Weber State University Profile Overview Weber State University is a four-year institution of higher education located in Ogden, Utah. Its focus is upon providing undergraduate programs of the highest quality. WSU offers over 200 separate degrees/programs (see listing on pages 383-387) -the largest and most comprehensive undergraduate program in the State of Utah. With a student body of over 18,500 drawn predominantly from Utah, but also including students from 50 states and 37 foreign countries, WSU takes pride in its student-centered environment for learning and believes that quality education is founded upon close associations between faculty and students. Weber State University provides lifelong learning opportunities for a diverse spectrum of students both on and off the main campus, capitalizing extensively on partnerships with private companies and public agencies in the region. Its 60 buildings on 526 acres house abundant classrooms and laboratories, excellent student computing facilities, outstanding performing arts auditoriums, a spacious library, and a well-equipped health and fitness center. The First Year Experience program helps new students adjust to the university community. An active Honors program challenges the best of students, while a variety of support services aids those with particular needs. Academic studies are complemented by a wide range of cocurricular activities, including student government, intramural and intercollegiate athletics, and award-winning performing arts groups. An area of continued growth is WSU-Davis, which provides instruction to students on a new high-tech campus in Layton. In addition to its Ogden and Davis campuses, WSU offers courses throughout the state and trrtermountain West. Through nearly fifty departments and programs in seven colleges, Weber State University offers associate's, bachelor's and master's degree programs in a broad variety of liberal arts, sciences, technical and professional fields. The university's commitment to an outstanding educational experience for its students is achieved through extensive personal contact between and among faculty, staff and students in and out of the classroom. Faculty and students engage in basic and applied research, public service, economic development, and learning-oriented partnerships in an environment that encourages freedom of expression while valuing diversity. Historical Perspective Weber State University was founded in Ogden, Utah, as Weber Stake Academy on January 7, 1889, by the Weber Stake Board of Education of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The 1933 Utah Legislature established Weber College as a state junior college and placed it under the control of the Utah State Board of Education. Following World War II the college outgrew its downtown campus and moved to the present 400-acre site, spectacularly perched on the mountainside overlooking Ogden and the Great Salt Lake. In 1959 the Utah Legislature authorized the addition of upper division courses, leading to award of the first baccalaureate degrees by Weber State College in 1964. The 1969 Legislature created the Utah System of Higher Education, comprising nine public institutions of higher learning, including Weber State College. The system is governed by a State Board of Regents, and each institution has its own Board of Trustees; members of both boards are appointed by the governor. In 1990 the state legislature renamed the institution Weber State University, effective New Year's Day 1991, appropriately symbolizing its role as Utah's premier public, undergraduate university. Mission Statement Weber State University provides learning opportunities appropriate to a comprehensive institution of higher education, welcoming participants from all regions, nations, and cultures. The mission of the university is to meet the educational needs of Utah through roles assigned by the State Board of Regents in the liberal arts and sciences and a variety of vocations and professions. Primarily committed to quality undergraduate education, the university offers degree programs which include advanced professional preparation. Students are admitted on the basis of demonstrated competence in skills that assure a reasonable chance of success in both college and career. Curricular and co-curricular programs emphasize further development of such skills, together with the acquisition of knowledge and development of character. Eligibility for degrees requires meeting established standards of competence through outcomes assessment. Instnidional programs are designed to prepare students for immediate employment or further study, at the same time equipping them through liberal education for lifelong learning in a changing world. The process of learning is emphasized, as well as accumulation of knowledge. Organized around traditional disciplines, the university also cultivates opportunities for faculty and students to transcend disciplinary boundaries. Extensive personal contact and support among students, faculty, and staff create an enriched learning environment both in and out of the classroom. Weber State University responds to the changing global environment through innovative and conventional instruction, public service activities, and continuous improvement of its programs. To insure vitality for effective teaching and service, the university engages in scholarship, research, artistic expression, and other professional pursuits. The university serves as a cultural center for its region and seeks to be a leader in addressing the particular needs of its diverse students, improving public education, and stimulating economic development through appropriate, learning-oriented partnerships with the community. Distinctive Characteristics Weber State University combines certificate programs, associate's degrees, bachelor's degrees, and master's degrees in traditional academic areas as well as applied technology, health professions, and professional programs. The following are distinctive characteristics of Weber State University: • WSU is a leader in online instruction and offers ten online degree programs that serve students all over the world. • The John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics offers an innovative Master of Business Administration program to meet the needs of students who wish to earn an MBA without disrupting their careers. Forty percent of each course's content is taught online, and the remainder is taught in the evening in a more traditional face-to-face format. Weber State University 2006-2007 Catalog