AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Central State University is regionally accredited and the only Historically Black state university in Ohio. An act passed by the Ohio General Assembly on March 19, 1887, was the genesis for the university establishing a combined Normal and Industrial Department of Wilberforce University. Although associated with Wilberforce University, the department had a separate board of trustees and was considered a separate institution. In 1941, the General Assembly changed the title of the Combined Normal and Industrial Department that offered two-year courses to the College of Education and Industrial Arts that provided four-year college courses. In 1947, the College of Education and Industrial Arts began operating independently from Wilberforce University. It continued its programs in teacher education, industrial arts and business, and also began offering a four-year program in liberal arts, using the name Wilberforce State College. In 1951, the legislature of the state of Ohio provided the name Central State College and in November 1965, Central State was granted university status. In keeping with its 125-year tradition of excellence, Central State University prepares students for careers such as educators, government officials, attorneys and business executives. Central State is educating the next generation of leaders.

Proudly celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2012, Nevada State College (NSC), a four-year public institution, is a member of the Nevada System of Higher Education. NSC places a special emphasis on the advancement of a diverse and largely under-served student population. Located on a developing 500-acre campus in the foothills of Henderson, Nevada, the college was established in 2002 as a new tier in the state system between the research universities and the two-year colleges. In this role, the college emphasizes high-quality instruction, exemplary service, engaging learning experiences, and innovation as a means to more efficient, effective outcomes in all corners of the campus. Since 2002, Nevada State College has grown to offer more than 24 majors and minors, has received independent accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and has expanded its physical campus. Committed to fostering a personal learning environment, students are taught by faculty who serve as mentors and guides in classrooms with an average size of only 23 students. Nevada State College serves over 3,300 students and has over 1,500 alumni, each representing a broad array of cultural and economic backgrounds. For more information, visit http://nsc.edu 

CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service-learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. Visit CSU Channel Islands anniversary website at www.csuci.edu/10anniversary 

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne was founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church as a branch of Morgan College and remained affiliated with the Baltimore institution for nearly half a century. In addition to ecumenical support, the school received modest federal aid through the second Morrill Act, making it an 1890 land-grant institution where young blacks trained in agriculture and related mechanical arts. The state of Maryland purchased the institution during the Great Depression, moving it toward baccalaureate-level status. UMES today, with 4,500 students, blends a traditional curriculum with instruction in such contemporary fields as engineering, hospitality studies and allied health, including pharmacy.

Founded in 1837, Cheyney University is America’s oldest historically Black institution of higher education. Today it leverages that rich history of providing access to higher education for all students by producing visionary leaders and responsible citizens. Cheyney graduates are successful, talented individuals, and some of the most well-known include 60 Minutes journalist, Ed Bradley, and NFL defensive back, Andre Waters. Cheyney University is in the business of developing human potential and talent and does so through an intellectually challenging environment and personal attention to every student—a hallmark of the Cheyney experience.

Visit Cheyney University anniversary website at www.cheyney.edu/foundersday/ 

As Farmingdale State College celebrates its 100th anniversary, it continues to prepare students with the education, skills and critical thinking needed to meet the challenges of tomorrow. As the largest of SUNY’s colleges of technology (with over 7,600 students), Farmingdale equips students with the resources and knowledge sought by today’s emerging industries. At Farmingdale, students also have abundant opportunities in experiential learning—internships, clinical training and guided research—that provide practical instruction and personal growth. Small, personalized classes, a residence hall with suite-style living, a lush 380-acre campus undergoing major renovation, and a highly successful NCAA Division III athletics program with modern facilities make Farmingdale State College one of the fastest-growing colleges in the region.

Visit Farmingdale State College anniversary website at www.farmingdale.edu/100/ 

Troy University, founded in 1887, is a comprehensive university of more than 28,000 students. The university operates four campuses in Alabama in Troy, Dothan, Montgomery and Phenix City. Through its Global Campus division, the university operates more than 60 locations outside of Alabama in 16 U.S. states and seven nations. Troy University is a worldwide leader in distance education, teaching more than 15,000 students across 13 time zones online. Troy offers more than 100 degree programs through five colleges: arts and sciences, business, communication and fine arts, education, and health and human services. All programs are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

A comprehensive public college, SUNY Oswego offers more than 100 academic programs through its College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Business and School of Communication, Media and the Arts. About 8,300 students are enrolled, most of them full-time undergraduate students; 4,300 students live on the nearly 700-acre campus along the shore of Lake Ontario. The college also operates the SUNY Oswego Phoenix Center in southern Oswego County and the SUNY Oswego Metro Center in downtown Syracuse.

Visit SUNY Oswego Interactive Timeline 

Building on its 19th century origins as a distinctive women’s college, the Winthrop University of the 21st century is achieving national prominence as a competitive and distinctive, coeducational, public, comprehensive institution.  The values of service, excellence, diversity, community, and leadership provide the foundation for Winthrop’s continuing development and shape the university’s continuing success.

Winthrop enrolls an achievement-oriented, culturally diverse and socially responsible student body of around 6,000 students.  The university recruits South Carolina’s most able students as well as highly qualified students from beyond the state whose presence adds diversity and enrichment to the campus and the state. Winthrop prides itself on being an institution of choice for groups traditionally under-represented on many college campuses.

Winthrop is located in Rock Hill, S.C., in a traditional setting of exceptional beauty, and provides a contemporary, collaborative, and supportive environment that fosters engaged student learning and development.

Visit Winthrop University Anniversary website 

Chartered in 1911 and opened in 1916 as the Schoharie State School of Agriculture, today SUNY Cobleskill offers one of the most diverse agricultural programs in the United States – ranging from production agriculture to natural resources, landscaping to golf course management, fisheries to wildlife and environmental studies, and more. The College’s modern 782-acre complex serves as a laboratory for hands-on skill building and includes a working farm, 14 greenhouses, a 10-acre arboretum, 40,000-gallon fish hatchery, 200-cow contemporary freestall dairy, a meat laboratory, and equine complex.

SUNY Cobleskill students majoring in accounting, business administration, information technology, and culinary arts learn the most current thinking, theories, and practices in their respective fields. “Smart” classrooms and new computer labs use advanced technology as students prepare for their careers in a setting that mirrors the realities of the modern workplace. Small classes, close personal attention, and a wide range of majors are the hallmarks of the College’s liberal arts program. Every major has been designed to promote critical thinking and incorporates experiential learning. More than 20 bachelor’s degrees are available, including early childhood, natural sciences, communications, animal science, and plant science.

Founded in 1858 as Winona State Normal School, Winona State University is a comprehensive, regional public university with more than 8,000 students.

After it received authorization to grant the bachelor’s degree in 1921, the normal school became Winona State Teachers College; and just before celebrating its centennial was renamed Winona State College to reflect an expanded mission and academic program. Finally, in 1975, it became know as Winona State University, with five colleges: Business, Education, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Science and Engineering. It is the oldest member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Three campuses now comprise the University: the original Winona campus, the Winona West campus, and the WSU-Rochester Center.

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse was founded in 1909 as the La Crosse Normal School. Today, it is one of the 13 four-year campuses in the University of Wisconsin System. Originally known for its nationally recognized physical education program, UW-La Crosse now offers 85 undergraduate programs in 30 disciplines, and 21 graduate programs and emphases in eight disciplines.

The compact 119-acre campus in residential La Crosse provides a vibrant place to live and learn. Enrollment has grown from 176 when the doors opened to more than 9,000. The campus embraces diversity, a commitment that has increased minority and international students, faculty and staff. Students take part in an array of organizations and community service. Intercollegiate teams compete in 19 sports and have produced 58 national championships, 24 since 2001.

The university offers much — cultural events, regional and national conferences, prominent speakers, applied research, professionals with varying expertise, a large workforce, and community volunteers. UW-La Crosse works cooperatively with the city’s other higher education institutions and area elementary and secondary schools. Also, the university led development of a consortium among the city’s higher education institutions and major health care organizations to bring cutting-edge health care and research facilities to the region.

For 100 years UW-La Crosse has been the prominent intellectual engine educating a high quality workforce for the region. The university remains proud of its regional heritage and looks forward to retaining its prominence in the area’s economic vitality.

The University of Maine at Machias was founded in 1909 as the Washington State Normal School, the last of six state normal schools charged with training Maine’s teachers.
 

Today, UMM is New England’s only public Environmental Liberal Arts college, offering an undergraduate education uniquely grounded in the natural, social, cultural, and economic environments of coastal Maine. As the smallest member of the University of Maine System, UMM enrolls an average of 1,000 students with a student-faculty ratio of 13:1, and offers degree programs in 16 fields of study.

Established in 1963, the University of Central Florida is a diverse metropolitan research university that ranks as the 6th-largest in the country with more than 50,000 students.

Located in Orlando, Fla., UCF offers student-centered learning in undergraduate and graduate academic programs, nationally renowned faculty and continuing education. UCF also conducts cutting-edge research that powers the region's economic development. The university, then known as Florida Technological University, held its first classes on Oct. 7, 1968 with nearly 1,900 students enrolled. It celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this month with a virtual celebration on its Web site, highlighting photos, facts, milestones and other achievements during the past four decades.

As one of the few remaining open admissions universities in the region, the University of Arkansas at Monticello is proud of its heritage of offering educational opportunities to the people of Arkansas.

Founded in 1909 as the Fourth District Agricultural School, UAM begins its centennial year with a renewed commitment to meeting the challenges of higher education in the 21st century.

UAM currently offers the bachelor of science degree in 13 fields, the bachelor of arts degree in eight major areas, the associate (two-year) degree in arts and applied sciences, and master’s degrees in forestry and education to a student body of more than 3,400 students. UAM also offers technical education at its College of Technology in Crossett and McGehee.

Through education, research and public service, the University of Arkansas at Monticello is continuing its commitment to providing educational opportunities to the people of the state, region and nation.

For the past 120 years, Texas A&M University-Commerce has been in the business of transforming lives. As the fifth-oldest state university, A&M-Commerce provides the prestige of a tier-one school in a small-town atmosphere complete with personal mentoring from world-class professors, small classes and hands-on experiences from day one.

Texas A&M University-Commerce is home to more than 9,000 students, three academic colleges, a thriving graduate school, and more than 100 degree programs. As the region’s focal point of higher education, A&M-Commerce offers students facilities ranging from a world-class science building and new student center, to a fully equipped recreational facility and the soon-to-be completed music hall.

Southeastern Oklahoma State University is located in Durant, Oklahoma, which is 90 miles north of Dallas, Texas, and 150 miles southeast of Oklahoma City. In 2009, the University is celebrating its Centennial with a number of campus and community events.

The institution was founded in 1909 as a normal school to educate teachers for Oklahoma’s public schools. Since that time, the University has added disciplines to become a comprehensive regional university.

Southeastern is one of six institutions governed by the Regional University System of Oklahoma (RUSO) Board of Trustees and is also governed by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE).

The University offers 41 undergraduate and nine graduate degree programs through the School of Arts and Sciences, John Massey School of Business, School of Education and Behavioral Sciences, and School of Graduate and University Studies.

Diverse program offerings include teacher education, aviation, and occupational safety and health, to name just a few.

In 2009, the John Massey School of Business earned initial accreditation in business from AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Southeastern is one of only four universities in Oklahoma accredited by AACSB, and the only regional university in the state with that distinction. Both the undergraduate and MBA degrees at Southeastern received the AACSB accreditation.

Southeastern has an enrollment of 4,000 students at seven locations in Oklahoma and Texas. In addition to the main campus at Durant, programs are offered at the Southeastern-McCurtain County branch campus; Ardmore Higher Education Center; Eastern Oklahoma State College-McAlester campus; Tinker AFB and Oklahoma City Community College; and Grayson College in Denison, Texas.

The University has a long and successful history of providing higher education opportunities for Native American students. Southeastern’s service area covers significant parts of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations and partners with the tribes to provide specialized services for all Native American students.  Southeastern ranks sixth in the nation in producing Native American graduates in all disciplines.    

Southeastern will receive a federal grant of $1.16 million over the next four years to continue its Native American Excellence In Education program.

The project, a collaboration between Southeastern and The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, with the support of the local public schools, provides support and training for 12 Native American students in completing a pre-service education program that leads to a Bachelor of Education degree. Students receive additional training and support regarding Native American learning and culture. Participants receive full tuition, fees, books, childcare, laptop computers and living stipends. After graduating, the students teach in schools with at least a 5% Native American student population.

The grant comes from the United States Department of Education as part of the Office of Indian Education’s Professional Development program, which trains qualified individuals to become teachers and administrators in Indian communities.

Approximately 70 percent of Southeastern students receive some type of financial aid assistance.

In recent years, the University has benefited from a tremendous upgrade in its physical facilities, with the construction of a new student union, a new residence hall, new tennis courts, and a renovated football stadium. A new arena opened in the fall of 2008, and a new general classroom building is currently under construction.

Southeastern competes in NCAA Division II athletics as a member of the Lone Star Conference. The University has earned a national championship in baseball and nine national championships in rodeo competition.

Dr. Larry Minks is interim president at Southeastern.

Northeastern State University was founded in 1846 as the Cherokee National Female Seminary, opening its doors in 1851 as the first institution of higher learning in Indian Territory. On March 6, 1909, the Oklahoma legislature purchased the Seminary from the Cherokee Nation, and the following September classes began at the newly formed Northeastern State Normal School in Tahlequah. To commemorate this milestone in the institution’s history, the NSU Centennial Celebration officially begins on Founders Day, March 6, 2009. 

Through the decades, NSU has played a key role in the area’s history and development. Today, NSU is a comprehensive regional university and the fourth largest public four-year institution of higher learning in Oklahoma, with academic emphasis on business, technology, social sciences, mathematics, sciences, optometry, education, language and the arts. The main campus in Tahlequah and branch campuses in Muskogee and Broken Arrow provide outstanding educational and cultural opportunities for nearly 9,000 students and the citizens of eastern Oklahoma. Almost 29 percent of NSU’s student population are self-identified American Indians, and each year the institution graduates the highest number of American Indians among public four-year institutions nationwide. NSU faculty and staff are committed to preparing students to succeed as global citizens by providing exceptional undergraduate and graduate degree programs, along with the professional Doctorate of Optometry.

The Norfolk Unit of Virginia Union University began very modestly on September 18, 1935, with 85 students in three second-floor rooms in the Hunton YMCA on Brambleton Avenue in Norfolk, Va. Brought to life in the midst of the Great Depression, the junior college provided a setting in which the youth of the region could give expressions to their hopes and aspirations. In 1942, the College became the independent Norfolk Polytechnic College, and two years later an Act of the Virginia Legislature mandated that it become a part of Virginia State College.

The college was able to pursue an expanded mission with even greater emphasis in 1956 when another Act of the Legislature enabled the institution to offer its first Bachelor's degree. The College was separated from Virginia State College and became fully independent in 1969. In 1979, university status was attained.

Today, the public, urban comprehensive university is proud to be one of the largest predominantly Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the nation. It offers programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Furthermore, it is committed to pursuing its vital role of serving the people of the Hampton Roads area, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation.

NJCU’s 80th Anniversary: “Past as Prologue”

The physical presence of what is now New Jersey City University, a comprehensive teaching university with colleges of arts and sciences, education, and professional studies offering both undergraduate and graduate degree programs, has changed dramatically since it opened its doors as The New Jersey Normal School at Jersey City in September 1929 but the mission and founding principles of this public urban institution—access, diversity, inclusion, and excellence—have been embedded in its fabric since the first day of class.

This University has always been committed to strengthening and transforming the lives of its students, helping them to succeed academically while nurturing their development as leaders in their communities. The institution’s setting in the New York metropolitan area has been a constant source of extraordinary learning and life-enhancing opportunities.

New Jersey City University officially launched its 80th anniversary celebration at its Academic Convocation on September 10, 2008. Coordinated by NJCU’s Division of University Advancement, the institution’s cross-divisional celebration will culminate with an 80th Anniversary Gala in fall 2010.

In all of its incarnations, NJCU has prepared students to work and thrive in a diverse and ever-changing world. As much as a look back, NJCU’s 80th anniversary presents an excellent platform from which to look forward and to prepare students to meet the manifold challenges that are emerging in the 21st century.

Created as a partnership between two world-renowned universities and destined to be the state’s urban research campus, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) has rapidly grown in size and stature since it was established in 1969. From its beginnings, IUPUI has drawn upon the strengths of Indiana University and Purdue University to expand educational opportunities for Hoosiers.

Today, IUPUI is the third strong pillar supporting public higher education in Indiana, offering a tremendous range of degree programs for 30,000 students who come from all 50 states and more than 120 countries.

Looking back over just four decades, IUPUI has made remarkable progress that reflects a culture of partnership and collaboration based upon outstanding faculty who reach across disciplines, reach out into the community, and reach toward excellence in education and research.

Colorado State University-Pueblo is a premier mid-sized, public university within a world-class university system that advances the social, cultural and economic development of the region.  The University enrolls more than 4,600 students in 26 undergraduate programs with approximately 510 full-time faculty and staff.

Location

The 275-acre campus, which overlooks the Front Range of south central Colorado, is located in Pueblo, one of the more culturally dynamic regions of the country.  Pueblo County, an ethnically and culturally diverse population of more than 150,000 people, offers numerous art and cultural attractions as well as recreational options for the outdoor enthusiast.   

CSU-Pueblo is considered the fastest growing university in Colorado with Fall 2008 enrollment up nearly 12 percent, including a 65 percent in the number of freshmen, the largest freshmen class in the history of the University.  

Because the University is committed to diversity and has made educational equity for students one of its highest priorities, it will be honored by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities as the 2008 Outstanding HACU-member Institution.  It is a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution, meaning that 25 percent of its student body is of Hispanic descent and of low-income status.   On Oct. 3, we hosted a Town Hall meeting by Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain in our newly renovated Massari Arena.  

The CSU-Pueblo campus landscape  has changed dramatically in the last two years with a $12 million renovation to its athletic and academic facility (Massari Arena), a Student Recreation Center ($10 million) , Student Recreation Field, the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl football and track stadium ($13 million), and phase one ($15 million) of a three-phase residence hall project. A $24 million renovation to the University Library will begin in January, 2009.   

It also recently became home to one of the largest solar array projects on a college campus in the nation, a three-acre project on the northeast edge of campus, which will provide up to 10 percent of the University’s utilities needs.  The 1+ megawatt CSU-Pueblo solar system will generate enough solar-generated electricity to power 225 homes. It will abate approximately 1,600 tons of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent of removing 330 cars from the roadways or more than four million vehicle miles traveled. The University installed a smaller 6 kilowatt solar system last year on its Technology Building.

Since its founding in 1949, California State University, Long Beach has grown into one of the nation’s preeminent state universities. With an enrollment of more than 35,500 students, CSULB is the second largest university in California and has graduated more than 240250,000 alumni in its 60 years.

CSULB’s eight colleges offer 84 baccalaureate degrees, 67 master’s degrees, an independent Ed.D. degree, as well as two joint doctorates with other universities. The campus features 84 permanent buildings on 323 acres, including the 1.3-acre Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden, 18-story Walter Pyramid athletic arena, nationally accredited University Art Museum, 1,074-seat Carpenter Performing Arts Center and a nearly 1.3 million-volume library.

California State University, Fresno has evolved from modest beginnings as a teachers college early in the 20th century into an acclaimed, culturally diverse, 21st century university offering educational opportunities through eight schools and colleges. Our students have applied what they’ve learned at Fresno State throughout California, around the world and into space, benefitting literally millions of people.
 

Throughout this evolution, the university has established itself as an integral part of the region. Fresno State has prepared thousands of individuals for careers, leadership and community service and forged community bonds that have helped conquer a broad spectrum of challenges, led innovative change and encourage positive thinking as the foundation for accomplishment.

California State University, Dominguez Hills provides a vibrant, student-centered environment for its culturally diverse community of students, faculty, staff, and administrators. With a focus on multicultural and global perspectives, and civic engagement, the University effectively prepares students to become productive citizens and leaders in a global world.

Serving the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, the University enrolls over 15,000 students and graduates over 2,800 into the workforce each year. Established in 1960, this community-based university prides itself on its outstanding academic programs and faculty, and friendly, supportive environment.

The student body at CSU Dominguez Hills proudly reflects one of California’s greatest strengths—its ethnic and cultural diversity. The university’s student body is 28 percent African American, 42 percent Hispanic, 18 percent White, 12 percent Asian American/Pacific Islander and 0.3 percent Native American.

CSU Dominguez Hills is also a center for cultural life in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County. The University Art Gallery is considered to be one of the major exhibition spaces in the South Bay and the nationally recognized Black Theatre Program offers award-winning productions. The campus is also home to the world-class multi-sport Home Depot Center, a premier athletics and entertainment destination in Southern California.