Ohio University was chartered by the state of Ohio in 1804, and was the first university in the Northwest Territory. Located in the scenic Appalachian foothills of southeastern Ohio, its classic residential campus is one of the most attractive in the nation. The charm of tree-lined brick walkways on the university's College Green makes you feel as if you are at a small college rather than a large university. And one can walk between most campus classroom buildings within about 10 minutes.
Ohio University was recently designated a Research University II by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Only 125 schools -- 3.4 percent -- of the 3,600 schools assessed by the Carnegie Foundation are classified as research universities. Others in the Research II classification include Auburn, Clemson, Kansas State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Washington State. According to the Carnegie Foundation definition, a Research University II "offers a full range of baccalaureate programs, is committed to graduate education through the doctorate, and gives high priority to research."
Ohio University's roots are in post-Revolutionary War America. In 1786, a group of veterans petitioned Congress to purchase, through the Ohio Company of Associates, a million and a half acres north and west of the Ohio River.
Revenue from two townships in the Ohio Company purchase was set aside for support of a university. In 1808, Ohio University opened with three students, and in 1815 awarded its first two bachelor's degrees.
The university graduated a total of only 145 students until after the Civil War. By 1920, it had 1,072 students, but it was not until after World War II that the university began to approach its present size.
In the 1950s, the student population grew from 4,600 to 8,000; and the 1960s saw enrollment burgeon from about 10,000 to some 18,000 students on the Athens campus. In the early 1970s, during the Vietnam era, the student population fell below 13,000. Today, the Athens campus serves more than 19,000 students.
Since 1946, the university's service as the major educational and cultural institution in southeast Ohio has included regional campuses in Chillicothe, Ironton, Lancaster, St. Clairsville, and Zanesville. Today, the regional campuses collectively enroll more than 8,000 students, making the total full-time and continuing education enrollment for Ohio University more than 27,000.
The main campus in Athens consists of 1,700 acres and 197 buildings. Ohio University is the largest employer in Athens County.
University expenditures total $301 million for all its campuses, with an annual payroll of $159 million.
