The University of Oregon, established by the Oregon legislature in 1872, is a premier public research university that serves its students and the people of Oregon, the nation, and the world through the creation and transfer of knowledge in the liberal arts, the natural and social sciences, and the professions. It is designated by the Carnegie Foundation as a top-tier research university, and is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, a group of 62 leading public and private research universities in the United States and Canada. The UO offers 234 degree and certificate programs and hosts nearly 30 research centers, institutes, and core research facilities. With applications continuing to set records each year, the UO last fall welcomed a freshman class that is among the most academically qualified and diverse in university history. The UO is governed by an independent public body, the Board of Trustees, chaired by telecommunications industry veteran Charles Lillis, PhD ’72. The UO gained its own institutional board in July 2014. Board members are appointed by Oregon’s governor. Michael H. Schill became the university’s eighteenth president on July 1, 2015. The university’s current $2 billion campaign is focused on expanding affordable access for Oregonians, advancing the university’s research mission by attracting outstanding and diverse faculty and students, and enhancing the academic and residential experience at the university.