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For other universities known as American University ('''AU''') is a Private United Methodist -affiliated University in Washington, DC , USA , the main campus of which comes to a corner at the intersection of Nebraska and Massachusetts Avenues at Ward Circle , straddling the Spring Valley , Wesley Heights , and American University Park neighborhoods of Northwest . Roughly 6,000 Undergraduate Student s and 4,000 Graduate Students are currently enrolled. College Board American University Profile Retrieved February 24, 2007 It is served by the Tenleytown-AU station on the Washington Metro subway line, which is located roughly one mile from the main campus in the neighborhood of Tenleytown . AU is a member of the Consortium Of Universities Of The Washington Metropolitan Area , allowing students to enroll in courses offered by other member institutions and students at other member institutions to enroll in courses at AU. A member of the Patriot League , its sports teams compete as the American University Eagles . HISTORY ]] Founding American University traces its history to a letter written by George Washington , in which he expressed a desire for a " National University " to be located in the nation's capital. The university was established in the District Of Columbia by an Act of Congress on February 24 , 1893 primarily due to the efforts of Methodist Bishop John Fletcher Hurst . Bishop Hurst and his colleagues were concerned with building an institution that would meld the strengths of the best German universities with the strengths of the existing university system in America. As their plans developed during the early years, they began to conceive of American University as an institution that would be:
1900–1948 After more than three decades devoted principally to securing financial support, the university was officially dedicated on May 15 , 1914 . The first instruction began on October 6 of that year, when 28 students were enrolled (19 of them graduate students, nine of them special students who were not candidates for a degree). The First Commencement, at which no degrees were awarded, was held on June 2 , 1915 . The Second Annual Commencement was held on June 2 , 1916 where the first degrees (one master's degree and two doctor's degrees) were awarded. Shortly after these early commencement ceremonies, classes were interrupted by war. During World War I , the university allowed the U.S. Military to use some of its grounds for testing. In 1917 , the U.S. military divided American University into two segments, Camp American University and Camp Leach . Camp American University became the birthplace of the United States' chemical weapons program, and Chemical Weapons were tested on the grounds; this required a major cleanup effort in the 1990s . Camp Leach was home to advanced research, development and testing of modern Camouflage techniques. As of 2006, the Army Corps Of Engineers is still removing ordnance including Mustard Gas and Mortar Shell s. During the next ten years, instruction was offered at the graduate level only, in accordance with the original plan of the founders. In the fall of 1925 , the College of Liberal Arts (subsequently named the College Of Arts And Sciences ) was established. Since that date, the University has offered both undergraduate and graduate degrees and programs. During World War II , the campus again offered its services to the U.S. government and became home to the U.S. Navy Bomb Disposal School and a WAVE barracks. For AU's role in these wartime efforts, the Victory Ship SS ''American Victory'' was named in honor of the university. 1949–1990 The present structure of the university began to emerge in (subsequently named the Robert P. and Arlene R. Kogod College of Business Administration and in 1999 renamed the Kogod School Of Business ); the School of Government and Public Administration in 1957 ; and the School Of International Service in 1958 . In the early . From 1965 to 1977 , the College of Continuing Education existed as a degree-granting college with responsibility for on- and off-campus adult education programs. The Lucy Webb Hayes School of Nursing provided undergraduate study in Nursing from 1965 until 1988 . In 1972 , the School of Government and Public Administration, the School Of International Service , the Center for Technology and Administration, and the Center for the Administration of Justice (subsequently named the School of Justice) were incorporated into the College of Public and International Affairs. In October 1984, President Richard Berendzen announced that the University would purchase the Immaculata Campus in 1986 to help alleviate space problems. This investment would later become the Tenley Campus. In 1986, construction on the Adnan Khashoggi Sports and Convocation Center began. Financed with $5 million from and named for Saudi Arabian Trustee Adnan Khashoggi , the building was intended to update athletics facilities and provide a new arena, as well as a parking garage and office space for administrative services. Costing an estimated $19 million, the building represented the largest construction project to date, but met protest by both faculty and students to the University's use of Khashoggi's name on the building due to his involvement in international arms trade NBC Evening News for Sunday, Jan 11, 1987. In 1988, the College of Public and International Affairs was reorganized to create two free-standing schools: the School Of International Service and the School Of Public Affairs , incorporating the School of Government and Public Administration and the School of Justice. That same year, construction on the Adnan Khashoggi Sports Center completed while the Iran-Contra Affair controversy was at its height. Shortly thereafter, the school removed his name from the building after Khashoggi defaulted on his donation obligation. 1990—present
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