Western Oregon University

Beginning with the 2007–2008 academic year, WOU began "Tuition Promise," issuing a guarantee that undergraduate students will have the same tuition rate as the year they entered for four academic years. WOU is the only public university in the western U.S. to offer this guarantee.[8][9]

For the 2011–2012 academic year, WOU allowed students to choose between their Tuition Promise or a new Tuition Choice. Students electing to pursue the tuition choice will have a 2012 tuition that will be no more than 1% above the 2011 tuition but with annual increases that could be between 5% and 10% per year. Students and their families will likely pay less their first year or two but will pay more in years three and four.[10] The Western Promise tuition plans ended in 2020.

Western Oregon University offers bachelor's degrees (BA, BS, BM, BFA), and AB through its two colleges: the College of Education and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Master's degrees are available in Education (MAT and MSEd), Rehabilitation Counseling (MS), Criminal Justice (MA), Music (MM), and Management and Information Systems (MS).[11][12] In 2015, U.S. News & World Report ranked Western as the 77th best amongst the regional universities in the west.[13]

Western Oregon University's sports teams are called the Wolves and compete in the NCAA's Great Northwest Athletic Conference at the Division II level. WOU sponsors 13 intercollegiate sports. Within their history under the NAIA prior to their transition to the NCAA, Western Oregon won multiple NAIA national titles in women's basketball. The Baseball team on campus has experienced much success in the GNAC, winning ten consecutive conference titles since 2001. The Track and Field teams have also performed well within the conference, with the men's team winning four consecutive GNAC Indoor Track titles since 2008. In the fall of 2010, the men's and women's cross country teams earned their first berths in school history to the NCAA National Championships where they placed 20th and 21st, respectively. Most recently the men's basketball team has won back to back conference titles.

Todd Hall

WOU Veterans Resource Center selected as Chapter of the Year by the Student Veterans of America in 2018.[18]

WOU was one of two universities highlighted for its success in graduating Pell Grant recipients in its 2015 report, The Pell Partnership: Ensuring a Shared Responsibility for Low-Income Student Success. [19]

WOU was an inaugural winner of the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award recognized by Insight Into Higher Education on November 15, 2012. This award recognizes universities and colleges that have demonstrated the highest level of commitment and action towards fostering a campus community that celebrates all the many facets of diversity.[20]

Ackerman Residence Hall, opened fall 2010, has received multiple awards for its environmentally friendly design and operations. Green Home Authority named Ackerman as one of the ten eco-friendliest dorms in the country in 2011.[21] Mother Nature Network also listed Ackerman as one of the ten greenest dorms on the planet in 2010.[22]

The National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) has recognized fourteen Western Oregon University faculty and staff for academic advising (three in 2008, one in 2009, two in 2010, two in 2011, one in 2012, four in 2013, and one in 2014).[23]

On January 2010, The Education Trust named WOU in the top 10 of the nation for improved graduation rates among underrepresented minorities.[24][25][26] WOU also ranked ninth in closing the gap between minority and nonminority graduation rates.[25] WOU is one of the most diverse universities in Oregon and has the highest percentage of Latino students in the Oregon University System.[27] Between 2000 and 2009, enrollment of Latino students increased 75%, Asian-American students by 53%, African-American students by 115% and Native American students by 63%, for an overall increase of these student populations of 73%.[28] The successful growth in Latino students has resulted in WOU being accepted as a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.[29]

• Kevin Boss – American football player for the New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, and Kansas City Chiefs[30]
• Tony Burris – American football player, Arena Football League's Detroit Drive and Washington Commandos
• Jeff Charleston – American football player, New Orleans Saints[30]
• Brian Greene – American football player
• Marco Hernandez – First Latino to serve as U.S. district court judge in Oregon.[31]
• Bryce Peila - American football player, Arena Football League's Portland Thunder/Steel
• Jason Slowey – NFL Player for the Oakland Raiders
• Dan Straily (born 1988), starting pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies organization
• Mark Thorson – American football player
• Tyrell Williams –NFL wide receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders
• Robert Oberst – Professional strongman who competes yearly in The World's Strongest Man competition.

On May 18, 2012, the school was introduced to its first traditional Greek life with the organization and initiation of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, Sigma Tau chapter . The schools Greek system now consists of one traditional fraternity, one traditional sorority, one non-traditional fraternity and one non-traditional sorority. The school welcomed Alpha Chi Omega, its first traditional sorority in the fall of 2015 with the organization founding its chapter in 2016.[32] On November 29, 2012 The Beta Kappa chapter of Omega Delta Phi fraternity was founded. Kappa Delta Chi is the other non-traditional sorority on campus.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Western Oregon University.

• Official website
• Official athletics website