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===Savannah State University vs. Commissioned II Love===
===Savannah State University vs. Commissioned II Love===
{{current|section|date=March 2007}}
{{current|section|date=March 2007}}
The [[Alliance Defense Fund]]'s Center for Academic Freedom and the [[National Legal Foundation]] filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against Savannah State University on March 1, 2007 on behalf of the student group Commissioned II Love. <ref name="Sun">{{citeweb|title=Evangelical group sues college over foot-washing|publisher=Biloxi Sun Herald|url=http://www.sunherald.com/160/story/135637.html|date=2007-09-06|accessdate=2007-09-26}}</ref><ref name="Post">{{citeweb|title=Court Rules in Favor of Christian 'Foot Washing' Group|url=http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070829/29111_Court_Rules_in_Favor_of_Christian_'Foot_Washing'_Case.htm|date=2007-08-29|accessdate=2007-09-26}}</ref>
Commissioned II Love, an evangelical Christian campus group, with the assistance of The [[Alliance Defense Fund]]'s Center for Academic Freedom and the [[National Legal Foundation]] filed a [http://www.telladf.org/UserDocs/SavannahStateComplaint.pdf federal discrimination lawsuit] against Savannah State University and several university employees on March 1, 2007. <ref name="Sun">{{citeweb|title=Evangelical group sues college over foot-washing|publisher=Biloxi Sun Herald|url=http://www.sunherald.com/160/story/135637.html|date=2007-09-06|accessdate=2007-09-26}}</ref><ref name="Post">{{citeweb|title=Court Rules in Favor of Christian 'Foot Washing' Group|url=http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070829/29111_Court_Rules_in_Favor_of_Christian_'Foot_Washing'_Case.htm|date=2007-08-29|accessdate=2007-09-26}}</ref>


The student group Commissioned II Love, an evangelical Christian campus group, was recognized as an official organization in 2003 but was later suspended (April 2006) and then expelled on September 11, 2006 after some students complained to university police that its members engaged in activities such as "foot washings" and "baptisms." <ref name="Sun" /><ref name="Post" /> At the time the university categorized such activities as [[hazing]]. <ref name="Sun" />
The student group was recognized as an official organization in 2003 but was later suspended (April 2006) and then expelled on September 11, 2006 after some students complained to university police that its members engaged in activities such as "foot washings" and "baptisms." <ref name="Sun" /><ref name="Post" /> At the time the university categorized such activities as [[hazing]]. <ref name="Sun" />


On Aug. 24, 2007, a federal judge denied the school’s motion to have the case dismissed. <ref name="Sun" />
On Aug. 24, 2007, a federal judge denied the school’s motion to have the case dismissed. <ref name="Sun" />

Revision as of 16:26, 26 September 2007

Savannah State University
File:SSU logo.jpg
Motto"Lux Et Veritas"
(Latin: Light and Truth)
TypePublic, Land-grant, state, co-ed, HBCU
Established1890 [1]
Endowment$2,433,508 [2]
PresidentDr. Earl G. Yarbrough Sr. [3]
Undergraduates3,200
Postgraduates93 [4]
Location
Savannah
,
Georgia
,
USA United States
Campus175 acres, coastal setting [5]
ColorsBurnt Orange and Reflex Blue
  
NicknameTigers
AffiliationsIndependent
Websitewww.savstate.edu

Savannah State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah State holds the distinction as the oldest public historically black university in Georgia. [6] Savannah State is also a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. [7]

Mission

Savannah State University's mission is "to graduate students who are prepared to perform at higher levels of economic productivity, social responsibility, and excellence in their chosen career fields of endeavor in a changing global community." [8].

History

Establishment

Savannah State University was originally founded as a result of the Second Morrill Land Grant Act of August 30, 1890, [8] The act had specific wording which mandated that southern and border states develop of Black land grant colleges. On November 26, 1890 the Georgia General Assembly passed enabling legislation creating the Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth. [9]

A preliminary session of the school was held in the Baxter Street School Building in Athens, Georgia where Richard R. Wright Sr. was principal. [10] The collge operated in Athens for several months in 1891 before moving to its permanent location in Savannah on October 7, 1891, with Wright as the first president. [11] The school had five faculty members, and eight students who were all graduates of Edmund Asa Ware High School, the first public high school for blacks in Augusta, Georgia.[10]

Early Years

The first baccalaureate degree was awarded in 1898. [1] In 1921 the first female students were admitted as residents on the campus. [10] [1] The college became a full four-year degree-granting institution in 1928 with the removal of the high school and normal programs. [10][1] The school became a full member institution of the University System of Georgia in 1932 and the name was changed to Georgia State College. [10][1] The college served as Georgia’s land-grant institution for African-American students until 1947 when the designation was transferred to Fort Valley State College). [1] In January 1950 the name was again changed, this time to Savannah State College . [1]

Modern History

In 1996 the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia elevated Savannah State College, to the status of state university and the name was changed to Savannah State University. [8]

Savannah State University is the first institution in the state of Georgia to offer the homeland security degree program and the second institution in the University System of Georgia to offer wireless Internet connectivity to students throughout the campus. [6][12][6]


Campus

File:GAMap-doton-Savannah.PNG

Savannah State University is located approximately five miles east southeast from the center of Savannah, Georgia, 250 miles from Atlanta, Georgia, and 120 miles from Jacksonville, Florida. [13] The campus is accessible from Interstate 95 and Interstate 16. [14] Spanish moss drapes the dense live oaks trees, while palm trees, magnolias, and a wide variety of azaleas, camellias, and other native plants are scattered throughout the 175-acre (0.7 km2) marsh-side campus at 32°1′20.76″N 81°3′18.44″W / 32.0224333°N 81.0551222°W / 32.0224333; -81.0551222Invalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (32.0224339, -81.0551121)Template:GR [15]

Early years

The original campus consisted of eighty-six acres and three buildings (Boggs Hall, Parsons Hall and a farmhouse) and fifty-one of the school's acres were farm. [16] Several of the campus' older buildings were originally constructed by students and faculty members, and display architectural styles from the past century. [17]

File:SSU AdamsHall.jpg
Adams Hall, named for A. Pratt Adams was built in 1931 under the administration of Dr. Benjamin Hubert, the third President of the College (1926-1947). Image courtesy the Dixie News Co., Savannah, Ga. from the Historic Postcard Collection, RG 48-2-5, Georgia Archives.

Historic facilities

Walter Bernard Hill Hall, which was built in 1901, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. [18] The Georgia Historical Commission and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources have recognized both the Savannah State campus and Hill Hall as a part of the Georgia Historical Marker Program. [19]

Notable campus events

Portions of the Paramount Pictures movie The General's Daughter were filmed at historic Hill Hall on the campus during the summer of 1997. The film’s director Simon West was quoted as saying the campus and Savannah generally “had the most varied and interesting look” to represent the “brooding,” “hot and steamy and sticky” “Southern Gothic” impression. [5]

Academic Profile

Students at Savannah State University may choose from 23 accredited undergraduate baccalaureate and 5 graduate master’s degree programs offered through the colleges of Business Administration, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and Sciences and Technology. Accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Savannah State University also offers specialized accreditations in Civil Engineering Technology (Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), Electronics Engineering Technology (Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology and National Association of Radio and Telecommunications Engineers, Inc. (NARTE)), Mechanical Engineering Technology (Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), Bachelor and Masters in Social Work (Council on Social Work Education), and MPA (National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. The College of Business Administration is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International [8] and the Mass Communications Department is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). [20] Additionally, the Chemistry department is American Chemical Society (ACS) certified. [21]

The university's Marine Biology Department operates two research vessels: the R/V Sea Otter (a 35-ft twin diesel vessel owned by NOAA) and the R/V Tiger (a 22-ft outboard work boat). [22] In the fall of 2007 Savannah State will team with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to offer a new course in environmental regulations. [23]

Schools and colleges

The university operates three colleges and the Office of Graduate Studies and Sponsored Research (OGSSR). [8]

Research Centers

The university operates four research centers. [8]

  • Center for Teaching, Learning and Academic Support
  • Savannah Entrepreneurial Center - The College of Business Administration operates the Savannah Entrepreneurial Center for the city of Savannah and offers technical assistance and training for starting, maintaining or expanding small business operations. [24]
  • The Midtown Project - The university has worked closely with the City of Savannah via The Midtown Project, Savannah State University's partnership with neighborhood associations to develop strategies to rebuild their communities. [24]
  • The CIRE ("A Collaboration to Integrate Research and Education in Marine and Environmental Science and Biotechnology") program collaborates with the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography to operate a teaching laboratory on the campus providing "hands-on" research experience to undergraduate marine science students.

Student Life

The University offers organized and informal co-curricular activities including 75 student organizations, leadership workshops, 15 intramural activities, student publications and student internships. [25]

Marching Tiger Band

The university band, nicknamed the Marching Tigers, performs during Savannah State football games and were featured performers in the Honda Battle of the Bands in 2004 and 2005.

National Fraternities and Sororities

All nine of the National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations currently have chapters at Savannah State University. [26][27] These organizations are:

Organization Symbol Chapter Chapter Symbol
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. ΑΚA Gamma Upsilon ΓΥ
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. ΑΦΑ Delta Eta ΔΗ
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. ΔΣΘ Delta Nu ΔΝ
Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. IΦΘ
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. ΚΑΨ Gamma Chi ΓΧ
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. ΩΨΦ Alpha Gamma ΑΓ
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. ΦΒΣ Gamma Zeta ΓΖ
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. ΣΓΡ Alpha Iota ΑΙ
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. ΖΦΒ Rho Beta ΡΒ

Other National fraternities and sororities with registered chapters currently on campus include:

Organization Symbol Chapter Chapter Symbol
Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity ΔΣΠ Kappa Chi ΚΧ
Iota Phi Lambda Business Sorority ΙΦΛ
Phi Beta Lambda Business Fraternity ΦΒΛ
Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity ΦΑΔ
Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority ΤΒΣ Iota Zeta ΙΖ
Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity KKΨ Lambda Upsilon ΛΥ
Delta Phi Omega Band Fraternity ΔΦΩ

Additionally, Alpha Phi Omega (ΑΦΩ) National Fraternity, at one point, had a registered chapter at Savannah State.

Student Media

The Tiger's Roar

The Tiger's Roar is the official student-produced newspaper of Savannah State University and provides both a print and on-line version. [28]

WHCJ (College Radio Station)

Main article: WHCJ

SSU operates WHCJ (FM) radio, which broadcasts 24 hours a day from the campus, covers all of Chatham County, and can also be heard in Effingham, Bryan, Beaufort, and Liberty counties. [29]

Established in 1975 and known as "the Voice of Savannah State University", WHCJ's current play formats include gospel, jazz, reggae, blues and salsa music, as well as talk shows, commentaries, and cultural enrichment programming. [30]

Notable faculty and staff

See also Savannah State University faculty and President of Savannah State University.

  • Mohamed Haji Mukhtar - Professor of African & Middle Eastern History and noted author on the history and sociology of Somalia and Islam.
  • Russell Ellington - As Savannah State College’s men's head basketball Ellington compiled a 148-91 record (.619 winning percentage), the most wins by a men's basketball coach in the school's history.
  • Charles J. Elmore (1967) - SSU professor and author of An Historical Guide to Laurel Grove Cemetery South, a book on SSU’s Richard R. Wright, and The Athletic Saga of Savannah State College. Elmore’s last publication is All That Savannah Jazz published in 1999.
  • E. J. Josey - American activist and librarian who served as an instructor of Social Sciences and History (1954-1955).
  • Francys Johnson - NAACP Southeast Region Director and former member of the Savannah State Social Sciences faculty.
  • The Honorable Otis Johnson - Former faculty member and the current mayor of Savannah, Georgia. [31]

Presidents of Savannah State University

Main article: President of Savannah State University

There have been twelve presidents in the history of Savannah State University. The current president is Dr. Earl G. Yarbrough Sr. who became president on May 30, 2007.[3]

Notable alumni

CDR Donnie Cochran at the dedication ceremony for the A4 Memorial on the Campus of Savannah State University on May 10, 1991. Photo courtesy of Savannah State University, NROTC.

See also Savannah State University alumni.

Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Donnie Cochran 1976 Retired U.S. Navy Captain who completed two tours with the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels [32]
Curtis Cooper Notable Savannah-area civil rights leader.
Walter E. Gaskin 1971 Major General, U.S. Marine Corps - In June 2006, Gaskin became the commanding general of Marine Corps Second Division, making him the senior ranking active-duty African-American Marine and first African-American to command a Marine Corps division [33]
Troy Hambrick National Football League running back [34]
Matt "Showbiz" Jackson 1983 Current member of the Harlem Globetrotters [35]
Jessie Kenlaw 1975 assistant coach with the WNBA Seattle Storm [36]
George E. Kent professor of literature (with a specialism in Afro-American literature)
W.W. Law 1948 A nationally-known civil rights leader and preservationist
Jerome Miller 1974 Toyota Motor Sales Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion - Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. [37]
The Honorable Barbara J. Mobley 1969 A member of the DeKalb County Georgia State Court bench (the first African-American woman to be elected to that post) and a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives [38][39]
Tahj Mowry former child actor from the sitcom "Smart Guy", played football at SSU for 1 season
Shannon Sharpe A three-time Super Bowl champion, and NFL’s all-time leader in receptions (815) and yards (10,060) by a tight end [40]
JaQuitta Williams 1993 Anchor/Reporter for WSB-TV, ABC affiliate in Atlanta, Georgia [41]

Athletics

Main article: Savannah State Tigers
Savannah State University Athletics Logo

Savannah State University holds membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (as an independent) and participates in the following sports: football, baseball, basketball (men and women), cross-country (men and women), tennis (men and women), track and field (men and women), volleyball (women only), golf (men), and softball (women). [42]

School Colors

Savannah State's colors are Burnt Orange and Reflex Blue. [43]

School Mascot

Savannah State University's nickname is the Tigers. [43]

Athletic Facilities

  • Tiger Arena - The 6,000-seat multi-purpose arena is the home for the university's basketball team and athletic department offices.
  • Ted A. Wright Football Stadium – Home of the Savannah State I-AA (Independent) Football team and the Olympic outdoor track. The 7,500-seat multi-purpose stadium opened in 1967. The track was constructed in 1995. [44]
  • Memorial Stadium, Savannah - A 15,000-capacity, county owned, multi-use stadium near Savannah, Georgia (officially located in Isle of Hope, Georgia). The stadium occasionally hosts homecoming festivities for the university.

See also

Savannah State University in the news

Winless Basketball season

The school gained notoriety when they finished the 2004-2005 men's basketball season a winless 0-28, the first Division I team to do so since Prairie View A&M University in 1991-1992. [45][46] The team’s final game (a 49-44 loss to Florida A&M) was covered by several national sports organizations including ESPN.

Savannah State University vs. Commissioned II Love

Commissioned II Love, an evangelical Christian campus group, with the assistance of The Alliance Defense Fund's Center for Academic Freedom and the National Legal Foundation filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against Savannah State University and several university employees on March 1, 2007. [47][48]

The student group was recognized as an official organization in 2003 but was later suspended (April 2006) and then expelled on September 11, 2006 after some students complained to university police that its members engaged in activities such as "foot washings" and "baptisms." [47][48] At the time the university categorized such activities as hazing. [47]

On Aug. 24, 2007, a federal judge denied the school’s motion to have the case dismissed. [47]

Suggested Reading

  • Elmore, Charles J. Richard R. Wright, Sr., at GSIC, 1891-1921: A Protean Force for the Social Uplift and Higher Education of Black Americans (Savannah, Ga.: privately printed, 1996).
  • Elmore, Charles Savannah, Georgia (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub., 2002).
  • Hall, Clyde W. One Hundred Years of Educating at Savannah State College, 1890-1990 (East Peoria, Ill.: Versa Press, 1991).

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Savannah State University". Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  2. ^ "USNews.com: America's Best Colleges 2008: Savannah State University: At a glance". U.S. News.com. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  3. ^ a b "Earl G. Yarbrough Sr., Ph.D President Savannah State University" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-08-27.
  4. ^ "Savannah State University Keyfacts". Retrieved 2007-08-28.
  5. ^ a b "Savannah General Information". Savannah State University Office of Institutional Research & Planning. 2003. Retrieved 2007-05-04. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  6. ^ a b c "Savannah State University Admission: About Us". Savannah State University. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  7. ^ "Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund Member Schools". Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. 2004. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Savannah State University 2005-2007 Catalog" (PDF). Savannah State University. 2005. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  9. ^ "SSU - Where Savannah Meets the Sea..." Retrieved 2008-08-31.
  10. ^ a b c d e "New Georgia Encyclopedia: Savannah State University". Retrieved 2007-08-30.
  11. ^ Savannah State University was founded in 1890, retrieved 2007-08-27
  12. ^ "Savannah State to offer Bachelor of Arts degree in homeland security and emergency management" (PDF). Savannah State University. 2006. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  13. ^ "Savannah State University Location". Savannah State University. 2003. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  14. ^ "Savannah General Information". Savannah State University Office of Institutional Research & Planning. 2003. Retrieved 2007-05-04. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  15. ^ "Geographic Names Information System Feature Detail Report". U.S. Department of the Interior (U.S. Geological Survey). Retrieved 2007-08-28.
  16. ^ "Historic Thunderbolt, Georgia". Armstrong Atlantic State University Department of History. Retrieved 2007-05-04.
  17. ^ "Savannah General Information". Savannah State University Office of Institutional Research & Planning. 2003. Retrieved 2007-05-04. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  18. ^ "National Register of Historic Places". Retrieved 2007-05-04.
  19. ^ "Georgia Historical Markers". University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government. 2006. Retrieved 2007-05-04.
  20. ^ "SSU's mass communications program accredited by ACEJMC" (PDF). Savannah State University. 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-27.
  21. ^ "SSU's chemistry department" (PDF). Savannah State University. 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-05.
  22. ^ "Marine Sciences Program, Savannah State University". National Association of Marine Laboratories. 2006. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  23. ^ "U.S. Army Corps of Engineers teams with Savannah State to offer new course in environmental regulations" (PDF). Savannah State University. 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-27.
  24. ^ a b "Board of Regents of the [[University System of Georgia]]". Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-04. {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  25. ^ "Savannah State University Campus Life". Savannah State University. 2002. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  26. ^ "SSU Greek Organizations". Savannah State University. 1998. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  27. ^ Hall, Willie (2007-02-02). "SSU welcomes Iota Phi Theta to the yard". Tiger's Roar. Retrieved 2007-04-04. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  28. ^ "General Information". The Tiger's Roar. 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-05.
  29. ^ "Savannah State University WHCJ 90.3 FM". Savannah State University. 2000. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  30. ^ "Savannah State University WHCJ 90.3 FM History and Background". Savannah State University. 2000. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  31. ^ "City of Savannah". City of Savannah. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-05.
  32. ^ "From SSU to the Blue Angels". Savannah State University. 2004. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  33. ^ "Official Biography for Walter E. Gaskin". United States Marine Corps. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  34. ^ "NFL Players: Troy Hambrick". NFL.com. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  35. ^ "Player Bio". Harlem Globetrotters. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  36. ^ "Coach Bio". WNBA. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  37. ^ "Toyota Motor Sales Appoints New Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion". Hispanic PR Wire. 2005. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  38. ^ "Representative Barbara J. Mobley". Georgia House of Representatives. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  39. ^ "Representative Barbara J. Mobley". Georgia House of Representatives. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  40. ^ "NFL.com Writers: Shannon Sharpe". NFL.com. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  41. ^ "JaQuitta Williams: News Reporter and Anchor". WSBTV. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  42. ^ "Savannah State University Athletics". Savannah State University. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  43. ^ a b "Savannah State University Athletics". Retrieved 2007-06-05.
  44. ^ "DIAAFOOTBALL.COM Savannah State". Bisonville.com. 2006. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  45. ^ "Tigers finish season 0-28". ESPN.com. 2005-05-28. Retrieved 2005-02-15.
  46. ^ "Winless Savannah State Gets New Coach". CSTV.com. Retrieved 2007-06-05.
  47. ^ a b c d "Evangelical group sues college over foot-washing". Biloxi Sun Herald. 2007-09-06. Retrieved 2007-09-26.
  48. ^ a b "Court Rules in Favor of Christian 'Foot Washing' Group". 2007-08-29. Retrieved 2007-09-26.

External links

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