University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is an institution of higher learning located in Tucson, Arizona.
Created by the Arizona Territorial Legislature as a land-grant university in 1885, classes met for the first time in 1891 with 32 students. In 2002, total enrollment was 36,847 students.
Arizona's sports teams are called the Wildcats. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A and in the Pacific Ten Conference; the men's basketball team is often a contender in the NCAA championships.
The University mascot is named Wilbur the Wildcat. The identity of Wilbur is kept secret through the year as the mascot appears only in costume. In 1986 Wilbur married his longtime wildcat girlfriend, Wilma. Together Wilbur and Wilma appear along with the cheerleading squad at most Wildcat sporting events.
A strong academic and athletic rivalry exists between the University of Arizona and Arizona State University located in Tempe.
Academically, the U of A is strong in many areas (especially the sciences), and is particularly well known in the areas of optical science, management information science, and astronomical research. It also has the oldest and arguably strongest garbology program in the US.
The current and 18th University President is Peter Likins; his term began in 1997.
Future plans
Current funding considerations have led to a State-wide reorganization of the programs offered at each of Arizona's Universities. Known as "Focused Excellence", this reorganization aims to focus the mission of the University of Arizona upon research through eliminating and merging less popular and low-revenue academic departments.
Other state higher education re-alignment plans call for the University of Arizona and Arizona State University to remain academically elite, research oriented universities while creating several "regional" university systems from Northern Arizona University, Sierra Vista, and ASU West in Phoenix.
Additionally, the University of Arizona is the only remaining PAC-10 conference school to not award plus and minus grades for courses. Currently, grades are given on a strict 4-point scale with "A" worth 4, "B" worth 3, "C" worth 2, "D" worth 1 and "E" worth zero points. Discussions with students and faculty may lead the U of A towards using a plus-minus grading system in the future. Administrators say that the change could occur as early as Fall 2006.
Notable alumni
