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University of Pittsburgh

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University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh Seal
Motto"Veritas et Virtus" (Truth and Virtue)
TypePublic, State-related
Established1787
Endowment$1.802 Billion[1]
ChancellorMark Nordenberg
Undergraduates17,024[2]
Postgraduates9,535[3]
Location
Pittsburgh
,
Pennsylvania
,
USA
CampusUrban
ColorsBlue and Gold
MascotPanthers
Websitewww.pitt.edu

40°26′34″N 79°57′34″W / 40.44278°N 79.95944°W / 40.44278; -79.95944

The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related, doctoral/research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Pitt is ranked #19 among public universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report in their 2007 university rankings edition [4]. It is also ranked #57 among all national universities [5]. It is ranked 43 worldwide in the Academic Ranking of World Universities. Newsweek International, in its "The Complete List: The Top 100 Global Universities," [6] has listed Pitt 37th among all universities in the world. [7] The University is one of 60 elected members of the Association of American Universities.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, along with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, is a leading academic medical center and particularly well known as an organ transplant center. It performs more organ transplants than any other institution in the United States. UPMC has 40,000 employees with more than $5 billion in revenue, which makes it the biggest employer in western Pennsylvania. [8] Pitt is a major center of medical research; in FY 2004, it ranked 7th in NIH funding among American universities and 13th among hospitals nationwide by USNews[9]. Particularly topical is Pitt's strength in stem cell science. Additionally, Pitt has a key role in the development of a bioterrorism defense system.

Pitt has long enjoyed a prominent standing among Philosophy Departments across the United States, and is especially strong in the areas of epistemology, ethics, Greek philosophy, history of philosophy, mathematical and philosophical logic, metaphysics, political and social philosophy, history and philosophy of science, philosophy of language, philosophy of mathematics, philosophy of mind and psychology, and semantics. Having such a deep pool of resources for the teaching of Philosophy is highly unusual and distinct among universities who are primarily known as centers for the sciences.[citation needed]

Pitt ranked sixth in the number of start-ups spawned by technologies developed by Pitt researchers according to Association of University Technology Managers[10].

In addition to its outstanding reputation in the medical field, the University of Pittsburgh is also a leader in the field of business. The Joseph M. Katz School of Business is currently ranked 36th in the nation and 56th in the world among business schools by the Financial Times of London ranking, and consistently ranks among the top ten public business schools in the United States according to the Wall Street Journal.

Pitt is home to the Cathedral of Learning, which, at 42 stories and 535 feet high, is the tallest educational building in the Western hemisphere and second-tallest in the world, after the main tower at Moscow State University in Moscow, Russia.


History of the University

The University of Pittsburgh Law School was founded in 1895.
Heinz Memorial Chapel at the University of Pittsburgh. The building was dedicated in 1938.

Originally founded by Hugh Henry Brackenridge as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787, the University of Pittsburgh is among a select group of universities and colleges founded in the 18th Century in the United States. It was renamed Western University of Pennsylvania in 1819 and took its current name in 1908. In 1966 it was designated by Pennsylvania as a "state-related" university. As such, Pitt receives public funds (currently more than $200 million per annum) and offers reduced tuition to Pennsylvania residents, but is under independent control. It is generally considered a public university.¹ Pitt's endowment is $1.802 billion (2006). (A 17.8% increase from 2005)[11]

Jonas Salk, along with other Pitt researchers, invented the first polio vaccine at the university's Virus Research Lab.

In 1991, long time chancellor Wesley Posvar retired after 24 years in office. While his term in office ended with controversy, overall his term was considered very positive for the university. In 1999, Pitt Stadium, the long time home of the Pitt Panthers was torn down. Mark Nordenberg has served as chancellor of the university since 1996.

Location and Campus

The Katz School of Business.
File:Photo-tour-119.jpg
The School of Public Health and UPMC
File:Pitt Union.jpg
The William Pitt Union

The University of Pittsburgh campus is located in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, just west of Schenley Park. The main campus is bordered by Bouquet Street to the west and Bellefield Avenue to the east; Forbes and Fifth Avenues traverse the campus from west to east. The focal point of the main campus is the 42 story Cathedral of Learning. The University of Pittsburgh is home to the following buildings:

The University of Pittsburgh also owns the following dormitory buildings and residences:

University of Pittsburgh Panthers athletic facilities include:


A number of University facilities are located in other areas of the city:


Carnegie Mellon University is almost adjacent to the campus, the two schools being located on opposite sides of Panther Hollow. Some Pitt professors also hold adjunct professorships at Carnegie Mellon and vice versa.

Education

The university's neo-gothic Cathedral of Learning.

Bachelor's, master's, doctoral and professional programs are offered through the following academic units:

The University Center for International Studies (UCIS) coordinates international education curricula, centers for area studies and centers on topical specializations in international studies. It does not give degrees but awards certificates of attainment to degree candidates in the university's schools.

Regional Campuses

The regional campuses offer undergraduate education. They permit students to take preliminary courses and relocate to other regional campuses or the Oakland campus to complete their degrees. They also locally offer degrees and certificates as follows:

Athletics

File:Yellow-script.jpg
The traditional logo of the Pitt Panthers.
File:PittPanthers.jpg
The current logo of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers.
Main article: University of Pittsburgh Panthers

Pittsburgh's sports teams are called the Panthers. The Panthers participate in NCAA Division I (Division I-A for football) and in the Big East Conference. The Pitt football team lays claim to nine NCAA National Championships, in 1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937 and 1976. [12] The Panthers have twice won the AP national championship by topping the media polls in 1937 and 1976.[13]

Pitt Football has a long and glorious history. Pop Warner, Jock Sutherland, Tony Dorsett, Mike Ditka, Joe Schmidt, Marshall Goldberg, Dan Marino, Hugh Green, Mark May, Russ Grimm, Jimbo Covert, Bill Fralic, Rickey Jackson, Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, Chris Doleman, Tony Siragusa, Mark May, Johnny Majors, Jackie Sherill, Jimmy Johnson and Dave Wannstedt are just some of the alumni, coaches, and staff that have achieved prominence. Current NFL stars with Pitt Panther ties include Kevan Barlow (New York Jets), Curtis Martin (Jets), Shawntae Spencer (San Francisco 49ers), Antonio Bryant (49ers), Andy Lee (49ers), Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals), Greg Lee (Cardinals), Gerald Hayes (Cardinals), Nick Goings (Carolina Panthers), Darnell Dinkins (Cleveland Browns), Brandon Miree (Green Bay Packers), Ramon Walker (Houston Texans), Kris Wilson (Kansas City Chiefs), Hank Poteat (New England Patriots), Torrie Cox (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Matt Morgan (St. Louis Rams), Rob Petitti (Dallas Cowboys), Lousaka Polite (Cowboys), Ruben Brown (Chicago Bears), San Diego Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden.

The football team moved into the NFL-grade Heinz Field in 2001 from their longtime home at Pitt Stadium, built in the 1920s. The upper section of the Cathedral of Learning is still illuminated with blue and gold lights on campus after each football team victory.

File:PittPanHead.jpg
The main logo of the Pitt Panthers from 1997-2004; currently used as an alternate logo.

Former NFL head coach and Pitt alum Dave Wannstedt was hired in late 2004 as head football coach. Although Pitt had a lot of success the previous five years under former head coach Walt Harris, many fans hoped Wannstedt's pedigree and resume as a coach in both the pro and college game would be a catalyst to rekindle the glory days of the football program during the 1970s and early 1980s. Although Wannstedt's team did go 5-6 in his first year and narrowly missed a sixth straight bowl bid, the coaching staff also was able to put together one of the best incoming high school recruiting classes in the country.

Pitt's men's basketball team has also won national championships, both in 1928 and 1930. More recently,2025 over the last six years The Panthers (under first Ben Howland and then Jamie Dixon) have been one of the most successful programs in major college basketball, winning three straight Big East regular season titles, and the Big East Tournament in 2003. They have also had success in the NCAA Tournament as well, advancing to three straight Sweet 16 appearances from 2002-2004. Pitt basketball also compiled one of the nation's three best winning percentages (.846 with an 88-16 record) from 2001-2004.

In 2006, the Panthers had been one of three undefeated teams left in college basketball to start the season. Pitt finished 2006 in the NCAA tournament for the fifth straight year, losing in the second round to Bradley in a major upset. The 2006-2007 season started out in a promising fashion, with Pitt reaching a ranking as high as number 2 in December.

The Ben Howland/Jamie Dixon era has produced many fantastic and memorable players at Pitt, though only one (Chris Taft - Golden State Warriors.) played so much as one game in the NBA (though Brandin Knight was briefly on the Houston Rockets' roster.

Greek Life

North-American Interfraternity Conference(IFC)

National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)

Other Fraternities

National Panhellenic Conference (NPC)

Multicultural

Co-ed Service Fraternity

In 2006 the University of Pittsburgh Greek system raised a total of $119,000 for the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.

Notable alumni

Student Media

  • WPTS-FM is a non-commercial radio station owned by the University of Pittsburgh, and offers a mix of student-run programming. The station operates at 92.1 MHz with an ERP of 16 watts, and is licensed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their web site allows visitors to listen online.
  • The Pitt News is an independent, student-written, and student-managed newspaper for the Oakland (main) campus of the University of Pittsburgh. It is published Monday through Friday during the regular school year and Wednesdays during the summer. www.pittnews.com
  • Telefact is an informational telephone service run by University of Pittsburgh students that researches and answers callers' questions.
  • Friday Nite Improvs, Pittsburgh's longest-running theatre show, was started in 1989 by graduate theatre students. It takes place weekly inside the Cathedral of Learning's studio theatre.
  • UPTV is a student-managed, student-produced, closed-circuit television station. As of June 2006, only students living in on-campus dormitories can receive the broadcast.
  • Three Rivers Review and Collision are two undergraduate, bi-annual literary journals publishing both poetry and prose.
  • The Redeye Theatre Project is a festival of one-act plays cast, written, and rehearsed in 24 hours. RTP's website

References

  • Alberts, Robert C. (1987). Pitt: The Story of the University of Pittsburgh 1787–1987. University of Pittsburgh Press. ISBN 0-8229-1150-7.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to University of Pittsburgh.

Footnotes

  1. The other "state-related" universities in Pennsylvania are Pennsylvania State University and Temple University, which like Pitt, are both large doctoral/research universities, and Lincoln University, one of Pennsylvania's two historically black universities. These four universities are under the Commonwealth System of Higher Education; other Pennsylvania public universities are directly controlled by the state under the purview of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

Template:University of Pittsburgh campuses

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