University of Hartford


The University of Hartford is a private university in West Hartford, Connecticut. Its main campus extends into neighboring Hartford and Bloomfield. The university attracts students from 48 states and 43 countries. The university and its degree programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges-Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

History

The University of Hartford was chartered through the joining of the Hartford Art School, Hillyer College, and The Hartt School in 1957. Prior to the charter, the University of Hartford did not exist as an independent entity rather in the chronicles of Hillyer College, The Hartford Art School, and The Hartt School.
The Hartford Art School, which commenced operation in 1877, was founded by a group of women in Hartford, including Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain's wife, Olivia Langdon Clemens, as the Hartford Society for Decorative Art. Its original location was at the Wadsworth Atheneum, the first public art museum in the United States. It is still associated with the museum today.
Hillyer College, which was named for the U.S. Civil War General Charles Hillyer, was created as a part of the Hartford YMCA in 1879. In the early 20th century it provided instruction in automotive technology at a time when Hartford was a center for the infant automobile industry. In 1947, it was formally separated from the YMCA and saw an influx of a large number of World War II veterans afforded an education under the G.I. Bill. In the three school merger Hillyer brought its College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions, Barney School of Business, College of Engineering, Technology and Architecture, College of Arts and Sciences, and the contemporary Hillyer College, formerly known as the College of Basic Studies.
The Hartt School was founded in 1920 by Julius Hartt and Moshe Paranov. It remains today as the University of Hartford's comprehensive performing arts conservatory, and is regarded among the most recognized schools for music, dance, and theatre in the United States.
Since 1988, the university has been a lead institution for the Connecticut Space Grant College Consortium.
In the 1990s, pledging its commitment to women's education, the university bought the financially struggling Hartford College for Women. In 2003 the university announced that it would close the Hartford College for Women and transition all of its degree programs into the College of Arts and Sciences.
Although it is a private institution, the university hosts two magnet schools that serve students from Hartford and its surrounding suburbs: University of Hartford Magnet School and University High School of Science and Engineering.
Under President Walter Harrison the university completed several ambitious building projects, including a new residence hall, Hawk Hall; the $34 million Integrated Science, Engineering, and Technology complex; the Renée Samuels Center; the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center; and a new University High School building, in the summer of 2008, the bridge over the Park River connecting the academic and residential sides of campus was rebuilt.

Academics

The University of Hartford has more than 6,000 full-time and part-time graduate and undergraduate students. The university offers 82 bachelor's degree programs, 10 associate degrees, 28 graduate degrees, and 7 certificates or diplomas. Starting with the 2019-2020 academic year the university will launch a bachelor's degree program in nursing. The student-faculty ratio is nearly 14:1. The departments in each of the seven schools are listed below.

The Village Lawn

Situated between the residential apartments, it hosts university-sponsored spring fling events. Past entertainment has included: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Vanilla Ice, Gym Class Heroes, T-Pain, The Black Eyed Peas, Ying Yang Twins, Method Man, Common, Cypress Hill, French Montana, Waka Flocka Flame, PnB Rock, Cranium, Studio 205, New Found Glory, and Sammy Adams.

Public transit

began service in 2015 runs to West Hartford. Connecticut Transit runs to Bloomfield.

Gengras Student Union

This houses the student government, the university post office, student organizations including the student newspaper The Informer and the Student Television Network, a cafeteria, a convenience store, and the Gengras food court, featuring Einstein Bros. Bagels, Burger Studio, and Moe's. A major renovation of the Gengras Student Union was begun in early February, 2017.

The Harry Jack Gray Center

Centrally located on campus, the Harry Jack Gray Center houses the Mortensen Library and the Allen Memorial Library. After the renovation of the library in 2016 the university announced the library would be named, Harrison University Libraries in honor of University President Walter Harrison. Also located here are the Joseloff Gallery, the university bookstore, the School of Communications, the Visual Communication Design Department, the Department of Architecture, WWUH radio station, the Gray Conference Center, the Museum of Jewish Civilization, and the 1877 Club restaurant. It was the former home of the Museum of American Political Life, which housed the second largest collection of political memorabilia in the United States after the Smithsonian. The museum was closed in 2003 and that space now houses the Department of Architecture.

Alfred C. Fuller Music Center

The main Hartt School Complex, the center is composed of Millard Auditorium, Paranov Hall, and O'Connell Hall, a one-story extension of Paronov Hall. Originally Abrahms Hall was included in the Fuller Complex. A much needed renovation of Millard Auditorium was completed in 2017.

Beatrice Fox Auerbach Hall

Auerbach Hall is named after businesswoman Beatrice Fox Auerbach. It is one of the largest academic buildings on campus and is home to the Barney School of Business. During the 2018-19 academic year Auerbach Hall underwent a major renovation which included a 10,000 square foot addition for the Barney school that included additional classrooms and a trading room.

Hillyer Hall

Built in 1962, Hillyer Hall was the first classroom building on campus. Hillyer Hall is home to the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, and Hillyer College. In 2012 the Shaw Center was completed to provide additional classrooms and offices for Hillyer College. The building is named after John C. "Jay" Shaw and wife Debi of Greenwich, who donated 1.5 million to the project.

Dana Hall-Integrated Science, Engineering, and Technology Complex (ISET)

Dana Hall houses the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture, also known as CETA. It consists of three buildings: United Technologies Hall, Charles A. Dana Hall, and a building housing biology and chemistry facilities.

University of Hartford Magnet School

The University of Hartford is the first private university in the country to have a public magnet school located on campus. Many education majors complete fieldwork, practicum, and student teaching here. Students attending the school are bused in from the greater Hartford area.

University High School of Science and Engineering

This public magnet high school, formerly located on the University's Albany Avenue campus, is now located on the east side of the campus. The University High School was established in 2004 as a partnership of the Hartford Public Schools, the University of Hartford, and the Capitol Region Education Council. It is based on the early college initiative mode: University High School students are able to earn college credits while they attend high school. The high school enrolls two hundred students, seventy percent of whom are from Hartford. The other thirty percent come from towns in central Connecticut. Students are selected through a lottery from a pool of applicants, as required by the state of Connecticut.

Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center

Dedicated in 2008, the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center is a facility that is the instructional home for collegiate and Community Division students studying Theatre, Music Theater and Dance at the Hartt School. It contains five dance studios, four theatre rehearsal studios, three vocal studios, and two black box theatres, as well as faculty offices, community room, and cafe. The facility is located on the Westbourne Parkway in Hartford, on the old site of the Thomas Cadillac dealership. The building is named after Morton E. Handel and his wife Irma.

Hartford Art School-Renee Samuels Center

Dedicated in 2007, The Rennee Samuels Center provides a home for the photography and media arts programs.

University Commons

A residential dining hall, it is in the center of the freshmen living area. Located on the ground floor is the Hawk's Nest, which offers food, pool, and several large-screen TVs. The Hawk's Nest hosts Friday-night music performances, which include local and national acts as well as student performances. A $10 million renovation of The Commons commenced in May 2014 and completed that following September. The new facility includes a sushi station, salad and soup bar, stir fry station, and a sandwich section.

The University Residences

There are four different styles of on-campus housing. All provide students with access to the university's T-3 broadband internet network, cable television, and telephones.

Konover Campus Center

This includes a market, Subway, and an indoor eating area.

Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion

Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion is home to the men's and women's basketball teams as well as the women's volleyball team. Opened in 1990 the arena is named in honor of the Chase Family in West Hartford. Included in the build is the Mary Baker Stanley Pool and the universities athletic administration offices. Entertainment at the arena has included Girl Talk, Wale, and Ludacris. Past visiting politicians include Governor Danniel P. Malloy, former President Bill Clinton, and President Barack Obama.

Asylum Avenue Campus

Located west of downtown Hartford and once home to the Hartford College for Women, it now includes academic classrooms and graduate student campus housing in fourteen townhouses and Johnson House. It contains a cafeteria, computer lab, and studio space.

Organization and administration

Student government

The universities student government organization promotes student awareness, promote student involvement, and represent the voice of the students. The elected representatives of the SGA are the president, five vice presidents, two student regents, and senators. The Senators represent each of the colleges, classes, and residence halls.

List of university presidents

  1. Vincent B. Coffin
  2. Archibald M. Woodruff
  3. Stephen Joel Trachtenberg
  4. Humphrey Tonkin
  5. Walter Harrison
  6. Gregory S. Woodward

    A Cappella Groups

Such groups at the University of Hartford are governed by the A Cappella Coalition and hold auditions at the beginning of each year for new members.
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Greek Life

Athletics

The Hartford Hawks participate in the NCAA Division I level as a member of the America East Conference; men's golf competes in the America Sky Men's Golf Conference, women's golf in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The university fields 18 varsity sports, nine men's sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, and indoor and outdoor track & field; and nine women's sports: basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, indoor and outdoor track & field, and volleyball.

Club Sports

The university sponsors athletics at the club level including football and rugby. The football team competed in the modern Yankee Conference through 2014 and is now a member of the North Atlantic Conference of the National Club Football Association. The school's rugby men's team won their collegiate cup in 2017 defeating the Coast Guard academy.

Student media

WWUH operates as a community service of the University of Hartford with an all-volunteer staff of university alumni, faculty, and staff, as well as members of the community. Operating live 24/7 for the last 30 years, WWUH came on the air on July 15, 1968, as the first stereo public station in the state. WWUH, also known as "UH-FM", offers both music and spoken-word programming that is an alternative to what is heard on other area stations. The station has won the Best Radio Station and Best College Station category in a local newspaper readers' poll numerous times in the last 20 years. WWUH welcomes student volunteers and offers a comprehensive on-air and leadership training program. WWUH's programming can also be heard on WAPJ, 89.9 in Torrington, Connecticut; WDJW, 89.7 in Somers, Connecticut; and WWEB, 89.9 in Wallingford, Connecticut, and on the web at wwuh.org.

WSAM Student-Run Radio

Founded on February 2, 1974, WSAM is the university's student-run radio station that operates year-round. Its frequency is located at 105.3-FM.

The Informer – Student Newspaper

With a legacy from The Hillyer Callboard, the student newspaper of Hillyer College, dating from the 1920s, the Informer is the official student newspaper of the University of Hartford. Since 1976, the student-run Informer has published 24 times every academic year, coming out every Thursday. Circulation is 3,000 and the paper is distributed all over campus.

Student Television Network – STN Channel 2

The Student Television Network is a completely student-run station that broadcasts on channel 2 of the university's cable system. Founded by then-graduate student Chuck King and a group of interested students in 1993, STN became a popular student organization and though separate from the School of Communication provides relevant experience for students pursuing careers in television. STN started its weekly news program broadcast, "STN Channel 2 News," on February 9, 1993. Currently, new broadcasts are live once a week and then played throughout the week. In addition to weekly news broadcasts, STN produces and broadcasts several live Hartford Hawks sports productions throughout the year, and hosts a number of other student-created programs.

Notable alumni

Currently the university has over 85,000 alumni worldwide.