Mission, Vision, and Values
Mission and Vision of the University
UCO’s Mission
The University of Central Oklahoma empowers students to become ethical, creative and engaged citizens and leaders through our commitment to transformative learning experiences.
UCO’s Vision Statement
As a leading metropolitan university, the University of Central Oklahoma prepares future leaders to positively impact local, state, and global communities.
Accessibility
We provide open opportunities for quality higher education and career development through unmatched value.
Community
We provide value and service while engaging within the campus and broader community. We address the social needs of our community through innovation.
Growth
We commit to a learner-centered focus that provides opportunities for holistic development.
Inclusivity
We commit to a learner-centered focus that provides opportunities for holistic development.
Integrity
We hold ourselves and our learners accountable to the highest standards of education, service and care.
Leadership
We cultivate the potential of our learners to positively and ethically influence and mobilize others.
Mission and Vision of the JCGS
Mission of the Jackson College of Graduate Studies
The Jackson College of Graduate Studies provides access to graduate education for culturally-diverse students locally, nationally, and internationally, while supporting UCO’s mission of transformative learning through processes that maintain and enhance quality.
About the Jackson College of Graduate Studies
The University of Central Oklahoma has been authorized to grant master’s degrees since 1954 when it was Central State College. The University offers over 44 graduate programs with more than 76 majors under nine degree designations: Master of Arts, Master of Business Administration, Master of Education, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Music, Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Health, Master of Science, and Professional Science Master’s.
The Jackson College of Graduate Studies (JCGS) was established in 1954 to coordinate and promote graduate education at UCO. In 2004 the College acquired its present name in honor of Joe C. Jackson, who served the University for over 28 years including 25 years as Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Today, the Jackson College of Graduate Studies provides oversight of curriculum, policies, programming, recruitment, marketing, and retention efforts for graduate studies at UCO. Reporting to the provost and working with leadership across disciplinary colleges and university units, the graduate dean leads the JCGS and its staff as well as serves as chair of the graduate council.
About the Value of a UCO Graduate Degree
At UCO, a graduate degree signifies that its recipient possesses the disciplinary knowledge, analytical skills, and mature judgement of an advanced professional and a well-educated person. Graduate degree completion brings the satisfaction of in-depth mastery of a chosen field and the confidence needed for the discovery and application of that new knowledge.
Accreditation
The University of Central Oklahoma is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Institutional, College, School and Department Accreditations
Specialized Accreditations
Specialized accreditations are granted by the following institutions:
Graduate Accreditations
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. § 1681) is an all-encompassing federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. Consistent with this obligation, the University of Central Oklahoma prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex in academics, employment, and all of its programs and activities. The Title IX Coordinator is charged with monitoring compliance with these regulations. All faculty and staff (exempt staff include licensed mental health counselors, medical health professional, and clergy) are required to report any discrimination, harassment, or violence. Any person who experiences sexual harassment, assault, stalking, violence or any other form of sex-based discrimination is encouraged to report the matter or seek confidential support. For more information about your options, including reporting and confidential resources, please visit: https://www.uco.edu/student-resources/title-ix-office/.
Title IX Coordinator
Erin Logan
Nigh University Center, Room 323
Box 300
Edmond, OK 73034
Phone: (405) 974-5380
About Edmond, Oklahoma
The University of Central Oklahoma is located in Edmond, a vibrant suburban city with a population of 91,000. According to a number of national magazines, it is one of the nation’s most desirable places to live with its thriving historic downtown, excellent school system and cultural offerings. The community enjoys year-round music, art, theater, and sporting events. Known worldwide for its outstanding golf courses, Edmond hosts some of the most exciting PGA and celebrity events. Edmond tennis courts have a history of hosting USTA tournaments.
Near to Edmond are many other points of interest and activities. The Lazy E Arena, about 15 miles north of town, provides a full calendar of rodeo events. Just minutes east of the campus is Lake Arcadia, offering a UCO meeting facility, hiking trails, fishing, water skiing, outdoor recreational and research opportunities. Fifteen minutes to the south is Oklahoma City with Bricktown, the NBA Thunder, international rowing, live music venues, Oklahoma’s State Capitol, the Oklahoma City Zoo, the First Americans Museum, and a variety of other attractions.
Edmond’s July 4 LibertyFest celebration has been selected as one of the top 10 holiday places in America by CNN and USA Today.
History of UCO
The University of Central Oklahoma is the oldest institution of higher learning in Oklahoma, dating back to December 24, 1890, when it was established as the Territorial Normal School. The first class, a group of 23 students, met Nov. 9, 1891, in the Epworth League Room, in the unfurnished First Methodist Church on Hurd Street.
Work started in the summer of 1892 on Old North Tower, the first building on campus. Occupancy began Jan. 3, 1893.
At first, the school offered two years of college work and a complete preparatory school. In 1897, the first graduating class
- two men and three women - received their Normal School diplomas preparing them as teachers. In 1904, Territorial Normal became Central State Normal School. Statehood was still three years away.
On December 29, 1919, the State Board of Education transformed Central into a four-year teachers’ college conferring bachelor’s degrees and renamed it Central State Teachers’ College. Two years later, the Class of 1921 had nine members, the first graduates to receive four-year degrees.
In 1939, the state legislature again changed the name of the institution to Central State College and authorized it to grant degrees without teaching certificates.
In 1954, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education gave Central permission to offer the Master of Teaching Degree, which became the Master of Education in 1969. In 1971, the college added the Master of Arts in English and the Master of Business Administration degrees. Other undergraduate and graduate degrees followed.
On April 13, 1971, the state legislature officially changed the institution’s name to Central State University and authorized the institution to offer graduate degrees. On May 18, 1990, during the institution’s Centennial Year, the name became the University of Central Oklahoma.
Today, UCO has grown from 23 frontier students seeking teaching certificates in a local church to a metropolitan, four-year university with an enrollment of over 17,000 studying on a 200-acre campus.
Past Presidents
Richard Thatcher, 1891 - 1893
George W. Winans, 1893 - 1894
E.R. Williams, 1894 - 1895
E.D. Murdaugh, 1895 - 1901
F.H. Umholtz, 1901 - 1906
T.W. Butcher, 1906 - 1908
James A. McLaughlin, 1908 - 1911
Charles Evans, 1911 - 1916
Grant B. Grumbine, 1916 - 1917
J.W. Graves, 1917 - 1919
John G. Mitchell, 1919 - 1931
M.A. Beeson, 1931 - 1935
John O. Mosley, 1935 - 1939
Roscoe R. Robinson, 1939 - 1948
Dr. W. Max Chambers, 1948 - 1960
Dr. Garland Godfrey, 1960 - 1975
Dr. Bill J. Lillard, 1975 - 1992
George Nigh, 1992 - 1997
W. Roger Webb, 1997 - 2011
Dr. Don Betz, 2011 - 2019
Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar, 2019 - 2022
Andrew Benton, 2023 - 2023
Todd Lamb, 2023 -
Academic Buildings
While much of the original grant of 40 acres was disposed of to secure funds for buildings, in more recent years the policy has been to add new land. At present, the campus contains just over 200 acres located four blocks east of the business district of Edmond.
UCO @ Carnegie Centre in Downtown Oklahoma City provides opportunities for working adults and downtown residents who are seeking accessible and convenient approaches to furthering their education. This facility is also a hub for professional development and industry-specific training.
UCO @ Santa Fe Place, located in Downtown Oklahoma City, provides accessible and convenient opportunities for working adults and downtown residents who are seeking to further their education. Renovations completed in 2019 include new classrooms and a STEM lab, office space for faculty and staff, The Catbird Seat business incubator, and the KUCO radio station.
The CHK|Central Boathouse, located on the Oklahoma River in Downtown Oklahoma City’s vibrant Boathouse District, serves as home to UCO’s women’s rowing team, as well as houses an art gallery and a live performance venue.
At its offices located on Bryant Avenue two blocks east of the main campus, UCO’s Center for eLearning and Connected Environments (CeCE) supports the design, development, and delivery of UCO’s electronic learning courses.
The Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma (ACM@UCO) is part of the College of Fine Arts and Design. It is located in Downtown Oklahoma City’s “Bricktown” area and maintains strong connections with the Edmond campus as well as other Academies of Contemporary Music throughout the world.
Located within the ACM@UCO is the Business Development Center in which students build portfolios, connect with working musicians and other music industry professionals, and seek career opportunities.
The University House, formally the Alumni House was built in 1907. The home was a personal residence for almost twenty years until a UCO professor bought the house. The professor rented out the upstairs bedrooms to UCO students. That arrangement was held for nearly another 20 years.
The house has changed owners seven times since it was built. In the early 1980’s, the house was operated as a Tea and Antique Room. In the late 1980’s, the University purchased the home and it was used as a faculty and staff restaurant called the “University House,” which closed in 2000.
The Lillard Administration Building, occupied in the spring of 1963, contains the main administrative offices of the University, including those of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Finance, the Vice President for Business Operations, the Chief Information Officer for Information Technology, the Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, and others.
The Art and Design Building was originally constructed in 1952 as the Student Union. Following completion of the Nigh University Center in 1967, the Art Building was completely renovated to include classrooms, studios, and The Melton Gallery.
Hamilton Field House, first occupied in the spring semester of 1965, has a basketball court with a seating capacity of 4,000. The athletic complex and classroom building also contains exercise rooms and locker rooms for varsity athletes. The name was changed from Broncho Field House in 1993.
The Business Building houses the offices and classrooms of the College of Business and was first occupied in the fall of 1962. A second building was added in 1983, and the two were connected in 1996.
Bausher Place was completed in December 2019. Named after Winifred Bausher who served students in the late 30’s and early 40’s, and designed to act as a bridge between the north and south areas of campus, this 52,500 square foot building opened its doors to students in January of 2020. The facility is home to Ayers Kitchen, a 30,000 square feet, 500 seat student dining facility. The additional 22,500 square feet houses support areas for Campus Enterprises, offices from the division People and Culture, and a multi-use open office area, which serves as administrative offices for Human Resources as well as additional needed administrative support space.
The Center for Outdoor Recreation provides UCO students, faculty and staff, as well as community members, many educational and recreational opportunities. The Center provides outdoor activities to teach participants to enjoy and appreciate the outdoors.
The 5,600 square foot facility is located off Second Street just East of I-35 and features easy access to Lake Arcadia. The building houses a ‘living’ classroom for the study of water and wildlife conservation. Kayak, canoe, and archery classes are taught at the facility.
The Center for Transformative Learning (CTL) opened in fall 2010. This 33,000 square-foot building, located on the east side of campus, includes 11 classrooms, faculty office space, the Radke Fine Arts theatre, an outdoor classroom and several unassigned or informal spaces to encourage transformative learning. The CTL supports UCO’s stated academic mission to “help students learn through transformative experiences so they may become productive, creative, ethical and engaged citizens contributing to the intellectual, social, economic and cultural advancement of the communities they serve.” To accomplish this, UCO’s Transformative Learning program has six emphasis areas, also called the “Central Six.” These, in addition to classroom learning in the chosen major, are leadership, problem solving (research, creative and scholarly activities), service learning and civic engagement, global and cultural competencies, and health and wellness.
The Max Chambers Library opened its doors to students in January 1969. A major addition completed in 1997 nearly doubled the existing building. This four-story building is one of the most modern libraries in the Southwest. It includes a large microfilm reading room, seminar rooms, conference and study rooms, a document room, and the extensive archives and special collections located on the second floor.
Following the completion of the new library, the former Max Chambers Library (constructed in 1956) was renovated to become the Communications Building in 1968. It supplies offices, classrooms, and labs for the departments of Mass Communication, KCSC Radio, the student newspaper The Vista, and the KUCO-TV television studios.
The Education Building was completed and occupied in 1996. Of post-modern architecture, it houses the office of the dean of the College of Education, classrooms, computer labs, and multimedia facilities.
Evans Hall was completed and occupied in 1916 and housed the University library until 1957. It underwent a major renovation in 1989 and now provides offices for the UCO Foundation, Inc., the dean of the College of Fine Arts and Design, and the Laboratory of History Museum.
The W. Roger Webb Forensic Science Institute was completed fall 2009. The 35,000 square foot facility contains a 165-seat auditorium, three 50-seat classrooms, and the AT&T Digital Evidence and Cyber Security Laboratory, which was made possible through a $1 million grant from the AT&T Foundation. The FSI facility also contains office space for all FSI personnel and an atrium for functions and receptions.
One of many features in the FSI facility is an evidence recovery training area that can be utilized in mock crime scenes and evidence collection from vehicles. The FSI Building was designed by nationally recognized Frankfurt Short Bruza of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The Health and Physical Education Building, adjacent to Wantland Hall, was completed in the fall of 1958. It contains offices, classrooms, and a dance studio for the Kinesiology and Health Studies Department. The top floor houses the Broncho Corral, now used as a class and meeting room.
The Computing Science Building was completed in the spring of 1983. It houses the offices and classrooms of the departments of Computing Science, Mathematics and Statistics, and also the University Computer Center.
The Coyner Health Sciences Building was first occupied in the spring of 1984. It houses the offices and classrooms of the departments of Nursing and Funeral Service. The building was dedicated in honor of the Coyner family on October 13, 1989.
The Human Environmental Science Building was dedicated in the spring of 1969. It contains the offices and classrooms of the Human Environmental Sciences Department, a modern food laboratory, a living room for receptions, and a laboratory school for pre-school children.
Howell Hall, first occupied in 1948, has been extensively modernized, and an addition to the building has more than doubled the floor space. Housed in the hall are offices, labs and classrooms for the Chemistry, Engineering and Physics, and Biology Departments. A three story laboratory wing was added in 1997.
The UCO Jazz Lab, constructed with cooperative funding with the Edmond Economic Development Authority, adds to the sense of community both for the campus population and the citizens of Edmond by providing high quality entertainment. The Jazz Lab is readily accessible to students and is within walking distance from campus. It includes several offices, the Jazz Lab, a recording studio, a performance club, and a restaurant.
The Liberal Arts Building was completed during the summer of 1969 and houses most of the departments in the College of Liberal Arts. A 55,000 square foot addition to the building was added in July 2019. The addition contains multiple transformative style classrooms, a large 200+ seat auditorium w/ storm shelter function, faculty offices, a study room, and student community area.
Mitchell Hall Theatre was dedicated June 29, 1926. It has been remodeled and seating expanded for performing arts productions. The scene shop, crossover/storage, dressing rooms and classroom additions added approximately 5,000 square feet to the facility in 1997. In 2017, the Mitchell Education Center was added to Mitchell Hall to provide performance rehearsal space, costume storage, theater rehearsal and dance studio, greenroom and dressing rooms, plus allow for classes to be taught for the various backstage professions in costume, design, performance makeup, costume fabrication and maintenance.
The Music Building was first occupied in the fall of 1952. It houses vocal and instrumental music, together with a number of private practice studios and a recital hall. The building was enlarged in 1968.
Old North, the first campus building, is built of native sandstone quarried near Edmond, and it is the center of the University of Central Oklahoma traditions. The University clock is located in its tower with faces in all four directions. Old North is listed in the National Historical Register. After an extensive renovation, the facility reopened its doors Spring of 2017. The fully renovated building houses classrooms, Office of the President, and the Division of Enrollment and Student Success.
Thatcher Hall, a former residence hall named after the first president, Richard Thatcher, celebrated its “re-grand opening” in the fall of 1995. The building now houses a variety of offices, some College of Business faculty, classrooms, the Institutional Assessment Office, the Testing Center, Distance Education- Self-Paced Online Courses (SPOC), Distance Education Interactive Video Courses (IVC), the ROTC program, the University’s “12-Live” classroom, and a mini-museum.
The Nigh University Center was dedicated in the fall of 2001 to honor former President George Nigh. Originally built in 1967, an addition in 1997 doubled the floor space. It is a center for campus and community activities and includes such student facilities as the University Bookstore, convenience store, post office, food court, restaurant, and recreation area.
The building provides a centralized location for student admissions, registration, advisement, financial aid, international, and graduate services. Also included in the building are a large ballroom, meeting rooms, and offices for Campus Life, Student Senate, Counseling Services, Career Services, and the Dr. Joe C. Jackson College for Graduate Studies.
The Selman Living Laboratory is a field station near the town of Freedom in western Oklahoma that occupies more than 300 acres of mixed-grass-gypsum prairie including the biologically important Selman Cave System. The laboratory was established in 1998 through a grant from the Oklahoma Department of Tourism, and has continued to grow and develop through generous donations from the Selman family, supporters of the laboratory, and state and federal grants.
The Don Betz STEM Teaching and Research Center is a 55,000 square foot building and contains multiple undergraduate research program spaces as well as houses the College of Math and Science super computer, classrooms, and an 80 seat secure storm shelter/auditorium. This facility allows UCO students to use current state of the art labs and scientific equipment in fields such as Forensic Science, Nursing, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, Biology, & Mathematics. It was completed in November of 2018.
The Sports Performance Center is a 41,000 square foot facility, which contains support spaces for the athletic programs at UCO to include weight and training areas, football locker room, a tutorial center, hydrotherapy and sports training area, coaches’ offices, and administrative spaces for the Athletic Department. It was completed October 2018.
The Sports Performance Annex is a 8,000 square foot facility, which temporarily houses the UCO wrestling team practice area as well as locker and laundry facilities. Upon completion of the North Hamilton Annex, the wrestling practice area will be converted into indoor practice for baseball, softball, and golf.
The construction of the 26,000 square foot North Hamilton Annex was completed in November of 2019. This facility includes a new wrestling annex, an auxiliary gym, and locker room facilities for many women’s teams.
Chad Richison Stadium is home for the Bronchos football team. First used in 1965, and formerly known as Wantland Stadium, the facility underwent a $16 million renovation in 2005. Additional improvements were made possible by a
$10 million gift by alumn Chad Richison, founder and CEO
of Paycom, in 2022.
Wantland Hall, officially dedicated February 7, 1928, serves the Kinesiology and Health Studies Department and includes a gymnasium, basketball court, locker rooms, and offices.
The Softball Complex construction began June 2016 and was completed February 2017. The facility includes locker rooms, coaches’ office, team lounge, public restrooms, press box facility, visitor and home team dugouts, and visitor and home team bullpen/batting cages.
The South Central Plant project includes three elements: the construction of 6,500 square foot stand-alone building that houses the plant equipment, chiller plant and control systems, and an underground piping loop that serves the south side of campus. It was completed in October 2017.
The Wellness Center exists to provide students, faculty, staff, and community members with a premier facility that promotes health and wellness. The Wellness Center strives to link positive healthy lifestyles and intellectual growth so that participants can reach their full potential.
A multi-purpose 57,140 square foot recreational center, the facility includes two indoor basketball/volleyball courts, one outdoor basketball court, group fitness rooms, walking/ running track, 65 pieces of cardiovascular equipment, strength training area including free weights and sectorized equipment, classrooms, rock climbing wall, and a vending area.
The Y Chapel of Song construction began in 1941 and was completed in 1949 through the services and gifts of hundreds of students, faculty, alumni, friends, and through the efforts of the Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A. The chapel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001 because of its significance in art. It is used today for initiation ceremonies, weddings, meetings, and meditation.
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