineering relocating to the new campus. The offices of Red Hat and the Raleigh branch of the National Weather Service are also on the Centennial Campus, as well as Centennial Campus Middle School.

As of 2006, the departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computer Science have all completed the move to Centennial Campus. This was facilitated by progress in construction of Engineering Building II. Fall semester courses were taught in both EB I and EB II, while ongoing construction continued until the final days of examinations of Spring 2006.

Centennial will soon host the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering departments. Considerable percentages of other departments have already transitioned to new facilities. Graduate research buildings including Monteith Engineering Graduate Research Center (M.R.C.) also span much of the non-academic sections of the campus.

West

West Campus is located 2.5 miles (4 km) west of the Memorial Bell Tower. The campus’s 182 acres (0.73 km²) is bordered by the stadiums and the North Carolina State Fairgrounds to the west and Meredith College to the east. Situated on this campus is the University Club and North Carolina’s only Veterinary School. Since most of the campus is rolling pastoral land, part of it is converted to parking space during the North Carolina State Fair and NC State football games.

JC Raulston Arboretum is an 8 acre (32,000 m²) arboretum and botanical garden operated by NC State, and located just south of West Campus. It is open daily without charge.

Stadiums

The Stadium property is 3.4 miles (5.5 km) northwest of the Memorial Bell Tower. Both Carter-Finley Stadium and the RBC Center are located there. Aside from the two stadiums, the property is mainly open space used for event parking. The property borders the North Carolina State Fair to the North and hosts tailgating parties before NC State football games.

People

A great number of people have made their way through NC State University. NC State has conferred 185,663 degrees (as of 2005) since opening its doors and has an estimated 145,000 living alumni. In addition, as of Fall 2005, the university employs 2,020 part and full time faculty members. Out of these two groups, several notable individuals have emerged.

Notables

Academics

Science and technology

Athletics

Media

Politics

Military

Chief executives

President

Dean of Administration

Chancellor

External links

Notes and references

Sea-grant universities | Land-grant universities | Space-grant universities | The Triangle, North Carolina | Raleigh, North Carolina | North Carolina State University | 1887 establishments

North Carolina State University

 

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