Oregon Institute of Technology
Encyclopedia
Oregon Institute of Technology, also known as Oregon Tech or OIT, is an accredited university
in the Oregon University System
, and the only public institute of technology in the northwest United States. Located in Klamath Falls, Oregon
, it provides undergraduate and graduate degrees in many technical and health related fields. OIT also maintains four sites in Portland, Oregon
, one site in La Grande, Oregon
and a partner location with Boeing
in Seattle, Washington
.
score and GPA of 1060 and 3.51, respectively, with 85% of the student population being residents of the state of Oregon
.
Oregon Institute of Technology earned a spot in the top 10 among Baccalaureate Colleges in the West in the 2008 and 2009 editions of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S.News & World Report. The university also ranked fourth in the Western ranking of the Top Public Baccalaureate Colleges.
and engineering technology, including a well-established program in Civil Engineering
, as well as the more recent addition of undergraduate curricula in Renewable Energy
, Mechanical
, and Electrical Engineering
. A study of Civil Engineering graduates revealed 92% were successfully employed within 6 months of earning their degree, with a further 6% enrolled in graduate school.
The school of engineering is recognized for producing graduates with a more comprehensive knowledge of practical design principles (in addition to standard engineering theory) than many other institutions, and has seen extensive recruitment by top corporations and design firms as well as state and federal agencies. Starting salaries for OIT engineering grads have exceeded the national average in each of the last 5 years.
, one in Professional Land Surveying (PLS) and the other in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
are highly sought after and admission to many of the programs in the School of Health, Arts and Sciences is often exceptionally competitive. In the summer of 2006, OIT began construction on a new $22.5 million facility designated the Oregon Center for Health Professions (OCHP), which will become the new home for its medical-related education. Oregon Institute of Technology is considered one of the regional leaders in health care training, and the university has made clear its intentions to extensively expand its curriculum and enrollment in this area. While the recognition of these programs has been good exposure for the college, there is growing criticism that the ambitious expansion plans propagated by university and state higher education officials will transform the school into simply a health care training institution while traditional university programs like engineering, science, business and management will suffer.
-heated university campus in the United States
, and is home to the Geo-Heat Center, a national resource for geothermal development, and the Oregon Renewable Energy Center (OREC), which conducts applied research on photovoltaic power systems, ground-source heating systems, fuel-cell systems, wind, biomass and integrated systems. In 2005, Oregon Tech introduced the first Bachelor of Science degree in Renewable Energy
offered in North America. The new program uses electrical and mechanical engineering fundamentals combined with upper-division coursework in renewable energy and energy systems classes to prepare students for careers in the energy sector in general, and renewable energy in particular. The Renewable Energy Engineering degree is offered in both Klamath Falls and Portland.
veteran
s. Under the direction of Winston Purvine, the first classes were held in a deactivated Marine Corps hospital three miles northeast of Klamath Falls. The following year, the fledgling school's title was changed to the Oregon Technical Institute. In 1953, Associate degree programs in Surveying and Structural Engineering Technologies were first accredited by the Engineers Council for Professional Development. The campus was transferred to its current location in 1964, followed by another name change to the Oregon Institute of Technology in 1973.
(NAIA) and the Cascade Collegiate Conference
(CCC), participating in cross-country running, track and field, soccer, basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball. The mascot for OIT Athletics is the Hustlin' Owl and is a source of pride for many Tech students.
OIT's traditional athletic nemesis is Southern Oregon University
in Ashland, Oregon
. The close proximity of the schools and alternate academic foci (science and technology at OIT, liberal arts at SOU) result in a natural rivalry between the two.
Division II National Championship.
It was OIT's first team title, and the first for head coach Danny Miles, who is the ninth winningest coach in college basketball history (NCAA & NAIA
). Entering the 2006-2007 season, Miles' 35-year record at OIT was 788-351 (.691 win percentage) and he earned his 800th win on December 8, 2006 with a 84-73 victory over George Fox University
.
Miles has now amassed a 898-396 (.696) win-loss record over his 38 years as head coach of the Hustlin' Owls. He has won more games than any other basketball coach at one institution. In the last 11 seasons Miles has led his squads to an overall 304-88 (.776) record with 11 trips to the NAIA Division II National Tournament. Oregon Tech, under Miles, has the third most tournament wins (20-8, .714) of any team in NAIA Division II. In his tenure at Oregon Tech, Miles has guided 12 mens basketball teams to the national tournament.
Ending the 2008 season ranked 11th and headed into the NAIA
Division II national tournament, OIT looked to repeat the 2004 season and win yet another national championship. The team played top-ranked Bellevue University
of Nebraska
at 6:30 PM PDT on March 18, 2008. In a repeat of the 2004 title game in which Oregon Tech defeated the Bruins, 81-72, the Hustlin' Owls won their second NAIA Division II national championship with a win over Bellevue University, 63-56.
and American Dental Hygienists' Association
, Alpha Sigma Alpha
http://www.oregontechasa.com(Sorority), Phi Delta Theta
http://www.oitphidelts.com (Fraternity), recreational activity programs, special interest groups, cultural awareness organizations, student media, and academic honor societies. Also, OIT's student chapter of the Society of Automotive Engineers competes in the annual SAE Mini Baja event.
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in the Oregon University System
Oregon University System
The Oregon University System consists of seven public, four-year universities in the State of Oregon administered by the Chancellor of the OUS, who is appointed by the Oregon State Board of Higher Education...
, and the only public institute of technology in the northwest United States. Located in Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sat, although no falls currently exist; the name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892...
, it provides undergraduate and graduate degrees in many technical and health related fields. OIT also maintains four sites in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, one site in La Grande, Oregon
La Grande, Oregon
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,327 people, 5,124 households, and 2,982 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,833.5 people per square mile . There were 5,483 housing units at an average density of 1,260.3 per square mile...
and a partner location with Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
.
Academics
OIT has earned a substantial regional reputation for excellent academic programs in the various professional disciplines of engineering, technology and health professions, resulting in its graduates being heavily recruited by companies in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. Admission information reported by the university indicates an average SATSAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
score and GPA of 1060 and 3.51, respectively, with 85% of the student population being residents of the state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
Oregon Institute of Technology earned a spot in the top 10 among Baccalaureate Colleges in the West in the 2008 and 2009 editions of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S.News & World Report. The university also ranked fourth in the Western ranking of the Top Public Baccalaureate Colleges.
Engineering and Engineering Technology
OIT currently offers a variety of degrees in engineeringEngineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
and engineering technology, including a well-established program in Civil Engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
, as well as the more recent addition of undergraduate curricula in Renewable Energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
, Mechanical
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
, and Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
. A study of Civil Engineering graduates revealed 92% were successfully employed within 6 months of earning their degree, with a further 6% enrolled in graduate school.
The school of engineering is recognized for producing graduates with a more comprehensive knowledge of practical design principles (in addition to standard engineering theory) than many other institutions, and has seen extensive recruitment by top corporations and design firms as well as state and federal agencies. Starting salaries for OIT engineering grads have exceeded the national average in each of the last 5 years.
Geomatics
OIT currently offers two BS Degrees in GeomaticsGeomatics
Geomatics is the discipline of gathering, storing, processing, and delivering geographic information, or spatially referenced information.-Overview and etymology:...
, one in Professional Land Surveying (PLS) and the other in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Health, Arts & Sciences
Degrees such as Medical Imaging Technology, Respiratory Care and Dental HygieneDental hygienist
thumb|right|300px|Dental hygienist holding a scalerA dental hygienist is a licensed dental professional who specializes in preventive oral health, typically focusing on techniques in oral hygiene. Local dental regulations determine the scope of practice of dental hygienists...
are highly sought after and admission to many of the programs in the School of Health, Arts and Sciences is often exceptionally competitive. In the summer of 2006, OIT began construction on a new $22.5 million facility designated the Oregon Center for Health Professions (OCHP), which will become the new home for its medical-related education. Oregon Institute of Technology is considered one of the regional leaders in health care training, and the university has made clear its intentions to extensively expand its curriculum and enrollment in this area. While the recognition of these programs has been good exposure for the college, there is growing criticism that the ambitious expansion plans propagated by university and state higher education officials will transform the school into simply a health care training institution while traditional university programs like engineering, science, business and management will suffer.
Renewable Energy Research
OIT is the only completely geothermallyGeothermal heating
Geothermal heating is the direct use of geothermal energy for heating applications. Humans have taken advantage of geothermal heat this way since the Paleolithic era. Approximately seventy countries made direct use of a total of 270 PJ of geothermal heating in 2004...
-heated university campus in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and is home to the Geo-Heat Center, a national resource for geothermal development, and the Oregon Renewable Energy Center (OREC), which conducts applied research on photovoltaic power systems, ground-source heating systems, fuel-cell systems, wind, biomass and integrated systems. In 2005, Oregon Tech introduced the first Bachelor of Science degree in Renewable Energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
offered in North America. The new program uses electrical and mechanical engineering fundamentals combined with upper-division coursework in renewable energy and energy systems classes to prepare students for careers in the energy sector in general, and renewable energy in particular. The Renewable Energy Engineering degree is offered in both Klamath Falls and Portland.
History
OIT was founded as the Oregon Vocational School in 1947 to train and re-educate returning World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
s. Under the direction of Winston Purvine, the first classes were held in a deactivated Marine Corps hospital three miles northeast of Klamath Falls. The following year, the fledgling school's title was changed to the Oregon Technical Institute. In 1953, Associate degree programs in Surveying and Structural Engineering Technologies were first accredited by the Engineers Council for Professional Development. The campus was transferred to its current location in 1964, followed by another name change to the Oregon Institute of Technology in 1973.
Campus
The present Tech campus overlooks Upper Klamath Lake on the outskirts of Klamath Falls, and is directly adjacent to Sky Lakes Medical Center. While the physical location of the school often elicits a favorable response with its views of the lake and mountains, the campus architecture, designed by the architect who designed the U.S. Air Force Academy buildings, is generally regarded as bland, but pragmatic (a common symptom of institutes of technology). Newer buildings such as Purvine Hall, the OCHP, and the College Union renovation and expansion have embraced a more modern, aesthetically appealing collegiate style. The school opened a second housing unit, titled "The Village" adjacent to the original housing unit, "The Castle" for the start of the fall term, in 2009. The Village features an apartment style complex, housing four students to one "apartment" with four bedrooms, and two bathrooms in each complex. Many students live in the residential area south of the college along N. Eldorado Avenue, or elsewhere in Klamath Falls.Athletics
Oregon Tech competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate AthleticsNational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
(NAIA) and the Cascade Collegiate Conference
Cascade Collegiate Conference
The Cascade Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Member schools are located in the Northwestern United States. Its basketball teams compete in Division II, the lower of the two levels of NAIA basketball competition. ...
(CCC), participating in cross-country running, track and field, soccer, basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball. The mascot for OIT Athletics is the Hustlin' Owl and is a source of pride for many Tech students.
OIT's traditional athletic nemesis is Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University
is a public liberal arts college located in Ashland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1926, it was formerly known as Southern Oregon College and Southern Oregon State College . SOU offers criminology, natural sciences, including environmental science, Shakespearean studies and theatre arts programs...
in Ashland, Oregon
Ashland, Oregon
Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, near Interstate 5 and the California border, and located in the south end of the Rogue Valley. It was named after Ashland County, Ohio, point of origin of Abel Helman and other founders, and secondarily for Ashland, Kentucky, where other...
. The close proximity of the schools and alternate academic foci (science and technology at OIT, liberal arts at SOU) result in a natural rivalry between the two.
Basketball
OIT basketball has been consistently competitive in the CCC and at the national level, while earning a somewhat infamous reputation within the conference for its passionate crowds and rowdy student section. In March 2004, the Oregon Tech men's basketball team made school history by winning the NAIANational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
Division II National Championship.
It was OIT's first team title, and the first for head coach Danny Miles, who is the ninth winningest coach in college basketball history (NCAA & NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
). Entering the 2006-2007 season, Miles' 35-year record at OIT was 788-351 (.691 win percentage) and he earned his 800th win on December 8, 2006 with a 84-73 victory over George Fox University
George Fox University
George Fox University is a Christian university of the liberal arts and sciences, and professional studies located in Newberg, Oregon, United States. Founded as a school for Quakers in 1885, the private school has more than 3,400 students combined between its main campus in Newberg and its centers...
.
Miles has now amassed a 898-396 (.696) win-loss record over his 38 years as head coach of the Hustlin' Owls. He has won more games than any other basketball coach at one institution. In the last 11 seasons Miles has led his squads to an overall 304-88 (.776) record with 11 trips to the NAIA Division II National Tournament. Oregon Tech, under Miles, has the third most tournament wins (20-8, .714) of any team in NAIA Division II. In his tenure at Oregon Tech, Miles has guided 12 mens basketball teams to the national tournament.
Ending the 2008 season ranked 11th and headed into the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
Division II national tournament, OIT looked to repeat the 2004 season and win yet another national championship. The team played top-ranked Bellevue University
Bellevue University
Bellevue University is a private university located in Bellevue, Nebraska.-History:Creating a new college in Bellevue, Nebraska was No. 1 on the agenda for the Chamber of Commerce in June 1965. Local civic-leader and businessman Bill Brooks met with his fellow members of the chamber and lead the...
of Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
at 6:30 PM PDT on March 18, 2008. In a repeat of the 2004 title game in which Oregon Tech defeated the Bruins, 81-72, the Hustlin' Owls won their second NAIA Division II national championship with a win over Bellevue University, 63-56.
Clubs & Activities
The university has many different clubs and activities on campus which operate under the umbrella of the school's student government organization, Associated Students of OIT (ASOIT). Among these are student chapters of professional societies, such as the American Society of Civil EngineersAmerican Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
and American Dental Hygienists' Association
American Dental Hygienists' Association
The American Dental Hygienists' Association is the largest national United States organization representing the professional interests of more than 150,000 dental hygienists across the country...
, Alpha Sigma Alpha
Alpha Sigma Alpha
Alpha Sigma Alpha is a US national sorority founded on November 15, 1901 at the Virginia State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia...
http://www.oregontechasa.com(Sorority), Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
http://www.oitphidelts.com (Fraternity), recreational activity programs, special interest groups, cultural awareness organizations, student media, and academic honor societies. Also, OIT's student chapter of the Society of Automotive Engineers competes in the annual SAE Mini Baja event.
Trivia
- According to the 2006 President's Report, OIT has approximately twenty thousand alumni which represent all 50 states in the US. The most represented are OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
(12,243), Washington (2,503), CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
(1,831), ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
(391) and IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
(379).
- KOTIKOTIKOTI is a local NBC affiliate based in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Founded on August 12, 1956 by William B. Smullin of California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc., the station now serves as a repeater facility for sister station KOBI-TV NBC 5 of Medford, Oregon...
, the local NBC television affiliate in Klamath Falls, was founded at the OIT campus (then the Oregon Technical Institute) in 1956. Student-operated radio station KTECKTECKTEC is a radio station licensed to Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA. The station is currently owned by the Oregon State Board of Higher Education....
first broadcast in 1951.
- Starting salary for the Class of 2007 was $54,000, with a graduate success rate of 98 percent (employed, continuing education, or inactive/not seeking employment).
Bachelor of Science
- Allied Health Management
- Applied Mathematics
- Applied Psychology
- Biology
- Civil Engineering
- Clinical Laboratory Science (joint degree with OHSU)
- Communication Studies
- Computer Engineering Technology
- Dental HygieneDental hygienistthumb|right|300px|Dental hygienist holding a scalerA dental hygienist is a licensed dental professional who specializes in preventive oral health, typically focusing on techniques in oral hygiene. Local dental regulations determine the scope of practice of dental hygienists...
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography
- Echocardiography
- Electrical Engineering
- Electronics Engineering Technology
- Environmental Sciences
- GeomaticsGeomaticsGeomatics is the discipline of gathering, storing, processing, and delivering geographic information, or spatially referenced information.-Overview and etymology:...
- Health Sciences
- Information Technology, with options in:
- Applications Development
- Business/Systems Analysis
- Accounting
- Health InformaticsHealth informatics.Health informatics is a discipline at the intersection of information science, computer science, and health care...
http://www.oit.edu/healthinformatics
- Management, with options in:
- Accounting
- Entrepreneurship/Small Business Management
- Marketing
- Manufacturing Engineering Technology
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering Technology
- Nuclear Medicine Technology
- Nursing (through OHSU School of Nursing)
- Operations Management
- Radiologic Science
- Renewable Energy Engineering
- Respiratory Care
- Software Engineering Technology
- Vascular Technology
Associate Degrees
- Associate of Applied Science
- Emergency Medical Technology Paramedic (joint degree with OHSU)
- Respiratory Care
- Polysomnographic Technology
- Associate of Arts (Oregon Block Transfer)
- Associate of Engineering
- Computer Engineering Technology
- Electronics Engineering Technology (only offered in Portland)
- Software Engineering Technology