Misplaced Pages

Weber State University

Former names	Weber Stake Academy (1889–1902) Weber Academy (1902–1918) Weber Normal College (1918–1922) Weber College (1922–1962) Weber State College (1962–1990)
Type	Public university
Established	1889; 135 years ago (1889) 1964 (as four-year), 1991 (as university)
Parent institution	Utah System of Higher Education
Accreditation	NWCCU
Academic affiliations	CUMU
Endowment	$219,555,666 (2022)
President	Brad L. Mortensen
Academic staff	1,046
Administrative staff	820
Students	29,914 (Fall 2022)
Undergraduates	28,903 (Fall 2022)
Postgraduates	1,011 (Fall 2022)
Location	Ogden, Utah, United States 41°11′35″N 111°56′38″W / 41.193°N 111.944°W / 41.193; -111.944
Campus	Urban
Colors	Purple and white
Nickname	Wildcats
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS Big Sky Conference
Website	weber.edu

Weber State University (pronounced /ˈwiːbər/ WEE-bər) is a public university in Ogden, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1889 as Weber Stake Academy and earned its current name in 1991.

As of fall 2023, the student population reached 30,536 students, consisting of 16,020 undergraduate students, 1,002 graduate students and 13,514 concurrent enrollment students, making it the third-largest public university in the state. Weber State University has over 225 degree programs and seven colleges, including the Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions and the College of Engineering, Applied Science & Technology. Weber State is regionally accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, and many programs are accredited through national organizations.

As of fall 2023, students who identify as Hispanic or Latino make up 13% of the full-time equivalent undergraduate student body. The university is working to become an emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution, a designation given when 15% of students identify as Hispanic or Latino. The university's athletic teams, the Wildcats, compete in the Big Sky Conference as an NCAA Division I institution.

History

Weber State University was founded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Weber Stake Academy in 1889. "Weber" comes from the name of the county where the university is located. Weber County was named after John Henry Weber, an early fur trader. The university opened for students in 1889 with 98 students enrolled for classes on January 7. The first principal of Weber Stake Academy was Louis F. Moench; he served from 1889 to 1892 and again from 1894 to 1902. In the latter year, Moench was succeeded as principal by David O. McKay, who served in that position until 1908. From 1914 to 1917, James L. Barker was the principal of the Weber Stake Academy.

In the early 20th century, the school underwent multiple name changes: Weber Stake Academy from its founding in 1889, Weber Academy in 1902, Weber Normal College in 1918, and Weber College in 1922. By the late 1920s, however, the college was in financial difficulty, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints faced four choices—transfer the college to a partnership of the city of Ogden and Weber County, transfer it to the University of Utah as a branch campus, transfer it to the state of Utah as a junior college, or shut it down. In 1931, the Utah Legislature passed a law providing for the acquisition of Weber College and Snow College from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In 1933, Weber College became a state-supported junior college. In 1954, the college moved from its downtown location in Ogden to a spacious and scenic area in the southeast bench area of the city. The school became Weber State College in 1962, and in 1964 became a four-year college. It was a charter member of the Big Sky Conference in 1963. The first graduate program (accounting), was added in 1984, and it gained university status on January 1, 1991.

Academics

Weber State University offers more than 225 certificate and degree programs provided through seven colleges:

• College of Engineering, Applied Science & Technology
• College of Science
• College of Social & Behavioral Sciences
• Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions
• John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics
• Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities
• Jerry & Vickie Moyes College of Education

Locations

Weber State University's Ogden campus sits along the east bench of the Wasatch Mountains in Ogden, Utah. The Ogden campus covers over 500 acres, houses 63 buildings and features residence halls accommodating more than 1,000 students.

The Dee Events Center is on the south end of the campus and houses most of the university's indoor athletics, along with large community events and performances.

The Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts is located on Weber State's Ogden campus. It serves as an event host for over 200 events and welcomes about 70,000 patrons annually. Founded in 1962 as the Fine Arts Center, the facility has undergone many upgrades to accommodate world-class performances.

The Ogden campus is also home to Elizabeth Hall; Hurst Center; Dumke Center; Kimball Visual Arts Center; Lampros Hall; Lindquist Hall; Lind Lecture Hall; Lindquist Alumni Center; Marriott Allied Health; McKay Education Building; Noorda Engineering, Applied Science & Technology Building; Outdoor Adventure & Welcome Center; Shepherd Union; Stewart Library; Wattis Business; Wildcat Center for Health Education and Wellness; and Wildcat Village.

Weber State's Layton location, known as WSU Davis, is about 20 miles north of Salt Lake City and 15 miles south of Ogden. WSU Davis is a full-service campus offering access to computer labs, testing centers, a fitness center, student services and advisors. WSU Davis houses automotive technology; engineering, applied science and technology; child and family studies; business & economics; health professions; accounting and taxation; and general studies courses.

Other locations

Weber State University also offers courses and services off-campus at the Morgan Center in Morgan, Utah; Center for Continuing Education in Clearfield, Utah; Weber State Downtown in Ogden, Utah; Weber State Farmington Station in Farmington, Utah; and the Community Education Center in Ogden, Utah. Weber State also offers courses and degrees online through the Division of Online & Continuing Education.

Residence halls

Weber State's Ogden campus offers community-style living at the Wildcat Village for students. Weber State also offers apartment-style living at University Village, located on the south end of the Ogden campus, near Utah Transit Authority's Dee Events Center bus stop, providing access to campus.

Sustainability

Weber State University is working toward a five-point strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. The goal includes achieving carbon neutrality for all Weber State emissions, including student and employee commuting, waste and business travel.

Weber State was one of the first universities in the country to create a plan to transition its buildings to all-electric heat pump systems. Since 2007, Weber State has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions footprint by 34%, saving nearly $16 million in utility costs.

Athletics

The university's athletic teams, the Wildcats, compete in the Big Sky Conference as an NCAA Division I institution. The university's colors are purple and white. The football team plays at the Stewart Stadium, located on the Ogden campus. The men's and women's basketball teams play at the Dee Events Center. Additional athletic programs include men's and women's track and field, men's and women's golf, men's and women's tennis, women's soccer, cheerleading, dance, volleyball and softball.

Weber State's Spirit Squad has won six national championships. In 2023, the Wildcat team won the Grand National Championship in the Large Co-Ed Division. Weber State had the best score of any school from any division in the competition.

Weber State also has club sports through Campus Recreation, including archery, baseball, climbing, golf, hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, pickleball, racquetball, rodeo, roundnet, men's and women's rugby, running, snowboard, soccer, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and disc golf.

Student demographics

Student media

Weber State has an independent, student-run newspaper, The Signpost, that publishes twice weekly. The Signpost publishes the news and events on campus and around Ogden City through digital and print editions.

The university also has a student and volunteer-run online radio station, KWCR Wildcat Radio. The station teaches students how to operate a radio station and allows them to gain the skills and insight needed to compete in the job market after their studies. Students can also broadcast their own radio shows or playlists.

Metaphor is Weber State's undergraduate literary journal, entirely run by students. For over 40 years, the magazine has highlighted students' poetry, fiction, literary nonfiction, interviews and art.

Notable alumni and administrators

This article's list of alumni may not follow Misplaced Pages's verifiability policy. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article AND are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations. (December 2023)

• Nolan D. Archibald – President & CEO of Black & Decker 1986 – 2010
• Mark Evans Austad – communications expert
• Davion Berry (born 1991) – basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Joseph Bishop – past president of Weber State
• Fawn Brodie – author and historian
• Paul W Draper – anthropologist, mentalist, and speaker
• H. Tracy Hall – inventor of the industrial diamond
• Dee Hock - inventor of the Visa credit card
• Ronald L. Holt – professor of anthropology
• Ben Howland – college basketball coach
• Taron Johnson – professional football player
• Phil Johnson – professional basketball coach
• David M. Kennedy – U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
• Damian Lillard – professional basketball player
• J. Willard Marriott – business magnate
• Jamie Martin – professional football player
• Paul McQuistan – professional football player
• David O. McKay – past president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Wataru Misaka – professional basketball player
• Dick Motta – professional basketball coach
• Barry Mower - founder of Lifetime Products
• Jerry Moyes - founder of Swift Transportation
• Sean O'Connell (attended) – professional Mixed Martial Artist
• Bob Pollard – professional football player
• Alfred Pupunu – professional football player
• Todd Rose – current President of Populace, former professor and Director of the Mind, Brain, and Education program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Roger Ruzek – professional football player
• Sarah Sellers – marathon runner
• Richard H. Stallings – U.S. Representative
• Carla Taylor – women's college basketball coach
• Ernest L. Wilkinson – lawyer and university president
• Terry Lee Williams – first African American to serve in the Utah State Senate

Gallery

• Miller Administration Building
• Student Services Center
• Kimball Visual Arts Center
• Elizabeth Hall
• Stewart Library
• Shepherd Student Union

Notes

1. Other consists of Multiracial Americans & those who prefer to not say.
2. The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.
3. The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.

References

1. As of June 30, 2022. Annual Financial Report 2022 (Report). Weber State University. June 30, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
2. "Weber State University". Retrieved August 4, 2023.
3. "Color Palette". Retrieved December 21, 2015.
4. tdugovic@ushe.edu (October 17, 2023). "USHE enrollment grows at degree-granting colleges and universities". Utah System of Higher Education. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
5. "About WSU". www.weber.edu. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
6. "NWCCU Institutions of Utah". Nwccu.org. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
7. "Accreditation". weber.edu. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
8. "Facts and Figures". weber.edu. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
9. Andrew Jenson. Encyclopedic History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1941) p. 931
10. ^ "Timeline". www.weber.edu. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
11. "History". Weber State University. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
12. Roberts, Richard C. (1994), "Weber State University", in Powell, Allan Kent (ed.), Utah History Encyclopedia, Salt Lake City, Utah: University of Utah Press, ISBN 0-87480-425-6, OCLC 30473917, archived from the original on October 10, 2013, retrieved November 6, 2013
13. Missildine, Harry (February 26, 1963). "Six western schools create Big Sky athletic conference". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 12.
14. "Big Sky is ready for league action". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). February 26, 1963. p. 13.
15. Varela, Vicki (August 23, 1984). " 'University' not part of WSC's high goals". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. B1.
16. "Out with the old – New Year's Eve bash will usher in 'new' Weber State University". Deseret News. Salt Lake City. December 25, 1990. Archived from the original on January 31, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
17. "2024-2025 Best Regional Universities Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. September 23, 2024. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
18. "Weber State University: Bell Tower". Weber.edu. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
19. "Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts". www.weber.edu. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
20. "Energy". weber.edu. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
21. "Weber State cheer wins Grand National Championship for sixth-straight title". Weber State University Athletics. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
22. "College Scorecard: Weber State University". United States Department of Education. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
23. "Nolan Archibald". Brunswick Company-Board of Directors.
24. Lee, Mara (March 20, 2012). "Archibald, Stanley Black & Decker's chairman, was paid $64.4 million last year". Baltimore Sun. Tribune Newspapers. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
25. "UFC: For onetime Utah walk-on Sean O'Connell, the hard way has been worth it". Retrieved September 27, 2018.
26. Harris, Matthew L.; Harris S., Madison (2020). "The Last State to Honor MLK: Utah and the Quest for Racial Justice". Utah Historical Quarterly. 88 (1): 45. doi:10.5406/utahhistquar.88.1.0005. S2CID 219489458. Retrieved November 22, 2023.

External links

• Official website
• Weber State Athletics website

Links to related articles

v t e Ogden, Utah Areas Historic 25th Street Eccles Avenue Historic District Jefferson Avenue Historic District Education Ogden City School District Ben Lomond HS Ogden HS Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind DaVinci Academy of Science and the Arts St. Joseph Catholic HS Weber State University Landmarks American Can Company of Utah Building Complex Dee Events Center Defense Depot Ogden The Junction Ogden Nature Center Ogden Utah Temple Peery's Egyptian Theater Union Station United States Forest Service Building Transportation Ogden-Hinckley Airport Ogden Central station Ogden Express Media Standard-Examiner This list is incomplete. v t e Big Sky Conference Full members (all sports) Eastern Washington Eagles Idaho Vandals Idaho State Bengals Montana Grizzlies and Lady Griz Montana State Bobcats Northern Arizona Lumberjacks Northern Colorado Bears Portland State Vikings Sacramento State Hornets Weber State Wildcats Football-only members Cal Poly Mustangs UC Davis Aggies Tournaments Men's basketball Women's basketball Women's soccer Former members Boise State Broncos Cal State Northridge Matadors Gonzaga Bulldogs Nevada Wolf Pack North Dakota Fighting Hawks Southern Utah Thunderbirds v t e Colleges and universities of Utah Utah System of Higher Education Public research universities University of Utah Utah State University Public regional universities Southern Utah University USU regional campuses USU-Brigham City USU-Eastern USU-Tooele USU-Uintah Basin Utah Tech University Utah Valley University Weber State University Comprehensive community colleges Salt Lake Community College Snow College Technical colleges Bridgerland Davis Dixie Mountainland Ogden-Weber Southwest Tooele Uintah Basin Private Brigham Young University Ensign College Roseman University of Health Sciences Western Governors University Westminster University For profit Broadview University Eagle Gate College Nightingale College Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine Provo College Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions v t e Sports teams based in Utah Baseball PCL Salt Lake Bees PL Ogden Raptors Basketball NBA Utah Jazz G League Salt Lake City Stars Football WFA Utah Blitz IWFL Utah Falconz Hockey NHL Utah Hockey Club ECHL Utah Grizzlies Roller derby WFTDA Happy Valley Derby Darlins Junction City Roller Dolls Wasatch Roller Derby Rugby MLR Utah Warriors Soccer MLS Real Salt Lake NWSL Utah Royals MLSNP Real Monarchs USL2 Park City Red Wolves SC Salt City SC College athletics NCAA Division I BYU Cougars Southern Utah Thunderbirds Utah Utes Utah State Aggies Utah Tech Trailblazers Utah Valley Wolverines Weber State Wildcats NCAA Division II Westminster Griffins NJCAA CEU Golden Eagles SLCC Bruins Snow College Badgers

• Weber State University
• Universities and colleges established in 1889
• Universities and colleges formerly affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Universities and colleges accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
• Universities and colleges in Weber County, Utah
• Tourist attractions in Ogden, Utah
• Buildings and structures in Ogden, Utah
• 1889 establishments in Utah Territory
• Public universities and colleges in Utah