Mission Statement
Upper Iowa University provides student-centered undergraduate and graduate educational programs through flexible, multiple delivery systems in an environment in which diversity is respected, encouraged and nurtured.
Vision Statement
Upper Iowa University will be recognized and respected as an exceptional and ascending institution of higher learning, developing global citizens who become lifelong learners prepared for leadership within society.
UIU's History
1800s
Plans for the institution that became Upper Iowa University originated in the 1850's when several of the early settlers of northeast Iowa felt the need for expanded educational opportunities in the area. Colonel Robert Alexander and his son-in-law, Samuel Robertson, made donations of money and land, and other area residents added their contributions for the project.Construction of the first building for the new college was started in May 1855. This building (now Alexander-Dickman Hall) eventually housed the President's quarters, administrative offices, classrooms, and a coed dormitory in its three floors. The first classes at the University were held January 7, 1857.
During the Civil War, many of the Upper Iowa students formed the "University Recruits," which became part of Company C of the 12th Iowa Infantry, Union Army, and participated in several major battles.
1900s
By the turn of the century, Upper Iowa University had twenty-six full-time instructors, and the campus consisted of six buildings. A major contribution to the academic life of UIU was realized when Andrew Carnegie donated $25,000 to build a library. It was dedicated in 1902 and named in honor of David B. Henderson, a former UIU student and a friend of Carnegie's, who was then serving as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
In 1907, Dr. John Dorman, a young Fayette dentist and UIU Alumnus, accepted the position as general manager of the football team. Dr. Dorman remained as head of Upper Iowa's athletic program for more than 50 years. "Doc" collected many honors including an Achievement Award from the Football Writers Association of America in 1955 and selection to the Helms Athletic Hall of Fame in 1956. He was the first small college coach to be honored by either group. The present gymnasium is named in his honor.
In 1917, as the United States entered World War I, the young men at UIU formed a military company on campus to prepare themselves for service to the country, while the women organized Red Cross classes.
In 1920, a systematic program of extension work throughout northeast Iowa was formulated. The purpose was to send representatives of the school into neighboring communities as instructors. UIU was one of the pioneers in this field.
With the outbreak of World War II, UIU rose to the demands of the times again, and many university staff and students enlisted into active military service or into war-related work. At the end of the war and with the passing of the G.I. Bill, students, primarily veterans, once more flocked to the campus.
Upper Iowa University established one of the first and most successful external degree programs. Based upon the "university-without-walls" concept of the British, the Coordinated Off-Campus Degree Program (currently the External Degree Program) began in 1973. Its initial purpose was to provide a viable alternative to existing baccalaureate programs in public administration.
In 1974, in response to demand from adults employed in private industry, this program was expanded to encompass a business administration major. Today, External Degree Program learners have been accepted from all 50 states and 43 foreign countries. Numerous companies and government agencies sponsor their employees enrolled in the program, which has produced more than 2700 graduates and currently enrolls more than 2900.
From 1981 to 1994 the systematic establishment of off-campus centers was begun: in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1981; in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1983; in Waterloo, Iowa, in 1985; in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, in 1988; and at Fort Riley, Kansas, and in Milwaukee and Wausau, Wisconsin, in 1992. The University's administrative structure was reorganized and a new mission statement was adopted; in accordance with mission goals, academic programs were strengthened with new faculty and equipment, and student life was enhanced with new facilities and increased operating budgets. As a result of all these changes, enrollments quadrupled.
In July 1994, Dr. Ralph McKay became president. Continuation of the landscaping and building renovation program brought exciting new changes to the campus, especially with the construction of Lee Tower Residence Hall. The expansion of the Extended University continued, and the North Central Association granted approval for centers at Fort Polk, Louisiana; Janesville, Wisconsin; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and Jackson Barracks, Louisiana.
In 1995, the North Central Association granted approval of the University's new Master of Arts in Business Leadership degree program. President McKay articulated his vision for UIU's future as "a distinctively entrepreneurial university meeting the educational needs of learners worldwide." In conjunction with this worldwide focus and with the endorsement of the North Central Association, degree programs began in Pacific Rim countries, with Hong Kong as the first site.
In 1999 the University launched its Online Program. Since its beginning, it has grown to be a nationally regarded program with students throughout the world. Â
2000s
In 2001, the University restructured the graduate program. After a successful review from the North Central Association, the Master of Business Administration was implemented through the Online Program as well as four undergraduate majors. In the fall of 2001, Upper Iowa University became the largest private college in the state of Iowa with over 5,100 learners.
In 2002, Upper Iowa University, Extended University received programmatic accreditation from the International Assembly of Collegiate Business Educators.
New UIU centers opened in Elkhorn, Wisconsin and Ankeny, Iowa.
In July 2003, Dr. Ralph McKay retired as president after 40 years in higher education. Dr. Suzanne James, Senior Vice President for the Extended University was named interim president. She focused on building a global community for Upper Iowa University with high academic and quality standards.
In April 2004, the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association approved the University's Master of Public Administration degree program. In July 2004, Dr. Alan Walker became the 20th president of Upper Iowa University.
In August 2005, the Jackson Barracks Center was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. In the months that followed, the University moved its operation to the Learning Center of Rapids Parish in Alexandria, Louisiana and changed its name to the Alexandria center to meet the needs of learners displaced by Katrina.
In 2005, Upper Iowa University was admitted into the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) developed by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association and embraces the concepts and practices of continuous quality improvement.
In 2008, Upper Iowa University opened new centers in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Rockford, Illinois. The Cedar Rapids and Rockford Centers combine UIU's historical and distinctive brand image with technology enhanced learning environments aimed at assisting adult learners continuing their education.
Expectations for Student Learning
Upper Iowa University has in place a Student Academic Assessment Plan. Through this assessment plan, continual evaluation of curriculum will occur to ensure excellence in teaching and effective learning. The faculty at Upper Iowa University has determined the following competencies to be essential in the general education component: critical thinking and problem solving, communication, quantitative/scientific reasoning, effective use of information technology, analysis of the implications of global and national diversity, evaluation of the importance of social responsibility and appreciation of the role of the humanities for the interpretation of human experience.
The approach to general education assessment at Upper Iowa University represents a departure from traditional strategies focused on teaching and instead focuses on student-centered learning strategies that integrate critical thinking, problem solving and respect for intellectual property in all aspects of the learning experience. As part of the overall Academic Quality Improvement Program, Upper Iowa University seeks to continuously reflect on its vision to develop global citizens who become lifelong learners prepared for leadership.
To this end, the faculty has identified a number of tasks students will accomplish as they successfully complete their course work on their way through the General Education curriculum. In completing the tasks, students will pass through a regimen of coursework designed to provide a consistent educational experience, yet one flexible enough to be contoured to individual interests and needs. Each course in the General Education has its own vital goals and outcomes, as determined by its instructor and articulated on its individual syllabus. The following tasks are related to particular skills students will have developed in order to manipulate learned materials in defined ways, coherently across the University. The tasks are spread across a variety of disciplines common to liberal arts colleges and universities in the 21st century: Natural Sciences, History, Arts and Humanities, Mathematics, Information Systems, Behavioral Sciences, Communications, and Cultural Studies. These tasks are not to be construed as goals in and of themselves, and the courses in which they are addressed are by no means limited in their breadth and scope to the accomplishment of the specified tasks. Rather, the completion of the tasks may be regarded as milestones for students to pass as they approach the goal of a Bachelor's Degree in light of Upper Iowa University's mission
as a liberal arts institution.
Students may expect to complete thirty-nine semester hours of General Education coursework as they accomplish the tasks. Some course requirements may be waived for students who are able to demonstrate prior achievement of course outcomes either by transfer credit or by scoring at the 85th percentile on the appropriate section of the Accuplacer examination. Requirements may vary for students enrolled in the Teacher Education Program.
The University faculty determines which specific courses will include the completion and assessment of the various tasks. The Division of Science and Mathematics will recommend to the faculty whether a course offered anywhere within the University is suitable for housing of the natural science and mathematics tasks; the Division of Liberal Arts and Humanities makes similar recommendations regarding the history, humanities, cultures, social science and communications tasks. The Division of Business recommends those courses which are suitable for the MIS task. In addition, faculty in each of these divisions is responsible for review and assessment of artifacts submitted anywhere in the University as evidence of task completion.
Accreditation
The University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association (www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org) and is approved by the
Louisiana Higher Education Board, the Wisconsin Educational Approval Board, and the Iowa Department of Education (for teacher education in Iowa only). The programs offered are approved by the states of Iowa, Kansas (restricted), Louisiana, and Wisconsin for veterans' benefits.
Upper Iowa University is currently licensed by the Board of Regents of the State of Louisiana. Licenses are renewed by the State Board of Regents every two years. Licensed institutions have met minimal operational standards set forth by the state, but licensure does not constitute accreditation, guarantee the transferability of credit, nor signify that programs are certifiable by any professional agency or organization.
Upper Iowa University has been granted authority to operate and grant degrees in the Fox Valley Region by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
Upper Iowa University has memberships in the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) and Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE).
Upper Iowa University is a nonprofit organization founded in 1857. It has no shareholders or private ownership but is controlled by a board of trustees.
