One of the oldest institutions of higher education in the country, the University of Delaware combines tradition and innovation, offering students a rich heritage along with the latest in instructional and research technology.

The University traces its origin to a small school in New London, Pa., opened in 1743 by the distinguished Colonial scholar, the Rev. Dr. Francis Alison. By 1765, the school had been moved to Newark, Del., where it received a charter as the Academy of Newark from Thomas and Richard Penn in 1769. The State of Delaware chartered the school in 1833, and the institution was renamed Delaware College in 1843. A Women's College was opened in 1914, and in 1921, the two coordinate colleges were officially named the University of Delaware.

Today, there are more than 90,000 active University of Delaware alumni who live in every state of the U.S. and more than 75 foreign countries. The Class of 1995 included the University's 100,000th graduate.

A private university that receives public support, the University of Delaware joined the ranks of historic land-grant colleges in 1867. Today, it is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant and urban-grant institution. Midway between Philadelphia and Baltimore, the main campus is located in Newark, Delaware, a suburban community of 30,000. But, courses are offered statewide, at locations including Wilmington, Dover, Milford, Georgetown and Lewes. In addition to full-time and part-time educational opportunities, the University offers a rich array of public lectures, exhibitions, performances, service programs and athletic competitions. The UD also is home to a unique training program for world-class figure skaters.

The campus is a place of great beauty. In recent years, special enhancements have included renovations to classrooms, laboratories and virtually every building on campus, as well as new research facilities such as the Allan P. Colburn Laboratory for chemical engineering and the Lammot du Pont Laboratory for chemistry, biochemistry and marine studies. The recently-opened Trabant University Center incorporates in its design a restored historic building, and the recently opened Bob Carpenter Sports/Convocation Center, with its Acierno Arena, is home to Fightin' Blue Hens men's and women's basketball.

The University recently opened MBNA America Hall, a new facility for the College of Business and Economics, and Gore Hall, a major classroom building that completes the historic campus mall. In addition to new construction, the University has an ongoing commitment to the restoration and renovation of historic buildings that are a special part of the central campus - a commitment recognized and praised by several external organizations.

The University works cooperatively with the area's unique cultural and technical institutions, and it provides the finest library facilities in the state. Recently, the University was honored as a national model for its exemplary campuswide technology network, incorporating video, data and voice, and for the use of that network to enhance teaching, learning, research, administration, and community service.

Since 1921, the University has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Professional accreditation also is held in Accounting, Agricultural Engineering/ Engineering Technology, Athletic Training, Business Administration, Chemistry, Clinical Psychology, Dietetics, Education, Engineering, Medical Technology, Music, Physical Therapy and Nursing.

Mission Statement.  The central mission of the University of Delaware is to cultivate both learning and the free exchange of ideas.  To this end, the University provides excellent undergraduate and graduate courses of study in a variety of disciplines.  Our graduates should know how to reason critically and independently yet collaborate productively.  They should understand the cultural and physical world, communicate clearly in writing and speech, and develop into informed citizens and leaders.  The University faculty has a strong tradition of distinguished scholarship, research, and teaching, which is grounded in a commitment to increase scientific, humanistic, and social knowledge for the enrichment of the larger society.  A state-assisted, privately-governed institution, the University of Delaware was founded as a private academy in 1743, received its collegiate charter from the state in 1833, and was designated one of the nation's historic land-grant colleges in 1867.  The University works cooperatively with the area's unique cultural and technical institutions; it provides the finest library in the state and offers the region's people a rich array of public lectures, exhibitions, performances, service programs, and athletic competitions.  The University strives for an atmosphere in which all people feel welcome to learn, embracing creativity, critical thinking, and free inquiry, and respecting the views and values of an increasingly diverse population.

Statement of Responsibility. The University of Delaware community values both personal and academic freedom. All members of the campus community have the personal responsibility to promote an atmosphere of civility in which the free exchange of ideas and opinions can flourish. We do so by learning from individual and collective differences and by respecting every human being.

A Commitment to Diversity. The University is committed to creating an educational community that is intellectually, culturally and socially diverse, enriched by the contributions and full participation of persons from many different backgrounds. As part of that effort, two special commissions have been assembled to promote gender equity and racial diversity: The Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission to Promote Racial and Cultural Diversity. Composed of students, faculty, and professional and salaried staff, these commissions work to create a climate that encourages all members of the University community to respect and appreciate individual and cultural differences, to promote equity for people of different backgrounds in all areas of University life, and to enhance the curriculum by including the perspectives of different races, cultures and genders. The commissions, members of which are appointed by the President, also identify problem areas and make recommendations for positive changes.

Academic degree programs are administered by seven colleges at the University. Six of them (Agriculture and Natural Resources; Arts and Science; Business and Economics; Engineering; Health and Nursing Sciences; and Human Resources, Education, and Public Policy) offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees. The remaining college, Marine Studies, offers graduate degrees only. A complete list of our extensive undergraduate degree programs is presented in the Synopsis of Baccalaureate Degree Programs in this catalog.

Through the Parallel Program, a special partnership between the University of Delaware and Delaware Technical & Community College, students can earn credits toward University degrees at campuses in Wilmington, Dover and Georgetown. The Division of Continuing Education extends the opportunities of the University to students throughout the state.

Among more than 900 faculty members at the University of Delaware, 87 percent hold the doctoral or terminal degree in their field. They hold office in national and international professional associations, they serve on scholarly editorial boards, including the board of the University of Delaware Press, and they are invited to lecture at institutions around the world. In any given year, faculty honors may include Guggenheim fellowships, Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung awards, Fulbright fellowships, and election to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the National Academy of Sciences. In 1998, for example, the College of  Engineering boasts four NAE members, seven Presidential Young Investigators, and eighteen named professorships.

Delaware faculty constantly strive to improve their performance as teaching scholars. The University's Center for Teaching Effectiveness encourages professional development by annually awarding grants to faculty members who propose innovative strategies, such as incorporating new multi-media teaching technologies.

Students are the focus of the University's academic programs. In fall 1997, 21,166 students were enrolled, including 15,629 undergraduate students, 3,250 graduate students, and 2,287 students in the Division of Continuing Education. Of the undergraduate total, 649 were enrolled in the University's Parallel Program with Delaware Technical & Community College.

Entering 1997 freshmen typically ranked in the top quarter of their high-school graduating classes. Their average SAT verbal and mathematics scores were well above the national average for college-bound students.

Although Delaware class size can range from a minimum of one student (in independent study) to a large lecture class of 300, 64 percent of class sections have fewer than 30 students. Many members of the faculty, including distinguished professors, teach freshman-level courses, ensuring that students have early contact with eminent scholars. At the same time, the presence of able graduate students enhances undergraduate programs by providing educational models for students aspiring to advanced degrees.

While some institutions provide only limited research opportunities for undergraduates, a long-standing tradition at the University of Delaware encourages hands-on laboratory experience for students. Every year, an increasing number of undergraduates work with faculty researchers on independent-study and honors-degree projects, or as part of the Undergraduate Research Program. In 1997, for example, this program served about 400 undergraduates, who tackled projects ranging from the cardiovascular function of turtles to fusion-bonding of composite materials. (Be sure to read more about the Undergraduate Research Program in the Special Programs chapter.)

Campus-wide, the University conducts a wide variety of basic and applied research. Additionally, because the University cooperates with other research institutions, industry, major laboratories, and neighboring museums, students have access to an even wider range of advanced research facilities. Research funding is provided by federal grants, state and industrial contracts, foundation grants, University funds and other sources. The Delaware Research Partnership uses state funds to attract matching grants from industry in support of University research that promises to enhance the state's economic development. The University of Delaware Research Foundation (UDRF), a nonprofit foundation chartered in 1955 to support University research, awards grants in science and engineering to young faculty investigating promising ideas.

The University of Delaware Press, a nationally recognized scholarly press, publishes the work of authors in many fields, including that of faculty members at the University.

The Office of Alumni and University Relations conducts programs and activities for diverse constituencies, keeping our alumni connected to the rest of the University community. A number of major campus events, including Homecoming, Convocations and Commencements, the Summer Arts Festival, New Student Convocation, Honors Day and the University's year-long Performing Arts Series, are presented by this office.

The office serves as the liaison to the more than 96,000 alumni worldwide and to the Alumni Association and its board of directors.  Additional alumni services include organization of annual class and special interest reunion activities, recognition ceremonies for outstanding alumni achievements, and a national alumni club program.

The office also serves as liaison to the Parents Association and its board and presents the annual Parents Day and other parent programs.

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