University of Puerto Rico

University of Puerto Rico
Universidad de Puerto Rico
Aerial view of the Río Piedras Campus
Established:	1903
Type:	Public university system
President:	Antonio García Padilla
Faculty:	5,300[1]
Staff:	14,000[1]
Students:	approx. 70,000[1]
Location:	Río Piedras, Puerto Rico (main campus)
Website:	http://www.upr.edu/

Founded in 1903, the University of Puerto Rico (Universidad de Puerto Rico in Spanish, UPR) is the oldest and largest university system in Puerto Rico. Though Puerto Rico is not a U.S. state, the system is run much like a state university system and its programs have been accredited by U.S. accreditation agencies. UPR consists of 11 campuses with approximately 64,740 student and faculty. (Approximately 60,000 are undergraduates).

History

In 1900, at Fajardo, the "Escuela Normal Industrial" was established as the first higher education center in Puerto Rico. Its initial enrollment was only 20 students and 5 professors.^[2] The following year it was moved to Rio Piedras. On March 12, 1903, a law was passed which officially created the University of Puerto Rico. That same day, the "Escuela Normal" was proclaimed as the first department of the University of Puerto Rico.

In 1908, the United States government extended financial aid to the University of Puerto Rico as part of the Morill Act, thus making UPR a land-grant university. From these new funds, another campus, "El Colegio de Agricultura," was established in 1911 at Mayagüez. One year later, its name was changed to "Colegio de Agricultura y Artes Mecánicas" (CAAM).

On January 20, 1966, then Governor Roberto Sánchez Vilella signed a law which reorganized the University of Puerto Rico. The most important changes were:

• Granting complete autonomy to the School of Medicine, which became the Medical Sciences campus.
• Granting complete autonomy to the Mayagüez and Río Piedras campuses. The former was renamed the "Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez" (RUM), a name it keeps to this day. Today, the RUM is well known for its excellent Engineering and Science programs. The Rio Piedras campus is best known for Social and Humanities studies, as well as strong science and business departments. The Rio Piedras Campus has a strong emphasis on doctoral level programs. The Law School is the oldest in Puerto Rico.

Portico of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (RUM)

• Establishing three regional colleges at Arecibo, Cayey, and Humacao.
• In 1969, the regional college at Cayey became an official campus. It was granted complete autonomy in 1982.
• In 1969, the regional college at Ponce was inaugurated.
• In 1970, the regional college at Bayamón was inaugurated.
• In 1972, the regional college at Aguadilla was inaugurated.
• In 1973, the regional college at Carolina was inaugurated.
• In 1978, the regional college at Utuado was inaugurated.

In 1993, legislation was approved to create a Board of Trustees for UPR that would take on the duties of university governance that were previously performed by the Council on Higher Education, which remains the top regulatory body for all public and private universities in Puerto Rico.

UPR's student body has grown from 173 at its founding in 1903 to over 70,000 today. These students are served by 5,600 professors and 14,000 non-teaching staff at eleven campuses throughout Puerto Rico.

UPR Presidents

President	Years
Prof. Jaime Benitez	1966-1971
Dr. Amador Cobas	1971-1973
Arturo Morales Carrion	1973-1977
Dr. José M. Saldaña	1980s
Dr. Norman Maldonado	1993-2001
Prof. Antonio García Padilla	2001-present

Campuses

• University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
• University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla
• University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo
• University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón
• University of Puerto Rico at Carolina
• University of Puerto Rico at Cayey
• University of Puerto Rico at Humacao
• University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
• University of Puerto Rico at Ponce
• University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras
• University of Puerto Rico at Utuado

Campus radio

UPR broadcasts an FM (to some areas) and online campus radio called "WRTU Radio Universidad de Puerto Rico", established in 1980. This is a Public Radio Station with a diverse musical and news programming.

Notable alumni

• Ricardo Aponte, Brigadier General, US Air Force
• Salvador E. Felices, Major General, US Air Force
• Jacob Lozada, Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs
• Antonio J. Ramos, Brigadier General, US Air Force
• Pedro N. Rivera, Brigadier General, US Air Force