Washington State University and Washington Nationals

Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university. The university is well known for its programs in chemical engineering, veterinary medicine, agriculture, hp-513775-001-batteryanimal science, food science, plant science, architecture, neuroscience, criminal justice, and communications. It is ranked in the top-ten universities in the US[4] in terms of clean technology and it is one of 96 public and private universities in America with "very high research activity," as determined by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. hp-pavilion-dv9500-battery [5] WSU is ranked among the top half of national universities at 115th according to U.S. News and World Report. The university also operates branch campuses across Washington known as WSU Spokane, WSU Tri-Cities, and WSU Vancouver, hp-bq350aa-battery all founded in 1989. These campuses award primarily bachelor's and master's degrees. Freshmen and sophomores were first admitted to the Vancouver campus in 2006 and to the Tri-Cities campus in 2007. The university also offers eight undergraduate degrees, a professional science masters and an online MBA to students around the world through WSU Online, formerly known as Distance Degree Programs.  hp-g42-250la-batteryTotal enrollment for the four campuses and WSU Online exceeds 25,900 students.[6] In 2009, this included a record 1,447 international students, the highest since 1994 when there were 1,442.[7] WSU's athletic teams are called the Cougars and the school colors are crimson and gray. The six men's and nine women's varsity teams compete in NCAA Division I in the Pacific-12 Conference.  hp-envy-15-1100-battery  History Thompson-Bryan Hall in 1925 Washington State College was established by the Washington Legislature on March 28, 1890, hp-513775-001-battery less than five months after statehood was declared on November 11, 1889. The institution was one of the land-grant colleges created under the 1862 federal Morrill Act signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. The federal land grants for the new institution included 90,000 acres (36,000 ha) of federal land for an agricultural college and 100,000 acres (40,000 ha) for a school of science. hp-probook-4720s-battery [8] After an extended search for a location, the state's new land-grant college opened in Pullman on January 13, 1892. The year 1897 saw the first graduating class of seven men and women.[9] The school changed names from Washington Agricultural College and School of Science to State College of Washington in 1905,  hp-business-notebook-6735s-batteryto Washington State College and then to Washington State University in 1959. Enoch A. Bryan, appointed July 22, 1893, was the first influential president of WSU. Bryan held graduate degrees from Harvard and Columbia and previously served as the president of Vincennes University in Indiana. Prior to Bryan's arrival the fledgling university suffered through significant organizational instability.  hp-business-notebook-6720s-battery Bryan guided WSU toward respectability and is arguably the most influential figure in the history of WSU. The landmark clock tower in the center of campus is his namesake. WSU's role as a statewide institution became clear in 1894 with the launch of its first Agricultural Experiment Station west of the Cascade Mountains near Puyalluphp-business-notebook-6730s-ct-battery. WSU has subsequently established extension offices and research centers in all regions of the state, with major research facilities in Prosser, Mount Vernon, and Wenatchee. In 1989, WSU officially gained branch campuses in Spokane, the Tri-Cities, and Vancouver.  hp-probook-4710s-batteryOverall, the Federal Government and the State of Washington have entrusted 190,000 acres (77,000 ha) of land to WSU for agricultural and scientific research throughout the Pacific Northwest. Professional education began with establishment of the School of Veterinary Science in 1899;  hp-pavilion-dm4-1165dx-battery in 1902 the first two veterinary science students graduated and in 1909 the first Doctor of Veterinary Science degrees were awarded. The veterinary school was elevated to college status in 1916, becoming the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1925. Graduate education began in the early years and, in 1902,  hp-464059-252-batterythe first master's degree was conferred, an M.S. in Botany. In 1917, the institution was organized into five colleges and four schools, with deans as administrative heads, and in 1922 a Graduate School created. In 1929, the first PhD degree conferred, one in Bacteriology.  dell-latitude-e6220-battery [edit]Organization and administration The university offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in 200 fields of study through 65 departments, schools and programs. [edit]Colleges dell-latitude-e5400-battery These departments, schools and programs are organized into 12 academic colleges as follows: College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences College of Business dell-studio-1535-battery Edward R. Murrow College of Communication College of Education College of Engineering and Architecture College of Liberal Artsdell-wu946-battery College of Pharmacy College of Nursing College of Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine dell-ky265-battery In addition, WSU has a University College for students who have not declared majors, an all-university Honors College, a Graduate School, and an accredited intensive English program for non-native speakers (the Intensive American Language Center). [edit]Regents dell-latitude-e6320-battery Washington State University is chartered by the State of Washington. A Board of Regents governs the university and provides direction to the President. There are ten regents appointed by the governor, nine of whom serve six-year terms. The tenth is a student regent appointed on an annual basis.  dell-vostro-1088-batteryAs of March 2009 a proposal under consideration by the state legislature would add an eleventh to the board, appointed from the faculty for a three-year term, whose role would be limited to issues not dealing with faculty.[10] Currently the regents are Theodor P. Baseler, Scott E. Carson, Harold A. Cochran, Elizabeth A. Cowles,  dell-latitude-d430-batteryFrancois X. Forgette, Laura M. Jennings, Connie M. Niva, V. Rafael Stone, Ericka Christensen (student), and Michael Worthy.[11] [edit]Administration The President, currently Elson S. Floyd,  dell-vostro-1720-batteryserves as the chief executive officer. The Provost and Executive Vice President, currently Warwick M. Bayly, handles academics, research and faculty matters for WSU statewide. Floyd, former president of University of Missouri System, succeeded V. Lane Rawlins on May 21, 2007. Bayly was formerly Dean of the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine.  dell-studio-1450-battery [edit]WSU Foundation The WSU Foundation is an independent, private corporation with its own Board of Governors and Chief Executive Officer that serves as a fundraising organization for the university. The current Board Chair is Tony Rojas dell-studio-1735-battery. [edit]Alumni Association The WSU Alumni Association is also an independent body with a Board of Directors and President. The WSUAA is organized into 34 regional alumni groups called chapters. The Association's mission is "Encouraging excellence to enhance the quality and global recognition of WSU,  dell-latitude-e6410-batterySupporting Scholarships to help students attain a WSU education, and Making Connections to connect back to WSU through services and programs for alumni and friends." The Association hosts numerous socials and networking events for alumni in addition to sponsoring many on-campus activities. dell-inspiron-1764-batteryWSU University Relations also provides support for the Association through the Office of Alumni Relations. The current Executive Director of Alumni Relations is Tim Pavish '80, and the Board President is Rhonda Kromm. The most famous WSU alumnus is Edward R. Murrow, the influential broadcaster for whom the WSU communication college is named.  dell-studio-1745-battery [edit]Faculty The Faculty Senate serves as the sounding board for the more than 2,200 faculty members. All major academic decisions must be approved by the Senate. The Senate is composed of representatives from each academic college and department,  dell-latitude-e6500-batteryand from all four WSU campuses. Currently, there is a WSU presidential committee analyzing possibilities of creating new synergies through a re-alignment by moving departments and creating new schools. [edit]Students WSU has two representative student body organizations:  dell-inspiron-9100-batterythe Associated Students of Washington State University (ASWSU) founded in 1915 and the Graduate and Professional Students Association (GPSA) founded about 1970. ASWSU's organizational framework is similar to that of most American governments complete with an appointed and confirmed judiciary, dell-studio-1558-batteryelected representatives (from districts) to a senate, and an annually elected president and vice-president team. The president also has a paid staff led by the Chief of Staff ranging in size from 6–12 members, depending on the year. GPSA is similar, but differs in that it lacks a judiciary or a paid staff.  dell-studio-1747-battery The GPSA is centered on the senate which is composed of a large number of senators that represent different graduate and professional programs. The GPSA also has an executive Council that consists of the GPSA President, Vice-Presidents, and nine District Representatives that are elected from the nine colleges of WSU.  dell-latitude-d410-battery In recent years, the student body completed several major projects on campus. In addition to passing a $15 transportation fee to increase Pullman Transit's service, the student body also voted to remodel the Compton Union Building. The building closed in May 2006 and re-opened in August 2008.  dell-vostro-1015-battery In March 2006, ASWSU voted to support the renovation of Martin Stadium, adding $25 per semester to undergraduate student fees. [edit]Media Horizon Air Q400 in unique WSU livery Three primary periodicals serve the university community.  dell-x5458-batteryThey are Washington State Magazine,[12] for alumni, friends, faculty, and staff; WSU Today daily e-newsletter and Web site[13] for faculty, staff and graduate students; and The Daily Evergreen, the student newspaper.[14] The first issue of the Evergreen was published in 1895,  dell-xps-m1210-battery while the magazine's roots trace to the WSU alumni periodical PowWow, first published in 1910.[15] WSU broadcast media include Northwest Public Radio and Television, the network of public radio and television stations in the Northwest owned and operated by Washington State University.  dell-vostro-1720-battery Today's network of AM and FM radio stations evolved from the university's original station that went on the air December 10, 1922, making it one of the earliest in the country. Its call letters changed over time from KFAE to KWSC to KWSU. WSU alumnus Edward R. Murrow got his start in radio at KWSC. HP Pavilion dv7-1000 Battery [16] Cable 8 Productions is a local student-operated cable TV channel serving WSU and the Pullman-Moscow area.[17] KZUU 90.7 FM, a non-commercial college radio station, is a service of ASWSU.[18] It gained FCC approval in 1979.[19] KUGR Sports Rock is a student-operated, online radio station. HP Pavilion dv7-1000ea Battery [20] Among the students who operate these media are broadcasting students in WSU's Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. [edit]Academics Homer J. Danna Hall, College of Engineering and Architecture. University rankings (overall) HP Pavilion dv7-1000ef Battery National ARWU[21]     91 - 114 Forbes[22]     460 U.S. News & World Report[23] 115 Washington MonthlyHP Pavilion dv7-1000eg Battery [24]         117 Global ARWU[25]     201 - 302 QS[26]    354 Times[27]       301 - 350 Washington State University provides quality education for undergraduate and graduate students within a caring and engaged community. HP Pavilion dv7-1000fr Battery The University’s motto “World Class. Face to Face.” reflects that. Considered one of the leading public research universities in America, WSU has 12 colleges and a graduate school. WSU offers strong and varied academic programs. HP Pavilion dv7-1001ea Battery The liberal arts and sciences have an important place in the curriculum, along with business, communication, education, architecture, pharmacy, nursing, and the traditional land-grant disciplines of agriculture, engineering, and veterinary medicine. WSU offers more than 200 fields of study, HP Pavilion dv7-1001ef Battery including majors, minors, options, and certificate programs. Bachelor’s degrees are available in all major areas, with master’s and doctoral degrees available in most. The undergraduate core curriculum, including the writing program, is nationally recognized. WSU’s Honors College is one of the oldest and most respected all-university programs for academically talented students. HP Pavilion dv7-1001eg BatteryWSU confers nearly 5,900 bachelor’s, master’s, professional, and doctoral degrees statewide in a typical year. More than 1,400 instructional faculty members provide learning opportunities that open students’ minds to the most recent knowledge and discoveries. The chance for students to know and work closely with their teachers is a WSU tradition. HP Pavilion dv7-1001tx Battery [edit]Rankings According to the 2011 U.S. News and World Report ranking of public universities, WSU ranked 57th; and ranked 115th among "national universities". It also ranked 69th overall among 343 undergraduate business schools; ranked 19th in the International business programs that are accredited by AACSBHP Pavilion dv7-1001xx Battery, and rank 66th overall for best undergraduate engineering programs that are accredited by ABET. Its Veterinary Medicine ranked 15th among the nation respectively. In The Washington Monthly criteria, which considers research, community service, and social mobility, WSU rank 117 among national universities. HP Pavilion dv7-1002ea Battery Globally, WSU is considered for rankings. WSU ranked 91 to 114 range by the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) nationally, and 201- 302 range in world ranking. QS World University Rankings rank WSU 354th in 2011/2012 Edition. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings rank WSU 301-350 range for the first time in their 2011 edition among 400 institutions in the worldHP Pavilion dv7-1002tx Battery. [edit]WSU Libraries WSU Libraries coordinates the administration of the six major libraries on WSU's Pullman campus (Architecture, Brain Education, Fischer Agricultural Sciences, Animal Health, Holland/Terrell, HP Pavilion dv7-1002xx Batteryand Owen Science & Engineering Libraries) and five libraries off the Pullman campus (Betty M. Anderson, WSU Energy Program, WSU Spokane, WSU Tri-Cities, WSU Vancouver libraries). Five minor libraries on the Pullman campus (GLBA, Heritage House, Human Relations & Diversity, Music, and Women's Resource Center collections) are outside the WSU Libraries. HP Pavilion dv7-1003ea Battery [28] WSU Libraries also participate in the Orbis Cascade Alliance,[29] a consortium of 36 university and college libraries in Washington and Oregon offering the Summit catalog and an inter-library loan system. WSU Libraries utilize ILLiad, RAPID, and DOCLINE for document delivery. [edit]ResearchHP Pavilion dv7-1003el Battery WSU spent $283.1 million on research in the 2008 fiscal year. In 2007 National Science Foundation rankings of research and development expenditures, WSU ranked 22nd among public research universities without a medical school, 57th among all public research institutions, HP Pavilion dv7-1003eo Battery and 82nd among all research institutions, public and private.[30] Research and scholarship at WSU is rooted in agriculture, natural for a land-grant university. The institution's first leader, George W. Lilley (1891–1892), was both president of the then named Washington Agricultural College and School of Science and director of the Washington Agricultural Experiment Station. HP Pavilion dv7-1003tx BatterySubjects taught by the first five faculty members included agriculture, botany, horticulture, forestry, and veterinary science. In 1894, the 6th faculty member, William Jasper Spillman, arrived to teach plant science and mathematics and serve as the first wheat breeder.[31] The WSU wheat research and breeding program continues to serve the Washington wheat industry, HP Pavilion dv7-1003xx Batterythe 6th largest in the nation in 2008–2009.[32] The state's wheat growers work closely with WSU researchers on development of new wheat varieties that meet their needs.[33][34] The university’s food and agriculture research helps sustain the state’s annual $29 billion food industry. HP Pavilion dv7-1004ea Battery Faculty partnered with agriculture interests to create today's $3 billion a year wine grape business[35] while the Apple Genome Project draws collaboration from scientists worldwide to map the apple genome, research aimed at supporting the apple industry. Food science is another long-time research field at WSU. HP Pavilion dv7-1004tx BatteryWork in the 1940s on types of cheese suitable for storing in cans or tins led to creation of now award-winning Cougar Gold cheese, a white cheddar produced at the WSU Creamery with milk from the university's dairy herd.[36] In 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of microwave energy for producing pre-packaged, low-acid foods, HP Pavilion dv7-1005ef Batteryand WSU professor Juming Tang led development of the technology by university, industry and U.S. military scientists.[37] In terms of productivity, WSU plant sciences faculty rank No. 2 in the nation, animal sciences faculty rank fourth, and food science faculty rank 6th according to Academic Analytics' 2007 Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index. HP Pavilion dv7-1005eg Battery [38] In addition, WSU agricultural studies have helped shape U.S. public policy by showing how sustainable farming practices sidestep the environmental hazards of conventional agriculture. The Climate Friendly Farming project helps farmers adopt methods that mitigate global climate change. HP Pavilion dv7-1005eo Battery [39] Veterinary medicine and animal health are also important research areas at WSU. In 2008, a $25 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded a large share of the cost for a research facility for a new WSU School for Global Animal Health. Its scientists address global infectious disease challenges by detecting diseases within animal populations and controlling their transmission. HP Pavilion dv7-1005es Battery The Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory located at WSU works closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop and deploy diagnostic tests for livestock diseases. In the area of clean technologies, HP Pavilion dv7-1005tx Batteryuniversity researchers work to raise the efficiency and reliability of the nation’s electrical power grid, improve air quality forecasting in the Northwest, and conduct cooperative research projects under the Department of Energy Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI). Scholars are developing an algae-based biofuel that consumes greenhouse gases in its production and are working to patent nanospring technology that would fit into an ordinary gas tank, HP Pavilion dv7-1006tx Battery solving the problem of hydrogen storage. In 2001, WSU professor M. Grant Norton and University of Idaho physics professor David McIlroy were the first scientists to create nanosprings.[40] Recent positron research discoveries could yield the first practical method for containing and transporting an antimatter fuel. WSU is also home to one of the few remaining Nuclear Research Reactors in the country. HP Pavilion dv7-1007ef Battery The Nuclear Radiation Center is a 1 MW TRIGA Conversion reactor built in 1961 during President Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace initiative. It is a very potent research tool utilized by WSU's radiochemistry graduate program, as well as providing education on the nuclear industry to the public through talks and facility tours. Other recent research highlights include studies of the effects of sleep and sleep loss on human cognitive functioning, HP Pavilion dv7-1007tx Batterywork to advance shock compression science with contracts awarded to the WSU Institute for Shock Physics by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Department of Energy, and a program funded by the National Science Foundation that trains doctoral students to analyze evolutionary processes. Reproductive biologist Patricia A. HP Pavilion dv7-1008ef BatteryHunt was named one of the top 50 researchers of 2007 by Scientific American for her work showing a potential threat to human health posed by bisphenol A (BPA), a component of the polycarbonate plastics used to make food and beverage containers.[41] Over the years, HP Pavilion dv7-1008eg Battery WSU research and scholarship included the 1968 discovery of the Marmes Man at the Marmes Rockshelter in southeastern Washington, the nation's oldest human remains at that time; the development of high-yielding dwarf wheat; discovery of insect resistance to pesticides; and creation of a method to store cheese in tins, HP Pavilion dv7-1008tx Batterywhich led to the university's well known and still produced Cougar Gold Cheese.[42] WSU fruit breeders have developed many varieties for the state including, in 1952, the sweet, yellow Rainier cherry, and in 2010 an apple specifically for Washington, code name WA 2.[43] [edit]Outreach and Public ServiceHP Pavilion dv7-1009tx Battery WSU Extension has offices in each of Washington's 39 counties, providing training and assistance in agricultural practices, natural resource management, human and life skills, diversity understanding and outreach, the state 4-H program, and many other programs. In 1973 in Seattle, HP Pavilion dv7-1010ed BatteryWSU Extension founded the now national Master Gardener Programs of trained volunteers.[44] WSU Extension faculty and staff have also provided assistance for programs in under-developed and developing countries. Many faculty members have appointments to do research, teach, and provide extension services. HP Pavilion dv7-1010ef Battery The State of Washington's network of Small Business Development Centers is a cooperative effort of Washington State University, other public educational institutions, economic development organizations and the US Small Business Administration. A source of counsel on starting and growing small firms, HP Pavilion dv7-1010eg Battery the centers are found in 17 locations in Western Washington and seven location in Eastern and Central Washington.[45] The WSU Creamery, an outreach and teaching program, has garnered a reputation for fine dairy products, most notably the Cougar Gold cheese sold at the creamery store, Ferdinand's, HP Pavilion dv7-1010el Battery as well as online and at some local Pullman stores. The cheese is regionally famous and fetches the price of $18–$24 for a 30 oz can. Cougar Gold is marketed as "a white, sharp cheddar with a taste that resembles Swiss or Gouda" and is "aged for at least one year." Cougar Cheese also comes in other varieties, including American Cheddar, HP Pavilion dv7-1010eo BatterySmoky Cheddar, Viking, Dill Garlic, Sweet Basil, Hot Pepper and Crimson Fire. Washington State University Press each year publishes an average of eight titles that focus on the American West, with particular emphasis on the prehistory, history, environment, politics, and culture of the greater Northwest region. A member of the Association of American University Presses, HP Pavilion dv7-1010ep Batterythe WSU Press publishes in varied genres, including scholarly and trade monographs, reminiscences, essays, biographies and works that tell the story of the West in innovative ways.[46] Through the Center for Civic Engagement on the Pullman campus, students participate in an estimated 30,000 hours annually of credit and non-credit service activities in the community. HP Pavilion dv7-1010es Battery [47] In 2008, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching granted WSU its Community Engagement elective classification, both for curricular engagement and for outreach and partnerships.[48] [edit]Museums and Collections The Museum of Art/WSU has several permanent collections, HP Pavilion dv7-1010et Batteryincluding the Ernest O. Holland Collection given by the university's fourth president[49] and the Charles Orton Collection, given by a former regent.[50] Others are the Goya and Daumier Collections, Chaplin Woodcuts, Consortium Collections, Meyer Shapiro Print Collection, Elwood Collection and Marian E. Smith Collection of Northwest glass art. HP Pavilion dv7-1010tx Battery Other permanent collections contain works by Northwest artists D. Griffin, Mark Tobey, Kenneth Callahan, Margaret Tomkins, and former faculty members from WSU and the University of Washington.[51] The university also has an extensive collection of outdoor art on its Pullman campus. Pieces range from a life-size bronze book-figure "Bookin'" by Terry Allen to "Palouse Columns" by Robert Maki to "Technicolor Heart," HP Pavilion dv7-1011tx Batterya fourteen-foot painted bronze work by Jim Dine.[52] Beginning in 2005 the Museum of Art began organizing its own traveling exhibitions. These exhibitions, including works by Roy Lichtenstein, Gaylen Hansen, and Chris Jordan, have been seen across the country. HP Pavilion dv7-1012tx Battery Between 2005 and 2011, exhibitions organized by the Museum of Art will have traveled to 20 museums in 11 states, and will have been seen by more than 300,000 people. The Museum has also published 6 trade books since 2004. The Museum of Art's latest exhibition publication, Running the Numbers, an American self-portrait, HP Pavilion dv7-1013tx Battery features essays by Chris Bruce, Paul Hawken and Lucy R. Lippard. Several other museums and collections are found on the WSU Pullman campus. One of the largest is the Charles R. Conner Museum of Natural History, HP Pavilion dv7-1014ca Batteryexhibiting more than 700 mounts of birds and mammals, and possessing more than 65,000 research specimens. The Connor Museum has its roots in an 1894 gift of the state of Washington's exhibits from the Chicago's World's Fair, encouraged by then President of the Board of Regents Charles R. Conner. Located on the first floor of Abelson Hall, the museum is open 8 a.m.–5 p.m. daily except major holidaysHP Pavilion dv7-1014tx Battery.[53] The Museum of Anthropology, with archaeological and ethnographic collections, also draws visitors. Open 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday through Friday during the school year, the museum has varied exhibits and special events. HP Pavilion dv7-1015eg BatteryIt also has a collection of objects representing the culture of Native American tribes in the Inland Northwest, and is an official repository for archaeological collections from Eastern Washington.[54] Also at WSU are the Harold E. Culver Collection, HP Pavilion dv7-1015el Batterywith fossils of pre-historic animals; the Lyle and Lela Jacklin Collection of Silicified Wood & Minerals; and S. Elroy McCaw Fluorescent Mineral Display.[55] Research collections include an Historic Costume and Textiles Collection, the Maurice T. James Entomological Collection, the Marion Ownbey Herbarium, HP Pavilion dv7-1015eo Battery the Mycological Herbarium, and the Henry W. Smith Soil Monolith Collection. [edit]School of Music Established in 1901, the School of Music at Washington State University is recognized for excellence in undergraduate and graduate studies in music. WSU has an internationally recognized faculty and offers degrees in Performance, HP Pavilion dv7-1015tx BatteryMusic Education and Composition and degrees which combine music with studies in Jazz and Business. Physical facilities at WSU include the beautiful, renovated Kimbrough Music Building containing an extensive music listening library, professional quality recording and electronic music studio, a concert hall, HP Pavilion dv7-1016nr Batterylarge ensemble rehearsal rooms, practice rooms and classrooms. In addition, the Music Program utilizes excellent stage facilities in Bryan Hall, featuring an 800 seat auditorium, a production shop, piano and instrument repair shops, and a three manual, 44-rank Schantz pipe organ. HP Pavilion dv7-1016tx BatteryDirector of the WSU School of Music is Dr. Gregory Yasinitsky. [edit]Student life Student life on WSU's Pullman campus is influenced by a variety of student organizations and their committees. HP Pavilion dv7-1017eg BatteryFor example, the ASWSU Committees are the lifeblood of that association. Open to all students, they create educational, entertaining and cultural programming for WSU students and the local community. Committees include Asian Pacific American Student Coalition (APASC), Black Student Union (BSU), Election Board, HP Pavilion dv7-1017tx BatteryEnvironmental Task Force (ETF), Filipino American Student Association (FASA), Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender & Allies (GLBTA), Housing Commission, International Students' Council (ISC), Ku Ah Mah, KZUU Radio, Middle Eastern Students Association (MESA), Movimiento Estudianti Chicano de Aztian (MEChA), Student Legal Services (SLS), HP Pavilion dv7-1018eg Battery Veteran’s Affairs and Washington Student Lobby (WSL).[56] All ASWSU committees are members of "Committee Squared," the coalition of all ASWSU Committee leaders. There are several other influential student organizations. Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, and Greek Presidents' Council are governmental bodies for university-recognized Greek social organizations. HP Pavilion dv7-1018tx Battery The Residence Hall Association is a government body for students in the residence halls, governing all of the residence halls on campus excluding McEachern Hall. It is the second biggest Registered Student Organization at Washington State, representing about 4,700 on campus resident students. HP Pavilion dv7-1019tx Battery The Board of Directors of the Students' Book Corporation oversees the non-profit campus bookstore with over $17 million in annual revenue. The Students' Book Corporation donates all profits back to WSU students. The Student Services & Activities Fees Committee disperses over $6 million annually from a student-imposed fee to student events and programs. HP Pavilion dv7-1020ea Battery The Compton Union Board oversees the management of the student union building and its services. The University Recreation Board oversees the management of university recreation. The Student Alumni Connection hosts several major campus events. The Student Entertainment Board (SEB) is a student led board composed of undergraduate students. HP Pavilion dv7-1020eg Battery Positions on the board include: Spotlight, Films, Up All Night, Lectures, CUB Gallery, Concerts, VPLAC (Visual, Performing, and Literary Arts Committee), Special Event (Homecoming and Springfest), Associate Director, and Director. They are responsible for bringing diverse arts & entertainment to campus. HP Pavilion dv7-1020el Battery The Coalition for Women Students provides much of the multicultural programs on campus, including the annual Women of Color symposium, the Week Without Violence, and Take Back the Night rally and march. CWS is made up of Association for Pacific and Asian Women, Black Women's Caucus, HP Pavilion dv7-1020eo Battery Mujeres Unidas, Native American Women's Association, and the YWCA of WSU. The organization also funds the all-volunteer Women's Transit, a safe door-to-door transportation program for women who would otherwise walk alone at night. [edit]CampusHP Pavilion dv7-1020es Battery Washington State University Washington State University, in Pullman The Pullman campus of Washington State University is 620 acres (2.5 km2) and is located in the Palouse region, seven miles (11 km) west of the Idaho border and Moscow, home of the University of Idaho. HP Pavilion dv7-1020ev Battery The Palouse is defined by its unique rolling hills that were created by wind-blown soil, which supports one of the world's most productive dry-land agricultural regions. The main crops are wheat, peas, barley, and lentils. Evenings are often highlighted by a spectacular blue-pink sunset, which the first Board of Regents decided to use as the college's colors (later changed to the current crimson and gray colors). HP Pavilion dv7-1020ew BatteryPerched atop College Hill (one of the four main hills in Pullman), the campus overlooks downtown Pullman. [edit]Buildings Thompson Hall Most campus buildings are red brick and can be characterized as utilitarian, a fitting style for the land-grant university work ethic and standards of fiduciary prudence. HP Pavilion dv7-1020tx BatteryThe most dramatic campus building is the recently named Terrell Library with its curving sweep of windows and a cone-shaped skylight above its atrium. It opened in 1994. Another dramatic structure is the Samuel H. Smith Center for Undergraduate Education, opened in 2002 and named for WSU's president from 1985–2000. HP Pavilion dv7-1020us Battery The heart of campus is the Glenn Terrell Friendship Mall, referred to as "the mall" by students. This walkway was named after Glenn Terrell, who was WSU's president from 1967 to 1985. President Terrell's secretary was known to set meetings 10 minutes behind schedule to make up for the time he would spend talking to students along the way. The library, student union, HP Pavilion dv7-1021tx Battery and a number of classroom buildings surround the Mall. The football stadium, Martin Stadium, named after former Washington Governor Clarence D. Martin, also figures prominently on campus. The stadium, the smallest in the Pac-12, is situated in the core of the campus with the south grandstands built into the Hill (the Information Technology building is part of the south grandstands), HP Pavilion dv7-1022tx Batteryand Terrell Library and the Vogel Plant BioSciences buildings overlooking the west and east ends, respectively. Even though it is the smallest in the Pac-12, it offers the most seating to students in the Pac-12. After the conclusion of the 2006 football season, Martin Stadium went under a massive renovation to expand the seating capacity and offer greater amenities for players and spectators, HP Pavilion dv7-1023cl Batteryas well as made improvements to the general facilities such as bathrooms and concession stands.The Cougar Football Project is the proposed renovation of Martin Stadium that consists of two separate projects. The first project, called the Southside Project, would replace the old press box on the south stands with a new structure that includes a new press box, club seats, loge boxes, luxury suites and a club room. HP Pavilion dv7-1023em Battery The Southside Project is currently in progress and will be completed in November of 2012 The second project, called the West End-Zone Project, would provide a home for the Cougar football program, including new weight, lock, equipment and training rooms for players, in addition to meeting rooms and coaches’ offices. HP Pavilion dv7-1023tx BatteryIt will also feature a WSU Football heritage area and a game-day home for Gray W former letter winners. Bryan Hall, with landmark clock tower Other exceptions to the utilitarian architectural style are Thompson Hall, Bryan Hall, and Stevens Hall, HP Pavilion dv7-1024el Batterythe oldest buildings on campus. Thompson Hall was the original administration building, and is now the home of the foreign language department. Bryan Hall is the landmark building on campus with the tall four-sided tower enclosing a carillon and displaying a clock that lights up neon-red in the evening. Stevens Hall is an all-women's dormitory pitched with many gables. HP Pavilion dv7-1024tx BatteryStevens Hall and Thompson Hall are on the National Register of Historic Places. Also notable are the Lewis Alumni Centre and the Webster Physical Science Building. Lewis is an old beef cattle barn renovated in 1989 to be the most luxurious building on campus, with hand-made rugs, HP Pavilion dv7-1025eg Battery palm trees, Italian marble, and beautiful artwork. Rooms in Lewis include the Board of Regents' Boardroom, Lighty Library, the Athletics Hall of Fame, the Alumni Presidents' Room, and the Great Hall for large social events. Webster is the tallest building on campus with twelve above-ground floors of offices and an expansive view of the region from the roof. HP Pavilion dv7-1025nr Battery From 1911 to 1923, Rudolph Weaver was the first chairman of the architecture department. He designed seven buildings on the WSU campus, including:[57] Beef Barn, now the Lewis Alumni Centre, 1922[58] Carpenter Hall, which was not finished until 1927.[59] Community Hall. 1921HP Pavilion dv7-1025tx Battery [60] McCroskey Hall, 1920[61][62] President's House, 1912. Stimson Hall, 1922[63][64] Wilson-Short Hall, 1917, first used, but not finished until later.[65] [edit]Residential campusHP Pavilion dv7-1026tx Battery Stimson Hall WSU is a residential campus. Many freshmen live in residence halls, while some live in fraternity and sorority houses or in off-campus housing. After their first year, many students move to apartments, several owned by WSU. HP Pavilion dv7-1027ca Battery Most apartments are less than 1⁄2-mile (0.8 km) from campus. Apartment renters have the benefit of the Pullman Transit system, noted for moving more people per mile of transit than any other bus system in the U.S. HP Pavilion dv7-1027tx Battery [citation needed]; parking spaces on campus are limited. Off-campus housing is broken into two sections that are commonly known by students; College Hill and Apartment Land. College Hill houses many members of the Greek community who no longer live-in their fraternity/sorority houses, and are commonly known as "live-outs"HP Pavilion dv7-1028tx Battery. [edit]Residence halls A number of the residence halls are co-ed, but there are single-gender living environments as well as a variety of other living options that include age-restricted housing, a mix of domestic and international students, and a global learning community. All of the residence halls, except for McEachern, are part of the RHA (Residence Hall Association). HP Pavilion dv7-1029eg Battery Residence halls on campus include: The Hill Halls: Community/Duncan-Dunn (opening Fall 2012), Honors, McCroskey, Wilmer-Davis and Stevens The Northside Halls: Regents Hill, Scott-Coman, Streit-Perham, HP Pavilion dv7-1029tx Batteryand Northside (opening in 2013) The South Central Halls: Gannon-Goldsworthy, Stimson and Waller The Upper Division Halls: Rogers, Orton and McEachern The Complex: Stephenson East, Stephenson North and Stephenson South Opened in Fall 2009: OlympiaHP Pavilion dv7-1030eb Battery Each hall has its own government which organizes events, manages its budget, and acts as a forum for student involvement. These halls range in size from the exclusive Stevens Hall (approximately 70 residents), to the massive Stephenson Complex (approximately 1200 residents total). HP Pavilion dv7-1030ef Battery The highlight of the year for the residence halls is often Homecoming Week when the residence halls, off-campus students, and Greeks compete in various events. Events such as the chariot race determine the winner of Homecoming Week. In the past decade, the winner of Homecoming Week has most often been a residence hall team. HP Pavilion dv7-1030eg BatteryIn 2008, the Residence Halls swept Homecoming. Waller/Wilmer-Davis/Stevens took first, Scott-Coman took second and Stimson/Regents took third. [edit]College Hill and Greek Row There are currently 26 fraternities and 14 sororities at WSU. Kappa Sigma, HP Pavilion dv7-1030el Battery the first national fraternity at WSU, celebrated its centennial on the Pullman campus on March 6, 2009. Alpha Delta Pi was the first sorority at WSU it was established in 1912. A Greek Life Centennial 1909–2009 for all chapters and alumni was planned for September 14–19, 2009. Between 15–20 percent of undergraduate students are in the Greek community annually. HP Pavilion dv7-1030en Battery [66] Greek Row is situated on College Hill just downhill from Bryan Hall and the Hill Halls (the historic single-gender dormitories) on the WSU campus, and among the homes of faculty, Greek live-outs, and apartment buildings. The Greek Row and College Hill area is a diverse community of students, faculty members, HP Pavilion dv7-1030eo Battery and families (including the President's House). Restaurants, thrift stores and various bars line Colorado Street, the main street on College Hill. The bars on College Hill include Cougar Cottage (informally, the Coug), currently in its 78th year of operation, Valhalla, and Stubblefield's (informally, Mike's); HP Pavilion dv7-1030ep Battery all boast a large amount of customers on the weekends as well as many themed weekdays. [edit]Recreation and the outdoors The university has 160,000-square-foot (15,000 m2) Student Recreation Center (SRC), which was the largest student recreation center in the United States when it was opened in 2001HP Pavilion dv7-1030es Battery.[67] The SRC contains a 1⁄8-mile (0.2 km) elevated indoor track, four basketball courts, two volleyball courts, roller hockey rink, four racquetball courts, swimming pool, 50-person jacuzzi, free weights, weight machines, cardio equipment, exercise instruction rooms, outdoor sand volleyball courts, and a low to high ropes course. The campus also has several other basketball courts, dance rooms, a climbing wall, HP Pavilion dv7-1030ev Batteryand the Outdoor Recreation Center where students can check out equipment or register for various events and trips. A seven-mile (11 km) paved trail links Pullman with Moscow, ID and a bike trail that wraps around the Pullman campus (about eight miles / 13 km long). The school has an intramural program, and club sports are also very popular on campus. HP Pavilion dv7-1030ez BatteryThe campus has a 7,305-yard championship golf course named Palouse Ridge, a $12.3 million project opened on August 29, 2008, intended to improve the school's golf teams, provide a laboratory for students in turf grass courses, and give boosters and alumni a new reason to visit the campus. HP Pavilion dv7-1030tx Battery It replaces a sub standard 9-hole course built in 1923 and little improved prior to closure in 2006, to make room for Palouse Ridge, on the same site and adjacent land. Within 35 miles (56 km), many students have the option to hike at Kamiak Butte and Steptoe Butte. Moscow Mountain provides opportunities for hiking and mountain biking. For aquatic adventures, HP Pavilion dv7-1031tx Battery students can cliff jump or boat at the Snake River. Farther out, white-river rafting, downhill skiing, and hiking in the nearby foothills of the Rocky Mountains are available. [edit]Arboretum and Botanical Garden The WSU Arboretum Committee continues to develop an Arboretum and Botanical Garden on a hilltop adjacent to the Lewis Alumni Center. HP Pavilion dv7-1032tx BatteryIn addition, about 95 acres (38 ha) on the east edge of campus has been identified for a more expansive Arboretum and Botanical Garden, including a wildlife center.[68] Students interested in contributing to the development of the WSU Arboretum are working with the Native Plant & Landscape Restoration Nursery to help establish tree plantings, HP Pavilion dv7-1033tx Batteryfuture habitat restoration sites, or native plant displays that may be part of a campus green belt design. [edit]Tourism The number of tourists varies depending on the time of year. Busy times at the Pullman campus include Dad's Weekend in the fall, Mom's Weekend in the spring, and Cougar sporting events throughout the year. HP Pavilion dv7-1034ca BatteryNoteworthy is the Apple Cup football game, the annual rivalry game between the Washington Huskies and the Washington State Cougars, played every other year in Pullman. Dad's and Mom's weekends, Homecoming, the beginning and end of the school year (late August, early May), and December and May commencements are busy weekends for Pullman. HP Pavilion dv7-1034tx BatteryWSU is among the co-sponsors of Pullman's annual National Lentil Festival that attracts many visitors on the weekend before university classes begin in August. Martin Stadium, the Cougars' football stadium, holds more than 35,000 spectators,[69] which makes it the smallest stadium in the Pac-12 conference, but still allows it to hold 125 percent of Pullman's population, HP Pavilion dv7-1035ef Batteryincluding the nearly 20,000 student population. Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum, where the men's and women's basketball teams play, holds 12,000,[70] which is more than 40 percent of the city's population. During the fall, HP Pavilion dv7-1035em Battery events such as Fall Preview and Future Cougar Day invite high school students to visit campus and learn about the university. These usually include visits with academic departments, official welcomes from faculty and administrators, and campus tours from current students. Events in the spring such as Destination WSU focus on younger students, HP Pavilion dv7-1035eo Battery high school juniors and sophomores.[71] The university also has a "Welcome Center," open most days, that lets prospective students get information about the school, campus tours, and directions to campus resources and departments. The WSU Visitor's Center in an historic railroad station in downtown Pullman assists tourists and campus visitors with campus maps, HP Pavilion dv7-1035es Batterydirections, information and parking permits. [edit]Athletics Main article: Washington State Cougars Washington State University is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The school's mascot is "Butch T. HP Pavilion dv7-1038ca BatteryCougar" and the school's colors are crimson and gray. Varsity athletics include men's baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, and track and field, as well as women's basketball, cross country, golf, rowing, soccer, swimming, volleyball, tennis, and track and field. In the past WSU had varsity programs of boxing, wrestling, HP Pavilion dv7-1040ec Batterygymnastics, and men's swimming. In 1917, WSU won its first National Championship in Men's Basketball. In 1937, Roy Petragallo and Ed McKinnon won the NCAA boxing championship, another national championship. The Cougars third and most recent National Championship was earned in 1977 Indoor Track and Field. HP Pavilion dv7-1040ef Battery Martin Stadium, home of Cougars football University Recreation also supports 26 club sports, including bowling, men's crew, cricket, cycling, equestrian show team, men's and women's flag football, fencing, polo, men's and women's ice hockey, judo, men's lacrosse, HP Pavilion dv7-1040em Batterylogger sports, rodeo, men's rugby union, women's rugby, sailing, ski team, men's soccer, women's fast-pitch softball, taekwondo, triathlon, Ultimate, men's and women's volleyball, water polo and wrestling. Cougar fans celebrate on the field after the Apple Cup win in 2004HP Pavilion dv7-1040en Battery Washington State's biggest rival is the University of Washington Huskies. Strong rivalries also exist between WSU and the other Pac-12 teams of the Pacific Northwest: the University of Oregon Ducks and Oregon State University Beavers. WSU's closest geographic rival is the University of Idaho, a fellow land-grant school only eight miles (13 km) east of Pullman across the state line in Moscow. HP Pavilion dv7-1040eo BatteryTheir rivalry football game, the "Battle of the Palouse", was played on an annual basis from 1901 until 1978 when the NCAA Division I split. After Idaho returned to Division I-A, a renewed battle lasted from 1998 until 2007, but was dropped from the schedule due to the Cougars' continued dominance of the Vandals in the series, HP Pavilion dv7-1040es Batteryand each school's ability to generate more revenue by playing other opponents. Acting as a liaison between the athletes and the athletic administration, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee is an active part of Cougar athletics. The Committee, composed of two athletes from every sports team and a few athletic administrators, discusses issues relevant to WSU athletes and legislative changes in the NCAA. HP Pavilion dv7-1040et Battery During the 2006–07 season, the once-moribund Cougar men's basketball team achieved unprecedented success, including its first Top 10 ranking under then first-year head coach Tony Bennett, reaching as high as No. 9 in the AP poll on 2-20-07.[72] During the 2007–2008 season, HP Pavilion dv7-1040ew Battery the Cougar men's basketball team reached the Sweet Sixteen after beating Winthrop and Notre Dame, before losing to No. 1 Seeded UNC. On March 1, 2007, Washington State was awarded a banner for its 1917 NCAA National Basketball Championship prior to its home game against UCLA. The championship was recently approved by the NCAA. HP Pavilion dv7-1045eg Battery [73] In 1941, Coach Jack Friel led the Cougars to the basketball championship game, losing to Wisconsin 39-34.[74] The Cougars are also fighting for the 1915 National Football Championship.[75] On March 30, 2007, after leading his team to a 26–8 record, 2nd place in the Pac-10 and to their first tournament appearance in over a decade, HP Pavilion dv7-1045tx Batterythen Head Coach Tony Bennett was awarded the prestigious AP Coach of the Year award, receiving 40 of a possible 72 votes. Bennett also was awarded the Naismith Award by the Atlanta Tip of Club. This was Bennett's sixth major coach of the year award for the 2006–2007 season (the Associated Press, The Sporting News, HP Pavilion dv7-1048ez BatteryUnited States Basketball Writers Association, Basketball Times, and CBS/Chevrolet, and the Naismith Award). This is the most major awards won by a Pacific-12 Conference coach in a single season, surpassing UCLA legend John Wooden's five in 1972.[76] Bennett had agreed to renew his contract with WSU for an additional seven years (extending his contract until 2014). HP Pavilion dv7-1050ea Battery On March 30, 2009, however, Bennett shocked the Cougar faithful by accepting the head men's coaching position at the University of Virginia. On April 6, 2009, WSU announced former Portland State University men's head coach Ken Bone as the new head coach of the Cougars. On April 20, 2007, HP Pavilion dv7-1050eb Battery Washington State hired the recently fired Washington Huskies women's basketball coach June Daugherty as the new head coach of the women's basketball team. This is just the second time a head coach has switched schools in the history of their rivalry. Daugherty was fired by the University of Washington less than a month earlier despite leading the Huskies to six NCAA Women's Tournaments, including her last season at the schoolHP Pavilion dv7-1050ed Battery. Paul Wulff began his second season as WSU head football coach when the Cougars took on the Stanford Cardinal on September 5, 2009, at Martin Stadium in Pullman.[77] The university's 31st head football coach, Wulff is the first WSU graduate and football letter-winner since Phil Sarboe to lead the Cougars. HP Pavilion dv7-1050ef Battery [78] Subsequent to the 2011 football season Bill Moos fired Wulff. On November 30, 2011, former Texas Tech head coach, Mike Leach agreed to terms with Washington State and will coach starting the 2012 season. He has a 5-year rollover contract, which will make Leach the 4th highest paid coach in the Pac-12. HP Pavilion dv7-1050eg Battery On Sept. 22, 2009, then WSU Athletic Director Jim Sterk launched the "TeamBuilt" fund drive for Phase III of the Martin Stadium renovation to add luxury suites, club seats and loge boxes atop the north stands. On Feb. 15, 2010, San Diego State University announced Jim Sterk as their new athletic director. On Feb. 24, 2010, HP Pavilion dv7-1050eo BatteryPresident Elson S. Floyd announced the appointment of William "Bill" Moos as WSU's next athletic director, beginning no later than May 1. Anne McCoy, senior associate athletic director is serving as interim athletic director. A three-year letterman in football for the Cougars, Moos was on the WSU athletic staff from 1982–1990, HP Pavilion dv7-1050er Batterythen was athletic director for the University of Montana and the University of Oregon.[79] [edit]WSU people Main article: List of Washington State University people The University has 170,547 living alumni in fall 2009, according to the WSU Alumni Association. HP Pavilion dv7-1051xx Battery [citation needed] Among the 39 WSU alumni to receive the Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award since 1962 are recipient of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Irwin Rose, broadcaster Edward R. Murrow, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, astronaut John M. Fabian, cartoonist Gary Larson, molecular evolutionist Allan Wilson, HP Pavilion dv7-1052xx Battery banking executive Phyllis J. Campbell, Entrepreneur Clint Hedin, sociologist William Julius Wilson, author and film director Sherman Alexie, veterinary researcher John Gorham, wheat breeder Orville Vogel, physicist Philip Abelson and physician Neva Abelson.[80] 1984 Olympic gold medal winner of the Men's Double Sculls, HP Pavilion dv7-1053ez BatteryPaul Enquist, started his rowing career at Washington State. WSU has had just 10 presidents in its almost 120-year history: George W. Lilley (1891–1892), John W. Heston (1892–1893), Enoch A. Bryan (1893–1915), Ernest O. Holland (1916–1944), Wilson M. Compton (1945–1951), C. Clement French (1952–1966), Glenn Terrell (1967–1985), HP Pavilion dv7-1053xx BatterySamuel H. Smith (1985–2000), V. Lane Rawlins (2000–2007) and current President Elson S. Floyd.[81] Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the East Division of the National League of Major League Baseball (MLB). HP Pavilion dv7-1055ea BatteryThe team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium. The new park is located in Southeast D.C., near the Anacostia River and with views of the Capitol.[1] The Nationals name derives from the former Washington baseball team which had the same name (used interchangeably with Senators). HP Pavilion dv7-1060ec Battery Their nickname is "the Nats"—a shortened version that was also used by the old D.C. teams. An expansion franchise, the club was founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1969. As the Montreal Expos, they were the first major league team in Canada. They played their home games at Jarry Park Stadium and later in the Olympic Stadium. HP Pavilion dv7-1060ef BatteryIn 1981, the Expos won a division championship, won their first-ever playoff series by defeating the Philadelphia Phillies, 3–2, and advanced to the National League Championship Series, where they would go on to lose that series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3–2, in their only postseason appearance during the strike-shortened 1981 season. HP Pavilion dv7-1060eg BatteryThe Expos had their highest winning percentage in the strike-shortened season of 1994, when the team had the best record in baseball. The team's subsequent shedding of players caused fan interest to drop off. After the 2001 season, MLB considered revoking the team's franchise, along with either the Minnesota Twins or the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. HP Pavilion dv7-1060el Battery [2][3] After being purchased by MLB in 2002, the team was moved before the 2005 season to Washington and renamed the Nationals, the first relocation since the second Washington Senators moved to Arlington, Texas, HP Pavilion dv7-1060em Batteryand became the Texas Rangers in 1972. The Nationals are one of two MLB franchises, and the only one in the National League, that has never played in a World Series (the Seattle Mariners are the other). History [edit]Montreal Expos Main article: Montreal ExposHP Pavilion dv7-1060en Battery The Montreal Expos joined the National League in 1969, along with the San Diego Padres, with a majority share held by Charles Bronfman, a major shareholder in Seagram. Named after the Expo 67 World's Fair, the Expos' initial home was Jarry Park. Managed by Gene Mauch, the team lost 110 games in their first season, coincidentally matching the Padres inaugural win-loss record, HP Pavilion dv7-1060eo Batteryand continued to struggle during their first decade with sub-.500 seasons. Starting in 1977, the team's home venue was Montreal's Olympic Stadium, built for the 1976 Summer Olympics. Two years later, the team won a franchise-high 95 games, finishing second in the National League East. The Expos began the 1980s with a core group of young players, HP Pavilion dv7-1060ep Battery including catcher Gary Carter, outfielders Tim Raines and Andre Dawson, third baseman Tim Wallach, and pitchers Steve Rogers and Bill Gullickson. The team won its only division championship in the strike-shortened split season of 1981, ending its season with a three games to two loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. The team spent most of the 1980s in the middle of the NL East pack, HP Pavilion dv7-1060ew Batteryfinishing in third or fourth place in eight out of nine seasons from 1982–1990. Buck Rodgers was hired as manager before the 1985 season and guided the Expos to a .500 or better record five times in six years, with the highlight coming in 1987, when they won 91 games. They finished third, but were just 4 games behind the division-winning Cardinals. Bronfman sold the team to a consortium of owners in 1991, HP Pavilion dv7-1060ez Batterywith Claude Brochu as the managing general partner.[4][5] Rodgers, at that time second only to Gene Mauch in number of Expos games managed, was replaced partway through the 1991 season. In May 1992, Felipe Alou, a member of the Expos organization since 1976, was promoted to field manager, becoming the first Dominican-born manager in MLB history.[4] Alou would become the leader in Expos games managed, while guiding the team to winning records, including 1994, HP Pavilion dv7-1065ef Battery when the Expos, led by a talented group of players including Larry Walker, Moisés Alou, Marquis Grissom and Pedro Martínez, had the best record in the major leagues until the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike forced the cancellation of the remainder of the seasonHP Pavilion dv7-1067ef Battery. After the disappointment of 1994, Expos management began shedding its key players, and the team's fan support dwindled. Brochu sold control of the team to Jeffrey Loria in 1999,[6][7] but Loria failed to close on a plan to build a new downtown ballpark, and did not reach an agreement on television and English radio broadcast contracts for the 2000 season, HP Pavilion dv7-1070eb Battery reducing the team's media coverage. [edit]2001 contraction In November 2001, HP Pavilion dv7-1070ed Battery MLB's owners voted 28–2 to contract MLB by two teams — according to various sources, the Expos and the Minnesota Twins, both of which reportedly voted against contraction.[8] Subsequently, the Boston Red Sox were sold to a partnership led by John W. Henry, owner of the Florida Marlins.[8][9] In order to clear the way for Henry's group to assume ownership of the Red Sox, HP Pavilion dv7-1070ee Battery Henry sold the Marlins to Loria, and MLB purchased the Expos from Loria.[8] However, as the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, operator of the Metrodome, won an injunction requiring the Twins to play there in 2002,[8] MLB was unable to revoke the Twins franchise, and so had to keep the Twins and Expos as part of the MLB schedule. HP Pavilion dv7-1070ef Battery In the collective bargaining agreement signed with the players association in August 2002, contraction was prohibited through to the end of the contract in 2006.[10] [edit]Creation of the Nationals With contraction no longer an option for the immediate term, HP Pavilion dv7-1070eg BatteryMLB began looking for a relocation site for the Expos. Some of the choices included Oklahoma City; Washington, D.C.; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Monterrey, Mexico; Portland, Oregon; somewhere in Northern Virginia such as Arlington or Dulles; Norfolk, Virginia; New Jersey; and Charlotte, North Carolina. In the decision-making process, Commissioner Bud Selig added Las Vegas, HP Pavilion dv7-1070ei Battery Nevada to the list of potential Expos homes. Washington and Virginia emerged as the front-runners. In both 2003 and 2004, the Expos played 22 of their home games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the remaining 60 in Montreal. On September 29, 2004, HP Pavilion dv7-1070ek BatteryMLB officially announced that the Expos would move to Washington, D.C. in 2005.[11] The Expos played their final game on October 3 at Shea Stadium, losing by a score of 8–1 against the New York Mets, the same opponent that the Expos first faced at its start, 35 years earlier. On November 15, a lawsuit by the former team owners against MLB and former majority owner Jeffrey Loria was struck down by arbitrators, HP Pavilion dv7-1070el Batterybringing to an end all legal actions that would impede a move. The owners of the other MLB teams approved the move to Washington in a 28–1 vote on December 3 (Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos cast the sole dissenting vote). [edit]Washington baseball history revived Main article: History of Washington, D.C. HP Pavilion dv7-1070eo Battery professional baseball Numerous professional baseball teams have called Washington D.C. home. The Washington Senators, a founding member of the American League, played in the nation's capital from 1901 to 1960. These Senators were owned by Clark Griffith and played in Griffith Stadium. HP Pavilion dv7-1070ev Battery With notable stars including Walter Johnson and Joe Cronin, the Senators won the 1924 World Series and pennants in 1925 and 1933, but were more often unsuccessful and moved to Minnesota for the 1961 season where the team was renamed the Minnesota Twins. A second Washington Senators team (1961–1971) had a winning record only once in their 11 years, though bright spots, such as slugger Frank Howard, HP Pavilion dv7-1075la Batteryearned the love of fans. The second Senators team moved to Arlington, Texas for the 1972 season and changed their name to the Texas Rangers, and Washington spent the next 33 years without a baseball team. Although there was some sentiment to revive the name Senators, political considerations factored into the choice of NationalsHP Pavilion dv7-1080ed Battery, a revival of the first American League franchise's "official" nickname used from 1905 to 1956.[12] Politicians and others in the District of Columbia objected to the name Senators because the District of Columbia does not have voting representation in Congress.[13] In addition, the Rangers still owned the rights to the Senators name, HP Pavilion dv7-1080el Battery [14] although the Nationals were able to acquire the rights to the curly "W" from the Rangers. Coincidentally, the sitting President at the time of the move, George W. Bush, had at one time owned the Rangers. [edit]Fallout from the relocationHP Pavilion dv7-1080eo Battery [edit]Opposition from the Orioles The move was announced despite opposition from Peter Angelos, owner of the nearby Baltimore Orioles. Since 1972, the Orioles had been the only MLB franchise in the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area, HP Pavilion dv7-1080es Batterywhich he considered a single market. Angelos contended that the Orioles would suffer financially if another team were allowed to enter the market, although the Orioles and the Washington Senators had shared the market successfully from 1954 through 1971. This reasoning disturbed many in Washington who recalled that it was the Griffith family, HP Pavilion dv7-1080ew Battery owners of the Washington Senators, who allowed the St. Louis Browns to move to Baltimore in 1954 in the first place. On March 31, 2005, Angelos and Major League Baseball struck a deal to protect the Orioles against any financial harm the Nationals might present. Under the terms of the deal, television and radio broadcast rights to Nationals games are handled by the Orioles franchise, HP Pavilion dv7-1080ez Batterywho formed a new network (the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network) to produce and distribute the games for both franchises on both local affiliates and cable/satellite systems. MASN was not, however, immediately available on all cable providers, adding to the frustration of Nationals fans. In fact, most in the DC area missed almost the entirety of the Nationals first two seasons. HP Pavilion dv7-1090eb BatteryThe deal with Angelos makes the Nationals the only major league baseball team which does not own their own broadcast rights. [edit]The ballpark controversy Nationals at bat against the San Diego Padres in RFK Stadium, 8 July 2006. The team's relocation to Washington was contingent on a financing plan for the Nationals' new stadium—this plan quickly became the subject of much debate on the Council of the District of Columbia. HP Pavilion dv7-1090ed Battery Three Council members who supported Mayor Anthony Williams's plan were ousted in September 2004's Democratic party primary. In addition, an opinion poll conducted by The Washington Post during the peak of the controversy found that approximately two-thirds of District residents opposed the mayor's stadium planHP Pavilion dv7-1090en Battery. Much of the controversy centered on the fact that the city would be helping finance a $581 million stadium without support from Maryland or Virginia or their counties, from which large portion of the team's fan base would be drawn.[15] In December 2004, HP Pavilion dv7-1090eo Battery the move to Washington itself was called into doubt when the D.C. Council sought to change details of the stadium's financing. When the Council voted on December 14, 2004 to require 50 percent private financing for any new stadium, MLB ceased promotional activities for the Nationals and announced that they would consider looking for a new market. HP Pavilion dv7-1090er Battery Eventually, the council passed an amended plan on December 21, 2004 that proved slightly more financially favorable to the city, while remaining acceptable to MLB. Mayor Williams signed the stadium financing package on December 30. During the 2005 season, a private financing plan for construction of the stadium was negotiated between the city and a syndicate of bankers led by Deutsche Bank. HP Pavilion dv7-1092eo BatteryThe negotiations of the details ran into another problem in November 2005. The bankers requested a letter of credit or other financial guarantee of $24 million, $6 million for each of four years, ensuring payment of lease revenues against various risks including poor attendance and terrorism. The city requested that Major League Baseball provide this guarantee, which they were unwilling to do. On December 22, 2005, HP Pavilion dv7-1093eo Battery the Washington Post reported that Major League Baseball had specifically instructed prospective owners not to offer to pay cost overruns on the stadium if they were selected as the owners. Bidders were also told not to communicate with the press about these issues. In February 2006, the DC City Council imposed a $611 million cap on the stadium. Finally, on March 5, HP Pavilion dv7-1094eo BatteryMajor League Baseball signed a lease for a new ballpark, agreeing to the city's $611 million cap. MLB also agreed to contribute $20 million toward the cost of the stadium, although it did not agree to cover stadium overruns. Further, MLB added the condition that excess ballpark tax revenue earmarked for debt service for the bonds to be available for cost overruns. Two days later, on March 7 the DC City Council, HP Pavilion dv7-1095eo Battery by a vote of 9–4, approved a construction contract for a state-of-the-art stadium with a contemporary glass-and-stone facade, seats for 41,000 fans and a view of the U.S. Capitol, and affirmed its demand that public spending on the project be limited to $611 million. The votes were the final actions needed to satisfy the terms of the deal struck in September 2004, paving the way for the sale of the team. HP Pavilion dv7-1098eo Battery Major League Baseball had agreed at the time that the franchise was moved to Washington to sell the team to an owner or ownership syndicate. Several dates for sale of the team were set and missed due to the legal wrangling regarding the building of the stadium. The delay was harshly criticized by city residents and leaders as reported in The Washington PostHP Pavilion dv7-1099ef Battery. Selecting from a finalized group of three potential ownership syndicates, Major League Baseball announced in July 2006 that it had chosen the Lerner Enterprises group, led by billionaire real estate developer Theodore N. Lerner. The final sale price of the team was $450 million and the transfer of ownership was completed July 24, 2006. HP Pavilion dv7-1100 BatteryIn late September 2006, Comcast finally agreed to broadcast the Nationals games. [edit]New ownership and "The Plan" Washington Nationals versus the Cincinnati Reds in 2009 at Nationals Park When Ted Lerner took over the club in mid-2006, he hired Stan Kasten as team president. Kasten was widely known as the architect of the Atlanta Braves before and during their run of 14 division titles. HP Pavilion dv7-1100ef Battery Kasten was also the general manager or president of many other Atlanta-area sports teams, such as the Atlanta Thrashers. "The Plan," as it became known, was a long-range rebuilding and restructuring of the team from the ground up. This plan included investing in the farm system and draft picks, HP Pavilion dv7-1100eg Batteryand having a suitable team to go along with their new stadium. At the end of the 2006 season, the Nationals did not re-sign free agent and star OF Alfonso Soriano. Soriano signed a $136 million contract with the Cubs, and Washington received two draft picks in return. HP Pavilion dv7-1100em BatteryOF José Guillén was also allowed to depart via free agency, and another high draft pick was obtained. Another high priced player, 2B/DH José Vidro, was traded to the Seattle Mariners for prospects OF Chris Snelling and RHP Emiliano Fruto. In mid-2006, the Nationals received OF Austin Kearns, 2B/SS Felipe López, HP Pavilion dv7-1101em Batteryand RHP Ryan Wagner from the Reds, giving up LHP Gary Majewski, LHP Bill Bray, SS Royce Clayton, 2B Brendan Harris and RHP Daryl Thompson. In August they traded RHP Liván Hernández to the Arizona Diamondbacks for prospects LHP Matt Chico and RHP Garrett Mock. Other players traded or let go from the 2005 season were OF Preston Wilson, RHP Héctor Carrasco, IF Jamey Carroll, HP Pavilion dv7-1101tx Battery and OF Terrmel Sledge. The team also acquired pitching prospects Luis Atilano from Atlanta, Shairon Martis from San Francisco and Jhonny Nunez from the Dodgers. In 2006, they had two first-round draft picks, OF Chris Marrero, and RHP Colten Williams, and signed them both to developmental contracts. HP Pavilion dv7-1102tx BatteryThe Nationals also signed a 16-year-old Dominican shortstop, Esmailyn Gonzalez, for $1.4 million.[16] Gonzalez was later revealed to be 20 years old at the time of his signing.[17] In the front office, the Nationals hired the well-respected former Arizona scouting director Mike Rizzo to be the vice president of baseball operations, HP Pavilion dv7-1103ef Battery second in charge under then-general manager Jim Bowden.[18] As for their farm system, the Nationals had a lot of work to do. By the spring of 2007, Baseball America had ranked the Nationals organization as dead last twice in four years in terms of minor league talentHP Pavilion dv7-1103em Battery.[19] The Nationals had five of the first seventy picks in the 2007 first-year player draft: their own two, and three compensation picks (two from losing Soriano, and one for Guillen). The team selected players that many considered to be four of the top 30 players available.[19] Overall, the Nationals signed all of their top twenty draft picks.[20] One of them, a first-round supplemental pickHP Pavilion dv7-1103tx Battery, Michael Burgess, was, by the end of the year, picked by Baseball America as the top prospect for the entire Gulf Coast League.[21] Their rookie team, Vermont, sent three starting pitchers Colton Willems, Glenn Gibson, and Adrian Alaniz, and two position players, first baseman Bill Rhinehart, and outfielder Aaron Seuss to the New York-Penn League All-Star Game. HP Pavilion dv7-1104tx Battery [22] By the end of the season, three Vermont pitchers landed in the Top 20 prospects for the New York-Penn League: 2007 second-round Jordan Zimmermann was ranked #5 2006 fourth round LHP Glenn Gibson (later traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for Elijah Dukes) was ranked #9HP Pavilion dv7-1105ea Battery 2006 first round RHP Colton Willems was ranked #11.[23] In the low-A South Atlantic League Top 20, two players made the list: Chris Marrero was ranked #5 Justin Maxwell, who played a few games with the Nationals during September, was ranked at #18. HP Pavilion dv7-1105ef Battery [24] In addition, after having no teams in the Dominican Summer League, the Nationals fielded two clubs in 2007, one of which won the DSL Championships.[25] [edit]"The Plan" reloaded In March 2009, just prior to Spring Training, members of the Nationals' front office were implicated in a scandal involving the skimming of bonus money from the signing of Latin American players. José Rijo, HP Pavilion dv7-1105eg Batterya key adviser to Jim Bowden, was thought to be at the heart of this. As a result of this scandal, General Manager Jim Bowden resigned in Spring Training of 2009, though while maintaining he had done nothing wrong.[26] Mike Rizzo, the man serving as assistant G.M. for the previous two seasons, became the de facto G.M., and officially claimed the title on an interim basis weeks later. HP Pavilion dv7-1105em BatteryRizzo began to shape the team in a way that was contrary to Bowden's previous methods. While Bowden was known for "dumpster-diving," that is attempting to find serviceable players among the less-than-desired, Mike Rizzo sought players who achieved results. Bowden took risks on players with poor reputations (such as outfielders Elijah Dukes and Lastings Milledge), HP Pavilion dv7-1105tx Batterywhile Rizzo made a point out of making certain his players possessed "character" and would contribute to a cohesive clubhouse. Despite the failures of Bowden's tenure, his last trade appeared to have been extremely beneficial to the Nationals, as he traded infielder Emilio Bonifacio and two minor-leaguers to the Marlins for starting pitcher Scott Olsen and outfielder Josh Willingham. HP Pavilion dv7-1106ef Battery Rizzo's first major trade during the 2009 season as General Manager of the Nationals was to trade Lastings Milledge along with control-challenged reliever Joel Hanrahan to the Pirates in exchange for speedy outfielder Nyjer Morgan and left-handed relief pitcher Sean Burnett. HP Pavilion dv7-1106eg Battery Morgan was thought to be a great clubhouse presence as well as a slick fielder on the outfield grass.