Nov 21, 2024  
2023-2024 Catalog 
    
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2023-2024 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

About Rio

Introduction

The University of Rio Grande (URG), established in 1876, is an independent four-year, comprehensive university that offers programs ranging from certificates through the master degree level. In the past, many of its graduates entered the teaching profession. Today, many are preparing for business and public service careers, as well as for the teaching profession. During its history, the University of Rio Grande (pronounced Rye-oh) has been at times a denominational college, a two-year college, a self-help student work college, and a four-year liberal arts college.

Rio Grande Community College (RGCC), established in 1974, offers a wide range of services, including career programs, associate degree transfer programs, and continuing education programs. The Community College reinforces the University’s philosophy and history of making meaningful, affordable education and services available to all who can benefit.

The University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College represent a unique marriage between public and private education, between career and liberal arts education, and between younger and older students. The same staff, faculty, and facilities support both the private University and the Community College programs. Students in the Community College programs have the opportunity to enroll in liberal arts courses and programs. Students in liberal arts programs have an opportunity to experience career education courses and programs.

Through a contract between URG and RGCC, Ohio residents in their first two years of college work can take advantage of public community college tuition rates to earn associate degrees in arts or career education. Students have the option of continuing toward a baccalaureate degree at the University of Rio Grande, or transferring to another institution to complete a four-year degree.

Mission Statement

The University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College is America’s unique private/public institution of higher education, designed to provide learners the opportunity to attain a high quality, high-value education. Our personalized, learner-centered environment promotes successful lives, careers, and responsible citizenship.

Rio Grande Community College offers:

  • Associate’s degrees for students in professional studies and the liberal arts and sciences, as well as certificates in career and technical areas.
  • The first two years of courses for bachelor’s degrees.
  • Access to a broad array of courses at an affordable price.
  • Developmental courses along with the necessary support to enhance academic skills.
  • Appropriate business and industry partnerships and training for economic development in the surrounding four-county community college district.
  • Linkages with high schools that promote uninterrupted high school to college articulation.
  • Opportunities for community involvement in the decision- making processes.
  • Additional locations in Meigs, Jackson, and Vinton Counties, to meet the needs of the local community.

The University of Rio Grande offers:

  • Access to a broad array of associate and bachelor, and master degrees.
  • An effective balance of career preparation, liberal arts, and practical training in a nurturing environment, characterized by a focus on the unique needs of the individual.
  • Opportunities for intellectual and personal growth in a close-knit campus community.

Both URG and RGCC are committed to:

  • Encouraging the development and enhancement of integrity, morally and ethically responsible behavior, respect for diversity, and service learning among students and employees.
  • Nurturing basic professional values such as a hard work ethic, basic honesty, self-discipline, perseverance, interpersonal cooperation, and social responsibility among students and employees.
  • Providing equal opportunity for students and employees whatever their age, gender, religious background, ethnic or cultural heritage.
  • Providing opportunities for any student with special needs to receive an education equal to that of any other student.
  • Offering courses though distance and distributed learning at the certificate, undergraduate, and graduate levels.
  • Providing opportunities for students, employees, and members of the communities served by the institutions to be engaged intellectually, aesthetically, socially, and physically outside the classroom setting.
  • Maintaining a highly motivated and academically qualified full-time faculty dedicated to excellence in teaching, advising, and personal attention.

A Rio Grande education instills self-confidence and motivation, and prepares students for the challenges of living a fulfilling life, reaching career and pre-professional goals, and being a responsible citizen in a culturally diverse, global community.

Organization

Separate Boards of Trustees administer the University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College. Instructional services for both the two-year and four-year programs are coordinated by the Office of the Provost.

Campus

The University and the Community College share the same campus, facilities, and faculty. The 190-acre campus is located in Southeastern Ohio within the village of Rio Grande (Gallia County) near U.S. Route 35.

Campus facilities include eleven classroom buildings, a library, five residence halls, a student center, a dining hall, an art museum, and an administration building. Special features within these facilities include a 500-seat theatre, an athletic-recreation complex with a fitness center, a food court, and a large painting/sculpting/ceramics lab. All classrooms, offices and residential halls provide wired and wireless networking which allows Internet access to lab computers, office systems, and personal mobile devices.

Accreditation and Memberships

The University of Rio Grande is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL, 60604. Phone: 800-621-7440. Since 1916, the University has been authorized by the Department of Education, State of Ohio, to prepare students for teacher certification. The teacher education program is approved by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification, and it is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, 1140 19th St NW, Suite 400 Washington, D.C. 20036, 202-223-0077. The Associate of Applied Science in Nursing has approval status from the Ohio Board of Nursing and the University of Rio Grande Holzer School of Nursing programs are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN - Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, 3343 Peachtree Rd NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, 404-975-5000. The Radiologic Technology Program has been approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education and is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL, 60606-3182. Phone: 312-704-5300, www.jrcert.org The Diagnostic Medical Sonography General Concentration and the Cardiovascular Concentration Programs are approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education and are accredited by CAAHEP (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs), 1361 Park St., Clearwater, FL, 33756. Phone: 727-210-2350, www.caahep.org The Respiratory Therapy Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), 1248 Harwood Road, Bedford, TX, 76021, Phone: 817-283-2835, www.coarc.com/. The baccalaureate degree in Social Work is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, 333 John Carlyle St., Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314, Phone: 1-703-683-8080 www.cswe.org. The School of Business is accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE), 1134 Strang Line Road, Lenexa, Kansas, 66215, telephone: 913-631-3009, www.iacbe.org.

The University of Rio Grande is a member of the following organizations: American Association of Colleges; Ohio Association of Private Colleges for Teacher Education; Council on Social Work Education; International Assembly of Collegiate Business Education; American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO); American College Health Association; Association of Performing Arts Presenters; Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology; Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography; National Association for Industrial Technology; National Association of College and University Business Officers; National Association for Campus Activities; National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics; National Collegiate Honors Council; Mid-East Honors Association; Ohio College Association; National Organization for Associate Degree Nursing; National League of Nursing Councils of Associate Degree Programs and Baccalaureate Degree Programs; Ohio Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (OACRAO); Ohio Association of Community Colleges ; and Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

Endowed Chairs

A college or university improves its mission by being able to attract outstanding persons with the aid of endowed Chairs. In the person’s name, the Chair will make continuous contributions to education. The naming of a Chair is a lasting honor to the selected individual. The University of Rio Grande has four endowed Chairs named in honor of Harland Martin, William A. Lewis, Ina Alban, and Morris Haskins.

The Harland Martin Endowed Chair of Business - Mr. Martin, a native of Southeast Ohio, was a respected citizen, farmer, businessman, and entrepreneur.

The Dean Williams A. Lewis Endowed Chair of Psychology - Mr. Lewis, a native of Gallia County, was a respected alumnus, faculty member, president, and dean of Rio Grande College.

The Morris E. Haskins Endowed Chair of Business - Mr. Haskins, a respected banker and entrepreneur in Gallia County, who served diligently on behalf of the entire community as well as the University.

The Alumni Association

The mission of the Alumni Association of the University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College shall be to support the Rio mission by developing and maintaining strong, lifelong relationships between the alumni body and Rio.

The Rio Grande Alumni Association attempts to promote the welfare of the institution and the perpetuation of friendships and relationships formed among its members, while at school and after graduation. The Association welcomes all graduates, former students, and other friends of the University at its events and functions.

All students of the University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College automatically become members of the Alumni Association immediately upon their graduation from Rio Grande. For more information, please visit the website: https://www.rio.edu/alumni/.