Northern Kentucky University
{{Short description|Public university in Highland Heights, Kentucky, US}}
{{Redirect|NKU|other uses|NKU (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox university
| name = Northern Kentucky University
| former_name = Northern Kentucky State College (1968–1976)
| image = Northern Kentucky University seal.svg
| image_upright = 0.7
| established = {{start date and age|1968}}
| type = Public university
| president = Cady Short-Thompson
| provost = Diana McGill
| city = Highland Heights, Kentucky
| country = U.S.
| coordinates = {{Coord|39|01|55|N|84|27|55|W|region:US-KY_type:edu|display=inline,title}}
| endowment = $119.2 million (2022)As of June 30, 2022. {{cite report |url=https://www.nacubo.org/-/media/Nacubo/Documents/research/2022-NTSE-Public-Tables--Endowment-Market-Values--FINAL.ashx |title=U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY21 to FY22 |publisher=National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA |date=June 30, 2022 |access-date=June 20, 2023}}
| undergrad = 10,327 (fall 2024)
| postgrad = 5,043 (fall 2024)
| administrative_staff = 1,021
| campus = Suburban, {{convert|425|acre}}{{Cite web |url=http://access.nku.edu/campusplan/info_right.htm |title=Campus Information |access-date=May 31, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106032048/http://access.nku.edu/campusplan/info_right.htm |archive-date=January 6, 2009 |url-status=dead }}
| mascot = Victor E. Viking
| athletics_affiliations = NCAA Division I
Horizon League{{cite press release |url=http://www.horizonleague.org/blog/northern-kentucky-university-to-join-horizon-league-in-july |title=Northern Kentucky University to Join Horizon League in July |publisher=Horizon League |date=May 11, 2015 |access-date=May 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514000904/http://www.horizonleague.org/blog/northern-kentucky-university-to-join-horizon-league-in-july |archive-date=May 14, 2015 |url-status=dead }}
| sports_nickname = Norse
| colors = {{color box|#000000}} {{color box|#FFC72C}} Black and gold
| academic_affiliations = GCCCU
Space-grant
| logo = Northern Kentucky University wordmark.svg
| website = {{URL|www.nku.edu}}
}}
Northern Kentucky University is a public university in Highland Heights, Kentucky, United States. Established in 1968, it is the youngest of Kentucky's eight public universities. The university has seven constituent colleges in arts and science, business, education, informatics, health, and the Salmon P. Chase College of Law.[http://www.nku.edu/about/history.php] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910073220/http://www.nku.edu/about/history.php|date=September 10, 2009}}
History
Northern Kentucky University began in 1948, when an extension campus for the University of Kentucky was opened in Covington, Kentucky, known as the UK Northern Extension Center.{{cite web|url=http://alumniconnect.nku.edu/surveys/?id=40th_Challenge|title=Alumni: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=nku.edu}} After 20 years in operation as an extension center for UK, it became an autonomous four-year college under the name Northern Kentucky State College (NKSC).{{cite web | title = University History | work = President's Message | publisher = Northern Kentucky University | url = http://www.nku.edu/about/history.php | access-date = April 1, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090910073220/http://www.nku.edu/about/history.php | archive-date = September 10, 2009 | url-status = dead }} In 1970, W. Frank Steely was hired as the first president."Northern Kentucky University" by Will Frank Steely, The Kentucky Encyclopedia (University Press of Kentucky, 1992): 684-685. The following year, the Salmon P. Chase College of Law, formerly an independent law school in Cincinnati, merged with Northern Kentucky State College. The main campus moved from Covington to Highland Heights, Kentucky, in 1972. NKSC awarded its first bachelor's degrees in 1973. Rapid expansion resulted in the school being upgraded to university status in 1976.[https://web.archive.org/web/20060709093747/http://access.nku.edu/catalog/2007Catalog/final/GeneralSection.pdf Google cached page from NKU 2007 catalog]
Since its founding in 1968 and elevation to university status in 1976, Northern Kentucky University has expanded with construction projects, new colleges and a larger, more diverse student body. The university has increased its admissions standards.
=Presidents=
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
- James P. Sullivan 1946-1970
- W. Frank Steely, 1970–1975
- Ralph Tesseneer, 1975–1976 (interim)
- A. D. Albright, 1976–1983
- Leon Boothe, 1983–1996
- Jack M. Moreland, 1996–1997 (interim)
- James Votruba, 1997–2012
- Geoffrey S. Mearns, 2012–2017
- Gerard St. Amand, 2017–2018 (interim)
- Ashish Vaidya, 2018–2022
- Bonita Brown, 2023 (interim)
- Cady Short-Thompson, 2023–Present
}}
Campus
File:Northern Kentucky University arena.jpg
Northern Kentucky University's main campus in Highland Heights, Kentucky, is situated on {{convert|400|acre|km2}} of rolling countryside along U.S. Route 27, just off of Interstate 275 and Interstate 471, {{convert|7|mi|km|spell=in}} southeast of Cincinnati, Ohio. The campus was built beginning in the early 1970s, and the first building, Nunn Hall, opened in 1972. Although most of the university's students commute daily to the campus, approximately 2,000 students live on campus. In recent years, the university has been in the process of expanding its campus and facilities. The Truist Arena is a 9,400-seat arena completed in 2008. It serves as the primary venue for athletics on campus, and also as a venue for entertainment. A Student Union building opened in 2008. The Landrum Academic Center houses an Anthropology Museum. The university campus is also the first educational institute in the world to have a laser-projection planetarium; it is part of the Dorothy Westerman Hermann Natural Science Center.
The campus located in Covington, Kentucky, closed in 2008. It mainly served nontraditional and adult students and also hosted the Program for Adult-Centered Education and Emergency Medical Technology programs.[https://www.thenortherner.com/news/2009/01/14/nku-covington-campus-closes/ The Northerner: NKU Covington campus closes] Northern Kentucky University's Grant County Center, located in Williamstown, is a partnership between the Grant County Foundation for Higher Education and Northern Kentucky University.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}
The Japanese Language School of Greater Cincinnati is a weekend supplementary Japanese school held at the Mathematics, Education and Psychology Center (MP), formerly known as the Business Education Psychology (BEP) Building.Wood, Karli. "[http://www.thenortherner.com/news/2011/09/14/name-changes-alter-campus-face/ Name changes alter campus face]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20141023235622/http://www.thenortherner.com/news/2011/09/14/name-changes-alter-campus-face/ Archive]). The Northerner. September 14, 2011. Retrieved on May 8, 2014. "With the construction of Griffin Hall, NKU moved 550 operations between the Business Education Psychology (BEP) and Applied Science and Technology (ST) buildings,[...]and BEP will be called the Mathematics, Education and Psychology Center.""[http://www.jls-cincinnati.edu/Introduction%20of%20JLS/English%20info/index.html English Information]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20130514233618/http://www.jls-cincinnati.edu/Introduction%20of%20JLS/English%20info/index.html Archive]). Japanese Language School of Greater Cincinnati. Retrieved on May 8, 2014. "BEP102 Northern Kentucky University, Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY 41099" It was scheduled to move to NKU in July 1993.{{cite news|title=Japanese Language School Joins NKU|newspaper=Lexington Herald-Leader|place=Lexington, Kentucky|date=June 5, 1993|page=C2}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94555142/for-japanese-school-of-cincinnati/ Clipping] at Newspapers.com.
=Libraries=
Northern Kentucky's main library is the W. Frank Steely Library,{{cite web|url=http://library.nku.edu|title=Steely Library|work=nku.edu}} completed in 1975 and named after the first president of the university. The library contains over 850,000 volumes, more than 18,000 bound periodicals, and approximately 1.4 million microforms. The two-floor Chase Law Library is Northern Kentucky's other library on campus, contains more than 313,000 volumes and 57,000 monographic and serial titles.{{cite web|url=http://www.nku.edu/~chase/library/|title=Library: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=nku.edu|access-date=January 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704135236/http://www.nku.edu/%7Echase/library|archive-date=July 4, 2008|url-status=dead}}
=Civic engagement=
Corporate and university partnerships include The Scripps Howard Center for Civic Engagement{{cite web|url=http://civicengagement.nku.edu/|title=Scripps Howard Center for Civic Engagement: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=nku.edu}} the Fifth/Third Entrepreneurial Center{{cite web|url=http://www.53ei.org/|title=NKU Home: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=53ei.org|access-date=January 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517132231/http://53ei.org/|archive-date=May 17, 2017|url-status=dead}} the Metropolitan Education and Training Services Center,{{cite web|url=http://www.themetscenter.com/|title=The METS Center|work=themetscenter.com}} the Center for Applied Informatics,{{cite web|url=http://cai.nku.edu/|title=CAI|work=nku.edu}} and Fidelity Investments. Other centers on campus include the Center for Applied Anthropology,{{cite web|url=https://www.nku.edu/academics/artsci/about/centers/cfaa.html|title=Center for Applied Anthropology: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=nku.edu}} the Institute for Freedom Studies,{{Cite web |url=http://www.nku.edu/~freedom/ |title=the Institute for Freedom Studies |access-date=January 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060713215351/http://www.nku.edu/~freedom/ |archive-date=July 13, 2006 |url-status=dead }} the Center for Environmental Restoration{{cite web|url=http://environmentalrestoration.nku.edu/|title=Center for Environmental Restoration: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=nku.edu|access-date=January 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123051219/http://environmentalrestoration.nku.edu/|archive-date=January 23, 2018|url-status=dead}} the Small Business Development Center{{Cite web |url=http://www.nku.edu/~sbdc/ |title=the Small Business Development Center |access-date=January 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060613232735/http://www.nku.edu/~sbdc/ |archive-date=June 13, 2006 |url-status=dead }} the Institute for New Economy Technologies{{cite web|url=http://www.nku.edu/~inet/|title=Institute for New Economy Technologies (iNET)|work=nku.edu}} the Center for Environmental Education{{Cite web |url=http://www.nku.edu/~enved/ |title=the Center for Environmental Education |access-date=January 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060524234137/http://www.nku.edu/~enved/ |archive-date=May 24, 2006 |url-status=dead }} the Center for Integrative Natural Science and Mathematics{{cite web|url=http://www.nku.edu/~cinsam/|title=CINSAM|work=nku.edu}} and the Chase Local Government Law Center.{{Cite web |url=http://chaselaw.nku.edu/lglc/ |title=the Chase Local Government Law Center |access-date=January 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060616092723/http://chaselaw.nku.edu/lglc/ |archive-date=June 16, 2006 |url-status=dead }}
Academics
File:Northern Kentucky University Griffin Hall.jpg
{{Infobox US university ranking
| GUR =
| ARWU_W =
| ARWU_N =
| ARWU_SCI =
| ARWU_ENG =
| ARWU_SOC =
| USNWR_NU = 382 (tie)
| USNWR_Bus =
| USNWR_Law =
| USNWR_Medr =
| USNWR_Eng =
| USNWR_Ed =
| THES_W =
| Wamo_NU = 338
| Forbes = 640
}}
Northern Kentucky University's academic programs are organized into seven colleges. The College of Informatics, founded in 2006, replaced the College of Professional Studies. In July 2015, the School of the Arts was created, uniting the Music, Theatre & Dance, and Visual Arts programs within the College of Arts & Sciences. In 2018, the former Honors Program became the Honors College.
- College of Arts and Sciences{{cite web|url=http://artscience.nku.edu/|title=College of Arts & Sciences: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=nku.edu|access-date=January 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211104640/http://artscience.nku.edu/|archive-date=February 11, 2017|url-status=dead}}
- School of the Arts{{cite web|url=http://sota.nku.edu/|title=School of the Arts: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=nku.edu}}
- Haile College of Business{{cite web|url=http://cob.nku.edu/|title=Haile College of Business: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=nku.edu}}
- College of Education{{cite web|url=https://nku.edu/academics/coe.html|title=College of Education and Human Services: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=nku.edu|access-date=September 23, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720012258/http://coehs.nku.edu/|archive-date=July 20, 2011|url-status=dead}}
- College of Informatics{{cite web|url=http://informatics.nku.edu|title=College of Informatics: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=nku.edu}}
- School of Computing and Analytics
- School of Media and Communication
- College of Health & Human Services{{cite web|url=http://nhp.nku.edu/|title=College of Health Professions: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=nku.edu|access-date=January 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621095915/http://nhp.nku.edu/|archive-date=June 21, 2009|url-status=dead}}
- School of Allied Health
- School of Nursing
- School of Kinesiology, Counseling, and Rehabilitative Sciences
- School of Social Work
- Honors College{{Cite web|url=https://www.nku.edu/honors-college.html|title=Honors College|website=www.nku.edu|language=en|access-date=March 16, 2019}}
- Salmon P. Chase College of Law
Northern Kentucky University students are also a part of individual chapters in numerous honor societies. Northern Kentucky's Alpha Beta Phi chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the International History Honor Society, has won 18 consecutive best chapter awards.
=Admissions=
Northern Kentucky University only considers for admission applicants with a 2.0 or above unweighted high school GPA, those with a 2.75 and greater unweighted high school GPA are admitted regardless of ACT or SAT scores, and the university has a 90% acceptance rate.{{cite web |title=Freshman Admissions Standards {{!}} NKU is test optional for most freshman applicants |url=https://www.nku.edu/admissions/undergrad/admission-process/standards.html |website=nku.edu |publisher=Northern Kentucky University |access-date=March 18, 2024}}{{cite web |title=Northern Kentucky University * Per the 2021-2022 final release data in IPEDS |url=https://www.forbes.com/colleges/northern-kentucky-university |website=forbes.com |publisher=Forbes |access-date=March 18, 2024}} For those submitting test scores, the 2021–2022 final release data by IPEDS reflects scores of admitted students that were 1020-1240 for the SAT and 20-26 for the ACT.
Student life
There are several fraternities and sororities on campus. There is a Student Government Association.{{cite web|url=http://sga.nku.edu/|title=Student Government|work=nku.edu}}
The Northerner is Northern Kentucky's student-run newspaper.{{cite news|url=http://www.kypost.com/2005/02/28/nku022805.html|title=NKU newspaper honored|work=The Kentucky Post|publisher=E. W. Scripps Company|date=February 28, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051112141321/http://www.kypost.com/2005/02/28/nku022805.html|archive-date=November 12, 2005}} The university is also home to an independent, student-run Internet radio station Norse Code Radio.{{cite web|url=http://www.norsecoderadio.com|title=Norse Code Radio » The Student-Operated Radio Station of Northern Kentucky University.|work=norsecoderadio.com}} Northern Kentucky University formerly hosted the award-winning public radio station, WNKU, founded in 1986, until the station was sold in 2017.[https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/07/21/northern-kentucky-university-completes-sale-of.html Cincinnati Business Courier]
NorseMediaTV is the PEG access Public-access television cable TV station run by Northern Kentucky University.{{cite web|url=http://norsemedia.nku.edu|title=NorseMedia: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=nku.edu}} It airs on channel 818 on Cincinnati Bell Fioptics cable and 18 digital/96 analog on Insight Cable of Northern Kentucky. NorseMediaTV students and faculty produce many original programs, a weekly talk show, various sporting events, and entertainment programming. Many NorseMedia programs have won awards at the local (Blue Chips),[http://www.waycross.org/bluechips/ Blue Chip Cable Access Awards] regional (Philos) and national (Telly) levels, usually in the professional categories. Students in the program at NKU are invited to create and assist in producing the Electronic Media & Broadcasting programs for the station.{{cite web|url=http://emb.nku.edu/|title=Electronic Media & Broadcasting: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region|work=nku.edu}}
Athletics
{{Main|Northern Kentucky Norse}}
{{See also|Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball}}
The university's teams for both men and women are nicknamed "Norse". Their mascot is named Victor E. Viking.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/41470|title=Getting to know Northern Kentucky|work=ESPN.com}} Northern Kentucky University joined the Horizon League on July 1, 2015, after leaving the Atlantic Sun Conference. The 2016–17 school year was the first in which NKU is eligible for NCAA Division I championships, following the completion of its four-year reclassification period to D-I.{{cite web|work=nkunorse.com|publisher=Northern Kentucky University|title=NKU accepts invitation to join Atlantic Sun Conference, will reclassify to NCAA Division I|url=http://nkunorse.com/news/2011/12/7/BB_1207114630.aspx|date=December 8, 2011|access-date=December 8, 2011}} The university fields teams in baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, softball, women's track and field, men's and women's tennis and women's volleyball.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}
Students have also organized club teams in bowling, ice hockey,{{Cite web |url=http://www.norseicehockey.com/ |title=ice hockey |access-date=January 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130812224811/http://norseicehockey.com/ |archive-date=August 12, 2013 |url-status=dead }} men's soccer club,[http://www.nkumensoccerclub.com/ men soccer club] taekwondo{{cite web|url=http://studenthome.nku.edu/~taekwondo/|title=Please see our Facebook Page|work=nku.edu}} fencing,[http://studenthome.nku.edu/~fencing/ fencing] boxing, lacrosse,{{cite web|author=Name * First Last |url=http://nkulax.weebly.com/ |title=NKU Men's Lacrosse Club - Home |publisher=Nkulax.weebly.com |access-date=July 11, 2015}} rugby, kickball, skeet & trap, and men's wrestling. These clubs are primarily organized through the Sport Club program.[http://www.nku.edu/~camprec/club_sports.htm Sport Club]
Notable people
{{main|List of Northern Kentucky University alumni}}
Northern Kentucky University has over 60,000 living alumni, approximately 41,000 of them in Ohio and Kentucky. Many have gone on to achieve success in a variety of fields, including athletics, journalism, business, and government.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}
File:George Clooney 2016.jpg|Attended but did not graduate – actor George Clooney
File:10.17.09DavidMackByLuigiNovi.jpg|1995 Alumnus artist David W. Mack
File:Brian Pillman Jr, 2020 (cropped).jpg|Graduated in Information Systems – professional wrestler Brian Pillman Jr.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.nku.edu/}}
- [http://www.nkunorse.com Northern Kentucky Athletics website]
{{Northern Kentucky University}}
{{Horizon League navbox}}
{{Kentucky Higher Education}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Public universities and colleges in Kentucky
Category:Educational institutions established in 1968
Category:Buildings and structures in Campbell County, Kentucky
Category:Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Category:Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and Universities