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121-630: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ( / r ɛ n s ə ˈ l ɪər / ; RPI ) is a private research university in Troy, New York . It is the oldest technological university in the English-speaking world and the Western Hemisphere. It was established in 1824 by Stephen Van Rensselaer and Amos Eaton for the "application of science to the common purposes of life". Built on a hillside, RPI's 265-acre (107 ha) campus overlooks

242-420: A 218,000 square-foot research facility for fundamental and applied research in biotechnology . The primary target of the research center is biologics, a research priority based on data-driven understanding of proteomics , protein regulation, and gene regulation. It involves using biocatalysis and synthetic biology tools to block or supplement the actions of specific cells or proteins in the immune system. Over

363-583: A 60% increase since the establishment of HEC in 2002. The HEC digital library now provides access to over 20,000 leading research journals, covering about 75% of the world's peer-reviewed scientific journals. Until 1991, there were only two recognized private universities in Pakistan: Aga Khan University , established in 1983, and Lahore University of Management Sciences , established in 1985. By 1997, there were 10 private universities. From 2001–2002, this number had doubled to 20. Among

484-478: A building at the north end of Troy. Tuition was around $ 40 per semester (equivalent to $ 800 in 2012). The fact that the school attracted students from as far as Ohio and Pennsylvania is attributed to the reputation of Eaton. Fourteen months of successful trial led to the incorporation of the school on 21 March 1826 by the state of New York . In its early years, the Rensselaer School strongly resembled

605-553: A center for industry-sponsored research and development. In 1999, RPI gained attention when it was one of the first universities to implement a mandatory laptop computer program. This was also the year of the arrival of Shirley Ann Jackson , a former chairperson of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission under U.S. President Bill Clinton , as the eighteenth president of RPI. She instituted " The Rensselaer Plan " (discussed below), an ambitious plan to revitalize

726-404: A concrete exterior that was designed to harmonize with the light gray brick of the chapel; architecturally, it is an example of the modern brutalist style. Subsequently, the university was unsure of what to do with the chapel, or whether to keep it at all, but in 1979 decided to preserve it and renovate it to house computer labs and facilities to support the institute's computing initiatives. Today

847-635: A distinction between free institutions (as in free from the State), which are recognized and funded by the Communities of Belgium (the State until 1990) and follow the same rules and laws as fully public universities, and fully private institutions, which are not recognized nor funded by the authorities, and thus do not issue valid degrees. Private ( free ) institutions are predominantly Catholic: UCLouvain , KU Leuven or Saint-Louis University, Brussels . On

968-514: A goal of $ 100 million annually. Fourteen years later, in FY2013, research expenditures reached this goal. To help raise money the university mounted a $ 1 billion capital campaign, of which the public phase began in September 2004 and was expected to finish by 2008. In 2001, a major milestone of the campaign was the pledging of an unrestricted gift of $ 360 million by an anonymous donor, believed to be

1089-537: A graduate school more than it did a college, drawing graduates from many older institutions. Under Eaton, the Rensselaer School, renamed the Rensselaer Institute in 1832, was a small but vibrant center for technological research. The first civil engineering degrees in the United States were granted by the school in 1835, and many of the best remembered civil engineers of that time graduated from

1210-513: A high of 1,700 in 1930. Another period of expansion occurred following World War II as returning veterans used their GI Bill education benefits to attend college. The "Freshman Hill" residence complex was opened in 1953 followed by the completion of the Commons Dining Hall in 1954, two more halls in 1958, and three more in 1968. In this same time frame (1966) Herta Regina Leng was appointed as RPI's first female full professor. She

1331-550: A laptop computer since 1999. Nationally, RPI is a member of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) and the NAICU's University and College Accountability Network (U-CAN). With the arrival of President Shirley Ann Jackson came the "Rensselaer Plan", announced in 1999. Its goal is to achieve greater prominence for Rensselaer as a technological research university. Various aspects of

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1452-406: A member of the class of 1887, who was a Pittsburgh steel maker, financier and a son of a founder of Standard Oil . Lockhart was only discovered to be the contributor after his death, having given his money using the pseudonym "Builder." Overall, he presided over the growth of Rensselaer's resources from less than $ 500,000 to more than $ 11 million. Enrollment increased from around 200 to 1,900, and

1573-531: A number of certificate programs and skills training programs for working professionals. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has five schools: the School of Architecture, the School of Engineering, the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, the Lally School of Management & Technology , and the School of Science. The School of Engineering is the largest by enrollment, followed by the School of Science,

1694-765: A private institution to be called " université ", and most of the universities in France are public. In France, grandes écoles are part of an alternative educational system that operates alongside the mainstream French public university system . Grandes écoles can be public , semi-private or private, but the most prestigious ones are public. These institutions operate mostly in engineering studies and business administration. The best-known semi-private grandes écoles are generally business, engineering, and humanities schools; they are generally managed by chambers of commerce and industry, with capital open to other private companies. Other grandes écoles are entirely private, but this

1815-481: A public 3D printing service. In 2017, Chi Phi and Theta Chi at Rensselaer co-hosted an event called "Brave A Shave For Kids With Cancer," along with several other Greek organizations - raising over $ 22,000 for pediatric cancer research with dozens of participants shaving their heads to spread awareness of pediatric cancers. Many fraternities and sororities also engage in Adopt-a-Highway and host events in

1936-567: A public school building which was converted into Academy Hall (1990), and the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (2004). Tunnels connect the Low Center, DCC, JEC and Science Center. A tenth dormitory named Barton Hall was added to Freshman Hill in August 2000, featuring the largest rooms available for freshmen. On 3 October 2008, the university celebrated the grand opening of

2057-408: A record number of applications: 20,337. According to Jared Cohon in 2006, then president of Carnegie Mellon University , "Change at Rensselaer in the last five years has occurred with a scope and swiftness that may be without precedent in the recent history of American higher education." The ability to attract greater research funds is needed to meet the goals of the plan, and the university has set

2178-724: A redevelopment. The Institute ran a 15-acre (6.1 ha) campus in Hartford, Connecticut , and a distance learning center in Groton, Connecticut , the latter of which was closed in 2018. The Hartford campus was sold in 2023. These centers were used by graduates and working professionals and are now managed by the online branch of RPI, Rensselaer at Work where graduate degrees are offered in business administration , management , computer science , computer and systems engineering , electrical engineering , engineering science , mechanical engineering and information technology . There are also

2299-461: A requirement for all foreign institutions endeavoring to operate businesses in the country. Almost all the private universities in Ghana focus on similar areas of academic study, including business administration, human resources, accounting, information technology, and related fields, which are offered by universities like Ashesi , Regent , Valley View , and Ghana Telecom , among others. In addition,

2420-536: Is 13:1. Among the class of 2020, 66% are in the top 5 percent of their high school class, 93% in the top quarter, and 99% in the top half. The average unweighted high school GPA for enrolled students was 3.88 on a 4.0 scale, with 65% having a 3.75 GPA or higher and 99% having at least a 3.0. Rensselaer's yield rate for the Class of 2021 surpassed 20 percent in the year 2018 with over 20,000 applications received by Rensselaer's Office of Admissions. The average SAT score range

2541-490: Is a doctorate, and its graduate program is ranked tied for 43rd out of 218 engineering schools. The Leiden Ranking (2016) placed RPI at 127 among the top 900 world universities and research institutions according to the proportion of the top 1% most frequently cited publications of a university. In 2016, The Economist ranked Rensselaer No. 18 among four-year non-vocational colleges and universities and Times Higher Education–QS World University Rankings placed Rensselaer among

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2662-1123: Is due to the form of testing in schools in Taiwan, in which students take a national entrance exam to determine their university qualifications. The most well known private university is Fu Jen Catholic University , and the oldest is Tunghai University . Since the 1990s, several private universities have opened in Vietnam including Ho Chi Minh City Open University being one of the first. Some characteristics of Vietnamese private universities as of 2010 are high (very high in some cases) tuition fees, poor infrastructure, limited faculty, and human resources. Private universities are often named after scholars ( Fulbright University Vietnam, Vo Truong Toan University, Nguyen Trai University, Luong The Vinh University, Chu Van An University, Yersin University, Phan Chau Trinh University), or heroes/legends ( Hung Vuong University, Quang Trung University); although there are exceptions such as FPT University , named after

2783-540: Is home to several private universities, including Sohar University , the University of Nizwa , Middle East College , and the German University of Technology in Oman . These universities offer a range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in fields such as business, engineering, and information technology. Private universities in Oman offer a more personalized and interactive learning experience, as

2904-659: Is now honored there with an annual lecture series. In 1961, there was major progress in academics at the institute with the construction of the Gaerttner Linear Accelerator , then the most powerful in the world, and the Jonsson-Rowland Science Center. The current Student Union building was opened in 1967. The next three decades brought continued growth with many new buildings (see ' Campus' below), and growing ties to industry. The "H-building", previously used for storage, became

3025-484: Is on reducing the cost associated with the development of nanoscale materials and devices, such as those used in the semiconductor industry. The university also utilizes the center for interdisciplinary research in biotechnology , medicine , energy , and other fields. Rensselaer operates a nuclear reactor and testing facility–the only university-run reactor in New York State–;as well as

3146-731: Is one private university in Madaba city, the American University of Madaba (AUM) . There are 11 private universities and colleges in Kuwait . There are 19 private universities in Lebanon. Among these, the American University of Beirut and the Lebanese American University are internationally acknowledged. The languages used for teaching in private universities are mainly French and English ; Arabic

3267-535: Is rarer, and they sometimes establish partnerships with public universities. Palmer C. Ricketts Palmer Chamberlain Ricketts (January 17, 1856 – December 9, 1934) was the ninth president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute . He served as president for 33 years and oversaw a period of major expansion and development of the university. Palmer C. Ricketts was born in Elkton, Maryland , on January 17, 1856, and

3388-509: Is responsible for the accreditation of these institutes and degrees. These mostly provide undergraduate degrees with a few providing postgraduate degrees. The Informatics Institute of Sri Lanka (IIT), NSBM Green University (NSBM), Horizon Campus and Sri Lanka Institute for Information Technology (SLIIT) are examples. Some foreign universities franchise parts of their degree courses in Sri Lanka with local institutes. Students are charged for

3509-742: Is widely used in religious universities and Armenian is used in the Armenian university. The first university opened in Lebanon was the Syrian Protestant College in 1866 (which became the American University of Beirut in 1921). It was founded by Daniel Bliss, a Protestant missionary. The second university opened in Lebanon was the Université Saint-Joseph , founded by the Jesuits in 1875. Oman

3630-693: The American University in Cairo , the German University in Cairo , The British University in Egypt , the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport , Misr University for Science and Technology , Misr International University , Future University in Egypt and the Modern Sciences and Arts University . In addition to the state-funded national and private universities in Egypt , international university institutions were founded in

3751-472: The Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) situated on the west edge of campus. The building was constructed on the precipice of the hill, with the main entrance on top. Upon entering, elevated walkways lead into a 1,200-seat concert hall. Most of the building is encased in a glass exoskeleton, with an atrium -like space between it and the "inner building". Adjacent to and underneath

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3872-823: The FPT Corporation and Tan Tao University in Tan Tao Group . In Vietnam, there are also "semi-private university"; schools in this category which can receive partial financial support from the government. Almost all private universities have to invite professors and lecturers from state universities. Many lecturers from state-owned universities take up positions in private universities after their retirement. There are numerous private universities and independent faculties in Armenia , mostly in Yerevan . As of 2022, there are 31 private higher education institutions in

3993-694: The Interfraternal Council and Panhellenic Council . Of those Greek organizations, three were founded at Rensselaer including the Theta Xi national engineering fraternity, the Sigma Delta Hispanic-interest local sorority, and the Rensselaer Society of Engineers local engineering fraternity. Theta Xi fraternity was established by RPI students on 29 April 1864, the only national fraternity founded during

4114-679: The International University Vienna , whose accreditation was withdrawn in 2003 due to academic misconduct; Imadec University , whose first accreditation period ended in January 2006 and was not renewed; TCM Privatuniversität Li Shi Zhen in Vienna , whose accreditation period ended 2009 without renewal students; and PEF Private University of Management Vienna , which closed for economic reasons in March 2012. Belgium makes

4235-763: The NCAA Division III level in the Liberty League ; men's and women's ice hockey compete at the Division I level in ECAC Hockey . The official nickname of some of the school's Division III teams was changed in 1995 from the Engineers to the Red Hawks. However, the hockey, football, cross-country, tennis and track and field teams all chose to retain the Engineers name. The Red Hawks name was, at

4356-540: The New Administrative Capital and are hosting branches of Universities from abroad. The Knowledge Hub (TKH) and European Universities in Egypt (EUE) are among these institutions. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church doctrine embraces traditional higher institutions in Ethiopia . Modern higher education could be traced back to the regime of Emperor Haile Selassie , with the first university,

4477-539: The Private Universities Act, 1992 was instituted, consolidated, and re-enacted as the Private Universities Act, 2010 . All private universities must be approved by University Grants Commission (UGC) before they are given a permit to operate. As of April 2018, there were 97 private universities in Bangladesh . Private institutions must confer the students with external programs such as BDTVEC,

4598-612: The Tetherless World Constellation , a multidisciplinary research institution focused on theories, methods, and applications of the World Wide Web . Research is carried out in three inter-connected themes: Future Web, Semantic Foundations and Xinformatics. At Rensselaer, a constellation is a multidisciplinary team composed of senior and junior faculty members, research scientists, and postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students. The faculty experts for

4719-727: The UGC (Establishment and Maintenance of Standards in Private Universities) Regulations, 2003 . Per the UGC act and these regulations, private universities are established by acts of state legislative assemblies and listed by the UGC in the Gazette upon receiving the relevant act. As confirmed by the ruling of the Supreme Court of India , recognition by the UGC is required for the university to operate. Also, per

4840-574: The 1894–1895 school year, the President of the Union and Grand Marshal ran side by side. The week of voting for said positions is called GM Week, and typically has events on campus for students to do to promote the voting. The Grand Marshal position is elected by the student body (typically in the spring) and is the highest position a student can hold at RPI. The GM plays a big role in the student government by doing projects, appointing officers, and aiding

4961-505: The 1970s and 1980s, one RPI cheer was: Private university Across the world, different countries have different regulations regarding accreditation for private universities and as such, private universities are more common in some countries than in others. Some countries do not have any private universities at all. Egypt currently has 21 public universities with about two million students and 23 private universities with 60,000 students. Egypt has many private universities including

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5082-720: The 2003 regulations, the UGC sends committees to inspect the private universities and publishes their inspection report. The UGC publishes and regularly updates the lists of private universities. As of 23 August 2022 , the UGC lists 421 private universities. As of 2010 , Japan had 597 private universities, 86 national universities , and 95 public universities . Private universities thus account for over 75% of all universities in Japan. A large number of junior colleges in Japan are private and like public and national universities, many private universities use National Center Test for University Admissions as an entrance exam . There

5203-455: The 21st century. However, since then, Ghana has seen a flood of private universities and colleges established – a reflection of the country's stable governance and the pace of economic growth. Most of these universities are not known to be sponsored by foreign corporate organizations or government universities and the aim is to avoid the Ghanaian government's excessive payment of bonds, which is

5324-627: The A* search algorithm, Herman A. Haus , Marcian E. Hoff , creator of the microprocessor, Doug Mercer, who was influential in the field of analog to digital converters, Sean O’Sullivan , Curtis P. Priem , founder of NVIDIA , George Saridis, Steven J. Sassoon , inventor of digital camera, Chauncey Starr , Raymond S. Tomlinson , inventor of e-mail , and Eitan Yudilevich. Rensselaer is classified among " R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity" . Rensselaer has established six areas of research as institute priorities: biotechnology , energy and

5445-748: The Alpha chapter of Theta Xi Fraternity as their 84th brother. He was an average student and participated in few campus activities, the exception being his membership on the editorial board of the 1874 edition of the Transit , the school yearbook. His graduating thesis was titled, "Review of the Substructure of the Wrought Iron Girder Bridge over the Hudson River at Troy ." Immediately following his graduation in 1875, Ricketts

5566-540: The Alumni Inter-Greek Council, Greek Greeks - a student-run venture which aims to promote sustainability and safe environmental practices in Greek chapter houses, Greek Spectrum - an LGBTQIA support and advocacy group, and the undergraduate Greek leadership society Order of Omega . The RPI Engineers are the athletic teams for the university. RPI currently sponsors 23 sports, 21 of which compete at

5687-509: The Auston Institute of Management, Singapore. The Sri Lanka campus was established in 2010 and is a Board of Investment or (BOI) company. It retains a similar focus to the home campus and occupies a prime spot along Colombo's famous Galle Road. In Taiwan , private universities are typically not as prestigious as some public (national) universities. They are not ranked as high as public institutions and cost nearly twice as much. This

5808-715: The Civil War. The Theta Xi Fraternity Chapter House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Additionally, Rensselaer is home to the Epsilon Zeta chapter of the Alpha Phi Omega , or "APO," national service fraternity, which operates a test-bank and office at the top floor of the Student Union. The organization also hosts a campus lost & found, universal can tab collection, and

5929-433: The Department of Arts, Science, and Business Administration, in addition to the Graduate School. He also expanded the university's resources and developed RPI into a true polytechnic institute by increasing the number of degrees offered from two to twelve; these included electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, biology, chemistry, and physics. During Rickett's tenure, enrollment increased from approximately 200 in 1900 to

6050-534: The ECSE department often do minors in other fields such as economics or psychology . The ECSE department currently does research in the areas of information science and systems, communication and network, control and autonomy, energy and power systems, electronics and photonics, and computer systems design. Notable alumni from the ECSE department include James A. Parsons, B. Jayant Baliga , Alan Borck, founder of RLC Electronics, Bruce Carlson, Mukesh Chatter, Allen B. Du Mont , Nariman Farvardin , Peter Hart, inventor of

6171-662: The Gaerttner Linear Accelerator , which is currently being upgraded under a $ 9.44 million grant from the US Department of Energy . In 2024, Rensselaer, in partnership with IBM , unveiled a new quantum computer on campus, aiming to further quantum computer research for both the university and the New York State area. In 2018, Rensselaer's enrollment was 7,442 total resident students, including 6,590 undergraduate and 1,329 graduate. Over 71% of Rensselaer's students are from out of state. More than 20% of students are international. Rensselaer students represent all 50 U.S. states and over 60 countries. The undergraduate student to faculty ratio

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6292-445: The Institute's curriculum, adding degree programs in mechanical , chemical , metallurgical , aeronautical and industrial engineering as well as a school of architecture in 1929. To fund these developments, Ricketts successfully solicited money from various groups and individuals, most notably a $ 1 million gift from Margaret Olivia Sage in 1906. Another large contribution of $ 5 million over several years came from John M. Lockhart,

6413-488: The Rensselaer Plan has led the university into financial difficulties, with its credit rating lowered by several agencies. For 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked Rensselaer tied for 53rd among national universities in the U.S., 40th out of 180 for "Best Value" in undergraduate education, and tied for 68th out of the top 83 in "Most Innovative Schools". The same rankings placed Rensselaer's undergraduate engineering program tied at 32nd among schools whose highest degree

6534-402: The Rensselaer School on 5 November 1824 with a letter to the Reverend Dr. Samuel Blatchford , in which Van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's first senior professor and appointed the first board of trustees. The school opened on Monday, 5 January 1825 at the Old Bank Place,

6655-466: The School of Management, the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, and the School of Architecture. There also exists an interdisciplinary program in Information Technology that began in the late 1990s, programs in prehealth and prelaw, Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) for students desiring commissions as officers in the armed forces, a program in cooperative education (Co-Op), and domestic and international exchange programs. Altogether,

6776-509: The TWC constellation are James Hendler , Deborah McGuinness and Peter Fox . Faculty alumni of TWC includes Heng Ji ( Natural Language Processing ). In 2016, the Constellation received a one million dollar grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for continuing work on a novel data visualization platform that will harness and accelerate the analysis of vast amounts of data for the foundation's Healthy Birth, Growth, and Development Knowledge Integration initiative. In conjunction with

6897-411: The University College of Addis Ababa (now called the Addis Ababa University or AAU) formed in 1950. In 1954, the Haramaya University opened. As of 2022, there are 83 private universities, 42 public universities, and more than 35 institutions of higher learning. There are 16,305 students enrolled in higher education as a whole. There were a few private universities in Ghana before the beginning of

7018-460: The University Grant Commission (UGC), is the primary regulator of higher education in Pakistan . It also facilitates the development of the higher educational system in Pakistan. Its main purpose is to upgrade the schools to be world-class centers of education, research, and development. It also plays a leading role in building a knowledge-based economy in Pakistan by giving out hundreds of doctoral scholarships for education abroad every year. Despite

7139-402: The VCC serves as the backbone for the institute's data and telephony infrastructure. The modern campus features the Jonsson-Rowland Science Center (J-ROWL) (1961), Materials Research Center (MRC) (1965), Rensselaer Union (1967), Cogswell Laboratory (1971), Darrin Communications Center (DCC) (1973), Jonsson Engineering Center (JEC) (1977), Low Center for Industrial Innovation (CII) (1987),

7260-522: The ability to gain bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in Electrical Engineering , or Computer Systems Engineering . While the school itself was founded in 1824, Electrical Engineering was first introduced to Rensselaer Polytechnic in 1907 with the class of 1911, long before the invention of the first computers but twenty-eight years after the invention of the lightbulb. The department was listed as Physics and Electrical Engineering in 1924 while under President Palmer Ricketts . Computer system engineering

7381-403: The aeronautical, chemical and metallurgical engineering departments, but did not live to see its completion in 1935, as he died in office on December 9, 1934. It was named the Ricketts Building in his honor. He was inducted into RPI's Alumni Hall of Fame in 1998. Palmer C. Ricketts served as an assistant engineer for the Troy and Boston Railroad Company during the summers of 1876 and 1877, and

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7502-437: The base of the hill, along with plans to transform it into a new residence hall. After extensive renovations, the residence hall was dedicated on 15 May 2009, as the Howard N. Blitman, P.E. '50 Residence Commons. It houses about 300 students in 148 rooms and includes a fitness center, dining hall, and conference area. The new residence hall is part of a growing initiative to involve students in the Troy community and help revitalize

7623-412: The base of the hill. The campus is bisected by 15th Street, with most of the athletic and housing facilities to the east, and the academic buildings to the west. A footbridge spans the street, linking the two halves. Much of the campus features a series of Colonial Revival style structures built in the first three decades of the 20th century. Overall, the campus has enjoyed four periods of expansion. RPI

7744-451: The board of trustees increased the goal of the $ 1 billion capital campaign to $ 1.4 billion by 30 June 2009. The new goal was met by 1 October 2008. In anticipation of RPI's 200th anniversary, an updated version called the "Rensselaer Plan 2024" was announced in 2012. In 2016, Jackson announced during the Fall Town Hall Meeting that the institute was in the final stages of organizing a new capital campaign which it would launch in 2017 to meet

7865-420: The board of trustees, replacing John H. Peck after his resignation. During his administration he pushed for major expansion of the student body and campus; under his tenure, ten major academic buildings and twenty-nine dormitory units were constructed, now commonly referred to as the "green roof campus" due to the easily recognizable brick colonial revival architecture and copper roofs. Ricketts further expanded

7986-837: The budget for the following fiscal year, keeping track of and distributing union funds, and managing the business affairs with other facilities. In addition to appointing the executive board, they also work closely with the union's staff, athletics staff, and student clubs. The first PU was W.C.H. Slagle, and the current as of 2024-2025 is Catherine Philipps (135th). Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has an extensive history of Greek community involvement on campus, including past presidents, honorary academic building dedications, and philanthropic achievements. The overall Greek system at Rensselaer stresses Leadership, Fortitude, Innovation, and Evolution. RPI currently has 29 active fraternities as well as 6 sororities, with 32 percent involvement of all males and 18 percent involvement of all females, organized under

8107-488: The city of Troy and the Hudson River . The institute operates an on‑campus business incubator and the 1,250-acre (510 ha) Rensselaer Technology Park . RPI is organized into six main schools which contain 37 departments, with emphasis on science and technology. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity". As of 2017, RPI's faculty and alumni included multiple engineers, including Ivar Giaever . Stephen Van Rensselaer established

8228-454: The college was sanctioned by the American Association of University Professors "for infringement of governance standards". On 3 October 2008, RPI celebrated the opening of the $ 220 million Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center . That same year the national economic downturn resulted in the elimination of 98 staff positions across the institute, about five percent of the workforce. Campus construction expansion continued, however, with

8349-431: The completion of the $ 92 million East Campus Athletic Village and opening of the new Blitman Commons residence hall in 2009. As of 2015, all staff positions had been reinstated at the institute, experiencing significant growth from pre-recession levels and contributing over $ 1 billion annually to the economy of the Capital District . That same year, renovation of the North Hall, E-Complex, and Quadrangle dormitories began and

8470-478: The constellation, Rensselaer operates the Center for Computational Innovations which is the result of a $ 100 million collaboration between Rensselaer, IBM , and New York State to further nanotechnology innovations. The center is currently home to the most powerful private-university based supercomputer in the world and its supercomputer is consistently ranked among the most powerful in the world, capable of performing over 1.1 peta- FLOPS . The center's main focus

8591-478: The construction of the school's "Green Rooftop" Colonial Revival buildings that give much of the campus a distinct architectural style. Buildings constructed during this period include the Carnegie Building (1906), Walker Laboratory (1907), Russell Sage Laboratory (1909), Pittsburgh Building (1912), Quadrangle Dormitories (1916–1927), Troy Building (1925), Amos Eaton Hall (1928), Greene Building (1931) and Ricketts Building (1935). Also built during this period

8712-487: The contrary, the Free University of Brussels (nowadays split into ULB and VUB ) was founded by masonic individuals. All of these institutions began to be recognized by the State from 1891 onwards. It is forbidden by law to call a fully private institution "university" or "faculty", meaning fully private (non- free ) 'universities' have limited visibility. Bulgaria has many private universities, among which

8833-530: The country, most notably the American University of Armenia and the Eurasia International University . In Austria , educational institutions must be authorized by the country to legally grant academic degrees . All state-run universities are governed by the 2002 Austrian Universities' and University Degree Programmes' Organisation Act (Federal Law Gazette No. 120/2002). In 1999, a federal law ( Universitäts-Akkreditierungsgesetz )

8954-619: The criticism of the HEC, its creation had a positive impact on higher education in Pakistan. Its two-year report for 2004 to 2006 states that according to the Institute of Scientific Information, the total number of publications appearing in the 8,000 leading journals indexed in the Web of Science arising out of Pakistan in 2005 was 1,259 articles, representing a 41% increase over the past two years and

9075-607: The downtown. RPI owns and operates three office buildings in downtown Troy, the Rice and Heley buildings and the historic W. & L.E. Gurley Building . RPI also owns the Proctor's Theater building in Troy, which was purchased in 2004, with the intention of converting it into office space. As of 2011, Rensselaer had signed an agreement with Columbia Development Companies to acquire both Proctor's Theatre and Chasan Building in Troy and launch

9196-400: The east edge of campus bordering Burdett Avenue, a location that came to be called "Freshman Hill". The Houston Field House (1949) was reassembled, after being moved in pieces from its original Rhode Island location. West Hall , which was originally built in 1869 as a hospital, was acquired by the Institute in 1953. The ornate building is an example of French Second Empire architecture. It

9317-560: The environment , nanotechnology , computation and information technology , and media and the arts . Research is organized under the Office of the Vice President for Research, Jonathan Dordick . In 2018, Rensselaer operated 34 research centers and maintained annual sponsored research expenditures of $ 100.8 million. One of the most recent of Rensselaer's research centers is the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies ,

9438-465: The first time in its history. These women represented 30 percent of the student body in engineering at the university, and 32 percent of the university's total gender composition. Shekhar Garde, Rensselaer's dean of engineering, claims he wants to increase the female composition of the institute to 50 percent before 2030. The positions of Grand Marshal and President of the Union at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are typically awarded (by student vote) to

9559-544: The first to gain degree awarding status was Hajvery University, Lahore (HU), established in 1990. From 2003–2004, Pakistan had a total of 83 private degree granting institutions. There are nine private universities in Saudi Arabia . In Sri Lanka , state-recognized private institutes are allowed to award degrees under Section 25A of the Universities Act No. 16 of 1978. The University Grants Commission

9680-601: The full-time graduate enrollment declined from 1500 to 1,188. Roughly 12% of students received the Rensselaer medal, a merit scholarship with a cumulative value of $ 100,000 for exceptional high school students in science and mathematics. 95% of full-time domestic undergraduate students receive either need-based or merit-based financial aid , averaging 85% of total financial need met per student. In 2018, Rensselaer invested over $ 140 million in financial aid and scholarships for students. RPI became coeducational in 1942. In 1966,

9801-533: The general campus community. The first GM was Albert M. Harper, and the current GM as of 2024–2025 is Vivian Rost-Nasshan (158th). The President of the Union is elected by the student body (typically in the spring). Their main responsibility is to appoint an executive board of 15–20 students (responsible for the Rensselaer Union's budget). The executive board is the chief financial body of the Rensselaer Union. They are responsible for preparing and approving

9922-489: The goals of the Rensselaer Plan 2024. The goal of the campaign was cited as being primarily for the support of financial aid for undergraduate students and the expansion of on-campus research facilities to accommodate planned increases in doctoral and graduate enrollment. The fundraising goal of the capital campaign was $ 1 billion, with over $ 400 million raised prior to the campaign going public. Ambitious spending on

10043-683: The home for the RPI incubator program, the first such program sponsored solely by a university. Shortly after this, RPI decided to invest $ 3 million in pavement, water and power on around 1,200 acres (490 ha) of land it owned 5 miles (8.0 km) south of campus to create the Rensselaer Technology Park . In 1982 the New York State legislature granted RPI $ 30 million to build the George M. Low Center for Industrial Innovation ,

10164-526: The institute. Many advances have been made under the plan, and Jackson has enjoyed the ongoing support of the RPI Board of Trustees. However, her leadership style did not sit well with many faculty; on 26 April 2006, RPI faculty voted 149 to 155 in a failed vote of no-confidence in Jackson. In September 2007, RPI's Faculty Senate was suspended for over four years over conflict with the administration. In 2011,

10285-643: The largest awarding body in the country, BTEC , and Cambridge International Examinations pathways. Accreditation by the Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council (BDNAC) is crucial to establish a private institution. Private universities have been established in Cambodia since 1997. Since 2003, joint-partnership private universities have been established in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Typically,

10406-533: The largest such gift to a U.S. university at the time. The university had been a relative stranger to such generosity as the prior largest single gift was $ 15 million. By September 2006, the $ 1 billion goal has been exceeded much in part to an in-kind contribution of software commercially valued at $ 513.95 million by the Partners for the Advancement of Collaborative Engineering Education (PACE). In light of this,

10527-401: The last decade through new commercial developments in diagnostics, therapeutics, medical devices, and regenerative medicine which are a direct result of research at the center. Examples of advancements include the creation of synthetic heparin , antimicrobial coatings, detoxification chemotherapy , on-demand biomedicine , implantable sensors, and 3D cellular array chips. Rensselaer also hosts

10648-587: The local community. Since its inception, all members of Greek Life have also participated in Navigating Rensselaer & Beyond - RPI's official continuation of student orientation through hosting annual events open to all students such as Beach Day/Hike with Greek Life, a day of hiking and team building activities for incoming freshmen, and Saratoga Therapeutic Equine Program, a day of service focused on horse rehabilitation programs. Greek Life organizations also operate Greek-affiliated groups including

10769-460: The main auditorium there is a 400-seat theater, offices, and two black-box studios with 35-foot (11 m) to 45-foot (14 m) ceilings. Originally budgeted for $ 50 million, the EMPAC construction costs ballooned to over $ 200 million due to difficulty of anchoring the foundation in the soft clay of the hill. In 2008, RPI announced the purchase of the former Rensselaer Best Western Inn, located at

10890-538: The male-to-female ratio was 19:1, in the 1980s it reached as low as 8:1, and in the early 1990s the ratio was around 5:1. In 2009, RPI had a ratio of 2.5:1 (72% male / 28% female), In 2016, the ratio for the incoming freshman class had fallen to 2.1:1 (68% male / 32% female), the lowest in the history of the institute. In the fall of 2016, more than 1,000 women enrolled in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's undergraduate engineering programs for

11011-482: The most renowned are New Bulgarian University , located in the capital city Sofia ; Burgas Free University ; Varna Free University and American University in Bulgaria . Finland does not officially recognize private universities but does not explicitly forbid them either. Helsinki School of Business is an example of one such educational institution operating in this market. Since 1880, it has been illegal for

11132-403: The number of faculty increased correspondingly. Ricketts organized the Institute's 100th Anniversary celebration, which was attended by dignitaries from around the world. He wrote the first three editions of History of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ; the first edition of was published in 1895, the second in 1914, and the third in 1934. In 1933, he began the construction of a building for

11253-778: The partners may include a Chinese university and a non-Chinese institution. English is often the only language of instruction at such universities and many focus on providing a comprehensive liberal arts education modeled after research universities in the United States and Europe. Universities in India are recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC), which draws its power from the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 . Private universities in India are regulated under

11374-529: The past decade, CBIS has produced over 2,000 peer-reviewed publications with over 30,000 citations and currently employs over 200 scientists and engineers. The center is used primarily to train undergraduate and graduate students, with over 1,000 undergraduates and 200 doctoral students trained. The center has numerous academic and industry partners, including the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai . These partnerships have resulted in numerous advances over

11495-596: The plan include bringing in a larger graduate student population and new research faculty, and increasing participation in undergraduate research, international exchange programs , and "living and learning communities". So far, there have been a number of changes under the plan: new infrastructure such as the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies , Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center , and Computational Center for Nanotechnology Innovations (CCNI) have been built to support new programs, and application numbers have increased. In 2018, Rensselaer received

11616-583: The proposal was rejected, and the campus left the crowded downtown for the hillside. Classes were temporarily held at the Vail House and in the Troy University building until 1864, when the Institute moved to a building on Broadway on 8th Street, now the site of the Approach. One of the first Latino student organizations in the United States was founded at RPI in 1890. The Club Hispano Americano

11737-652: The recent discovery of oil and gas in commercial quantities has influenced the development of oil and gas management courses within the private universities' curricula. Libya has several recognized private education institutions and universities that have been approved by the Ministry of Higher Education. They are ranked and qualified to specialize in academic programs in Business Administration, Computer Science, Law, Medicine, and Humanitarianism. The National Universities Commission of Nigeria holds

11858-770: The responsibility to approve private universities and accredit their courses. This ensures a minimum standard in curriculum and teaching. There are currently 60 approved private universities in Nigeria and many applications are being processed. In South Africa , there are many distinctions between public universities and what are officially termed private higher education institutions. Recognized private higher education institutions include Akademia ( af ), Eduvos , Varsity College , Vega School , Milpark , Midrand Graduate Institute , and Regenesys Business School . Numerous private universities were established in Bangladesh after

11979-428: The same privileges including social security, foreign law, and state scholarships as students at state universities. Educational services of private universities are not subject to value added tax , and donations are tax-deductible. Accreditations must be renewed regularly and can be withdrawn, e.g., in the case of repeated academic misconduct as happened in 2003 when the accreditation of International University Vienna

12100-539: The school into a three-year polytechnic institute with six technical schools. In 1861 the name was changed to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. A severe conflagration of 10 May 1862, known as " The Great Fire ", destroyed more than 507 buildings in Troy and gutted 75 acres (300,000 m) in the heart of the city. The "Infant School" building that housed the Institute at the time was destroyed in this fire. Columbia University proposed that Rensselaer leave Troy altogether and merge with its New York City campus. Ultimately,

12221-477: The school. Important visiting scholars included Joseph Henry , who had previously studied under Amos Eaton, and Thomas Davenport , who sold the world's first working electric motor to the institute. In 1847 alumnus Benjamin Franklin Greene became the new senior professor. Earlier he had done a thorough study of European technical schools to see how Rensselaer could be improved. In 1850 he reorganized

12342-684: The student-teacher ratio is typically lower and there are more opportunities for hands-on learning. Additionally, private universities in Oman often have more flexible curriculums and can respond quickly to changing labor markets and global trends.   All private universities in Oman must be recognized by the Omani Ministry of Higher Education to offer degree programs and receive approval for new degrees. The Ministry has procedures and standards that all universities must meet to receive accreditation and recognition as an institution of higher education. The Higher Education Commission (HEC), formerly

12463-411: The students who are respected by the student body and are represented by a top hat and a derby hat respectively. While Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has had the position of Grand Marshal (GM) since 1865, the position of President of the Union did not come about until 1890 when the union was developed. However, between 1890 and 1894, there was only a President of the Union, no Grand Marshal. Starting with

12584-403: The study (some of these institutes are state-funded institutions of their home countries) and these charges are often a fraction of the cost of studying in the home countries of these institutions. Efforts to establish private universities have been blocked due to protests from state universities' undergraduates and leftist political parties. Many private colleges have sprung up since, including

12705-721: The term "university" as opposed to "private university" in their advertisements in all languages except German while still complying with Austrian law. While the legal definition of "private university" prohibits funding by the federal government of Austria, funding by other public bodies is not prohibited. Consequently, some of Austria's private universities are partly or wholly funded by provincial governments, while others are fully privately funded. Accreditation of private universities began in 2001. As of 2020 , Austria has 16 private universities. Most are small (fewer than 1000 students) and specialize in only one or two fields of study. Four former private universities are not accredited anymore:

12826-400: The time, very unpopular among the student body; a Red Hawk mascot was frequently taunted with thrown concessions and chants of "kill the chicken!". In 2009 the nickname for all teams has since been changed back to Engineers. In contrast, the official ice hockey mascot, known as Puckman , has always been very popular. Puckman is an anthropomorphic hockey puck with an engineer's helmet. During

12947-549: The top 50 universities for technology in the world. In 2016, Rensselaer was listed among the top ten universities for highest median earnings. Civil liberties organization FIRE gave RPI its 2020 "Lifetime Censorship Award" "For its unashamed, years-long record of censoring its critics and utter disinterest in protecting students’ rights". One of the major departments at RPI is the ECSE department, or Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering department. The department offers students

13068-557: The university offers over 145 programs in nearly 60 fields that lead to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. In addition to traditional majors, RPI has around a dozen special interdisciplinary programs, such as Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences (GSAS), Design, Innovation, and Society (DIS), Minds & Machines, and Product Design and Innovation (PDI). RPI is a technology-oriented university; all buildings and residence hall rooms have hard-wired and wireless high speed internet access, and all incoming freshmen have been required to have

13189-518: Was "The Approach" (1907), a massive ornate granite staircase found on the west end of campus. Originally linking RPI to the Troy Union Railroad station, it again serves as an important link between the city and the university. In 1906 the '86 Field, home field of the football team until 2008, was completed with support of the Class of 1886. After World War II , the campus again underwent major expansion. Nine dormitories were built at

13310-453: Was 1330–1500 for the mid-50% range with a median SAT score of 1420 on a scale of 1600. The average ACT score range was 29–33 for the mid-50% range with a median ACT score of 31. In 2016, Rensselaer's freshman retention rate was 94% and admissions selectivity rating was 35th in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report . Since 2000, undergraduate enrollment grew by over 1,700 students, from 4,867 to 6,590 during calendar year 2018, and

13431-582: Was added later. Today Computer Systems Engineering and Electrical Engineering are in many ways similar, with many of the core classes being shared between the two. Electrical Engineering, however tends to focus more on hardware, while computer systems engineering tends to focus on algorithms and systems. Many students take dual majors, the common ones being Electrical Engineering and Computer Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanic Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics, and Computer Systems Engineering and Computer Science. Many students in

13552-640: Was appointed as Assistant in Mathematics and Astronomy at RPI. Ricketts was promoted to Assistant Professor in 1882 and in 1884 became the William H. Hart Professor of Rational & Technical Mechanics, the first endowed chair at the Institute. He was described in the campus newspaper, The Rensselaer Polytechnic , as "one of the most popular instructors in the Institute, a man whom we have honored for years, and whom we expect to see bringing great credit to his Alma Mater in his present position." In 1892, he

13673-480: Was appointed director of the Institute, a position that put him in charge of the faculty. During this time, he expanded the curriculum by adding an electrical engineering program. He also worked to improve recognition and support of the Institute through various publicity efforts, such as a display of alumni work at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago . He was elected president in 1901 by unanimous consent of

13794-526: Was educated privately at Princeton, New Jersey . His father, also named Palmer Chamberlain Ricketts, was the founder of the local newspaper, the Cecil Whig . His brother, Louis Davidson Ricketts , achieved prominence as a mining engineer and in finance in Arizona. He was married in 1902 to Vjera Renshaw of Baltimore . Ricketts first arrived at RPI in 1871, at only fifteen years of age, where he joined

13915-466: Was established by the international Latin American students that attended the institute at this time. In 1904 the institute was for the fourth time devastated by fire, when its main building was completely destroyed. However, RPI underwent a period of academic and resource expansion under the leadership of President Palmer Ricketts . Named president in 1901, Ricketts liberalized the curriculum by adding

14036-408: Was later completed in 2016 to house the largest incoming class in Rensselaer's history. In July 2022, Martin A. Schmidt , formerly provost of Massachusetts Institute of Technology , became RPI's nineteenth president. RPI's 275-acre (111 ha) campus sits upon a hill overlooking Troy and the Hudson River . The surrounding area is mostly residential neighborhoods, with the city of Troy lying at

14157-630: Was later elected an honorary member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers . From 1891 to 1892, he served as chief engineer for the Troy Public Improvement Commission, helping the city design new water and sewage systems. In 1897 and 1898, Ricketts was a consulting engineer for flood control for the River Commission of Corning , New York . He

14278-617: Was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Another unique building is the Voorhees Computing Center (VCC). Originally the St. Joseph's Seminary chapel, it was built in 1933 and acquired by Rensselaer in 1958, and after renovation served as the institute's library from 1960 until the completion of the new Folsom Library , in 1976. The Folsom Library, located adjacent to the computing center, has

14399-456: Was originally located in downtown Troy, but gradually moved to the hilltop that overlooks the city. Buildings that remain from this time include Winslow Chemical Laboratory , a building on the National Register of Historic Places . Located at the base of the hill on the western edge of campus, it currently houses the Social and Behavioral Research Laboratory. President Palmer Ricketts supervised

14520-614: Was passed to allow the accreditation of private universities. The Akkreditierungsrat (Accreditation Council) evaluates applicants and issues recommendations to the responsible Austrian accreditation authority (the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science & Research). Accreditation by the council yields a couple of privileges: degrees issued by accredited private universities have the same legal status as those issued by state-run universities. Private universities can appoint or promote professors . Their students enjoy

14641-541: Was withdrawn. In 2006, when the accreditation of Imadec University expired, the Accreditation Council rejected any renewal requests. Austrian law provides that private universities in Austria must use the term Privatuniversität ("private university") in their German names, although their formal names in other languages are not regulated. Thus, there is the possibility of private institutions employing

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