This article is about the university in Pennsylvania. For the university in Illinois, see Robert Morris University (Illinois).
Coordinates: 40°31′14″N 80°12′38″W / 40.520579°N 80.210688°W / 40.520579; -80.210688
Robert Morris University (RMU) is a private, coeducational university in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1921, the school was named for Robert Morris, who signed the Declaration of Independence and helped finance the ensuing war with the British.
Robert Morris' sports teams, nicknamed "the Colonials ", use the school colors of blue and white. The Colonials compete in NCAA Division I (FCS, formerly Division I-AA, in football).
History
Robert Morris University originated in 1921 as the Pittsburgh School of Accountancy. Andrew Blass established the school in response to what he saw as a shortage of accountants in the local economy.
In 1962 the school purchased 230 acres in Moon Township, Pennsylvania: (as of 2009[update] the site of its campus.) The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania then granted the school permission to award associate degrees, and the school became Robert Morris Junior College.
Prior to 2002, the university used the name "Robert Morris College". However, it is not affiliated with Robert Morris College in Chicago, Illinois.
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools accredits Robert Morris University. As of 2009[update] enrollment is approximately 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
On May 20, 2005, University officials announced the selection of Gregory G. Dell'Omo, an administrator at St. Joseph's University, to replace long-time president Edward Nicholson. Dell'Omo was installed as president on August 1, 2005.
Academics
RMU offers 60 undergraduate and 20 graduate degree programs. The core campus consists of a 230-acre (931,000 m²) tract in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh (near Pittsburgh International Airport), and the school maintains a satellite campus in downtown Pittsburgh, on Fifth Avenue near the Allegheny County Courthouse.
The university consists of five academic schools
- the School of Business offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs, which are AACSB accredited[1]
- the School of Education and Social Sciences offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs
- the School of Nursing and Health Sciences offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs
- the School of Communications and Information Systems offers undergraduate (ABET accredited), graduate, and doctoral degree programs
- the School of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science offers undergraduate degree programs, including ABET-accredited engineering programs, and one graduate program
RMU also functions as a provider institution for the Online Consortium of Independent Colleges and Universities (OCICU).
Men's and Women's Basketball
Both the Men's and Women's teams participate in the Northeast Conference.
The Men's team has played in six NCAA Tournaments, losing in the Round of 64 each time:
In 1983, they won their only NCAA Tournament game, a "Play-In" game against Georgia Southern.
In recent years, both the Men's and Women's teams have had success in their conference, with the Women's team winning the NEC Championship in 2008 and making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, only to bow out in the first round to Rutgers, while the Men's team qualified for the NIT.
The men's team won the 2009 NEC Championship, beating Mount St. Mary's 48-46. With the win, the school qualified for the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, their sixth trip to the tournament.
Other Athletics
Robert Morris Colonials logo
The men's and women's ice hockey teams are members of the College Hockey America conference, while all other sports are sponsored by the Northeast Conference, with the exception of the Men's lacrosse team (members of the CAA) and women's rowing, which is independent.
Robert Morris also has a widely respected bowling team, as they have produced several well known professional bowlers and also were the 2007 National Runner-Ups.
The Men's and Women's basketball teams play in the Sewall Center and the football and lacrosse teams play in Joe Walton Stadium. The school's soccer teams both play on the North Athletic Complex, and the hockey teams play their games at the Clearview Arena, a part of the Neville Island Sports Complex, just down the road from the campus.
On February 14, 2009, the Men's lacrosse team defeated Penn State 12-11 in double overtime in the program's biggest victory at Joe Walton Stadium.
Notable alumni
Facts
- Former professional hockey-player and actor David Hanson currently manages RMU's Island Sports Complex.
External links
