The Oklahoma Memorial Union (OMU) is the University of Oklahoma 's student union, or student activity center . The Union was completed in 1929 as a memorial to the students, faculty, and staff of the university who fought and died in World War I .
39-493: The Union has more than 26 meeting and activity rooms and eight dining kiosks. The Meacham Auditorium has 400 seats, and the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom, on the third floor, seats up to 500 banquet guests. OU students began an effort to build a student union in 1921. The movement grew, and by 1925 serious efforts began for construction of a combination student union and football stadium. The original architect's drawing for
78-488: A $ 11.5 million campaign to remodel the building. The result was a facility that welcomed students, and the Union quickly regained its status as a campus gathering place. In October 2006, custodians began to notice small paint chips and sawdust on window sills on the Union's third floor. Expert inspectors quickly deduced that the roof beams above the third floor were pushing the lintels on the third floor windows down, which pushed
117-796: A record of 142–102–4. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1951. Owen was born in Chicago, Illinois , in 1875 and his family moved to St. Louis , Missouri when he was 12. After he finished school, his family again moved, this time to Arkansas City, Kansas . There Owen served as an apprentice to a local doctor for three years. He then enrolled in the University of Kansas in 1897 to pursue his medical studies and he soon discovered his knack for football. Owen played football at Kansas under two excellent, but contrasting coaches. Wylie G. Woodruff , an All American player from
156-738: A week after his "re-hiring." Early in Owen's tenure as head coach, funding for athletic teams were very much an issue. Due to costs involved in travel, Owen's teams would regularly go out on long, grueling road trips. In 1905, his Sooners played three games in five days and in 1909 they played three games in six days. Owen is also known for introducing the forward pass to football in the Southwestern United States . This allowed his team to quickly score against lesser opponents. In 1911, his team defeated Kingfisher College , 104–0. Largely because of their accomplishments during Owen's era as head coach,
195-546: Is Loren Ferré , who has held the position since 1996. The "Ichabods" nickname is named after the university's contributor Ichabod Washburn, who was also the founder of Worcester Polytechnic Institute . Prior to the 2013–14 season, the women's athletic teams were known as the "Lady Blues". On May 24, 2013, President Farley announced that all athletic teams will be known as the Ichabods for the first time in history. Greek Life at Washburn University has existed since 1909. Currently,
234-465: Is a public university in Topeka, Kansas , United States. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and business . Washburn has 550 faculty members, who teach more than 6,100 undergraduate students and nearly 800 graduate students. The university's assets include a $ 158 million endowment . As of 2008, Washburn also took over overseeing the technical school in
273-460: Is one of four coaches to win over 100 games at Oklahoma. No other college football program has had more than three coaches accomplish the feat. In addition to coaching football, Owen also spent 13 seasons as the Oklahoma men's basketball head coach. In those 13 years, he won nearly 70% of his games, had two undefeated seasons and only two losing seasons. In 1910, Owen became an initiated member of
312-508: Is the largest in the state. Notable alumni include Bob Dole , Roy Wilford Riegle , Dennis Moore , Kay McFarland , Bill Kurtis , and Fred Phelps . The main buildings of Washburn University are all dedicated to someone or are an important part of Washburn's history. Lincoln Hall Housing and dining The Washburn athletic teams are called the Ichabods. The university is a member of the NCAA Division II ranks, primarily competing in
351-790: Is the mayor or a member of the governing body of the city designated by the mayor. The Shawnee County Commission appoints one member, who must be a resident of Shawnee County but not of the City of Topeka. The Kansas Board of Regents annually selects one of its members to serve on the Washburn Board. Members of the board (with the exception of the Kansas Board of Regents' appointee) serve staggered four-year terms. These persons have served as presidents or interim presidents of Washburn College (1869–1940), Washburn Municipal University of Topeka (1941–1952), and Washburn University (1952–present). Formed in 1903,
390-794: The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIC) from 1940–41 to 1967–68 (which they were a member on a previous stint from 1923–24 to 1932–33); as an Independent from 1933–34 to 1939–40; and in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) from 1902–03 to 1922–23. Washburn competes in 16 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis and track & field (indoor and outdoor); while women's sports include basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball. The current athletics director
429-816: The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) since the 1989–90 academic year. The Ichabods previously competed in the Central States Intercollegiate Conference (CSIC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1976–77 to 1988–89; in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) from 1972–73 to 1975–76; in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) from 1968–69 to 1971–72; in
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#1732845014073468-461: The University of Pennsylvania came to Kansas to coach football in the fall of 1897. Owen got a part-time job working as a medical assistant for Woodruff and it was Woodruff who encouraged Owen to try out for the Kansas football team . Owen played under Woodruff for two seasons. Woodruff specialized in a tough, hard-hitting style of football Woodruff's message to his players was "hurdle the wounded, step on
507-521: The Western University of Pennsylvania looked to have Owen become the head coach of the Panthers . However, athletic director Vernon Louis Parrington hired Owen. Owen took over the Oklahoma football team in 1905, succeeding one-year coach Fred Ewing . He stepped in and immediately turned the fledgling team around, giving Oklahoma its very first win over the rival Texas Longhorns . Owen was loved by
546-511: The 1901 season as Yost's assistant at the University of Michigan . While at Michigan, he helped Yost develop the famous "Point-a-Minute" teams built around halfback Willie Heston . Owen got his first exposure to the Oklahoma football team while head coach at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas . His Bethany Swedes met and defeated two Sooner teams in 1903 and 1904. In the following offseason,
585-412: The 2013–14 school year. In 1913, the medical department of Washburn College closed. The medical school had become infamous on December 10, 1895, when the public discovered that some of the bodies used for anatomical study had been stolen from local cemeteries. As the news was being printed (eventually across the country), the governor, fearing riots, called out state troops to protect the school. Three of
624-565: The Delta Epsilon chapter of Sigma Nu at the University of Oklahoma . Owen had been living in the Sigma Nu chapter house's basement at 526 South University Boulevard during this time. Because he was taking several classes at the university, he was eligible to become an initiated member at the request of several of his players that had become members themselves. Owen would go onto be very active with Sigma Nu for many years, notably helping found
663-558: The Epsilon Epsilon chapter of Sigma Nu at Oklahoma State University in 1920. While the name of the Oklahoma football stadium is the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium , they originally played at Boyd Field during Owen's tenure and later moved and renamed Owen Field in his honor. The playing surface itself still retains the name Owen Field and many still refer to the stadium as a whole as such. Owen
702-562: The Oklahoma Sooners have scored the most points of any team in college football history. In 1,154 games through the 2009 season, the Sooners have scored 30,897 points with over 5,000 of those being contributed by Owen's teams. Owen's Sooners twice scored over 150 points in a game and won three games in 1915 by a combined score of 258–0. Owen's overall record at Oklahoma was 122–54–16. Along with Bud Wilkinson , Barry Switzer and Bob Stoops , he
741-558: The Union began a period of decline as the university's campus expanded south. By the time the Union Parking Garage was completed in the early 1980s, the Will Rogers Cafeteria, once Norman's favorite Sunday-after-church luncheon spot, had become a relic, and its decor – and food offerings – were firmly stuck in the 1950s. The book exchange was only large enough to hold the engineering texts and supplies; Crossroads Restaurant
780-482: The University of Oklahoma, Owen was fired by the state legislature. They believed his salary of $ 3,500 (equivalent to $ 105,414 in 2023) was far too great for an athletics coach and used the loss of his arm as an excuse for dismissal. They recommended he be terminated and shortly thereafter, he was. However, when Brooks heard of this news, he quickly got the decision rescinded. Owens did not learn of his "dismissal" until
819-523: The Washburn School of Law was one of the first in the country to have a legal clinic where students are able to actively practice the legal profession. Today, it is in the minority of law schools to employ a full-time faculty for its law clinic. The Washburn School of Law had the highest pass rate of the Kansas bar examination of any law school in Kansas. The Washbum Law Library houses over 380,000 volumes and
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#1732845014073858-590: The area, Washburn Tech . Washburn University was established at Topeka, Kansas , in February 1865 as "Lincoln College", by a charter issued by the State of Kansas and the General Association of Congregational Ministers and Churches of Kansas; the land on which the college stood was donated by abolitionist John Ritchie . The institution was renamed "Washburn College" in 1868, after Ichabod Washburn pledged $ 25,000 to
897-409: The combined facility showed a facade quite similar to the present day union. However, the consolidated union/stadium was scrapped after football coach Bennie Owen said it would be best to build two structures, a stadium and a student union, instead of one. Construction of the Union began in 1929 at an original cost of US$ 350,000, which came from the million dollar fundraising campaign – the first in
936-421: The dead." Woodruff was released at the end of the 1898 season and Kansas hired Fielding H. Yost from the University of Nebraska . Unlike, Woodruff, Yost's style of football was based on innovation, speed, and cunning. Owen was the star quarterback for Yost's undefeated 1899 team. Upon graduating from Kansas, Owen took his first head coaching job at Washburn College . Following a one-year stint there, he spent
975-416: The doctors, including the dean of the school, and a student-janitor from the school were arrested, as was one man who was not a member of the school. Charges against the doctors were discharged, the janitor was convicted but had his conviction reversed on appeal, and the fifth man was convicted but later pardoned. During World War II , Washburn Municipal University was one of 131 colleges and universities in
1014-487: The emblem of the institution. The school mascot, "The Ichabod", is still in use. "The Ichabod" honors the namesake and early benefactor of the institution, Ichabod Washburn. "The Ichabod" existed only in name until 1938, when alumnus (and later prominent graphic artist) Bradbury Thompson (B.A., 1934) created the studious-looking, tailcoat-wearing figure the university uses today. The athletic teams are nicknamed "Ichabods", although women's teams did not use that nickname until
1053-402: The ground floor. Offices, a men's lounge, and the ballroom were located on the second and third floors. The Union's landmark 99-foot (30 m) clock tower was completed in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project. Carillon bells were installed in the tower in 1955. When enrollment at the university skyrocketed after World War II ended, momentum increased to complete the interior of
1092-426: The head football coach at Washburn College, now Washburn University , in 1900, at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas , from 1902 to 1904, and at the University of Oklahoma from 1905 to 1926, compiling a career college football record of 155–60–19. Owen was also the head basketball coach at Oklahoma from 1908 to 1921, tallying a mark of 113–49, and the head baseball coach at the school from 1906 to 1922, amassing
1131-435: The maximum amount. A week after the tornado struck, summer classes began at Topeka West High School. By the fall of 1966, Stoffer Hall was repaired, and trailers were in place. It took years to reconstruct the campus, with students attending classes in trailers well into the early 1970s. Formerly a municipal university , the university's primary funding was moved from city property tax to county sales tax sources in 1999, with
1170-526: The nation taking part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program , which offered students a path to a Navy commission. On June 8, 1966, only a few days after classes were dismissed for the summer, much of the campus was demolished by a tornado , and completely denuded of trees. Three months before the tornado struck, the Washburn board of trustees had reinsured every building on campus for
1209-457: The players as he regularly would involve himself in scrimmages when he felt his players were lagging. Owen's first two years at Oklahoma were spent back and forth between Norman and Arkansas City . Due to a reduced financial budget, Owen only remained on campus during the football season. In 1907, Owen lost his right arm in a hunting accident. Early in Stratton D. Brooks 's tenure as president of
Memorial Union (University of Oklahoma) - Misplaced Pages Continue
1248-405: The school retaining status as a municipal subdivision of the state. Washburn is governed by its own nine-member Board of Regents. Washburn University is governed by a nine-member board of regents. Three, who must be residents of the state of Kansas, are appointed by the governor. Three residents of the City of Topeka, one from each of the state senatorial districts, are appointed by the mayor. One
1287-519: The school. Washburn was a church deacon , abolitionist , and industrialist who lived in Worcester, Massachusetts . [REDACTED] Washburn College adopted a variation of the Washbourne arms as its emblem, substituting the school colors for the tinctures of the arms. Since becoming a university, however, Washburn has abandoned use of the family arms. Instead, the university now employs a stylized "W" as
1326-484: The structure. The north and south wings of the building, including the Meacham Auditorium, were completed in 1951 for $ 2.3 million. The cafeteria expanded into the north wing and was renamed the Will Rogers Cafeteria, to honor Will Rogers . Small retail shops opened on the ground floor, and student groups and some administration offices occupied the first and second floors of the south wing. After this construction,
1365-464: The third floor. Soon after the parking garage was opened, student organization offices began to move back into the Union, which brought more foot traffic into the building. As enrollment again increased in the late 1980s and early 1990s, small areas were refurbished on an intermittent basis, but it was clear that the Union needed more than cosmetic improvements. When the university's 13th president, David Boren , arrived in 1994, he and his wife Molly led
1404-422: The university's history – to build both structures. The plans called for the construction of the outer shell of the building so it could be filled in with offices and rooms as the university grew. When the central part of the Union was finished, students and faculty enjoyed a large cafeteria, a book exchange, and a large open area with two regulation-sized bowling alleys and several pool & snooker tables on
1443-552: The walls apart and also pressed against the walls of the north wing. Construction quickly began to rescue the building, and more than $ 1 million was spent to remove the brick on the east and west sides of the building, strengthen the beams, and repair the walls. The work was completed in the spring of 2007. Bennie Owen Benjamin Gilbert Owen (July 24, 1875 – February 26, 1970) was an American football player and coach of football, basketball , and baseball . He served as
1482-1564: Was a charter member of the College Football Hall of Fame , elected in 1951. He died February 26, 1970, in Houston, Texas , at age 94. National champion Postseason invitational champion Conference regular season champion Conference regular season and conference tournament champion Division regular season champion Division regular season and conference tournament champion Conference tournament champion National champion Postseason invitational champion Conference regular season champion Conference regular season and conference tournament champion Division regular season champion Division regular season and conference tournament champion Conference tournament champion # denotes interim head coach # denotes interim head coach Washburn University Washburn University ( WU ), formally Washburn University of Topeka ,
1521-420: Was the lone competition to the Will Rogers Cafeteria. The new student dormitories were over half a mile (0.8 kilometers) south along with new classroom buildings. The Union was quiet except for banquet traffic, from both student groups and Norman-area businesses and civic organizations, and visits to Career Planning and Placement (now OU Career Services), the university's employment office for graduating seniors, on
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