UC Welcomes Another Record Class

The 2006 freshman class, the first to enroll as part of UC’s academic success plan, is the best-prepared class in recent history.  New admissions standards have resulted in the highest average ACT score ever recorded for an incoming class, more than double the number of National Merit Scholars, and the most Cincinnatus Scholarships ever awarded to academically qualified freshmen. By raising the bar, UC expects continuing improvement in retention and graduation rates, all part of the UC|21 Strategic Plan.

There will be more familiar faces on UC’s campus this year. Retention of current students continues to improve and 80 percent of last year’s freshmen are expected to re-enroll this autumn.

For the first time in more than 15 years, students will find no construction fences on the university’s West Campus. The unveiling of the Campus Recreation Center and Lindner Varsity Village earlier this year closed a chapter in the university’s campus renovation.

Beginning this fall, UC students will no longer be identified through their Social Security numbers. A new identification number, known as UCID, will be used for most student business and to identify student term papers and exams. UCID numbers will also identify university employees.

On-campus housing is at full capacity. A total of 3,500 people will live on campus this fall. UC’s Housing & Food Services Office is prepared if occupancy reaches overflow levels. Study lounges can be converted quickly into additional living spaces.

 A new course, "Personal Money Management," will provide UC students with guidance on avoiding financial trouble. The class was developed through an initiative of UC’s Student Government.

New academic majors launched this year join more than 600 different degree or certificate programs already offered by UC. Among the new programs are Forensic Science, Simulation and Gaming Development, Arabic, Power Plant Technology and new doctoral programs in Systems Biology and Health Education.

UC promises to be a hot destination this fall - in fact, there will be few hotter spots in the entire state of Ohio.  With its network fully in place and operational, the community surrounding UC is now one of the largest Wi-Fi Hot Zones in the state of Ohio.

The new UC Mobile cellular service gets kicked up a notch on Sept. 20 when three custom applications become available. Student users will receive instant information through their phones about changes in their classes.  Cell phones will determine the real-time locations of UC shuttle buses, as well as their estimated time of arrival at selected pick-up locations. UC Mobile phones will have one-button access to UC Police for campus assistance, making each phone a portable cousin to UC’s Help Phone system.

Two new deans will greet UC’s students on the first day of classes, Carlo Montemagno at the College of Engineering and Neville Pinto at the Graduate School. Lieutenant Colonel Timothy W. Bush takes command of UC’s Army ROTC Bearcat Battalion on Sept. 20.

The best eating in Cincinnati? It may be UC’s CenterCourt, the all-you-care-to-eat residential restaurant in the new $112.1 million Campus Recreation Center. In July, CenterCourt was awarded the grand prize in its category at the 48th National Association of College and University Food Services convention in Toronto.

The biggest traffic impediment expected for the start of school is an on-going repair project by City of Cincinnati crews along Martin Luther King Drive. It is expected that during the week when classes begin that eastbound traffic will be reduced to one lane on the stretch from Woodside Drive to Jefferson Avenue. Drivers should do their best to avoid this stretch, as backups along MLK are likely. Additionally, on-street parking on MLK will also be unavailable.
 
University of Cincinnati Police are aggressively pushing a proactive approach to campus safety as fall quarter begins, as they try a three-pronged effort to share information with students on how they can help create a safer, more secure campus.

For more information, see:

Building Enrollment While Raising the Bar: UC Starts Classes Sept. 20

Enrollment Trends & Projections

UC Tightens Security by Removing Social Security Numbers

UC Mobile Picks Up Momentum, Adds New Features

UC Commuters Join the Morning Commute

UC Taking Proactive Approach to Crime Prevention

UC Construction: All Quiet (Almost) on West Campus

New Academic Programs

A Valuable Lesson: UC Students Help Build a Course on Personal Money Management

New Year Offers New Opportunity to Go Global

Scavenger Hunt Greets New Applied Science Students

Delectable Dining: UC's CenterCourt Named the Best in the Nation