Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls

History

Oregon Tech was founded as the Oregon Vocational School on July 14, 1947 to train and re-educate returning World War II veterans. Under the direction of Winston Purvine, the first classes were held in a deactivated Marine Corps hospital three miles northeast of Klamath Falls. The following year, the school's title was changed to the Oregon Technical Institute. In the first school year, 1947-1948, veterans constituted 98 percent of student enrollment. By 1950, the figure was 75 percent. In that year, in response to the Korean War, the school received a contract for training soldiers in welding and warehouse management. In 1953, Associate degree programs in Surveying and Structural Engineering Technologies were first accredited by the Engineers Council for Professional Development. The campus was transferred to its current location in 1964, followed by another name change to the Oregon Institute of Technology in 1973.

Academics

For the Fall 2015 academic year, the university received about 2,000 freshman applications. U.S. News & World Report in 2015 considers Oregon Tech to be the #1 Public University in the United States. Forbes in 2015 rated Oregon Tech #98 among all West Coast universities and considers it to be "innovative."

Graduate and Professional Programs

Master of Science in Civil Engineering, Renewable Energy Engineering, Allied Health (offered online) and Marriage and Family Therapy.

Undergraduate Programs

The only Bachelor of Applied Science program at Oregon Tech is Technology and Management. The University offers many more undergrad science programs. Popular programs include Allied Health Management, Applied Mathematics, Applied Psychology, Biology, Civil Engineering, Clinical Laboratory Science (joint degree with OHSU), Computer Engineering Technology, Dental Hygiene, Electrical Engineering, Electronics engineering technology, Embedded Systems Engineering Technology, Geomatics, Information Technology, Management, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Nuclear Medicine Technology and Nursing.

Oregon Tech Klamath Falls offers the following associate degrees in Applied Science in Emergency Medical Technology Paramedic (joint degree with OHSU), Respiratory Care, Polysomnographic Technology, Arts (Oregon Block Transfer). There are Associate of Engineering degrees for Computer Engineering Technology, Electronics Engineering Technology (only offered in Wilsonville) and Software Engineering Technology.

Engineering and engineering technology

Oregon Tech currently offers a variety of degrees in engineering and engineering technology, including a well-established program in Civil Engineering, as well as the undergraduate curricula in Renewable Energy Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering Technology, Embedded Systems Engineering Technology, Software Engineering Technology and Electrical Engineering.

The college of engineering focuses on producing graduates with knowledge of practical design principles (in addition to standard engineering theory) and has seen recruitment by corporations and design firms as well as state and federal agencies. Starting salaries for Oregon Tech engineering grads have exceeded the national average in each of the last five years.

Geomatics

Oregon Tech currently offers two BS Degrees in Geomatics, one in Professional Land Surveying (PLS) and the other in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Health, arts and sciences

Medical Imaging Technology, Respiratory Care and Dental Hygiene are some of the programs offered by Oregon Tech's College of Health, Arts and Sciences. The programs offered by the College of Health, Arts and Sciences are highly sought after, but also exceptionally competitive. In the summer of 2006, Oregon Tech began construction on a new $22.5 million facility designated the Oregon Center for Health Professions (OCHP), or more locally known as the Martha Anne Dow Center for Health Professions, which is now the new home for its medical-related education. Oregon Institute of Technology is considered one of the regional leaders in health care training, and the university intends to extensively expand its curriculum and enrollment in this area in the future.

Renewable energy research

Oregon Tech is the only completely geothermally-heated university campus in the United States, and is home to the Geo-Heat Center, a national resource for geothermal development, and the Oregon Renewable Energy Center (OREC), which conducts applied research on photovoltaic power systems, ground-source heating systems, fuel-cell systems, wind, biomass, biodiesel and integrated systems.

In 2005, Oregon Tech introduced the first Bachelor of Science degree in Renewable Energy Engineering (REE) offered in North America. The new program uses electrical and mechanical engineering fundamentals in conjunction with upper-division coursework in renewable energy and energy systems. REE prepares students for careers in the energy sector, especially in relation to renewable energy. The Renewable Energy Engineering degree is offered in both Klamath Falls and Wilsonville. A Master's degree program is located at the Wilsonville campus.

In 2014, OIT was recognized as the first college in the U.S. to be powered with 100% on-site renewable electricity, achieved through the campus' newly installed 2 MW geothermal power system and 2 MW solar panel array.

Information technology

Health Informatics, Application Development, Systems Analysis, and Accounting are some of the programs offered by Oregon Tech’s Department of Management in the College of Engineering, Technology and Management. Following the Oregon Tech tradition that supports applied learning, these programs are designed to prepare students for advanced degrees and to be ‘work-ready’ in their chosen careers. One specific example is the Health Informatics Simulation Lab that offers hands-on experiential learning using a wide range of current Healthcare IT applications. Information Technology degrees are offered in both Klamath Falls and Wilsonville.

Many of the courses in all of the Information Technology options are available online. Three programs area available as fully online bachelor's degree programs, Information Technology, Operations Management, and Technology and Management B.A.S.

Regional Impact

Oregon Tech has earned a regional reputation for exceptional academic programs in the various professional disciplines of engineering, technology and health professions, resulting in its graduates being heavily recruited by companies in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. Admission information reported by the university shows that 85% of the student population are residents of the state of Oregon. Oregon Tech has dual enrollment agreements with various community colleges including: Chemeketa Community College, Clackamas Community College, Klamath Community College (KCC), Linn–Benton Community College, Mt. Hood Community College, and Portland Community College. Oregon Tech and KCC also have a reverse transfer partnership agreement, allowing current Oregon Tech students who began their educational careers at KCC to be awarded degrees from the community college for work completed at Oregon Tech.

Rankings and recognition

Oregon Tech earned a spot among 650 other four-year baccalaureate colleges in the Forbes 2012 America's Best Colleges list. In 2016, U.S. News ranked it #3 for top regional undergraduate colleges (west), and #35 for the best undergraduate engineering programs (no doctorate offered) in the United States.

Campus

The present Klamath Falls Oregon Tech campus overlooks Upper Klamath Lake, and is directly adjacent to Sky Lakes Medical Center. The physical location of the school often elicits a favorable response with its views of the lake and mountains. Newer buildings such as Purvine Hall, the Martha Anne Dow Center for Health Professions, the College Union, and the renovated Owens Hall embrace a modern, aesthetically appealing collegiate style. Oregon Tech has a residence hall adjacent to the College Union, often referred to as "The Castle" by students because of its concrete appearance and elevated placement. The university opened a second housing unit titled "The Sustainable Village," or just "The Village," adjacent to the original residence hall for the start of the fall term, in 2009. The Village features an apartment-style complex. Many students live off-campus in the residential area south of the college along North Eldorado Avenue, or elsewhere in Klamath Falls.

Athletics

Oregon Tech (OIT) teams, nicknamed athletically as the Owls, are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC). Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, track & field and volleyball. The mascot for Oregon Tech Athletics is the Hustlin' Owl and is a source of pride for many Tech students.

Oregon Tech's traditional athletic nemesis is Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon. The close proximity of the schools and alternate academic foci (science and technology at Oregon Tech, liberal arts at SOU) result in a natural rivalry between the two.

Basketball

Oregon Tech basketball has been consistently competitive in the CCC and at the national level, while earning a somewhat infamous reputation within the conference for its passionate crowds and rowdy student section. In March 2004, the Oregon Tech men's basketball team made school history by winning the NAIA Division II National Championship. They won the NAIA National Championship again in 2008 and 2012.

National championships

The Oregon Tech men's basketball team won their first NAIA Division II National Championship against Bellevue University of Bellevue, Nebraska 81-72, on March 18, 2004. They won their second national title in a rematch exactly four years later, to the day, against the Bruins from Bellevue, 63-56 in 2008. In 2012 they won their third national title 63-46 against Northwood (FLa.).

Danny Miles

As of the 2017-2018 season, men's basketball head coach Danny Miles will be retired after his 45th season at Oregon Tech, and has accumulated a 1040-437 record (0.704). This record has earned him the rank of 3rd winningest coach in men's collegiate basketball history at a four-year institution (third to [Mike Krzyzewski] of [Duke University] 1071 wins, and [Harry Statham]] of [McKendree University]] with 1110 wins).

In Miles' tenure at Oregon Tech, he has achieved three nationals wins, one national runner-up, one national third place, two elite eights, 17 district or conference titles, seven district runners-up, and ten 30 win seasons. His team has ranked in the NAIA Division 1 or 2 top-20 on 30 occasions and averaged more than 23 wins per season.

Miles earned his 800th win on December 8, 2006 with an 84-73 victory over George Fox University. Miles again, reached a benchmark win at 900 on February 13, 2010 against Southern Oregon University with a final score of 101-76. Danny Miles became just the second men’s basketball coach at a four-year level to reach 1,000 career victories on February 1, 2014 with a 71-51 victory over Corban University.

Softball

In 2011 Oregon Tech won their first ever NAIA Softball National Championship.

Football

Oregon Tech first fielded a football team in 1948. The school dropped the football team in 1992 due to costs.

Clubs and activities

The university has many different clubs and activities on campus which operate under the umbrella of the school's student government organization, Associated Students of OIT (ASOIT). Among these are student chapters of professional societies, such as the American Society of Civil Engineers and American Dental Hygienists' Association, Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, Phi Delta Theta fraternity, Engineers Without Borders, recreational activity programs, special interest groups, cultural awareness organizations, student media, and academic honor societies. Also, Oregon Tech's student chapter of the Society of Automotive Engineers competes in the annual SAE Mini Baja event. The Renewable Energy Engineering program also has a club open to all majors and is working toward becoming a chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers. The Oregon Tech Robotics Club invites students from many majors to collaborate on multidisciplinary robotics projects such as the MATE ROV competition and to support community members in technical projects.