University of Oklahoma History The city of Norman was named after a young surveyor, Abner E. Norman, and developed around the Santa Fe Railroad. Initiated by the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature in 1890, the University of Oklahoma's 40-acre campus was donated by town and country residents to create a campus site that would eventually become the premiere educational institution in the state: the University of Oklahoma. The University's first president, David Ross Boyd, arrived in Norman in August of 1892. By 1895, there were four faculty members, three men and one woman, and 100 students enrolled. OU Official Website | What do you know about OU? | OU Club of Dallas Today there are almost 31,000 students at the University. It is Norman's largest employer, and the city itself has grown to a population of more than 103,000 residents. The University's "Reach for Excellence Campaign" raised more than $500 million and OU's programs and initiatives are quickly establishing it as a pacesetter for public higher education in America. It is now one of the top research and teaching institutions in the nation, taking second place only to Harvard in the number of Rhodes Scholars among its graduates. There are currently more Merit Scholars per capita than at any other public university in America. The University has 19 colleges, offering 136 bachelors degrees, 94 masters degrees, and 51 doctoral degrees. It is a majestic campus with meticulously manicured grounds, thanks to a $3 million endowment for flowers and landscaping. There are sculptures by internationally renowned artists, serene park and fountain settings, and soaring Prairie Gothic architecture in every direction. The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art has been acclaimed as one of the finest university art museums in the country, and it recently received the largest gift of French Impressionist paintings - the Weitzenhoffer Collection - ever given to a university. “This is truly an exciting time for the University and Norman,” says OU President David L. Boren. “With a combined force of academics and industry, our possibilities for the coming century are limitless.”