ORAU Welcomes its 100th Sponsoring Institution

Temple University and Two Other Associate Members Join the Consortium

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 26, 2009
FY09-11

OAK RIDGE, Tenn.—Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) welcomed Temple University as its 100th sponsoring institution during the 64th annual meeting of the ORAU Council of Sponsoring Institutions held in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Texas-Pan American were also accepted as the 15th and 16th associate members.

ORAU has members in 28 states ranging from Puerto Rico to Idaho and Pennsylvania to California, as well the District of Columbia and London. ORAU members award more than 37 percent of the nation’s Ph.D.’s in science and engineering and make up 37 of the top 100 research and development universities.

“The admittance of Temple University as our 100th sponsoring institution marks a pivotal milestone in the history of ORAU,” said Interim President and CEO Homer Fisher. “It was 63 years ago that ORAU was formed under the auspices of the Oak Ridge Institute for Nuclear Studies and consisted of 14 southern schools. Today, our membership is more than seven times that number and it includes major research institutions from across the country and around the globe.”

Located in Philadelphia, Pa., Temple University offers 52 doctoral degrees and 25 master’s degrees through 17 schools and colleges. Temple falls in the Carnegie Classification of Research University with High Research Activity and ranks 136 out of 630 institutions in R&D expenditures.

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) is located in Richmond, Ky., and is accredited through the Southeastern Association of Colleges and Universities. EKU offers baccalaureate degrees in biology, chemistry, computer science, earth science, mathematics and physics.

University of Texas Pan-American is located in Edinburg, Texas (UTPA), and offers 55 baccalaureate degrees, 53 masters programs and two doctoral programs. UTPA is ranked second in the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to Hispanics and fifth in the number of masters degrees awarded to Hispanics in the country.