Historically Black College/University?
No
Out-of-State Students
27%
Common States of Residence
- California
- Foreign countries
- Idaho
- Nevada
- Texas
Student Age Breakdown
Under 18:
0%18-19:
17%20-21:
20%22-24:
26%25+:
38%Faculty Diversity
African American:
1%Asian American:
7%Hispanic:
2%International:
9%Native American:
0%White:
69%Unknown:
12%Gay Pride
Since 2001, the U has had a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Resource Center, and the U participates in National Coming Out Week in October. Pink triangles (indicating "safe zones") are displayed around campus, notably at the UUPD. The U goes out of its way to voice support for hate-crime legislation. The only anti-gay hate crime in recent memory was a defaced campaign poster for a homosexual candidate for student elections.
Political Activity
Utah is one of the most conservative states in the Union. Consequently, the majority of resident students reflects the conservative atmosphere. However, the U of U is one of the most liberal places in Utah, being located in the heart of a growing liberal Salt Lake City. This surprises some people because Utah is so conservative. The U also has one of the best political centers in the state: the Hinckley Institute of Politics is very good with working with students to get involved in politics. They have guest speakers from all over the world, and overall, the institute is pretty top-notch.
Economic Status
The U of U student population comes from a wide variety of economic backgrounds. It's not simply a question of "rich kids" from the East Side and "poor kids" from the West Side. Many U students are newly married, have families, are professionals taking a few classes, or are housewives who've come back to school to finally complete their degree now that the kids are out of the house. Economically, the U's a rich tapestry of diversity. For example, the U administration estimates that around 75 percent of undergrads work at least 10 hours per week and that around 25 percent work 30 or more hours per week.
Most Common Religions
With Salt Lake City as the headquarters for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it’s not surprising that a large plurality of students on campus belong to this church. The LDS Church owns an Institute of Religion across the street from the southern periphery of campus, and about 5,000 U students attend religion classes there. However, immediately around campus, there are also centers for students from other religions, notably the Jewish Community Center and the Catholic Newman Center.
Minority Clubs on Campus
A sampling of minority clubs includes the Asian American Student Association, the Black Student Union, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, the Hong Kong Student Alliance, the Lesbian and Gay Student Union, the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan (MEChA), the Voices for Palestine, and the Women’s Law Caucus.
Did You Know?
The University of Utah has one of the largest LGBT organizations in the state.