East Carolina University (ECU) is a public research university in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina. It is unique in North Carolina in that it hosts schools of medicine, dentistry, and engineering at the same university.
Founded on March 8, 1907, as a teacher training school, East Carolina has grown from its original to almost today. The university's academic facilities are located on six properties: Main Campus; Health Sciences Campus; West Research Campus; the Field Station for Coastal Studies in New Holland, North Carolina; the Millennial Research Innovation Campus in Greenville's warehouse district; and an overseas campus in Certaldo Alto, Italy. ECU also operates the Coastal Studies Institute.
The university has nine undergraduate colleges, graduate school, and four professional schools. All of the non-health sciences majors are located on the main campus. The College of Nursing, College of Allied Health Sciences, The Brody School of Medicine, and School of Dental Medicine are located on the health science campus. ECU is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High research activity".
There are 11 social sororities, 16 social fraternities, four historically black sororities, five historically black fraternities, one Native American fraternity, and one Native American sorority. There are over 400 registered clubs on campus including fraternities and sororities.
History
On March 8, 1907, East Carolina Teachers Training School (ECTTS) was officially chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly through the passing of legislation Public Laws of North Carolina, 1907, Chapter 820 titled An Act to Stimulate High School Instruction in the Public Schools of the State and Teacher Training. The chairman of its original Board of Trustees, Thomas Jordan Jarvis, a former Governor of North Carolina now known as the "Father of ECU", participated in groundbreaking ceremonies for the first buildings on July 2, 1908, in Greenville, North Carolina, and ECTTS opened its doors on October 5, 1909. Although its purpose was to train "young white men and women", there were no male graduates until 1932. In 1920, ECTTS became a four–year institution and renamed East Carolina Teachers College; its first bachelor's degrees were awarded the following year in education. A master's degree program was authorized in 1929; the first such degree granted by the college was in 1933. Progress toward full college status was made in 1948 with the designation of the Bachelor of Arts as a liberal arts degree, and the Bachelor of Science as a teaching degree. A change of name to East Carolina College in 1951 reflected this expanded mission. Over the objections of Governor Dan K. Moore, who opposed the creation of a university system separate from the Consolidated University of North Carolina, ECC was made a regional university effective July 1, 1967, and assumed its present name, East Carolina University. The university did not remain independent for long; on July 1, 1972, it was incorporated into the University of North Carolina System, the successor to the Consolidated University. Today, ECU is the fourth–largest university in North Carolina with undergraduate and graduate students, including the 344 medicine and 206 dental students.
Campus
East Carolina is separated into three distinct campuses: Main Campus, Health Sciences Campus, and West Research Campus. It owns two sports complexes: Blount Recreational Sports Complex and North Recreational Complex. It owns a field station in New Holland, North Carolina.
Main The main campus, also known as the east campus, is about in an urban residential area of downtown Greenville. The 158 buildings on main campus comprise more than of academic, research, and residential space. Many of the Main Campus buildings feature the Spanish–Mission style architecture; inspiration drawn from Thomas Jarvis' time as an ambassador to Brazil. He wanted to bring the unique architecture to eastern North Carolina. On the main campus, there are five districts: Campus Core, Downtown District, Warehouse District, Athletic fields and the South Academic District. On the Campus Core, there are 15 residence halls which are divided into three separate neighborhoods. In the middle of the mall is the replica of the cupola on the original Austin building.
Athletic fields The varsity athletics fields are located south of the College Hill residential neighborhood. Fourteenth Street divides College Hill to the north, with the athletic fields to the south. Charles Boulevard borders the fields to the west and Greenville Boulevard borders it to the south. A residential neighborhood and Elmhurst Elementary School are the eastern borders. The northern portion of the area sits Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium, Minges Coliseum, and Minges Natatorium, along with parking. The Murphy Center, which is the primary strength and conditioning, and banquet building, is located between Dowdy-Ficklen and Minges Coliseum. The Ward Sports Medicine Building, Scales Field House, and the Pirate Club Building also surround Dowdy-Ficklen. The Ward Sports Medicine Building houses offices for football, Pirate Club, and athletic administration. The Scales Field House provides locker rooms, additional athletic department offices for marketing and event operations, and classroom space for ECU's athletic training program. South of those facilities is the Cliff Moore Practice Facility which has a pair of natural grass fields and one FieldTurf field designed exclusively for the football team. On the southern border of the practice facility is Clark-LeClair Stadium, which is the men's baseball stadium. It opened in 2005 and seats 3,000 in permanent seating with another 2,000 located in the outfield. At the southern end of the fields is the Olympic Sports Complex, which include women's soccer stadium, softball stadium, track and field facility, and Olympic Sports Team building. The Olympic Sports Complex was completed in 2011 with a price of $23.4 million. The Smith-Williams Center is a $17 million basketball development and practice facility, opened in 2013. The football stadium is planning for a $40 million upgrade. The upgrades will include a new press, club, and suite areas, and upper deck, all located on the south side. This addition will increase the capacity from 50,000 to 60,000.
East Carolina has spent $92 million on athletic projects from 1998 to 2011. Including the proposed projects, this is increased to $145 million.
Health Sciences The Health Sciences campus prepares health care practitioners across a full range of professions, including nurses, dentists, physical therapists, speech therapists, physicians, and more. Many graduates of ECU health sciences remain in the underserved East Carolina region to provide care in the area. It is situated beside ECU Health Medical Center. ECU Health Medical Center was originally Pitt County Memorial Hospital and Vidant Medical Center (VMC). After becoming a private non-profit hospital, the renaming occurred. ECU Health Medical Center, an 861–bed flagship Level I Trauma Center, serves as the academic medical center for The Brody School of Medicine. ECU Health owns ECU Health Medical Center, leases or owns six and manages one. The area is about west of Main Campus on with nearly of academic and research space in 62 buildings. Other buildings besides VMC include Brody Medicine Science Building, the East Carolina Heart Institute, Leo Jenkins Cancer Center, and the Allied Health building composed of the College of Nursing, Laupus Medical Library and College of Allied Health Sciences. The Family Medicine Center opened in the fall of 2011. Ross Hall, which houses the School of Dental Medicine, is just under 200,000 square feet.
West Research West Research Campus lies on approximately west of the Health Sciences Campus. It consists of four buildings with on the former Voice of America site. Approximately are designated wetlands and large areas of biology, botany and other sciences field study sites. It has an environmental health onsite wastewater demonstration facility which is open to the public and all educators. It is also the home of the North Carolina Institute for Health and Safety in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries with an administrative and several support buildings.
Institutes and centers
The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine East Carolina Heart Institute Leo W. Jenkins Cancer Center Innovation Design Lab Family Medicine Center Coastal Studies Institute Center for Epidemiology and Outcomes Research Small Business Institute Institute for Coastal Science and Policy Pediatric Healthy Weight Research and Treatment Center Center for Sustainable Tourism Center for Sustainability Center for Natural Hazards Center for Geographic Information Science Center for GIScience Center for Applied Computational Studies Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education Center for Survey Research Lost Colony Center for Science & Research East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute Pocosin Arts Riverside Lodge NC Agromedicine Institute Golden LEAF Educational Consortium NC Statewide Telepsychiatry Program Center for Telepsychiatry and e-Behavioral Health
Community Service Learning Centers The School of Dental Medicine built 8 community service learning centers located in rural and underserved areas throughout the state of North Carolina. The fourth-year students learn and provide care for the community for one year in these community centers. All 8 community centers are currently active. They are located in Ahoskie, Elizabeth City, Lillington, Spruce Pine, Bolivia, Thomasville, Lumberton, and Sylva.
Field Station for Coastal Studies The field station is located in New Holland, North Carolina. The area serves as a field station for the coastal studies, coastal resource management, and biology programs. The main goal of the field station is economic development into the region through both environmental education and eco–tourism. It also serves as a facility for small retreats and as a base for research on coastal issues. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is adjacent to the Mattamuskeet Wildlife Refuge.
North Recreational Complex North Recreational Complex (NRC) is an athletic complex located on a parcel of land north of East Carolina University's main campus. The NRC is one of the USA's largest recreational complexes.
UNC Coastal Studies Institute
ECU houses and manages the UNC Coastal Studies Institute (UNC-CSI) which is an inter-university, marine research institute located on Roanoke Island in Manteo along the Croatan Sound on the Outer Banks, established in 2003 focusing on Estuarine Ecology and Human Health, Coastal Processes and Engineering, Public Policy and Coastal Sustainability, and Maritime Heritage.
Administration
There have been six presidents and seven Chancellors in the university's history. Robert Herring Wright was inaugurated as the first president of ECTTS on November 13, 1909. The chief administrator changed names after ECU joined the UNC System in 1972. The chancellor is chosen by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors on the recommendation of the board's president, and he reports to the 12–member Board of Trustees at ECU. Four of the twelve trustees are picked by the Governor of North Carolina, while the other eight are picked by the Board of Governors. The ECU student body president is an ex officio member of the board of trustees.