ABOUT UMASS AMHERST

April 16, 2008

Founded in 1863, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a major public research university and the flagship of the five-campus state university system, enrolling students from 49 states and 28 countries. At UMass Amherst, 10 schools and colleges offer 94 undergraduate degree programs (including six associate degrees) as well as 74 master’s and 53 doctoral programs in 53 academic departments. Through UMassOnline, the campus offers eight degree programs. Sponsored research awards totaled $131 million in fiscal 2007, providing a major stimulus for the Massachusetts economy.

ALUMNI
Total: 210,262
United States: 190,050
Massachusetts: 103,729; 52% of U.S. alumni, 49% of all alumni
(November 2007)
Distinctive alumni


ATHLETICS
UMass Amherst competes in 23 intercollegiate sports (11 for men and 12 for women). All teams participate in NCAA Division I, except for football in Division I-AA. The Minutemen and Minutewomen play in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Starting in 2007, football will compete in the Colonial Athletic Association. In addition to varsity athletics, students participate in 26 intramural, 11 club, and 10 Registered Student Organization sports.

ATHLETIC FACILITIES
* 120 acres of playing fields, including new softball and soccer facilities.
* Warren P. McGuirk Alumni Stadium, seating capacity 17,000. The stadium is home to the football team and is the site of Undergraduate Commencement.
* William D. Mullins Center. Seating capacities: basketball, 9,493; hockey, 8,389. Mullins also seats 10,500 for center stage shows and 9,000 for a typical concert.

CAMPUS
Located on 1,463 acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, the UMass Amherst campus includes 346 major buildings and provides a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers. The Town of Amherst is located 90 miles west of Boston, 60 miles north of Hartford, Conn., and 175 miles north of New York City. Amherst's population of 34,874 includes thousands of students attending UMass, Amherst College and Hampshire College.

INTERIM CHANCELLOR
Thomas W. Cole Jr. , who assumed office Sept. 1, 2007.
For other administrators, view the organizational chart (PDF).

CLASS SECTIONS: UNDERGRADUATES
Class sections: 2,294 *
Class subsections (lab, recitation, discussion): 1,059
(Fall 2007)

* An organized course offered for credit, identified by discipline and number, meeting at a stated time in a classroom or similar setting, and not a subsection.

CLASS SIZE
Lectures: 41
Labs and discussions: 24
All classes - lectures, labs, discussions: 36
(Fall 2007: Average sizes)

EMPLOYEES
Classified: 2,142
Faculty: 1,494 (also see FACULTY below)
Professional: 1,727
Graduate Students: 2,479
Total Full-Time Employees: 4,776
Total Part-Time Employees: 3,066
Total All Employees: 7,842
Total Full-Time Equivalents: 6,166.9
(Fall 2007)

ENROLLMENT, RETENTION AND GRADUATION

Undergraduate admission decisions are based, in order of importance, on high school grades, test scores (including the SAT or ACT), recommendations, an essay and activities. A campus visit is recommended.

Enrollment
Undergraduate: 20,114
Graduate: 5,759
Total: 25,873
(Fall 2007)

Enrollment Analysis (excluding Cont. & Prof. Educ.)
Undergraduate: 19,120. Graduate: 4,107. Sum: 23,227
Undergraduate In-State: 80%
Undergraduate Out-of-State: 20%
Graduate In-State: 38%
Graduate Out-of-State: 62%
International Undergraduate: 1%
International Graduate: 28%
ALANA* Undergraduate (U.S. citizens): 18%

* African, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander and Native American students
(Fall 2007)

Continuing & Professional Education
Undergraduate: 994. Graduate: 1,652. Total: 2,646
(Fall 2007)

ALANA Graduate Students, including Cont. & Prof. Education
(U.S. citizens): 18%
(Fall 2007)

First-Year Undergraduates
Applications: 27,138
Acceptances: 17,815
Enrollments: 4,286
Acceptance Rate: 66%
Yield: 24%
ALANA: 21%
In-State: 74%; Out-of-State: 26%
Female: 54%; Male: 46%
Combined SAT: 1142
High School Rank: 23
High School GPA: 3.48
(Fall 2007)

Retention Rate (Full Time, First Year)
Number Entering: 4,171
Percentage Returning after 1 year: 84%
(For cohort entering in Fall 2006)

Graduation Rate
Number Entering Fall 2001 (First Year, Full Time): 4,005
Percentage Graduating:
4 years: 49%; 5 years: 64%; 6 years: 67%

To graduate, a student must have a minimum of 120 credits (128-136 for Engineering majors). Full-time students should make normal progress toward graduation by carrying, at minimum, 12 credits or more per semester. To earn 120 credits in eight semesters (four years), students must average 15 credits per semester. A student graduating in 12 semesters (six years), would average 10 credits per semester.

FACULTY

ALL INSTRUCTIONAL FACULTY
Total: 1,361
Full-Time: 1,175
Part-time: 186
Part-time FTE: 66.6
Full-Time Equivalent: 1,241.6
(Fall 2007)

FULL-TIME INSTRUCTIONAL FACULTY
Tenure System: 972
Non-Tenure System: 203
Total: 1,175
Percentage in Tenure System: 83%
(Fall 2007)

STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO
17 to 1
(Fall 2007)

FINANCE
Operating Budget: $789.2 million (FY 2007)
Total Research Awards : $131 million (FY 2007)
Endowment: $135.8 million (September 2007)
Economic impact: Based on a 2006 study, the campus generates $1.45 billion in economic activity.

FINANCIAL AID
Total Undergraduate Student Aid: $178.3 million
Average Need-Based Aid Package: $9,801
Avg. Need-Based: Grant, $7,680; Loan, $4,161; Work, $1,736
Need-based aid applicants: 13,138
Need-based aid recipients: 9,236
Undergraduates Receiving Need-Based Aid: 70%
(FY 2007)

GREEK AFFAIRS
Fraternities: 19 chapters, 6 chapter houses
Sororities: 15 chapters, 6 chapter houses
Total: 34 chapters, 12 chapter houses
Student participation: 788, or 4% of undergraduates
(Fall 2007)

HOUSING
UMass Amherst has 45 residence halls, of which 44 are for undergraduates. One residence hall is for females only, and one is for males only. Ten are for first-year students. Total hall capacity is 12,000, with undergraduate hall capacity at 11,760. The campus has three housing rates. For 2008-09 they are: apartments (nine-month rent), $7,596; single rooms (eight-month rent), $5,335; and shared rooms (eight-month rent), $4,320. Students residing in the graduate and three undergraduate nine-month residence halls are billed an additional $150 per semester. All non-veteran students are required to live on campus through their sophomore year unless they are living with family within a 40-mile radius; they may live in a sorority or fraternity house in their sophomore year.
(Fall 2007)

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

The International Programs Office offers more than 200 international study-abroad opportunities in over 40 countries to more than 1,200 students each year. Programs are available in Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, Russia, Eastern Europe and Western Europe, including France, Germany, Ireland, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom. UMass Amherst annually sponsors 200 to 300 visiting scholars and their families from approximately 50 different countries. Scholars arrive year round and stay in the U.S. from three weeks to three years. There are more than 1,500 students from around the world currently studying on campus.
(December 2007)

LIBRARY COLLECTIONS
Books, serial backfiles, other paper materials: 3,233,990
Current serial subscriptions: 40,749
Microforms: 2,583,474
Audiovisual materials: 24,997
E-books: 258,882
Total library operating expenses: $15,517,287
(Fiscal 2007)

STUDENT CHARGES: UNDERGRADUATE IN-STATE
Tuition: $1,714. Required Fees: $8,518. Total: $10,232
Room: $4,524. Board: $3,590. Total: $8,114
Total All Charges: $18,346
(2008-09)

STUDENT CHARGES: UNDERGRADUATE OUT-OF-STATE
Tuition: $9,937. Required Fees: $11,792. Total: $21,729
Room: $4,524. Board: $3,590. Total: $8,114
Total All Charges: $29,843
(2008-09)

STUDENT CHARGES: GRADUATE IN-STATE
Tuition: $2,640. Required Fees: $7,766. Total: $10,406
(2008-09)

STUDENT CHARGES: GRADUATE OUT-OF-STATE
Tuition: $9,937. Required Fees: $10,471. Total: $20,408
(2008-09)

CHARGES FOR ENTERING STUDENTS
Tuition deposit: $200 (non-refundable)
Entering fee: $185
Counseling fee: $175
Room deposit: $200
(2007-08)

STUDENT LIFE
UMass Amherst has one of the most comprehensive student activities programs in the country, including award-winning student-run businesses and many cultural and religious activities. The campus has more than 280 Registered Student Organizations.

VEHICLES ON CAMPUS
Percentage of students with cars on campus: 30%
(2007)

NEED ADDITIONAL DATA?

The Information Clearinghouse provides a wealth of detailed information dating back many years.

Within this site, two of the most valuable documents are the
Common Data Set (CDS) and Common Data Set Appendix.

The CDS is a data collection tool produced collaboratively by college guide publishers and higher education professionals. The CDS survey was developed to improve the quality of information provided to potential students by making comparable information based on common data definitions available. The Appendix provides additional information to respond to frequently asked questions about the campus

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