Type | Private |
---|---|
Established | 1927 |
Endowment | US $34,133,000 |
President | Neil Albert Salonen |
Academic staff
|
128 full-time |
Undergraduates | 2,897 |
Postgraduates | 2,536 |
Location | Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S. |
Campus | Urban 86 acres (350,000 m2) |
Colors | Purple and White |
Athletics | NCAA Division II |
Sports | 13 Varsity Teams 8 women's; 5 men's |
Nickname | Purple Knights |
Mascot | Purple Knight |
Affiliations | ECC |
Website | www.bridgeport.edu |
The University of Bridgeport, commonly referred to as UB, is a private, independent, non-sectarian, coeducational National university located on the Long Island Sound in the South End neighborhood of Bridgeport, Connecticut. The University is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC-CIHE). The University is known for its diverse student population, currently ranking as the tenth most racially diverse national university in the country by U.S. News & World Report. The students of the University of Bridgeport are from 80 countries and 46 states. In 2010, the percentage of students graduating that had participated in an English as a foreign or second language (ESL) program was one of the nation's highest at 5%.
The stately old Victorian homes on campus date from the late 1800s to early 1900s – many owned by family and friends of showman P. T. Barnum.
The university grew rapidly in the 1960s by capitalizing on the increased number of people seeking to attend a U.S. college resulting from the baby boom, Vietnam War veterans eligible for a higher education under the G.I. Bill, and international students who wanted to attend college in the United States. Enrollment peaked at 9100 students in 1969, and an Ed.D. program in Educational Leadership was added in 1979. Enrollment declined in the 1970s and 1980s after the waves of baby boom and Vietnam era veterans eligible for the G.I. Bill declined. By 1990, the university had cut tuition, room and board fees to $18,000 per year, but the school's reputation had not improved. More than a third of the 50 campus buildings were empty. To cut costs, the university decided to terminate 50 tenured faculty, and asked the other faculty to accept a 30% wage cut. In addition, the university decided to eliminate its Liberal Arts College, alienating many students. This led to the longest faculty strike in the history of American higher education. Dr. Greenwood, the president at the time, quit abruptly, and around 1,000 students left the school, contributing to the cash crisis.