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The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kn ...
in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
,
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the
West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...
; it was established in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
approximately a decade after the city's founding. The university has a 703 acre main campus located in the city's University District, as well as campuses in Tacoma and
Bothell Bothell () is a city in King and Snohomish counties in the U.S. state of Washington. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area, situated near the northeast end of Lake Washington. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 48,161 resident ...
. Overall, UW encompasses over 500 buildings and over 20 million gross square footage of space, including one of the largest library systems in the world with more than 26 university libraries, art centers, museums, laboratories, lecture halls, and stadiums. The university offers degrees through 140 departments, and functions on a quarter system. Washington is the
flagship institution A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the ...
of the six public universities in Washington state. It is known for its medical, engineering, and scientific research. Washington is a member of the
Association of American Universities The Association of American Universities (AAU) is an organization of American research universities devoted to maintaining a strong system of academic research and education. Founded in 1900, it consists of 63 universities in the United States ( ...
. According to the
National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National ...
, UW spent $1.41 billion on research and development in 2018, ranking it 5th in the nation. The university has been affiliated with many notable alumni and faculty, including 21 Nobel Prize laureates and numerous Pulitzer Prize winners,
Fulbright Scholars The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people o ...
, Rhodes Scholars and
Marshall Scholars The Marshall Scholarship is a postgraduate scholarship for "intellectually distinguished young Americans ndtheir country's future leaders" to study at any university in the United Kingdom. It is widely considered one of the most prestigious sc ...
, as well as members of other distinguished institutions. Additionally, Washington continues to benefit from its deep historic ties and major collaborations with numerous technology giants in the region, such as
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
,
Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and p ...
, Nintendo, and particularly
Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...
.
Paul G. Allen Paul Gardner Allen (January 21, 1953 – October 15, 2018) was an American business magnate, computer programmer, researcher, investor, and philanthropist. He co-founded Microsoft Corporation with childhood friend Bill Gates in 1975, which h ...
,
Bill Gates William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of Microsoft, along with his late childhood friend Paul Allen. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions ...
and others spent significant time at Washington computer labs for a startup venture before founding Microsoft and other ventures. Washington's 22 varsity sports teams are also highly competitive, competing as the
Huskies Husky is a general term for a dog used in the polar regions, primarily and specifically for work as sled dogs. It refers to a traditional northern type, notable for its cold-weather tolerance and overall hardiness. Modern racing huskies that mai ...
in the Pac-12 Conference of the
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athletic ...
, representing the United States at the
Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
, and other major competitions.


History


Founding

In 1854, territorial
governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
Isaac Stevens Isaac Ingalls Stevens (March 25, 1818 – September 1, 1862) was an American military officer and politician who served as governor of the Territory of Washington from 1853 to 1857, and later as its delegate to the United States House of Represe ...
recommended the establishment of a university in the
Washington Territory The Territory of Washington was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington. It was created from the ...
. Prominent Seattle-area residents, including
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...
preacher
Daniel Bagley Daniel Bagley (September 7, 1818April 26, 1905) was a pioneer preacher, educational booster, and industrialist in Seattle, Washington. Arriving in Seattle in 1860, he was instrumental in the founding of the Territorial University of Washington. ...
, saw this as a chance to add to the city's potential and prestige. Bagley learned of a law that allowed United States territories to sell land to raise money in support of public schools. At the time,
Arthur A. Denny Arthur Armstrong Denny (June 20, 1822 – January 9, 1899) was one of the founders of Seattle, Washington,, Special Collections, Washington State Historical Society (WSHS). Accessed online 8 March 2008. the acknowledged leader of the pioneer Den ...
, one of the founders of Seattle and a member of the territorial legislature, aimed to increase the city's importance by moving the territory's capital from Olympia to Seattle. However, Bagley eventually convinced Denny that the establishment of a university would assist more in the development of Seattle's economy. Two universities were initially chartered, but later the decision was repealed in favor of a single university in Lewis County provided that locally donated land was available. When no site emerged, Denny successfully petitioned the legislature to reconsider Seattle as a location in 1858. In 1861, scouting began for an appropriate site in Seattle to serve as a new university campus. Arthur and Mary Denny donated eight acres, while fellow pioneers Edward Lander, and Charlie and Mary Terry, donated two acres on Denny's Knoll in downtown Seattle. More specifically, this tract was bounded by 4th Avenue to the west, 6th Avenue to the east, Union Street to the north, and Seneca Streets to the south. John Pike, for whom Pike Street is named, was the university's architect and builder. It was opened on November 4, 1861, as the Territorial University of Washington. The legislature passed articles incorporating the university, and establishing its Board of Regents in 1862. The school initially struggled, closing three times: in 1863 for low enrollment, and again in 1867 and 1876 due to funds shortage. Washington awarded its first graduate Clara Antoinette McCarty Wilt in 1876, with a
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
in science.


19th century relocation

By the time
Washington state Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...
entered the
Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...
in 1889, both Seattle and the university had grown substantially. Washington's total undergraduate enrollment increased from 30 to nearly 300 students, and the campus's relative isolation in downtown Seattle faced encroaching development. A special legislative committee, headed by UW graduate Edmond Meany, was created to find a new campus to better serve the growing student population and faculty. The committee eventually selected a site on the northeast of downtown Seattle called Union Bay, which was the land of the
Duwamish Duwamish may refer to: * Duwamish tribe, a Native American tribe in Washington state * Duwamish River, in Washington state * ''Duwamish'' (fireboat) See also * Elliott Bay Elliott Bay is a part of the Central Basin region of Puget Sound. It is ...
, and the legislature appropriated funds for its purchase and construction. In 1895, the university relocated to the new campus by moving into the newly built
Denny Hall Denny Hall is a building on the main campus of the University of Washington, in Seattle, Washington, United States. Built between 1894 and 1895, it is named after Arthur A. Denny. Design Denny Hall was designed by Charles Saunders and construct ...
. The University Regents tried and failed to sell the old campus, eventually settling with leasing the area. This later became one of the university's most valuable pieces of real estate in modern-day Seattle, generating millions in annual revenue with what is now called the Metropolitan Tract. The original Territorial University building was torn down in 1908, and its former site now houses the
Fairmont Olympic Hotel The Fairmont Olympic Hotel, originally The Olympic Hotel, is a historic hotel in downtown Seattle, Washington. It was built on the original site of the University of Washington's first campus. The hotel opened in 1924, and in 1979, it was added ...
. The sole-surviving remnants of Washington's first building are four , white, hand-fluted cedar, Ionic columns. They were salvaged by Edmond S. Meany, one of the university's first graduates and former head of its history department. Meany and his colleague, Dean Herbert T. Condon, dubbed the columns as "Loyalty," "Industry," "Faith", and "Efficiency", or "LIFE." The columns now stand in the Sylvan Grove Theater.


20th century expansion

Organizers of the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition eyed the still largely undeveloped campus as a prime setting for their
world's fair A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...
. They came to an agreement with Washington's
Board of Regents In the United States, a board often governs institutions of higher education, including private universities, state universities, and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual c ...
that allowed them to use the campus grounds for the exposition, surrounding today's
Drumheller Fountain Drumheller Fountain, also known as the Frosh Pond since the early 1900s, is an outdoor fountain on the University of Washington campus in Seattle, Washington, in the United States. The fountain was given its name is 1961 to honor the University Re ...
facing towards Mount Rainier. In exchange, organizers agreed Washington would take over the campus and its development after the fair's conclusion. This arrangement led to a detailed site plan and several new buildings, prepared in part by
John Charles Olmsted John Charles Olmsted (1852–1920), was an American landscape architect. The nephew and adopted son of Frederick Law Olmsted, he worked with his father and his younger brother, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., in their father's firm. After their fath ...
. The plan was later incorporated into the overall UW campus master plan, permanently affecting the campus layout. Both
World War A world war is an international conflict which involves all or most of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World WarI (1914 ...
s brought the military to campus, with certain facilities temporarily lent to the federal government. In spite of this, subsequent post-war periods were times of dramatic growth for the university. The period between the wars saw a significant expansion of the upper campus. Construction of the
Liberal Arts Quadrangle The Liberal Arts Quadrangle, more popularly known as the Quad, is the main quadrangle at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. It is often considered the school's trademark attraction. Raitt Hall and Savery Hall frame the northwes ...
, known to students as "The Quad," began in 1916 and continued to 1939. The university's architectural centerpiece,
Suzzallo Library Suzzallo Library is the central library of the University of Washington in Seattle, and perhaps the most recognizable building on campus. It is named for Henry Suzzallo, who was president of the University of Washington until he stepped down in ...
, was built in 1926 and expanded in 1935. After
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, further growth came with the
G.I. Bill The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, bu ...
. Among the most important developments of this period was the opening of the
School of Medicine A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, M ...
in 1946, which is now consistently ranked as the top medical school in the United States. It eventually led to the
University of Washington Medical Center The University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) is a hospital in the University District of Seattle, Washington. It is one of the teaching hospitals affiliated with the University of Washington School of Medicine.And is located in the War ...
, ranked by '' U.S. News & World Report'' as one of the top ten hospitals in the nation. In 1942, all persons of Japanese ancestry in the Seattle area were forced into inland
internment camps Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simpl ...
as part of Executive Order 9066 following the attack on
Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the R ...
. During this difficult time, university president
Lee Paul Sieg Lee Paul Sieg (October 7, 1879 – October 8, 1963) was president of the University of Washington from 1934 to 1946. Sieg was born in Marshalltown, Iowa. Sieg received his masters in physics in 1901 and his doctorate in philosophy in 1910 from t ...
took an active and sympathetic leadership role in advocating for and facilitating the transfer of Japanese American students to universities and colleges away from the Pacific Coast to help them avoid the mass incarceration. Nevertheless, many Japanese American students and "soon-to-be" graduates were unable to transfer successfully in the short time window or receive diplomas before being incarcerated. It was only many years later that they were recognized for their accomplishments, during the University of Washington's Long Journey Home ceremonial event that was held in May 2008. From 1958 to 1973, the University of Washington saw a tremendous growth in student enrollment, its faculties and operating budget, and also its prestige under the leadership of
Charles Odegaard Charles Edwin Odegaard (January 10, 1911 – November 14, 1999) was the president of the University of Washington from 1958–1973. Odegaard is credited in transforming the University of Washington from an average state university to one among the ...
. UW student enrollment had more than doubled to 34,000 as the baby boom generation came of age. However, this era was also marked by high levels of student activism, as was the case at many American universities. Much of the unrest focused around
civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life o ...
and opposition to the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
. In response to anti-Vietnam War protests by the late 1960s, the University Safety and Security Division became the University of Washington Police Department. Odegaard instituted a vision of building a "community of scholars", convincing the Washington State legislatures to increase investment in the university. Washington senators, such as
Henry M. Jackson Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson (May 31, 1912 – September 1, 1983) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. representative (1941–1953) and U.S. senator (1953–1983) from the state of Washington. A Cold War liberal and a ...
and Warren G. Magnuson, also used their political clout to gather research funds for UW. The results included an increase in the operating budget from $37 million in 1958 to over $400 million in 1973, solidifying UW as a top recipient of federal research funds in the United States. The establishment of technology giants such as
Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...
,
Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and p ...
and
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
in the local area also proved to be highly influential in the UW's fortunes, not only improving graduate prospects but also helping to attract millions of dollars in university and research funding through its distinguished faculty and extensive alumni network.


21st century

In 1990, the University of Washington opened its additional campuses in
Bothell Bothell () is a city in King and Snohomish counties in the U.S. state of Washington. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area, situated near the northeast end of Lake Washington. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 48,161 resident ...
and Tacoma. Although originally intended for students who have already completed two years of higher education, both schools have since become four-year universities with the authority to grant degrees. The first freshman classes at these campuses started in fall 2006. Today both Bothell and Tacoma also offer a selection of master's degree programs. In 2012, the university began exploring plans and governmental approval to expand the main
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
campus, including significant increases in student housing, teaching facilities for the growing student body and faculty, as well as expanded public transit options. The
University of Washington light rail station University of Washington station is a light rail station on the University of Washington campus in Seattle, Washington, United States. The station is served by the 1 Line (Sound Transit), 1 Line of Sound Transit's Link light rail system, ...
was completed in March 2015, connecting Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood to the UW Husky Stadium within five minutes of rail travel time. It offers a previously unavailable option of transportation into and out of the campus, designed specifically to reduce dependence on private vehicles, bicycles and local King County buses.


Campus

UW's main campus is situated in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, by the shores of
Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...
and
Portage Bay Portage Bay is a body of water, often thought of as the eastern arm of Lake Union, that forms a part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal in Seattle, Washington. To the east, Portage Bay is connected with Union Bay—a part of Lake Washington— ...
s with views of the Cascade Range to the east, and the
Olympic Mountains The Olympic Mountains are a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are not especially high – Mount Olympus is the highest at ; however, the easte ...
to the west. The site encompasses bounded by N.E. 45th Street on the north, N.E. Pacific Street on the south, Montlake Boulevard N.E. on the east, and 15th Avenue N.E. on the west.
Red Square Red Square ( rus, Красная площадь, Krasnaya ploshchad', ˈkrasnəjə ˈploɕːətʲ) is one of the oldest and largest squares in Moscow, the capital of Russia. Owing to its historical significance and the adjacent historical build ...
is the heart of the campus, surrounded by landmark buildings and artworks, such as
Suzzallo Library Suzzallo Library is the central library of the University of Washington in Seattle, and perhaps the most recognizable building on campus. It is named for Henry Suzzallo, who was president of the University of Washington until he stepped down in ...
, the ''
Broken Obelisk ''Broken Obelisk'' is a sculpture designed by Barnett Newman between 1963 and 1967. Fabricated from three tons of Cor-Ten steel, which acquires a rust-colored patina, it is the largest and best known of his six sculptures. Four multiples of ...
'', and the statue of George Washington. It functions as the central hub for students and hosts a variety of events annually. University Way, known locally as "
The Ave University Way Northeast, colloquially The Ave (no period; pronounced ), is a major street and commercial district in the University District of Seattle, Washington, located near the University of Washington (UW) campus. Once "a department stor ...
", lies nearby and is a focus for much student life at the university.


North Campus

North Campus features some of UW's most recognized landscapes as well as landmarks, stretching from the signature University of Washington Quad directly north of
Red Square Red Square ( rus, Красная площадь, Krasnaya ploshchad', ˈkrasnəjə ˈploɕːətʲ) is one of the oldest and largest squares in Moscow, the capital of Russia. Owing to its historical significance and the adjacent historical build ...
to N.E. 45th Street, and encompasses a number of the university's most historical academic, research, housing, parking, recreational and administrative buildings. With UW's continued growth, administrators proposed a new, multimillion-dollar, multi-phase development plan in late 2014 to refine portions of the North Campus, renovating and replacing old student housing with new
LEED-certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating systems for the design, construction ...
complexes, introducing new academic facilities, sports fields, open greenery, and museums. The UW
Foster School of Business The Michael G. Foster School of Business is the business school at the University of Washington in Seattle. It was founded in 1917. The school has more than 50,000 alumni, and is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Bus ...
,
School of Law A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, l ...
, and the
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture (Burke Museum) is a natural history museum in Seattle, Washington, in the United States. Established in 1899 as the Washington State Museum, it traces its origins to a high school naturalist club fo ...
, which houses a significant number of exhibits including a 66-million-year-old
Tyrannosaurus rex ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' live ...
fossil skull – one of only 15 known to exist in the world today and part of an ongoing excavation, are also located in North Campus.


South Campus

South Campus occupies the land between Pacific Street and the Lake Washington Ship Canal. The land was previously the site of the University Golf Course but was given up to construct a building for the
School of Medicine A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, M ...
. Today, South Campus is the location of UW's health sciences and natural sciences facilities, including the UW Medical Center and the Magnuson Health Sciences Center as well as locations for instruction and research in oceanography, bioengineering, biology, genome sciences, hydraulics, and comparative medicine. In 2019, the Bill & Melinda Gates Center For Computer Science & Engineering opened in South Campus.


East Campus

The East Campus area stretches east of Montlake Boulevard to Laurelhurst and is largely taken up by
wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The p ...
s and Huskies sports facilities and recreation fields, including Husky Stadium,
Hec Edmundson Pavilion Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion (formerly and still commonly referred to as Hec Edmundson Pavilion or simply Hec Ed) is an indoor arena in the northwest United States, on the campus of the University of Washington in ...
, and
Husky Ballpark Husky Ballpark is a college baseball park in the northwest United States, located on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. Opened in 1998, it is the home field of the Washington Huskies of the Pac-12 conference. Th ...
. While the area directly north of the sports facilities is home to UW's computer science and engineering programs, which includes
computer lab A computer lab is a space where computer services are provided to a defined community. These are typically public libraries and academic institution Academic institution is an educational institution dedicated to education and research, which ...
s once used by
Paul G. Allen Paul Gardner Allen (January 21, 1953 – October 15, 2018) was an American business magnate, computer programmer, researcher, investor, and philanthropist. He co-founded Microsoft Corporation with childhood friend Bill Gates in 1975, which h ...
and
Bill Gates William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of Microsoft, along with his late childhood friend Paul Allen. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions ...
for their prior venture before establishing Microsoft, the area northeast of the sports facilities is occupied by components of the UW Botanic Gardens, such as the
Union Bay Natural Area The Union Bay Natural Area (UBNA) in Seattle, Washington, also known as Union Bay Marsh, is the restored remainder of the filled former Union Bay and Union Bay Marsh. It is located at the east end of the main University of Washington campus, so ...
, the UW Farm, and the Center for Urban Horticulture. Further east is the
Ceramic and Metal Arts Building The School of Art + Art History + Design is in the Arts Division of the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Washington. The school offers undergraduate and graduate degrees. History Art has been taught at the University of Washingto ...
and Laurel Village, which provides family housing for registered full-time students. East Campus is also the location of the UW light rail station.


West Campus

West Campus consists of mainly
modernist Modernism is both a philosophy, philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western world, Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new fo ...
structures located on city streets, and stretches between 15th Avenue and
Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Californi ...
from the Ship Canal, to N.E. 41st Street. It is home to the College of Built Environments, School of Social Work, Fishery Sciences Building, UW Police Department as well as many of the university's apartments such as Stevens Court and Mercer Court and residence halls Alder, Lander, Maple and Elm Hall. Also near the campus is the
U District Station U District station is a light rail station on the 1 Line (Sound Transit), 1 Line of Sound Transit's Link light rail system in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is located in the University District, Seattle, University District neighbo ...
.


Organization and administration


Governance

University of Washington's President
Ana Mari Cauce Ana Mari Cauce (born January 11, 1956) is an American psychologist, college administrator, and the 33rd and current president of the University of Washington. Appointed in 2015, Cauce is the first permanent woman president, the 33rd president of th ...
was selected by the Board of Regents, effective October 13, 2015. On November 12, 2015, the Board of Regents approved a five-year contract for Cauce, awarding her yearly compensation of $910,000. Cauce's compensation package includes an annual salary of $697,500, $150,000 per year in deferred compensation, an annual $50,500 contribution into a retirement account, and a $12,000 annual automobile allowance. She was the Interim President before her appointment, fulfilling the position left vacant by the previous President
Michael K. Young Michael Kent Young (born November 4, 1949) is an American lawyer and academic administrator who served as president of Texas A&M University from 2015 to 2020. Early life and education Young was born and raised in Sacramento, California. He ear ...
when he was announced to be
Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
's next President on February 3, 2015.
Phyllis Wise Phyllis M. Wise (Chinese name 王斐丽) is a biomedical researcher. Most recently, she is currently serving as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer and President of Colorado Longitudinal Study. Family and education Wise is the daughter of M ...
, who had served at UW as Provost and Executive Vice President, and as Interim President for a year, was named the Chancellor of the
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Univer ...
in August 2011. The university is governed by eleven Regents, one of whom is a student, and one a faculty member. Its most notable former regent is likely William H. Gates, Sr., the father of
Bill Gates William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of Microsoft, along with his late childhood friend Paul Allen. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions ...
. The undergraduate student government is the
Associated Students of the University of Washington The Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW) is the Student Government at the University of Washington. It is funded and supported by student fees, and it provides services that directly and indirectly benefit student life. The ...
(ASUW) and the graduate student government is the
Graduate and Professional Student Senate The University of Washington Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) is the official student government for graduate and professional students at the University of Washington. GPSS is made up of two senators from each degree-granting depar ...
(GPSS).


Finances

In 2017 the university reported $4.893 billion in revenues and $5.666 billion in expenses, resulting in an operating loss of $774 million. This loss was offset by $342 million in state appropriations, $443 million in investment income, $166 million in gifts, and $185 million of other non-operating revenues. Thus, the university's net position increased by $363 million in 2017.


Donors

The university is funded in part by donations from
philanthropists Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...
, foundations, and corporations, as well as individual donors.
Bill Gates Sr. William Henry Gates II (November 30, 1925September 14, 2020), better known as Bill Gates Sr., was an American attorney, philanthropist, and civic leader. He was the founder of the law firm Shidler McBroom & Gates (a predecessor of K&L Gates), ...
and his son
Bill Gates William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of Microsoft, along with his late childhood friend Paul Allen. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions ...
, as well as
Melinda French Gates Melinda French Gates (born Melinda Ann French; August 15, 1964) is an American philanthropist and former multimedia product developer and manager at Microsoft. French Gates has consistently been ranked as one of the world's most powerful women ...
and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, are described as having an "unmatched" impact across the entire university. As of 2020, the university's Honor Roll of Donors recognized top contributors as including Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,
Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...
, the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is an American philanthropic organization. It is the largest one focused solely on health. Based in Princeton, New Jersey, the foundation focuses on access to health care, public health, health equity, ...
, and the late
Paul G. Allen Paul Gardner Allen (January 21, 1953 – October 15, 2018) was an American business magnate, computer programmer, researcher, investor, and philanthropist. He co-founded Microsoft Corporation with childhood friend Bill Gates in 1975, which h ...
. Additional notable donors include
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
,
AstraZeneca AstraZeneca plc () is a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with its headquarters at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in Cambridge, England. It has a portfolio of products for major diseases in areas includi ...
, Bayer,
BlackRock BlackRock, Inc. is an American multi-national investment company based in New York City. Founded in 1988, initially as a risk management and fixed income institutional asset manager, BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager, with trill ...
,
Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and p ...
,
Burroughs Wellcome Fund The Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) is an American non-profit medical research organization that provides funding for biomedical research, STEM education, and areas of career development for scientists. Since 1970, it has been headquartered in Nor ...
, Carnegie Corporation of New York,
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) is an organization established and owned by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan with an investment of 99 percent of the couple's wealth from their Facebook shares over their lifet ...
,
China Medical Board China Medical Board, Inc. (CMB; ) is a nonprofit organization that promotes health education and research in the medical universities of China and Southeast Asia. Its mission is "to advance health, equity, and the quality of care in China and South ...
, Eli Lilly and Company,
Gilead Sciences Gilead Sciences, Inc. () is an American biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Foster City, California, that focuses on researching and developing antiviral drugs used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, influenza, and C ...
, GlaxoSmithKline,
Merck Merck refers primarily to the German Merck family and three companies founded by the family, including: * the Merck Group, a German chemical, pharmaceutical and life sciences company founded in 1668 ** Merck Serono (known as EMD Serono in the Unite ...
,
Monsanto The Monsanto Company () was an American agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation founded in 1901 and headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Monsanto's best known product is Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide, developed in ...
,
Novartis Novartis AG is a Swiss-American multinational pharmaceutical corporation based in Basel, Switzerland and Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States (global research).name="novartis.com">https://www.novartis.com/research-development/research-loc ...
,
Open Philanthropy Open Philanthropy is a research and grantmaking foundation that makes grants based on the doctrine of effective altruism. It was founded as a partnership between GiveWell and Good Ventures. Its current co-chief executive officers are Holden ...
, Open Society Foundations,
Pfizer Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered on 42nd Street in Manhattan, New York City. The company was established in 1849 in New York by two German entrepreneurs, Charles Pfizer ...
, Rockefeller Foundation, and
Wellcome Trust The Wellcome Trust is a charitable foundation focused on health research based in London, in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1936 with legacies from the pharmaceutical magnate Henry Wellcome (founder of one of the predecessors of Glaxo ...
.


Endowment

Endowed gifts are commingled in the university's Consolidated Endowment Fund, managed by an internal investment company at an annual cost of approximately $6.2 million. The university reported $443.383 million of investment income in fiscal year 2017. the value of the CEF was $3.361 billion, with $686 million in Emerging Markets Equity, $1.235 billion in Developed Markets Equity, $383 million in Private Equity, $185 million in Real Assets, $54 million in Opportunistic, $535 million in Absolute Return, and $283 million in Fixed Income.


Major projects

Major recent spending includes $131 million on the UW Animal Research and Care Facility, $72 million on the Nano-engineering and Sciences Building, $61 million building on the Workday HR & Payroll System, $50 million on the Denny Hall Renovation, $44 million on the West Campus Utility Plant, $26 million on the UW Medical Center Expansion Phase 2, $25 million on the UW Tacoma Urban Solutions Center, and $21 million on the UW Police Department. The initial contract for Workday was for $27 million, so the total $61 million cost represents a $34 million cost overrun. , the university has nearly $1 billion in new construction underway.


Sustainability

Environmental sustainability Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livin ...
has long been a major focus of the university's Board of Regents and Presidents. In February 2006, the UW joined a partnership with Seattle City Light as part of their Green Up Program, ensuring that all of Seattle campus' electricity is supplied by and purchased from renewable sources. In 2010, then UW President Emmert furthered the university's efforts with a host of other universities across the U.S., and signed the
American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment Started in 2006, the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) was a “high-visibility effort” to address global warming (global climate disruption) by creating a network of colleges and universities that had committe ...
. UW created a Climate Action Team, as well as an Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee (ESAC) which keeps track of UW's greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint. Policies were enacted with environmental stewardship in mind, and institutional support was provided to assist with campus sustainability. Additionally, UW's Student Housing and Food Services (HFS) office has dedicated several million dollars annually towards locally produced, organic, and natural foods. HFS also ceased the use of
foam food container A foam food container is a form of disposable food packaging for various foods and beverages, such as processed instant noodles, raw meat from supermarkets, ice cream from ice cream parlors, cooked food from delicatessens or food stalls, or beve ...
s on-campus, and instead opted for compostable cups, plates, utensils, and packaging whenever possible. New residence halls planned for 2020 are also expected to meet silver or gold LEED standards. Overall, the University of Washington was one of several universities to receive the highest grade, "A−", on the Sustainable Endowments Institute's College Sustainability Report Card in 2011. The university was one of 15 Overall College Sustainability Leaders, among the 300 institutions surveyed.


Academics

The university offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees through its 140 departments, themselves organized into various colleges and schools. It also continues to operate a
Transition School and Early Entrance Program The Transition School and Early Entrance Program (TS and EEP) are two subsequent programs comprising the original early entrance track at the University of Washington's Halbert and Nancy Robinson Center for Young Scholars. The one-year Transition ...
on campus, which first began in 1977.


Rankings and reputation

UW is an elected member of the
American Association of Universities The Association of American Universities (AAU) is an organization of American research universities devoted to maintaining a strong system of academic research and education. Founded in 1900, it consists of 63 universities in the United States ( ...
, and has been listed as a "
Public Ivy "Public Ivy" is a term that refers to prestigious public colleges and universities in the United States that provide a collegiate experience similar to those in the Ivy League.Richard Moll in his book ''Public Ivys: A Guide to America's best pub ...
" in Greene's Guides since 2001. The '' Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU)'' has consistently ranked UW as one of the top 20 universities worldwide every year since its first release. In 2019, UW ranked 14th worldwide out of 500 by the ''ARWU'', 26th worldwide out of 981 in the ''
Times Higher Education World University Rankings The ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' (often referred to as the THE Rankings) is an annual publication of university rankings by the ''Times Higher Education'' (THE) magazine. The publisher had collaborated with Quacquarelli ...
'', and 28th worldwide out of 101 in the ''Times''
World Reputation Rankings The ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' (often referred to as the THE Rankings) is an annual publication of university rankings by the ''Times Higher Education'' (THE) magazine. The publisher had collaborated with Quacquarelli ...
. Meanwhile, ''
QS World University Rankings ''QS World University Rankings'' is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The QS system comprises three parts: the global overall ranking, the subject rankings (which name the world's top universities for the ...
'' ranked it 68th worldwide, out of over 900. '' U.S. News & World Report'' ranked UW 7th out of nearly 1,500 universities worldwide for 2022, with UW's undergraduate program tied for 58th among 389 national universities in the U.S. and tied for 19th among 209 public universities. In 2021, the
Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM), also known as ARM Institute, is a consortium created in 2017 through a Department of Defense grant won by Carnegie Mellon University. ARM is structured as a public-private partnership and the Manufacturing ...
Institute recognized the Mechanical Engineering BS and MS programs with an endorsement for their commitment to preparing workers for careers in
Industry 4.0 The Fourth Industrial Revolution, 4IR, or Industry 4.0, conceptualizes rapid change to technology, industries, and societal patterns and processes in the 21st century due to increasing interconnectivity and smart automation. The term has bee ...
. In 2019, it ranked 10th among the universities around the world by
SCImago Institutions Rankings The SCImago Institutions Rankings (SIR) since 2009 has published its international ranking of worldwide research institutions, the SIR World Report. The SIR World Report is the work of the SCImago Research Group,Kiplinger Kiplinger ( ) is an American publisher of business forecasts and personal finance advice which is a subsidiary of Future plc. Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc., was a closely held company managed for more than nine decades by three generations ...
'' magazine's review of "top college values" named UW 5th for in-state students and 10th for out-of-state students among U.S. public colleges, and 84th overall out of 500 schools. In the ''
Washington Monthly ''Washington Monthly'' is a bimonthly, nonprofit magazine of United States politics and government that is based in Washington, D.C. The magazine is known for its annual ranking of American colleges and universities, which serves as an alterna ...
'' National University Rankings UW was ranked 15th domestically in 2018, based on its contribution to the public good as measured by social mobility, research, and promoting public service. In 2017, the ''Leiden Ranking'', which focuses on science and the impact of scientific publications among the world's 500 major universities, ranked UW 12th globally and 5th in the U.S. Among the faculty as of 2012, there have been 151 members of American Association for the Advancement of Science, 68 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 67 members of the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, a ...
, 53 members of the Institute of Medicine, 29 winners of the
Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) is the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers. The White ...
, 21 members of the
National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of ...
, 15 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators, 15 MacArthur Fellows, 9 winners of the
Gairdner Foundation International Award The Canada Gairdner International Award is given annually by the Gairdner Foundation at a special dinner to five individuals for outstanding discoveries or contributions to medical science. Receipt of the Gairdner is traditionally considered a ...
, 5 winners of the
National Medal of Science The National Medal of Science is an honor bestowed by the President of the United States to individuals in science and engineering who have made important contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of behavioral and social scienc ...
, 7
Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...
laureates, 5 winners of Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research, 4 members of the
American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS), founded in 1743 in Philadelphia, is a scholarly organization that promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and communit ...
, 2 winners of the
National Book Award The National Book Awards are a set of annual U.S. literary awards. At the final National Book Awards Ceremony every November, the National Book Foundation presents the National Book Awards and two lifetime achievement awards to authors. The Nat ...
, 2 winners of the National Medal of Arts, 2 Pulitzer Prize winners, 1 winner of the Fields Medal, and 1 member of the National Academy of Public Administration. Among UW students by 2012, there were 136 Fulbright Scholars, 35 Rhodes Scholars, 7 Marshall Scholars and 4 Gates Cambridge Scholars. UW is recognized as a top producer of
Fulbright Scholars The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people o ...
, ranking 2nd in the US in 2017.


Admissions


Undergraduate

The university's undergraduate admissions process is rated 91/99 by the Princeton Review, and is classified "more selective" by the '' U.S. News & World Report''. For the Class of 2025 (enrolled fall 2021), UW received 48,840 applications and accepted 26,121 (53.5%). Of those accepted, 7,252 enrolled, a Yield (college admissions), yield rate (the percentage of accepted students who choose to attend the university) of 27.8%. UW's freshman University student retention, retention rate is 93%, with 84% going on to graduate within six years. Of the 19% of the incoming freshman class who submitted SAT scores; the middle 50 percent Composite scores were 1240-1450. Of the 8% of enrolled freshmen in 2021 who submitted ACT (test), ACT scores; the middle 50 percent Composite score was between 29 and 34. In the 2020–2021 academic year, 24 freshman students were National Merit Scholars. The university uses capacity constrained majors, a gate-keeping process that requires most students to apply to an internal college or faculty. New applications are usually considered once or twice annually, and few students are admitted each time. The screening process is based on cumulative academic performance, recommendation letters and extracurricular activities.


Research

UW's research budget consistently ranks among the top 5 in both public and private universities in the United States. It surpassed the $1.0 billion research budget milestone in 2012, and university endowments reached almost $5.0 billion by 2021. UW is the largest recipient of federal research funding among public universities, and currently ranks top 2nd among all public and private universities in the nation. In 2014, the University of Washington School of Oceanography and the UW Applied Physics Laboratory completed the construction of the first Regional Scale Nodes, high-power underwater cabled observatory in the United States. Gabrielle Rocap, one of the researchers who discovered arsenic-breathing microbes in the Pacific, is part of the department's faculty. To promote equal academic opportunity, especially for people of low income, UW launched ''Husky Promise'' in 2006. Families of income up to 65 percent of state median income or 235 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible. With this, up to 30 percent of undergraduate students may be eligible. The cut-off income level that UW set is the highest in the nation, making top-quality education available to more people. Then UW President, Mark Emmert, simply said that being "elitist is not in our DNA". "Last year, the University of Washington moved to a more comprehensive approach [to admissions], in which the admissions staff reads the entire application and looks at grades within the context of the individual high school, rather than relying on computerized cutoffs." UW was the host university of ResearchChannel program (now defunct), the only TV channel in the United States dedicated solely for the dissemination of research from academic institutions and research organizations. Participation of ResearchChannel included 36 universities, 15 research organizations, two corporate research centers and many other affiliates. Alan Michelson, now Head of the Built Environments Library at UW Seattle, manages the Pacific Coast Architecture Database (PCAD), which Michelson started in 2002 while he worked as Architecture and Design Librarian at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The PCAD serves as a searchable public database detailing significant but importantly, also lesser-known and -lauded designers, buildings and structures, and partnerships, with links including to bibliographic literature. In 2019, reported that Cyberwarfare by China, Chinese hackers had launched Chinese espionage in the United States, cyberattacks on dozens of academic institutions in an attempt to gain information on technology being developed for the United States Navy. Some of the targets included the University of Washington. The attacks have been underway since at least April 2017.


Student life

University of Washington had 47,571 total enrollments as of Autumn 2019, making it the largest university on the
West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...
by student population in spite of its selective admissions process. It also boasts one of the most diverse student bodies within the US, with more than 50% of its undergraduate students self-identifying with minority groups.


Organizations


Registered groups

The University of Washington boasts over 800 active Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), one of the largest networks of any universities in the world. RSOs are dedicated to a wide variety of interests both in and beyond campus. Some of these interest areas include academic focus groups, cultural exchanges, environmental activities, Greek life, political/social action, religious discussions, sports, international student gatherings by country, and STEM-specific events. Prominent examples are: * The Dream Project: "The Dream Project teaches UW students to mentor first-generation and low-income students in King County high schools as they navigate the complex college admissions process." * The Rural Health Education (RHE): Promotes health in rural areas of Washington state through health fairs. Volunteers include students from a variety of backgrounds including medical, pharmacy, and dentistry. Health professionals from the Greater Seattle area also actively participate. * Students Expressing Environmental Concern (SEED): partially funded by UW's Housing and Food Services (HFS) office to promote environmental sustainability, and reduce the university's carbon footprint. * Student Philanthropy Education Program: Partnered with the UW's nonprofit, the UW Foundation, this group focuses on promoting awareness of philanthropy's importance through major events on campus. * Husky Global Affairs: This is a club dedicated to social science research in global issues. It provides a forum for students to collaborate in research and publishes their research in the Global Affairs Journal. * UW Delta Delta Sigma Pre-Dental Society (DDS): This is a club dedicated to serving pre-dental students and it provides a forum for discussion of dental-related topics. * UW Earth Club: The Earth Club is interested in promoting the expression of environmental attitudes and consciousness through specialized events. * UW Farm: The UW farm grows crops on campus and advocates urban farming in the UW community. * GlobeMed at UW: a student-run non-profit organization that works to educate about global poverty and its effect on health. The UW chapter is a part of a national network of chapters, each partnering with a grassroots organization at home or abroad. GlobeMed at UW is partnered with The MINDS Foundation which supports education about and treatment for mental illness in rural India. * UW Sierra Student Coalition: SSC is dedicated to many larger environmental issues on campus and providing related opportunities to students. * Washington Public Interest Research Group (WashPIRG): WashPIRG engages students in a variety of activist causes, including environmental projects on campus and the community.


Student government

The Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW) is one of two Student Governments at the University of Washington, the other being the Graduate and Professional Student Senate. It is funded and supported by student fees, and provides services that directly and indirectly benefit them. The ASUW employs over 72 current University of Washington students, has over 500 volunteers, and spends $1.03 million annually to provide services and activities to the student body of 43,000 on-campus. The Student Senate was established in 1994 as a division of the Associated Students of the University of Washington. Student Senate is one of two official student governed bodies and provides a broad-based discussion of issues. Currently, the ASUW Student Senate has a legislative body of over 150 senators representing a diverse set of interests on and off-campus. The ASUW was incorporated in the State of Washington on April 20, 1906. On April 30, 1932, the ASUW assisted in the incorporation of University Book Store which has been in continuous operation at the same location on University Way for over 70 years. The ASUW Experimental College, part of the ASUW, was created in 1968 by several University of Washington students seeking to provide the campus and surrounding community with a selection of classes not offered on the university curriculum.


Publication

The student newspaper is ''The Daily of the University of Washington'', usually referred to as ''The Daily''. It is the second-largest daily paper in Seattle. ''The Daily'' is published every day classes are in session during fall, winter and spring quarters, and weekly during summer quarters. In 2010, ''The Daily'' launched a half-hour weekly television magazine show, "The Daily's Double Shot," on UWTV Channel 27. The UW continues to use its proprietary UWTV channel, online and printed publications. The faculty also produce their own publications for students and alumni.


Student activism

Throughout the 20th Century, UW student activism centered around a variety of national and international concerns, from Nuclear power, nuclear energy to the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
and
civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life o ...
. In 1948, at the beginning of the McCarthyism era, students brought their activism to bear on campus, by protesting the firing of three UW professors accused of communist affiliations.


University support

UW offers many services for its students and alumni, beyond the standard offered by most colleges and universities. Its "Student Life" division houses 16 departments and offices that serve students directly and indirectly, including those below and overseen by Vice President and Vice Provost. * Career Center * Counseling Center * Department of Recreational Sports (IMA) * Disability Resource Center * Fraternity and Sorority Life * Health and Wellness Programs * Housing and Food Services * Office of Ceremonies * Office of the University Registrar * Student Admissions * Student Activities and Union Facilities * Student Financial Aid * Student Legal Services * Student Publications (The Daily) * Campus Police


Housing

The university operates one of the largest campuses of any higher education institution in the world. Despite this, growing faculty and student count has strained the regional housing supply as well as transportation facilities. Starting in 2012, UW began taking active measures to explore, plan and enact a series of campus policies to manage the annual growth. In addition to new buildings, parking and light rail stations, new building construction and renovations have been scheduled to take place through 2020. The plan includes the construction of three six-story residence halls and two apartment complexes in the west section of campus, near the existing Terry and Lander Halls, in Phase I, the renovation of six existing residence halls in Phase II, and additional new construction in Phase III. The projects will result in a net gain of approximately 2,400 beds. The Residence Hall Student Association (student government for the halls) is the second-largest student organization on campus and helps plan fun events in the halls. For students, faculty, and staff looking to live off-campus, they may also explore Off-Campus Housing Affairs. The Greek System at UW has also been a prominent part of student culture for more than 115 years. It is made up of two organizational bodies, the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and the Panhellenic Association. The IFC looks over 34 fraternities with 1900+ members and Panhellenic consists of 19 sororities and 1900 members. The school has additional Greek organizations that do not offer housing and are primarily special interest.


Disability resources

In addition to the University of Washington's Disability Resources for Students (DRS) office, there is also a campus-wide The DO-IT Center, DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) Center program that assists educational institutions to fully integrate all students, including those with disabilities, into academic life. DO-IT includes a variety of initiatives, such as the DO-IT Scholars Program, and provides information on the 'universal' design of educational facilities for students of all levels of physical and mental ability. These design programs aim to reduce systemic barriers which could otherwise hinder the performance of some students, and may also be applied to other professional organizations and conferences.


Athletics

UW students, sports teams, and alumni are called Washington Huskies, and often referred to Metonymy, metonymically as "Montlake," due to the campus's location on Montlake Boulevard N.E. (although the traditional bounds of the Montlake, Seattle, Washington, Montlake neighborhood do not extend north of the Montlake Cut to include the campus.) The husky was selected as the school mascot by the student committee in 1922, which replaced the "Sun Dodger", an abstract reference to the Seattle, Washington#Climate, local weather. The university participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I-A, and the Pac-12 Conference. The Washington Huskies football, football team is traditionally competitive, having won the 1960 and 1991 national title, to go along with seven Rose Bowl (game), Rose Bowl victories and an Orange Bowl (game), Orange Bowl title. From 1907 to 1917, Washington football teams were unbeaten in 64 consecutive games, an National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA record. Tailgate party, Tailgating by boat has been a Husky Stadium tradition since 1920 when the stadium was first built on the shores of Lake Washington. The Apple Cup game is an annual game against cross-state rival Washington State University that was first contested in 1900 with UW leading the all-time series, 65 wins to 32 losses and 6 ties. This game was last won by Washington State University, and the Apple Cup trophy currently resides in Pullman, Washington. College Football Hall of Fame member Don James (American football), Don James is a former head coach. The men's Washington Huskies men's basketball, basketball team has been moderately successful, though recently the team has enjoyed a resurgence under coach Lorenzo Romar. With Romar as head coach, the team has been to six NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, NCAA tournaments (2003–2004, 2004–2005, 2005–2006, 2008–2009, 2009–2010 and 2010–2011 seasons), 2 consecutive top 16 (sweet sixteen) appearances, and secured a No. 1 seed in 2005. On December 23, 2005, the men's basketball team won their 800th victory in Hec Edmundson Pavilion, the most wins for any NCAA team in its current arena. College rowing (United States), Rowing is a longstanding tradition at the University of Washington dating back to 1901. The Washington men's crew gained international prominence by winning the gold medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, defeating the German and Italian crews much to the dismay of Adolf Hitler who was in attendance. In 1958, the men's crew deepened their legend with a shocking win over Saint Petersburg, Leningrad Trud's world champion rowers at the Moscow Cup, resulting in the first American sporting victory on Soviet Union, Soviet soil, and certainly the first time a Russian crowd gave any American team a standing ovation during the Cold War. The men's crew have won 46 national titles (15 Intercollegiate Rowing Association, 1 National Collegiate Rowing Championship), 15 Olympic gold medals, two silver and five bronze. The women have 10 national titles and two Olympic gold medals. In 1997, the women's team won the NCAA championship. The Husky men are the 2015 national champions. Recent national champions include the Washington Huskies softball, softball team (2009 Women's College World Series, 2009), the men's rowing team (2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2007), NCAA Division I women's Cross country running, cross country team (2008), and the women's volleyball team (2005 NCAA Division I women's volleyball tournament, 2005). Individually, Scott Roth was the 2011 NCAA men's Outdoor Pole Vault and 2011 & 2010 NCAA men's Indoor Pole Vault champion. James Lepp was the 2005 NCAA men's golf champion. Ryan Brown (men's 800 meters) and Amy Lia (women's 1500 meters) won individual titles at the 2006 NCAA Track and Field Championships. Brad Walker (athlete), Brad Walker was the 2005 NCAA men's Outdoor and Indoor Pole Vault champion. The university has an extensive series of sports facilities, including but not limited to the Husky Stadium (football, track and field), the Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion (basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics),
Husky Ballpark Husky Ballpark is a college baseball park in the northwest United States, located on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. Opened in 1998, it is the home field of the Washington Huskies of the Pac-12 conference. Th ...
(baseball), Husky Softball Stadium, The William Quillian (athlete), Bill Quillian Tennis Stadium, The Nordstrom Tennis Center, Dempsey Indoor (Indoor track and field, football) and the Conibear Shellhouse (rowing). The golf team plays at the Washington National Golf Club and until recently, the swimming team called the Weyerhaeuser Aquatic Center and the Husky pool home. The university discontinued its men's and women's swim teams on May 1, 2009, due to budget cuts.


Husky Stadium

The rebuilt Husky Stadium is the first and primary source of income for the completely remodeled athletic district. The major remodel consisted of a new grand concourse, University of Washington station, underground light-rail station which opened on March 19, 2016, an enclosed west end design, replacement of bleachers with individual seating, removal of track and Huskytron, as well as the installation of a new press box section, private box seating, football offices, permanent seating in the east end zone that does not block the view of Lake Washington. The project also included new and improved amenities, concession stands, and bathrooms throughout. The cost for renovating the stadium was around $280 million and was designed for a slightly lower seating capacity than its previous design, now at 70,138 seats. Besides hosting national and regional football games, the Husky Stadium is also used by the university for its annual Commencement event, departmental ceremonies, and other events. Husky Stadium is one of several places that may have been the birthplace of the crowd phenomenon known as "Audience wave, The Wave". It is claimed that the wave was invented by Husky graduate Robb Weller and UW band director Bill Bissel in October 1981, for an afternoon game facing opponents from Stanford University.


Mascot

The University of Washington's costumed mascot is Harry the Husky. "Harry the Husky" performs at sporting and special events, and a live Alaskan Malamute, currently named Dubs II, has traditionally led the UW American football, football team onto the field at the start of games. The school colors of purple and gold were adopted in 1892 by student vote. The choice was inspired by the first stanza of Lord Byron's ''The Destruction of Sennacherib'': The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold, And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold; And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea, When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Sea of Galilee, Galilee. Additionally, the university has also hosted a long line of Alaskan Malamutes as mascots.


School songs

The University of Washington Husky Marching Band performs at many Husky sporting events including all American football, football games. The band was founded in 1929, and today it is a cornerstone of Husky spirit. The band marches using a traditional high step, and it is one of only a few marching bands left in the United States to do so. Like many college bands, the Husky band has several traditional songs that it has played for decades, including the official fight songs "Bow Down to Washington" and "Tequila (Champs song), Tequila", as well as fan-favorite "Africano".


Notable alumni and faculty

File:Patrick Shanahan.jpg, Patrick M. Shanahan, United States Secretary of Defense File:SpeakerFoley.jpg, Tom Foley, 49th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives File:Michael P. Anderson.jpg, Michael P. Anderson, National Aeronautic and Space Administration, NASA Astronaut and Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' disaster crew member File:Sally Jewell official portrait.jpg, Sally Jewell, 51st United States Secretary of the Interior and former CEO of Recreational Equipment, Inc., REI File:Joe Sutter, University of Nova Gorica, June 2006.jpg, Joe Sutter, head of the Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Boeing 747 design team File:Bruce Lee 1973.jpg, Bruce Lee, actor and martial artist File:Kenny G 1998.jpg, Kenny G, Grammy Award-winning jazz musician File:Kyle MacLachlan by Gage Skidmore.jpg, Kyle MacLachlan, Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe Award-winning actor File:Rainn Wilson 2011 Shankbone.JPG, Rainn Wilson, actor File:Jim L Mora 2006-11-19.jpg, Jim L. Mora, former NFL coach File:Hope Solo USA Training (edited).jpg, Hope Solo, former United States women's national soccer team, USWNT goalkeeper File:William H. Foege.jpg, William Foege, former Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, credited for global smallpox eradication strategy File:Pappy Boyington.jpg, Pappy Boyington,
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
combat fighter ace
Notable alumni of the University of Washington include U.S. Olympic rower Joe Rantz (1936); architect Minoru Yamasaki (1934); news anchor and Big Sky Resort, Big Sky resort founder Chet Huntley (1934); US Senator
Henry M. Jackson Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson (May 31, 1912 – September 1, 1983) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. representative (1941–1953) and U.S. senator (1953–1983) from the state of Washington. A Cold War liberal and a ...
(JD 1935); Baskin Robbins co-founder Irv Robbins (1939); former actor, The Hollywood Reporter columnist and Turner Classic Movies, TCM host Robert Osborne (1954); glass artist Dale Chihuly (BA 1965); serial killer Ted Bundy; Nobel Prize-winning biologist Linda B. Buck; Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marilynne Robinson (PhD 1977), martial artist Bruce Lee; saxophonist Kenny G (1978); MySpace co-founder Chris DeWolfe (1988); Mudhoney lead vocalist Mark Arm (1985, English); Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil (Philosophy); music manager Susan Silver (Chinese); actor Rainn Wilson (BA, Drama 1986); radio and TV personality Andrew Harms (2001, Business and Drama); actor and comedian Joel McHale (1995, MFA 2000), actor and Christian personality Jim Caviezel, former soccer player Megan Kufeld, and basketball player Matisse Thybulle.


In film

* 1965: ''The Slender Thread'', directed by Sydney Pollack * 1979: ''The Changeling (1980 film), The Changeling'', directed by Peter Medak * 1983: ''WarGames'', directed by John Badham * 1987: ''Black Widow (1987 film), Black Widow'', directed by Bob Rafelson * 1992: ''Singles (1992 film), Singles'', directed by Cameron Crowe * 1997: ''The Sixth Man'', directed by Randall Miller * 1999: ''10 Things I Hate About You'', directed by Gil Junger * 2004: ''What the Bleep Do We Know!?, What the Bleep Do We Know: Down the Rabbit Hole'', directed by William Arntz * 2013: ''21 and Over (film), 21 and Over'', directed by Jon Lucas * 2016: ''American Experience (season 28), The Boys of 36'', directed by Margaret Grossi * 2022: The Sex Lives of College Girls, created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble


See also

* Friday Harbor Laboratories * Internationales Kulturinstitut * List of forestry universities and colleges * Manastash Ridge Observatory * Theodor Jacobsen Observatory * University Book Store * University of Washington Educational Outreach * University of Washington firebombing incident * Washington Escarpment – escarpment in Antarctica named for the university


Notes


References


External links

*
University of Washington Athletics website

University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections – Calvin F. Todd Photographs Collection
includes images from 1905 to 1930 of the University of Washington campus and scenes from Seattle including the waterfront, various buildings especially apartments, regrading activities, and the Pike Place Market.
University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections – University of Washington Campus Photographs
Photographs reflecting the early history of the University of Washington campus from its beginnings as the Territorial University through its establishment at its present site on the shores of Lake Washington. The database documents student activities, buildings, departments, and athletics. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Washington, University Of University of Washington, Educational institutions established in 1861 Flagship universities in the United States Research institutes in Seattle Universities and colleges accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Universities and colleges in Seattle Public universities and colleges in Washington (state), University of Washington 1861 establishments in Washington Territory, University