ORAU welcomes four new universities as sponsoring institutions

Oak Ridge Associated Universities recently welcomed Colorado State, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Utah, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Philadelphia University, and South Carolina State as its newest sponsoring institutions.

The new members were welcomed during the 68th annual meeting of the ORAU Council of Sponsoring Institutions in Oak Ridge, a press release said.

“We’re honored to have these six institutions join our growing university consortium,” said ORAU President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Page. “Membership in ORAU’s consortium broadens the already diverse opportunities these universities provide for students and faculty researchers in many critical areas of science and technology.”

ORAU has 109 members in 31 states ranging from Florida to Idaho and Pennsylvania to Nevada, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and England. According to the National Science Foundation R&D Expenditures rankings, 39 ORAU member institutions are in the top 100 universities. ORAU was formed 66 years go under the auspices of the Oak Ridge Institute for Nuclear Studies and originally consisted of 14 southern schools.

Here is more information about the new institutions and members:

Sponsoring Institutions

An ORAU sponsoring institution is a nonprofit institution of higher learning granting doctoral degrees in multiple science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, and it ranks among the nation’s top research universities.

• Colorado State University is a public, nonprofit institution accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. CSU is a Carnegie Research University (very high research activity) performing world-class research in infectious disease, atmospheric science, clean energy technologies, environmental science, and biomedical technology. CSU has conferred more than 230,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees, including more than 6,000 in 2011-2012. The CSU learning experience is based on the land grant philosophy, combining classroom pursuits with hands-on experience.
• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public, nonprofit institution accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. UNC is a Carnegie Research University (very high research activity) consistently ranking among the top institutions receiving federal funding. In the 2010 National Science Foundation data recently released, UNC ranked ninth in federal funding devoted to research and development. UNC was chartered in 1789 and opened its doors in 1795 as the nation’s first public university. It was a founding member of ORAU in 1946. UNC is internationally recognized as a multidisciplinary research enterprise.
• The University of Utah is a public, nonprofit institution accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Utah is a Carnegie Research University (very high research activity) with special emphasis in engineering, public health, and nuclear medicine. More than 7,400 students graduated from Utah in 2011, many with a strong emphasis in STEM fields. Innovation is emphasized in research and education, and the University of Utah ranks No. 1 in the nation at creating startup companies based on student and faculty research.
• The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public, nonprofit, land grant institution accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The University of Wisconsin–Madison is the original University of Wisconsin, created at the same time Wisconsin achieved statehood in 1848. UW is a Carnegie Research University (very high research activity) with a broad research portfolio emphasizing multi-disciplinary programs. UW consistently ranks in the top five of US public research universities.

Associate Members

An ORAU associate member is an institution of higher learning offering bachelor’s or master’s degrees, or a limited number of doctoral degrees in the STEM fields.

• Philadelphia University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges. Philadelphia is a Carnegie Master’s Colleges and Universities (larger programs) with strengths in health professions, engineering, and design. Interdisciplinary educational programs incorporate design in textiles, architecture, and engineering.
• South Carolina State University is a public, nonprofit historically black college or university (HBCU) accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. SCSU, an 1890 land grant university, is a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University with a wide range of programs. SCSU is the only HBCU with an accredited nuclear engineering program, and has an agreement in place with Y-12, which is one of four production facilities in the National Nuclear Security Administration’s nuclear security enterprise and specializes in nuclear technology and materials, security and consequence management, and manufacturing and technical services. SCSU is intentionally small and focused, graduating less than 700 students in 2011.

ORAU is a university consortium leveraging the scientific strength of 111 major research institutions to advance science and education by partnering with national laboratories, government agencies and private industry. ORAU manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education for the U.S. Department of Energy.