University of Arizona

Latin: Universitatis Arizonensis
Motto	Sursum (Latin)
Motto in English	"Upwards"[1] "Bear Down, Arizona" (second motto)[2]
Type	Public land-grant research university
Established	March 12, 1885; 139 years ago (March 12, 1885)
Parent institution	Arizona Board of Regents
Accreditation	WASC
Academic affiliations	AAU CONAHEC ORAU URA Space-grant
Endowment	$1.29 billion (2023)[3]
President	Robert C. Robbins[4]
Academic staff	3,385 (Fall 2023)[5]
Students	53,187 (Fall 2023)[6]
Undergraduates	42,075 (Fall 2023)[6]
Postgraduates	11,112 (Fall 2023)[6]
Location	Tucson , Arizona , United States 32°13′55″N 110°57′10″W / 32.2319°N 110.9527°W / 32.2319; -110.9527
Campus	Large city[8], 392 acres (1.59 km2)[7]
Other campuses	Chandler Douglas Gilbert Oro Valley Phoenix Nogales Rio Rico Sierra Vista
Newspaper	The Daily Wildcat
Colors	Cardinal and navy[9]
Nickname	Wildcats
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FBS – Pac-12 MPSF
Mascots	Wilbur and Wilma T. Wildcat
Website	www.arizona.edu

The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. The University of Arizona is one of three universities governed by the Arizona Board of Regents. As of Fall 2023^[update], the university enrolled 53,187 students in 19 separate colleges/schools, including the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson along with the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix and the James E. Rogers College of Law.

The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity". UA also is a member of the Association of American Universities. The University of Arizona is affiliated with two academic medical centers, Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix.

Known as the Arizona Wildcats (often shortened to "Cats"), the UA's intercollegiate athletic teams are members of the Pac-12 Conference of the NCAA. UA athletes have won national titles in several sports, most notably men's basketball, baseball, and softball.

History

After the passage of the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862, the push for a university in Arizona grew. The Arizona Territory's "Thieving Thirteenth" Legislature approved the University of Arizona in 1885 and selected the city of Tucson to receive the appropriation to build the university. Tucson hoped to receive the appropriation for the territory's mental hospital, which carried a $100,000 allocation instead of the $25,000 allotted to the territory's only university (Arizona State University was also chartered in 1885, but it was created as Arizona's normal school, and not a university^[10]).^{[citation needed]} Flooding on the Salt River delayed Tucson's legislators, and by they time they reached Prescott, back-room deals allocating the most desirable territorial institutions had been made. Tucson was largely disappointed with receiving what was viewed as an inferior prize.

With no parties willing to provide land for the new institution, the citizens of Tucson prepared to return the money to the Territorial Legislature until two gamblers and a saloon keeper decided to donate 40 acres to the Board of Regents.^[11] Construction of Old Main, the first building on campus, began on October 27, 1887, and classes met for the first time in 1891 with 32 students in Old Main, which is still in use today.^[12] Because there were no high schools in Arizona Territory, the university maintained separate preparatory classes for the first 23 years of operation.^[13]

In 1924, during Cloyd Marvin's tenure as president, the university was recognized by the Association of American Universities.^[14]

Modern times

On April 17, 2020, the University of Arizona announced temporary pay cuts and furloughs to its 15,000 employees as its Tucson campus shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All employees making up to $150,000 per year were furloughed, with the length determined by each employees' salary. For employees making more than $150,000 per year, pay cuts of 17% or 20% were instituted.^[15]

Also in 2020, the University of Arizona announced it had purchased Ashford University from Zovio and renamed it The University of Arizona Global Campus.^[16] The purchase was heavily criticized, particularly by University of Arizona faculty members.^[17][18] As Ashford was being purchased by the University of Arizona, it was the subject of an investigation by the Attorney General of Massachusetts, a lawsuit from the Attorney General of California, and a formal notification of concern from the university's accreditor.^[19][20][21]

A university professor was murdered on campus in October 2022, allegedly by a former student. Following the crime, the university commissioned an independent investigation of campus safety. Following that investigation and one of their own that faulted the university for failing to act on warnings and protect the campus, the university's faculty senate voted "no confidence" in the president and many other leaders at the university.^[22]

Fiscal crisis

In 2023, University of Arizona faced a financial crisis, allegedly "losing track of more than $240 million through accounting errors and flawed financial projections."^[23] Subsequent investigative reporting by The Arizona Republic linked much of the crisis to the university's purchase of Ashford University, accusing university administrators of knowing that Ashford was experiencing "a downward enrollment spiral that began years before and dismal graduation and retention rates".^[24]

Academics

The University of Arizona offers bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional degrees. Grades are given on a strict 4-point scale with "A" worth 4, "B" worth 3, "C" worth 2, "D" worth 1 and "E" worth zero points.^[25]

Rankings

In 2023, The Center for World University Rankings ranked University of Arizona No. 95 in the world and 48 in the U.S.^[36] U.S. News & World Report ranked University of Arizona No. 58 in U.S. public universities in a tie with University of Utah and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

The Center for World University Rankings in 2017 ranked Arizona No. 52 in the world and 34 in the U.S.^[38] The 2018 Times Higher Education World University Rankings rated University of Arizona 161st in the world^[39] and the 2017/18 QS World University Rankings ranked it 230th.^[40]

In 2015, Design Intelligence ranked the College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture's (CAPLA) undergraduate program in architecture 10th in the nation for all universities, public and private. The same publication ranked UA ranked 20th in overall undergraduate architecture programs.^[41]

Tuition

Tuition for both fall and spring semesters at the University of Arizona is $12,700 for full-time undergraduate residents and $37,200 for non-residents.^[42] As in other states, the cost of tuition has been rising due to the reduction in government support and large increase in administrative staff over teaching staff.^[43] Undergraduate students who enrolled in the UA's optional tuition guarantee program in 2014 will remain at $11,591 for residents and $30,745 for non-residents through the 2018–19 academic year. Incoming students enrolled in a bachelor's degree program are automatically eligible for the Guaranteed Tuition Program and will not be subject to tuition increases for 8 continuous semesters (four years).^[44] The Guaranteed Tuition Program does not apply to rates for summer and winter sessions.

Admissions