Savannah State University

Savannah State University

Latin: Lux Et Veritas
Former names	Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth, Georgia State College, Savannah State College
Motto	(Template:Lang-la)
Type	Public, HBCU
Established	November 26, 1890
Endowment	$4,348,674
President	Cheryl Davenport Dozier [A]
Students	4,658
Address	3219 College Street , Savannah , Georgia 31404 , United States 32°1′30″N 81°3′50″W
Campus	210-acre (849,839.8 m2), coastal setting
Athletic Director	Sterling Steward Jr.
Colors	Burnt orange and reflex blue
Nickname	Tigers and Lady Tigers
Affiliations	Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)
Website	www.savannahstate.edu

Savannah State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university (United States. It is the oldest public historically black university in the state. Savannah State University's mission statement 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." The University is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

Savannah State operates three colleges (College of Business Administration, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, College of Sciences and Technology) and the Office of Graduate Studies and Sponsored Research (OGSSR). It also participates in research centers and programs at the Center for Teaching, Learning and Academic Support; Savannah Entrepreneurial Center; the Midtown Project; the Georgia Institute of Technology Regional Engineering Program (GTREP); and "A Collaboration to Integrate Research and Education in Marine and Environmental Science and Biotechnology" with the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, part of the University of Georgia.

Demographics

The student body consists of approximately 4,500 graduate and undergraduate students, and 385 full-time instructional faculty.

Administration

Academic oversight

Oversight is provided by the University System of Georgia, the organizational body that sets goals and dictates general policy to all public educational institutions in the state.

Funding

Savannah State is a public institution, receiving funds from the State of Georgia, tuition, fees, research grants, private scholarship funds (including the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund and the Tom Joyner Foundation), and alumni contributions. The University System of Georgia is governed by the Georgia Board of Regents and dispenses public funds (allocated by the state's legislature) to Savannah State, excluding lottery-funded HOPE Scholarships. The university's endowment was $2,433,508. As of FY05, the university's budget was $42,155,964. In FY06, the university received $7,725,311 in research, instruction, and public service contracts and grants.

History

SSU's history at a glance

1890	Established as Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth
1891	Relocated from Athens to Savannah
1921	First female students admitted as campus residents
1928	Became a full four-year degree-granting institution; high school and normal programs were removed
1932	Renamed Georgia State College
1947	Land-grant designation transferred to Fort Valley State College
1950	Renamed Savannah State College
1996	Renamed Savannah State University

Establishment

Savannah State University was founded as a result of the Second Morrill Land Grant Act of August 30, 1890. The act mandated that southern and border states develop land grant colleges for black students, as their systems were segregated. On November 26, 1890 the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation creating the Georgia State Industrial College for Colored Youth.

A preliminary session of the school was held in the Baxter Street School Building in Athens, where Richard R. Wright Sr. was principal. The college 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. The school had five faculty members. Its eight students were all graduates of Edmund Asa Ware High School, the first public high school for blacks in Augusta.

Early years

The college awarded its first baccalaureate degree in 1898. In 1921 the first female students were admitted as residents on the campus. In 1928 the college became a full four-year degree-granting institution and ended the high school and normal school programs. Normal schools had been created in the 19th century in many state systems in the United States, after the German model, to educate teachers for elementary school students. With the expansion of towns across the US, and continuing issues in trying to educate four million freedmen and their descendants, there was an urgent need to establish many new schools and to quickly train teachers in the North and the South. States used normal schools for training teachers for primary school grades and sometimes secondary school as well. Normal schools or colleges tended to have two or three-year programs. Gradually the normal schools were converted to full colleges with four-year curricula, or were left behind.

In 1932 the college became a full member institution of the University System of Georgia and its name was changed to Georgia State College. The college served as Georgia’s land-grant institution for African-American students until 1947. The designation was then transferred to Fort Valley State College. In January 1950, the college changed its name to Savannah State College.

Modern history

With the growth in its graduate and research programs, 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.

Savannah State University is the first institution in the state of Georgia to offer the homeland security degree program. It was the second institution in the University System of Georgia to offer wireless Internet connectivity to students throughout the campus.

Notable campus events The General's Daughter 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. Trading Spaces The TLC show Trading Spaces filmed an episode ("Savannah: SSU Steppers") on the campus on September 7–9, 2007, as two spaces in the King-Frazier Student Center were transformed by members of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. The episode premiered on Nov. 17, 2007. 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. The student group was recognized as an official organization in 2003 but was later suspended (April 10, 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." At the time the university categorized such activities as hazing. On August 24, 2007, a federal judge denied the school’s motion to have the case dismissed. The university and the organization reached and agreement allowing the group to re-register as a student organization, with "all rights, benefits and privileges" in February 2008. The settlement did not include any admission of wrongdoing by the university or any monetary award to Commissioned II Love, but ended the dispute between the two parties.

Students may choose from 23 accredited undergraduate baccalaureate and 5 graduate master's degree programs offered through the university's colleges. The University has developed new partnerships that expand the range of programs and resources for students. Taking advantage of its location on the coast, the university's Marine Biology Department operates two research vessels: the R/V Sea Otter (a 35 ft (11 m) twin diesel vessel owned by NOAA) and the R/V Tiger (a 22 ft (6.7 m) outboard work boat). In the fall of 2007 Savannah State teamed with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to offer a new course in environmental regulations, so students can deepen understanding of policy and implementation issues. The program also helps them learn about specific environmental topics.

Savannah State University administers an HIV/AIDS and substance abuse prevention and awareness program funded by a grant from the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Savannah State University established an honors program for qualified high-achieving and ambitious undergraduate students.

Specialized accreditations

Accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Savannah State University also has achieved fully accredited programs in specialized areas of science and engineering:

• 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)

Additionally, the Chemistry department is American Chemical Society (ACS) certified.

The bachelor and masters programs in Social Work are accredited by the (Council on Social Work Education), and the masters in Public Administration by the 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, and the Mass Communications Department is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC).

Campus

Savannah State University is located approximately 5 miles (8 km) east southeast from the center of Savannah, 250 miles (402 km) from Atlanta, and 120 miles (193 km) from Jacksonville, Florida. The campus is accessible from Interstate 95 and Interstate 16. Spanish moss drapes the dense live oak trees, while palm trees, magnolias, and a wide variety of azaleas, camellias, and other native plants are scattered throughout the 201-acre (813,418.1 m²) marsh-side campus.

Early years

The original campus consisted of 86 acres (348,030 m²) and three buildings (Boggs Hall, Parsons Hall and a farmhouse), with 51 acres (206,390 m²) of the land serving as the school's farm. Several of the campus' older buildings were originally constructed by students and faculty members, and display architectural styles from the past century.

Historic facilities

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.

Hill Hall

Main article: Hill Hall at Savannah State College

Hill Hall at Savannah State College
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	Savannah, Georgia
Coordinates	32°01′27″N 81°03′23″W
Built	1901
Architect	Unknown
Architectural style	Classical Revival
NRHP reference No.	81000197
Added to NRHP	1981

Walter Bernard Hill Hall, built between 1900 and 1901 by students studying manual arts and blacksmithing, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. The facility had a variety of uses, including a bookstore, student center, male dormitory, and library. Needing too much renovation for continued use, the building was closed in 1996. The university and community created the Hill Hall Restoration Project to raise money for the project. After restoration, the building was reopened in 2008. It houses the university's Enrollment Management Center, a presidential suite, administrative offices, a lecture hall, a banquet room, and a small museum.

Athletic facilities

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.

Tiger Arena is the 6,000-seat multi-purpose arena which serves as the home for the university's basketball team and athletic department offices. Ted A. Wright Football Stadium is the home of the university's football team and has an Olympic outdoor track. The 7,500-seat multi-purpose stadium opened in 1967. The track was constructed in 1995.

Recent additions

On October 15, 2007 Savannah State broke ground on a new academic building which was dedicated on May 1, 2009. It is the first building constructed on the campus since 1986 and includes 10 classrooms, three lecture rooms, three computer labs, and applied research and observation labs. The building also houses the Africana studies exhibit, the Dean of Humanities and faculty offices, Public Administration/Urban Studies, and the Social Work and Social and Behavioral Sciences departments.

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.

Wesleyan Gospel Choir

The SSU Wesleyan Gospel Choir was established in 1971. In 2004 the choir completed and released a live album, entitled RLW: "Revelation, Love, & Worship". Members of the Wesleyan Gospel Choir participated in the NBCAHF Inaugural Gospel Explosion competition in 2006 and the International Gospel Retreat, which aired on The Word Network. In 2007 the choir performed at the Dr. Bobby Jones International Gospel Music Industry Retreat, which was also broadcast on The Word Network. The choir performed with Ann Nesby during the 13th annual Savannah Black Heritage Festival.

Marching Tiger band

Savannah State University's Marching Band during the 2008 Homecoming celebration

The university band, nicknamed the "Powerhouse of the South", performs during Savannah State football games. They 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. These organizations are:

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

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

Organization	Symbol	Chapter	Chapter symbol
Delta Sigma Pi	ΔΣΠ	Kappa Chi	ΚΧ
Iota Phi Lambda	ΙΦΛ
Phi Beta Lambda	ΦΒΛ
Phi Alpha Delta	ΦΑΔ
Kappa Kappa Psi	KKΨ	Lambda Upsilon	ΛΥ
Delta Phi Omega	ΔΦΩ

At one time Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity had a registered chapter at Savannah State.

Student media

Tiger's Roar

The Tiger's Roar is the official student-produced newspaper of Savannah State University and provides both a print and online version.

WHCJ 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.

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.

Athletics

SSU Athletics

Men's Baseball Basketball Cross county Football Golf Track & field Women's Basketball Cross county Golf Softball Tennis Track & field Volleyball

Main article: Savannah State Tigers

The Savannah State Tigers represent the university in college intercollegate athletics and are administered by the Savannah State University Athletic Department. The department dedicates about $2 million per year for its sports teams and facilities.

Savannah State University holds membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) 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).

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. The team’s final game (a 49–44 loss to Florida A&M) was covered by several national sports organizations including ESPN.

SSU Cheer

Savannah State University's competitive cheerleading team became the first team from a HBCU to win a national cheerleading title in February 2017. The 13-member team won a CheerSport National title for their top score routine.

See also

Additional faculty information For additional information on notable Savannah State University faculty and staff members, you may also want to view articles in the following categories: Category:Presidents of Savannah State University Category:Savannah State University faculty Category:Savannah State Tigers football coaches Category:Savannah State Tigers men's basketball coaches

• List of Savannah State University alumni
• List of Savannah State University faculty
  • President of Savannah State University

Suggested reading

• Elmore, Charles J. (1996). 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.
• Elmore, Charles (2002). Savannah, Georgia. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub.
• Hall, Clyde W. (1991). One Hundred Years of Educating at Savannah State College, 1890-1990. East Peoria, Ill: Versa Press.

Notes

A.^{^} On April 19, 2011 the Georgia Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia voted not to renew Dr. Earl Yarbrough’s annual contract as president of the university. Cheryl Davenport Dozier was named as acting president of the university on April 21, 2011 and the Georgia Board of Regents plans to conduct a national search for Yarbrough's replacement. Dr. Dozier became the permanent president on May 9, 2012.

External links

• Official website
• Official athletics website