University of Idaho The University of Idaho ( officially abbreviated UI , but commonly referred to as the U of I ) is the State of Idaho ' s oldest public university located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state . UI is the state ' s primary research university , and enrolls more national merit scholars than all other institutions in the state combined . In January 2012 , the university enrolled the highest number of National Merit Scholars of any school in the Northwest ; more than the other flagship institutions in the region with significantly larger enrollments . The University of Idaho was the state ' s sole university for 71 years , until 1963 , and hosts the University of Idaho College of Law , which was established in 1909 , accredited by the ABA in 1925 , and remained until 2012 the only law school in the state . ( Concordia University School of Law opened its doors in Boise in the fall of 2012 . ) The university was formed by the territorial legislature of Idaho on January 30 , 1889 , and opened its doors on October 3 , 1892 with an initial class of 40 students . The first graduating class in 1896 contained two men and two women . The university presently has an enrollment exceeding 12 , 000 , with over 11 , 000 on the Moscow campus . The university offers 142 degree programs , from accountancy to wildlife resources , including bachelor ' s , master ' s , doctoral , and specialists ' degrees . Certificates of completion are offered in 30 areas of study . At 25 % and 53 % , its 4 and 6 year graduation rates are the highest of any public university in Idaho , and it generates 74 percent of all research money in the state , with research expenditures of $ 100 million in 2010 alone . As a rural land - grant university , UI has the largest campus in the state , located in the rolling hills of the Palouse region at an elevation of above sea level . The school is home to the Idaho Vandals , who compete on the Division I FBS ( formerly I - A ) level . The land - grant institution for the state of Washington , WSU , is located eight miles ( 13 km ) west in Pullman . In addition to the main campus in Moscow , the UI has branch campuses in Coeur d ' Alene , Boise , Twin Falls , and Idaho Falls . It also operates a research park in Post Falls and dozens of extension offices statewide . Timeline . Timeline of University of Idaho Campus . UI has one of the most scenic campuses in the western U . S . . The master plan for the UI campus was originally designed in 1908 by the Olmsted Brothers of Massachusetts , the sons of Frederick Law Olmsted ; their landscape architecture firm designed the U . S . Capitol grounds , Central Park in New York City , and many other notable college campuses , particularly in the West . The Palouse region has rolling hills with rivers and lakes , with mountains nearby , offering a wide variety of recreational opportunities . According to the UI Facts Books , the Moscow campus is an including 253 buildings with a replacement value of $ 812 million , , of parking lots , of bike paths , 22 computer labs , an 18 - hole golf course on , of arboreta , and of farms . There are several distinctive areas on campus . Administration Building . The east - facing Administration Building , with its clock tower and Collegiate Gothic - style structure , was built from 1907 – 09 and has become an icon of the university . The building holds classrooms , an auditorium , and administrative offices , including the offices of the President and Provost . Multiple expansions were made , with the north wing added in 1912 , the south wing in 1916 ( extended in 1936 for the library ) , and the functional annex in 1950 , incorporated into the Albertson addition of 2002 . The UI library was housed in the Admin . building until 1957 , when the Library building was completed . The original Administration Building , with a single tall spire reaching to , was constructed through the decade of the 1890s and ultimately finished in 1899 . Unfortunately , it was reduced to embers on March 30 , 1906 ( photo ) ; the cause of the fire , which began in the basement , was never precisely determined , but was likely accidental . After the fire , there was debate whether to rebuild from the remains or start from scratch ; the remaining structure ( photo ) was eventually deemed infeasible to recover and was demolished with dynamite ( photo ) . The original building ' s steps were saved and currently climb the small hill immediately southeast of the south wing . In the meantime , classes were held at various sites in Moscow ; the Carnegie library , the Methodist church , and local lodge halls . Insurance policies paid $ 135 , 000 , but the new building cost twice that . To appease the state legislature , the UI Regents decided to build Morrill Hall first , use it for classrooms , and finance the new administration building over three years . The new Admin . building was designed by prominent Boise architect John E . Tourtellotte . He designed the state ' s Roman Revival capitol building in Boise and other buildings , both public and private . Tourtellotte modeled the new UI structure after the venerable Hampton Court Palace in England , and construction began in 1907 . The 1909 Administration Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 , at age 69 . Two years out of office , former U . S . President Theodore Roosevelt spoke outside the main east entrance of the new building on April 9 , 1911 , on a platform built of Palouse wheat ( photo ) . Hello Walk . " Hello Walk " is one of the best - known and traveled pathways on the Idaho campus . But more than being surrounded by trees and grass , it navigates through a rich history of statues , landmarks and traditions . It includes Presidential Grove , where historical figures , such as Teddy Roosevelt and his wife , planted trees ; the Spanish War memorial statue who had his hands cut off but reconstructed by a handless sculptor and Administration Lawn that was designed by the same brothers who designed Central Park in New York City . The walk was named after Alfred Upham , the president of the university in the 1920s . Upham insisted on saying " hello " to all those he passed on his walk from his house — on the site now occupied by the Campus Christian Center — to his office in the Administration Building . He requested that this act of kindness be required of all students and faculty on campus , which is how the walk acquired its name . Hello Walk is still used , but the hellos that used to be mandatory are now not often vocalized to strangers . Idaho Commons . The Idaho Candlewalk Commons , completed on January 10 , 2000 , is the heart of campus and contains a food court , copy center , bagel and coffee shop ( Einstein ' s Bagels ) , Credit Union , and convenience store . Additionally , there is study space , wireless internet , laptop checkout , and many student services such as the offices of the Associated Students of the University of Idaho ( ASUI ) , Academics Assistance , the University of Idaho Writing Center , and Student Support . With the completion of the Teaching and Learning Center ( TLC ) at the beginning of the fall semester of 2005 , the second phase , the Commons gained classrooms and completed the vision of a common area where students could learn , study , relax and get university services all in one place . Student Union Building . The Student Union Building houses Financial Aid , Admissions , New Student Services , the Registrar ' s Office , the office of the Graduate & Professional Student Association ( GPSA ) and student meeting rooms . There is also wireless access , laptops available for check - out , a student computer lab , and a movie theater . This SUB was the primary student area until the Commons was opened in 2000 . The SUB was originally the Blue Bucket Inn , purchased by the UI in 1936 . The UI Bookstore , built in 1989 on a former parking lot , is located directly across the street to the east , formery adjacent to the south . ASUI - Kibbie Activity Center . UI ' s multi - purpose " Kibbie Dome " is the home to Vandal athletics ; it is the venue for football , basketball , tennis , and indoor track & field . Its Trus - Dek roof system , constructed in 1975 , uses natural wood arches to span at a height of over the field ' s hashmarks . Built when Idaho was a member of the Big Sky Conference , the Kibbie Dome is the smallest stadium ( as of December 2010 ) in Division I FBS football . Previously on this site was Neale Stadium , which opened in 1937 as an earthen horseshoe with wooden sideline grandstands . After 32 seasons , its bleachers were condemned for structural inadequacies due to erosion in the summer of 1969 . After an idle 1969 football season , it was destroyed ( by suspected arson ) on November 22 , 1969 . After two years away at nearby Rogers Field in Pullman , the new outdoor " Idaho Stadium " opened on October 9 , 1971 , with concrete grandstands ; the 1971 Vandals responded with a victory over Idaho State , an 8 - 3 season , and the Big Sky title . Tartan Turf , similar to AstroTurf , was installed in 1972 with the roll - up mechanism ; the arched roof and vertical end - walls were completed in time for the 1975 football home opener on September 27 , enclosing the stadium to become the Kibbie Dome . The seating capacity is 16 , 000 for football games , 7 , 000 for basketball games ( in a configuration known as the " Cowan Spectrum " since 2001 ) , and 7 , 500 for concerts . Its innovative roof won the Outstanding Structural Engineering Achievement award from the ASCE in 1976 . The original Tartan Turf was replaced with AstroTurf in 1990 and lasted until 2007 , when it was replaced with " Real Grass Pro , " an infilled synthetic turf ( similar to FieldTurf ) . In 2009 , the Kibbie Dome began a multi - phase renovation with millions of dollars of improvements , primarily for safety . The primary change was the entire west wall ; its aged dry plywood panels were replaced with non - flammable translucent plastic ( upper ) and opaque aluminum ( lower ) . New field - level exits were also installed . The east wall was replaced in 2011 and a new press box was built above the north grandstand ; the former press box area above the south grandstand was converted to premium seating ( Litehouse Center ) . UI Golf Course . The UI Golf Course was established in 1933 on the southwest edge of campus , and opened as nine holes in 1937 . It was expanded to 18 holes in 1970 and its current clubhouse was built in 1969 . Due to its demanding rolling terrain and southwesterly summer winds , the par - 72 course ' s moderate length of from the back tees yields a challenging slope of 135 with a scratch rating of 72 . 4 . Arboretum and Botanical Garden . Referred to as " Tree City " or " The Arb " by UI students , the Arboretum is a site adjacent to the golf course which features display gardens , ponds , and a variety of trees and plants from Asia , Europe , and North America . The original Shattuck Arboretum was conceived in 1910 by Charles H . Shattuck , the head of the forestry department . His efforts gradually turned a treeless slope southwest of the Administration Building into a dense forest grove . The aboretum was named for Shattuck in 1933 , two years after his death . Until the late 1960s , this area provided the background for left & center field of the MacLean baseball field , whose infield was displaced by the construction of the new College of Education buildings , which were completed in 1968 . The newer portion of the arboretum complex is south of the Shattuck area , in the valley below the president ' s residence ( 1967 ) , along the eastern edge of the campus ' 18 - hole golf course . Student Recreation Center . Opened in April 2002 , the Student Recreation Center boasts a freestanding climbing wall , as well as a weight training area , cardio , of climbing area , jogging track , and two full - size gyms . The Rec Center hours are set to meet the schedules of users including students , faculty and staff . The Student Recreation Center offers a number of wellness classes including zumba , TRX , cycling , gravity , belly dancing and yoga . The planned Phase Two of the project includes adding a swimming pool , but has been delayed due to funding problems . The recreation center is located on the corner of Paradise Creek Street and Line Street north of the Theophilus Tower dormitory , an area which formerly housed maintenance buildings . UI Library . The UI Library is the state ' s largest , with more than 1 . 4 million books , periodicals , government documents , maps , videorecordings , and special collections . Included are those for Sir Walter Scott , and many famous Idahoans , including Ezra Pound , Vardis Fisher , Frank Bruce Robinson , and Carol Ryrie Brink of Moscow . Directly north of the Memorial Gymnasium and built on the former site of tennis courts , the library opened in 1957 , relocating from the south wing of the Administration Building . The UI post office station was formerly housed in its lower northwest corner ; it was moved to the new UI bookstore in 1990 . The UI Library was expanded by 50 % in the early 1990s and rededicated in 1994 . Memorial Gymnasium . The Tudor Gothic - style Memorial Gymnasium is another UI icon , known for its whimisical athletic gargoyle s perched along the brick building ' s ledges . The multi - purpose " Mem Gym " has a modest seating capacity of only 1 , 500 . Opened in 1928 to honor the Idaho citizens who died in World War I ( 1917 – 18 ) , the heavily buttress ed structure was designed by the chairman of the university ' s architecture department , David C . Lang Memorial Gym was the primary venue for men ' s basketball until the Kibbie Dome was enclosed in September 1975 . The women ' s team hosted its home games in the gym until 2001 , when the Cowan Spectrum ( inside the Kibbie Dome ) was completed . The gym is still in active use today as the home court for the women ' s volleyball team , and several early season basketball games . It is also used extensively for intramurals and open recreation , as well as for ROTC . The MacLean baseball field was located directly south of the Memorial Gym , until its infield was displaced by the construction of the College of Education building in 1967 . The catcher and batter faced southwest ( towards the pitcher ' s mound ) ; the right field line was just south of the gym , running east - west . The background of left and center field was the Shattuck Arboretum . The new baseball field ( Guy Wicks Field ) was relocated northwest , to the vast intramural fields near the Moscow - Pullman Highway , northwest of the Wallace Complex dormitories . The batter and catcher now faced southeast , toward campus , an unorthodox configuration resulting in a difficult sun field for the left side of the defense ( the recommended alignment is east - northeast ) . Due to budget constraints , varsity baseball was dropped following the 1980 season , but continued for a while as a club sport . MacLean was also the venue for football until the opening of Neale Stadium in 1937 . The swim center and physical education building ( formerly known as the " Women ' s Gym " ) , which both opened in 1970 , are adjacent to the south side of the gym . In 1977 , the Memorial Gymnasium was added to the National Register of Historic Places after only 49 years . Under the Elms . Rare Camperdown elms line the walkway between the Music building , Child Development Center and Administration Building . These " upside - down " trees have been on campus for over 80 years and are among few of their kind in the Northwest . The weeping branches and knotty trunk are formed by being grafted upwards . Steam Plant . Built in 1926 , the steam plant provides heat to UI buildings from a single location . Originally designed to burn coal , then oil , then natural gas , the plant was modified in 1986 to burn waste wood chips leftover from local sawmills . The use of wood has significantly reduced the emissions of the plant , as well as cut costs to heat the campus . The plant is shut down twice a year for cleaning and maintenance . As a side benefit of the heat generation , the steam pipes are routed underneath campus walkways and provide clean ( and ice free ) walkways throughout the north Idaho winter . Student housing . Student housing facilities that have students with dependent children include South Hill Apartments and South Hill Vista Apartments . The Moscow School District serves residents . Moscow High School is the district ' s sole traditional high school . Student life . UI is a rural , residential campus , with four residence hall communities to choose from on campus , as well as 27 housed fraternities and sororities . On campus residence is currently required for freshmen , and many other upperclassmen choose to live on campus in the Greek system or the residence halls . Apartments on campus are available for families , married couples , graduate students , law students , and non - traditional students . The " Law Cluster " is a group of apartments reserved for law students , allowing for a community close to campus for law students , facilitating study groups . Transportation . All students are permitted to have cars on campus , which is also served by public transportation . The nearest airport , Pullman - Moscow Regional , is west , east of Pullman . Other nearby airports are Lewiston ( 34 miles ( 55 km ) south ) , and Spokane International , north . The nearest passenger train station ( Amtrak ) is in Spokane , and the nearest bus station is in downtown Moscow . Student organizations . Many students participate in a wide variety of clubs and organizations . Clubs range anywhere from the sports to faith based , and everything in between . Palousafest is a fair that brings clubs and students together , and is a way for students to find out more about how to get involved with extracurricular activities . The fair is usually the weekend just before the fall semester starts . The prominent literary journal Fugue is published at the university . Fraternity and Sorority Life . The University of Idaho is home to 18 housed fraternities , 10 housed sororities , and 6 multicultural Greek organizations that make up more than 20 % of the student population , and over 44 % of the students who live on campus ( around 1 , 800 students ) . This fraternity and sorority community is unique in that it ' s one of the few that allow freshmen to move in first semester as a living option , as opposed to waiting until second semester or sophomore year . This system works very well for the University and the students , with the Greeks having the highest GPA for 9 consecutive semesters as of Spring 2011 . Multicultural Greeks - 6 . ( Multicultural Greek Council ) Moscow . Moscow is a college town , with 23 , 800 residents as of the 2010 census . It is located in the rolling hills of the Palouse region of north central Idaho . < br > The UI campus is adjacent to the southwest side of town ; most stores , restaurants , and bars are within easy walking distance . Degrees & Colleges . From 1896 through May 2011 , the University of Idaho has granted 80 , 233 bachelor ' s degrees , 21 , 734 master ' s degrees , 2 , 694 doctoral degrees , 240 honorary degrees , 1 , 164 specialist degrees , and 3 , 654 law degrees . The university is organized into ten colleges ; two are exclusively for graduate students ( Law & Graduate Studies ) . In July 2002 , the College of Letters & Science was split into two separate colleges : the College of Science and the College of Letters , Arts , and Social Sciences ( CLASS ) . Concurrently , the College of Mines and Earth Resources was discontinued ; its programs were split between the College of Engineering and the new College of Science . Demographics . Moscow enrollment ( fall 2010 ) Enrollment by college Student demographics Fight song . Go , Vandals , Go is the official fight song of the University of Idaho . The song was originally written by J . M . " Morey " O ' Donnell , a freshman at Idaho who later became a prominent attorney in the state . He submitted it for a contest held by the school ' s student government to choose a new fight song . Previously , the Vandals had used a variation of " On , Wisconsin " as its fight song . Most fight songs are hard to sing because of the fast beat used to make them sound spirited . However , O ' Donnell wrote the song almost entirely with whole note s and half note s to make it easy for a large football crowd to sing . He also added a heavy drumbeat to carry the spirit . For many years , it has been cited as one of the top fight songs in the United States . For example , 2002 , Norm Maves , Jr . of " The ( Portland ) Oregonian " described it as " the once and future king of college fight songs , with a fanfare lead - in that could motivate a successful infantry charge . " Go Vandals Came a tribe from the North brave and bold , < br > Bearing banners of silver and gold , < br > Tried and true to subdue all their foes , < br > Go Vandals ! Go mighty Vandals ! Go Vandals go , < br > Fight on with hearts brave and bold , < br > Foes will fall before your silver and your gold , < br > The victory cannot be withheld from thee , < br > So , all bear down for Idaho , < br > Come on old Vandals , go ! I - D - A - H - O , < br > Idaho , Idaho , Go ! Go ! Go ! The victory cannot be withheld from thee , < br > So , all bear down for Idaho , < br > Come on old Vandals , go ! < br > Let ' s go !