ABOUT UMASS AMHERST

Feb. 4, 2009

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 50 states and 45 countries. At UMass Amherst, 10 schools and colleges offer 94 undergraduate degree programs (including six associate degrees) as well as 73 master’s and 53 doctoral programs in 55 academic departments. Through UMassOnline, the campus offers 10 degree programs. Sponsored research awards totaled $135 million in fiscal 2008, providing a major stimulus for the Massachusetts economy.

ALUMNI
Total: 215,946
United States: 199,015
Massachusetts: 104,928 (52% of U.S. alumni)
(November 2008)
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, except for football, which competes in the Colonial Athletic Association. In addition to varsity athletics, students participate in 20 intramural, 44 club, and 26 Registered Student Organization sports.

ATHLETIC FACILITIES
* 120 acres of playing fields, including new softball, soccer and outdoor track 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 344 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.

CHANCELLOR
Robert C. Holub, who assumed office Aug. 1, 2008.
For other administrators, view the organizational chart (PDF).

CLASS SECTIONS: UNDERGRADUATES
Class sections: 2,297 *
Class subsections (lab, recitation, discussion): 1,130
(Fall 2008)

* 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: 42
Labs and discussions: 24
All classes - lectures, labs, discussions: 36
(Fall 2008: Average sizes)

EMPLOYEES
Classified: 2,135
Faculty: 1,518 (also see FACULTY below)
Professional: 1,760
Graduate Students: 2,447
Total Full-Time Employees: 4,823
Total Part-Time Employees: 3,037
Total All Employees: 7,860
Total Full-Time Equivalents: 6,185.6
(Fall 2008)

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: 20,539
Graduate: 5,820
Total: 26,359
(Fall 2008)

Enrollment Analysis (excluding Cont. & Prof. Educ.)
Undergraduate: 19,373. Graduate: 3,971. Sum: 23,334
Undergraduate In-State: 80%
Undergraduate Out-of-State: 20%
Graduate In-State: 37%
Graduate Out-of-State: 63%
International Undergraduate: 1%
International Graduate: 29%
(Fall 2008)

ALANA* Undergraduates
(U.S. citizens, including Cont. & Prof. Educ.): 19%

ALANA Graduate Students,
(U.S. citizens, including Cont. & Prof. Education): 18%
(Fall 2008)

* African, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander and Native American students

Continuing & Professional Education
Undergraduate: 1,166. Graduate: 1,849. Total: 3,015
(Fall 2008)

First-Year Undergraduates
Applications: 28,931
Acceptances: 18,602
Enrollments: 4,144
Acceptance Rate: 64%
Yield: 22%
ALANA: 22%
In-State: 76%; Out-of-State: 24%
Female: 53%; Male: 47%
Combined SAT: 1155
High School Rank: 21
High School GPA: 3.56
(Fall 2008)

Retention Rate (Full Time, First Year)
Number Entering: 4,268
Percentage Returning after 1 year: 87%
(For cohort entering in Fall 2007)

Graduation Rate
Number Entering Fall 2002 (First Year, Full Time): 3,284
Percentage Graduating:
4 years: 51%; 5 years: 67%; 6 years: 69%

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: 1,428
Full-Time: 1,180
Part-time: 248
Part-time FTE: 85.6
Full-Time Equivalent: 1,265.6
(Fall 2008)

FULL-TIME INSTRUCTIONAL FACULTY
Tenure System: 975
Non-Tenure System: 205
Total: 1,180
Percentage in Tenure System: 83%
(Fall 2008)

STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO
18 to 1
(Fall 2008)

FINANCE
Operating Budget: $824.5 million (FY 2009)
Total Research Awards: $135 million (FY 2008)
Endowment: $143.9 million (December 31, 2008)
Economic impact: Based on a 2006 study, the campus generates nearly $1.5 billion in economic activity in the state, with $1.2 billion of that occurring in Western Massachusetts.


FINANCIAL AID
Total Undergraduate Student Aid: $195.9 million
Average Need-Based Aid Package: $10,220
Avg. Need-Based: Grant, $8,289; Loan, $4,330; Work, $1,760
Need-based aid applicants: 13,170
Need-based aid recipients: 9,493
Applicants receiving need-based aid: 72%
Total receiving need-based Aid: 48%
(FY 2008)

GREEK AFFAIRS
Fraternities: 21 chapters, 6 chapter houses
Sororities: 15 chapters, 6 chapter houses
Total: 36 chapters, 12 chapter houses
Student participation: 1,003
(Fall 2008)

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. Sixteen are for first-year students. Total hall capacity is approximately 12,000, with undergraduate hall capacity at 11,760. The campus has three undergraduate 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. The campus also provides graduate and family housing, serving approximately 345 families in the Lincoln and North Village apartment complexes.
(Spring 2008)

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
The International Programs Office offers more than 200 international study-abroad and internship 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, Eastern Europe and Western Europe. There are more than 1,500 students from approximately 100 countries studying on campus. International students make up about 25 percent of the graduate student population. UMass Amherst annually sponsors 200 to 300 visiting scholars and their families from approximately 50 different countries around the world. Scholars arrive throughout the year and stay in the United States from three weeks to three years.
(January 2009)

LIBRARY COLLECTIONS
Books, serial backfiles, other paper materials: 3,293,434
Current serial subscriptions: 57,233
Microforms: 2,584,399
Audiovisual materials: 25,230
E-books: 285,319
Total library operating expenses: $16,087,883
(Fiscal 2008)

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
Enrollment fee: $400 (non-refundable)
(2008-09)

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: 17%
(2008)

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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