įlorida Atlantic's history is one of continuing expansion as the university's service population has grown. On-campus housing for students was first added in September 1965, when Algonquin Hall opened. At the time of its opening, there were 350 employees, of which 120 were faculty. Johnson on October 25, 1964, at the dedication and opening of the university. The first degree awarded was an honorary doctorate given to President Lyndon B. The departure of the air force in 1947 would leave Boca Raton Army Airfield essentially abandoned.įlorida Atlantic University opened on September 14, 1964, with an initial student body of 867 students in five colleges. The airfield was composed of four runways, still visible on the Boca Campus today and mainly used for parking.īy early 1947, the military decided to transfer future radar training operations to Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi. The airbase was used for radar training, anti-submarine patrols along the coast, and as a stop-over point for planes being ferried to Africa and Europe via South America. Johnson at the university's dedication on October 25, 1964 The land was seized through eminent domain, leaving many Japanese-Americans little recourse in the early days of World War II. A majority of the land was acquired from Japanese-American farmers from the failing Yamato Colony. The base was built on the existing Boca Raton Airport and on 5,860 acres (23.7 km 2) of adjacent land. During World War II, the airfield served as the Army Air Corps' sole radar training facility. Florida Atlantic University was built on Boca Raton Army Airfield, a 1940s-era army airbase. On July 15, 1961, to meet the burgeoning educational demands of South Florida, the state legislature passed an act authorizing the establishment of a new university in the city of Boca Raton. On October 21, 2021, Florida Atlantic accepted the invitation to join the American Athletic Conference (AAC) and will become a full-member on July 1, 2023. With 19 varsity athletic teams, the Owls have won numerous titles and championships within the conference and division. įAU's intercollegiate sports teams, the Florida Atlantic Owls, compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I and the Conference USA (C-USA). Since 1964, Florida Atlantic University has awarded degrees to over 185,000 alumni. The university has an annual budget of $900 million and an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion. As of 2021, enrollment has grown to over 30,000 students representing 180 countries, 50 states, and the District of Columbia. Initial enrollment was only 867 students, increasing in 1984 when the university admitted its first lower-division undergraduate students. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).įAU opened in 1964 as the first public university in the Miami metro area, offering only upper-division and graduate level courses. Florida Atlantic offers more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs within its 10 colleges. Florida Atlantic University is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". Established as Florida's fifth public university in 1961, FAU has quickly grown to become one of the largest institutions in the state by enrollment. FAU belongs to the 12-campus State University System of Florida and serves South Florida. NCAA Division I FBS – C-USA (until June 30, 2023)įlorida Atlantic University ( Florida Atlantic or FAU) is a public research university with its main campus in Boca Raton, Florida, and satellite campuses in Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, and Fort Pierce.
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