University of Scranton

University of Scranton
	Latin: Universitas Scrantonensis
Former names	St. Thomas College (1888–1938)
Motto	Religio Mores Cultura (Latin)
Motto in English	Religion Morals Culture
Type	Private Nonprofit; Research Coeducational
Established	1888
Affiliation	Roman Catholic (Jesuit)
Endowment	US $170 million
President	Rev. Kevin P. Quinn, S.J.
Academic staff	304
Students	5,422
Undergraduates	3,910
Postgraduates	1,512
Location	Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA
Campus	Urban, 58 acres (23.5 ha)
Fight song	"Great Battling Royals"
Colors	Purple and White
Nickname	Royals / Lady Royals
Affiliations	AJCU ACCU; NAICU CIC
Mascot	Iggy the Royal Wolf
Website	www.scranton.edu

The University of Scranton is a private, non-profit, co-educational Catholic and Jesuit research university, located in the historic Hill Section of Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1888 by Most Rev. William O'Hara, the first Bishop of Scranton, as St. Thomas College.^[3] In 1938, the College was elevated to university status and took the name The University of Scranton.^[4] The institution was operated by the Diocese of Scranton from its founding until 1897. While the Diocese of Scranton retained ownership of the University, it was administered by the Lasallian Christian Brothers from 1888 to 1942.^[5] In 1942, the Society of Jesus took ownership and control of the University.^[6] During the 1960s, the University became an independent institution under a lay Board of Trustees. The University of Scranton is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is served by the Scranton Jesuit Community.

Currently, the University is composed of three Colleges: The College of Arts and Sciences, The Kania School of Management, and The Panuska College of Professional Studies, all of which contain both undergraduate and graduate programs.^[7] Previously, the University had a College of Graduate and Continuing Education, which has recently been folded into the colleges of the respective programs. The University offers 65 Bachelor’s Degree Programs, 29 Master’s Degree Programs, 43 Minors, and 38 Undergraduate Concentrations, as well as a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program and a Doctor of Nursing Practice Program.^[7]

The University enrolls approximately 6,000 graduate and undergraduate students. Most of its students came from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.^[7] Currently, about 58% of its undergraduate students are women and 42% are men.^[8] In its graduate programs, about 62% are women students and 38% are men students. The University has about 300 full-time faculty members, approximately 200 of which are tenured.^[7]

History

Founding of the University

In 1888, the University of Scranton was founded as the College of St. Thomas of Aquin in honor of St. Thomas Aquinas by the first bishop of Scranton, Most Rev. William O’Hara.^[9]^[10] Shortly after, the College was renamed as St. Thomas College.^[9] After four years of intense fundraising, the construction of the College’s first building, Old Main (also known as College Hall) was completed.^[9] The three-story red brick building, located in the city of Scranton on Wyoming Avenue next to St. Peter’s Cathedral and the Bishop’s residence, housed eight large classrooms on the first and second floors, an auditorium/gymnasium on the third floor, and a chapel in the basement.^[4] In September 1892, the College admitted its first students, 62 young men for an annual tuition cost of $40.^[9]^[11] Bishop O’Hara appointed Rev. John J. Mangan, a 29 year old native of Cuba, New York who had been serving as a curate of St. Peter’s Cathedral where he had been ordained only three years earlier, as the College’s first president.^[9]^[12] For four years, the college was staffed by Scranton’s diocesan priests and seminarians.^[13] From 1896 until 1897, the College was run by the three Xaverian Brothers, who left St. Thomas to work at a new Catholic school that had just opened in West Virginia.^[13]^[4]^[14]

The Christian Brothers

After the Xaverian Brothers left, the Lasallian Christian Brothers, a religious teaching congregation founded by St. Jean-Baptiste de la Salle, took responsibility for the administration of St. Thomas College, although the College was still owned by the Diocese of Scranton.^[15]^[16] The Christian Brothers ran the College for forty-five years, until they transferred governorship of the College to the Society of Jesuits in 1942.^[17] Once the Christian Brothers arrived, they reorganized St. Thomas College into three separate divisions.^[4] They created a four-year college (which would become the undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences), a commercial department which offered two-year degree programs, and a preparatory high school.^[4]

In 1899, St. Thomas College held its first Commencement, awarding certificates to graduates of the College’s two-year commercial program.^[18] In 1901, the first four graduates of St. Thomas College’s college department were awarded Bachelor of Science degrees at the commencement ceremony.^[13] Because the College had not received a state charter, it could not grant official degrees under its own name. Instead, the Christian Brothers began an affiliation with Rock Hill College in Maryland.^[13] Until 1925, when the College was given a state charter, all St. Thomas College degrees were awarded either by Rock Hill, LaSalle College in Philadelphia, or St. John’s College in Washington, D.C.^[19]^[4]

During World War I, enrollment plunged as young college-aged men enlisted and joined the war effort.^[4] As a result, the College temporarily suspended the four year college degree programs from 1918 until 1920.^[4]^[18] During this period, however, St. Thomas continued to offer its two-year commercial programs as well as a program for premedical students. In 1924, St. Thomas College was granted a state charter by the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas.^[4]^[18] This incorporation enabled the College finally to award its own collegiate degrees: Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and Master of Arts. In June 1925, 34 students received the first baccalaureate diplomas bearing the seal of St. Thomas College.^[4]^[19] In 1926, St. Thomas students created the school’s first student body government, composed of the Student Board, Student Council, and Student Tribunal. The College received accreditation from the Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools of the Middle States and Maryland in 1927, after successfully passing the board’s evaluation process and meeting its set standards of quality.^[4]^[14]

In 1938, the Christian Brothers renamed St. Thomas College to The University of Scranton.^[20]^[21]^[22] 1938 also represented another significant departure from the University’s past, as the University admitted women for the first time, allowing them to take courses in its evening college.^[13]^[23]Before this change in 1938, a select few women had been permitted to take classes at the University during the 1920s before women were officially admitted, including Marywood College student Nellie Brown who enrolled in one class which was required for entrance into medical school.^[4] She would go on to become the first practicing woman physician in Scranton.

During the Depression, enrollment dropped and the Christian Brothers struggled to maintain and run the College. This trend only continued to worsen during World War II, as enrollment declined precipitously as a majority of its students and potential students enlisted in the armed forces. As a result of continually low enrollments and increasing costs to run the institution, the school’s debt mounted.^[13]

In 1941, Bishop William J. Hafey acquired Dr. Charles E. Thomson's Scranton Private Hospital as part of his plan to expand the University.^[24] However, just at the time the hospital (also known as the Annex) was purchased, the need for more space had begun to lessen as United States became involved in the war in Europe and college-age men left to serve their country.^[24] After the 1944 establishment of the Scranton Preparatory School by the Jesuit President of the University, the Very Rev. W. Coleman Nevils, the Annex served as its home until it was demolished in 1961 and the Preparatory School moved locations.^[24] Additionally, in 1941, Worthington Scranton donated his home and adjoining estate to Bishop Hafey, the bishop of the Diocese of Scranton and the University of Scranton's Board of Trustees President, for use by the University, because he felt that this land could be “most advantageously used for the development of an institution of higher learning so that the youth of this vicinity can get an education at a reasonable cost.”^[25] The Christian Brothers, because of their strained finances and the University’s low enrollment did not make use of the Scranton Estate before their departure.

By the beginning of 1942 Bishop Hafey had come to recognize that the Brothers’ first priority in assigning their manpower went to those schools, like La Salle College in Philadelphia, which they not only administered, but also owned.^[24]^[17] In February he made an overture to the Society of Jesus inviting them to assume not merely the University’s administration, but its ownership (including its debts) as well, an offer they accepted in May. After the University’s commencement in June, the Bishop and the Christian Brothers announced that the University of Scranton would become a Jesuit University.^[26]^[27]^[28]

The Society of Jesus

In June 1942, eighteen members of the Society of Jesus arrived in Scranton, led by Rev. W. Coleman Nevils, the new University President and Rector of the Jesuit community.^[29]^[13] Because the former Christian Brothers residence on Wyoming Ave. next to Old Main could not accommodate all of the Jesuits, they moved into the Estate, which had been donated by the Scranton family in 1941.^[30]^[31] While the Jesuits began using the lower Hill Section campus, all classes and offices remained at Old Main. During World War II, enrollment remained low. In order to offset declines in enrollment, the University created an aviation program that trained aviation cadets for the Army Air Corps and the Navy.^[32]^[31] Beginning in 1942, the regular four-year course was accelerated and converted into a three-year degree program, done by eliminating summer vacation and reducing holidays, to more quickly prepare graduates for military service.^[33]^[34] In 1943, the University founded its chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu, the National Jesuit Society founded at Marquette University in 1915.^[35]^[36]

In 1941, Bishop William J. Hafey acquired Dr. Charles E. Thomson's Scranton Private Hospital, called the Annex, on the corner of Wyoming Avenue and Mulberry Street for the University just as enrollment dropped with the beginning of U.S. involvement with the Second World War in Europe.^[34] As a result, the University did not need to use the building and it sat unused for the next three years.^[17] In 1944, responding to requests from both the diocese and Catholic parents in the Scranton area for a college preparatory school, the Jesuits created Scranton Preparatory School.^[37] The Annex served as the high school’s home until 1961 when it was demolished.^[37] The school used The University’s former building, Old Main, for a couple of years before moving to its present location at 1000 Wyoming Ave. Although the Prep's staff and operation were for the most part distinct from the University, it was owned by the University and under its corporate control until the Prep became a separate corporation in 1978.^[34]

Once the Jesuits arrived at the University, they also began making gradual changes to the University’s curriculum and required courses so that the school’s courses would conform as much as possible to the traditional Jesuit education.^[38] The Dean instituted the standards used in all Jesuit schools. One of the biggest and most immediate changes to the curriculum occurred in philosophy. During their tenure as administrators of the University, the Christian Brothers had no emphasized philosophy and offered only a few courses on the subject.^[39] In contrast, the Jesuits instituted a heavy courseload of philosophy. In keeping with their long-established emphasis on scholastic philosophy, a prescribed sequence of courses covering logic, cosmology, metaphysics, epistemology and ethics was required of all students, regardless of major.^[34] Several of these courses came to be either 4- or 5-credit courses after the war, so that by the 1950s students commonly were taking twenty-four or more credits in philosophy alone. Additionally, over time, they added courses and majors to the curriculum, as well as general education requirements for all students in order to create a well-rounded education for students. In particular, the Jesuits placed importance on rhetoric, public speaking, history, and the classical languages of Greek and Latin.^[31]

In 1945, with the end of the war and the creation of the G.I. Bill, legislation intended to help veterans reintegrate after the war which included cash payments for college tuition, enrollment exploded.^[40]^[41]^[42] In order to accommodate this dramatic increase in enrollment, the University acquired three former Navy barracks in 1947 which they constructed on the 900 block of Linden Street, part of the former Scranton Estate.^[43]^[44] For the next fifteen years, Scranton’s campus would be divided between Old Main and the former Christian Brothers’ residence, which had been renamed by the Jesuits as La Salle Hall, on Wyoming Ave. and the three barracks at the Scranton Estate.^[13] Administrative offices and the pre-med program were housed in Old Main while the arts and sciences, business, and engineering divisions held classes in the naval barracks.^[17]^[45]

In 1950, the University opened a Graduate School. Its first graduate program was created by the Department of Education and Psychology, leading to a Master of Arts degree in Education.^[46] ^[47] Two years later, it awarded its first degrees.^[48] Graduate programs in other fields including Business Administration and Chemistry followed soon afterward.^[45] Over time, the Graduate School continued to grow, adding programs in History and English.^[49]^[50] From its creation, the graduate program admitted women, like the University’s Evening School and summer courses, which had educated women since 1938.^[4] The University’s Army Reserve Officer Training Corps unit was established in 1951, with its first graduates produced in 1955 as second lieutenants in either the Army or the Reserves.^[51]^[52]^[53] The basic, two-year ROTC program was mandatory for all physically qualified incoming freshmen, except those veterans who had already served. The advanced ROTC program for juniors and seniors was optional, though competitive and selective.^[4]

The Decade of the Builder

In 1955, the University announced an ambitious $5,000,000 campus expansion plan, which proposed constructing ten new buildings over the course of the next ten years.^[54] The school hoped to move all of its operations to the Scranton Estate, replace the barracks with safer and more permanent buildings, and expand its facilities to better serve its growing student body.^[4] The University’s expansion began with the construction of the Loyola Hall of Science in 1956, which was home to the departments of engineering, physics, biology, and chemistry as well as the University’s radio station (WUSR) and replaced one of the navy barracks, the E (Engineering) Building.^[4]^[55] In 1958, the University built its first dorms for residential students. It created four dorms arranged in a quad, providing housing for 200 students: Casey, Fitch, Martin, and McCourt Halls. Only three years after their completion, Scranton added another quad of four residential halls above it: Denis Edward, Hafey, Lynett, and Hannan Halls.^[54]^[56]

The campus also grew through an acquisition in 1958. When Worthington Scranton had donated his family’s estate to the University, he had reserved the former carriage house, which he had converted into an office, the greenhouse, and the squash court for his own personal use.^[25] Following his death in 1958, his son, William W. Scranton, gave the remainder of the Estate to the University of Scranton.^[57] After obtaining the rest of the property, the University moved its administrative offices from Old Main into the carriage house.^[58] Although the University had originally planned to convert the Estate into a library, the plans were dropped in favor of a more feasible idea: building an entirely new, separate structure.^[59] Alumni Memorial Library was completed in 1960, holding over 120,000 library volumes and containing study space for up to 475 students.^[60] In 1961, the University completed construction of the Gunster Memorial Student Center. The center of campus life, at the time of its dedication, Gunster housed a cafeteria, the University bookstore, the 400-seat Eagen Auditorium, lounges, a game room, and a rifle range.^[61]^[62]^[63]

The final major construction project of the era was creating a classroom building to replace the rest of the navy barracks. Constructed at the corner of Linden and Monroe Streets, St. Thomas Hall was completed in 1962.^[64]^[65] Five stories tall, the modern L-shaped building contained contained classrooms, administrative and faculty offices, ROTC offices, student lounges, the St. Ignatius Loyola Chapel, and four laboratories.^[66] After the completion of St. Thomas Hall, the University vacated its Wyoming Avenue properties completely.^[67] During the dedication ceremony for the new classroom building, the original cornerstone from the University’s first building, Old Main, was built into the front corner of St. Thomas Hall. Seventy five years after Old Main’s blessing in 1888, the University of Scranton transferred its cornerstone to the new campus, linking the University with its past and providing continuity from both the University's former name, St. Thomas College, and its old campus.^[68] The decade of construction ended with the completion of three additional buildings that had been in the planning stages during his presidency.^[54] The University added two more residential halls: Driscoll and Nevils, which together housed 240 students, increasing the University's dormitory capacity to 650 residents in 1965.^[54]^[69] The University completed construction on its first varsity athletic center in 1967, which the school named in honor of its former president, John J. Long, S.J., who had led the University in its first major building campaign.^[70]^[71]

Changing Times

On May 31, 1987, Margaret Heckler, the then United States Ambassador to Ireland, became the first woman to deliver the commencement address at the University of Scranton in the school's history.^[72]

University Academics

Areas of Academic Study

The university grants undergraduate degrees (Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science) in 65 majors. Students may also utilize many pre-professional concentrations, such as pre-medical, pre-law, and pre-dental. The university also has an Honors Program and the SJLA (Special Jesuit Liberal Arts) Program in which select students complete courses in moral philosophy, ethics, theology, and the humanities in addition to their normal course load.

The university also grants graduate degrees (Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Health Administration, Master of Occupational Therapy, Master of Science in Education) in 29 fields, among them Accounting, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Computing Sciences, Counseling and Human Services, Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Administration, Elementary and Special Education, Health Administration, Human Resources, Nursing, Software Engineering, and Theology. The university also offers a Doctor of Physical Therapy program and Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Curriculum

The university offers a liberal arts program. Students are required to take the core courses in composition. Students are also required to take two theology courses, two philosophy courses, as well as an elective in one of these two areas. Filling out the general education requirements are 6 credits in science courses, 6 credits in writing intensive courses, 6 credits in cultural diversity courses, 3 credits in a mathematics course, 12 credits in humanities courses and 3 credits in physical education.

Honors Programs and Societies

Academic Honor Societies

The University of Scranton maintains local chapters of over thirty different international and national honor societies.

Alpha Sigma Nu: Founded at Marquette University in 1915, Alpha Sigma Nu is the national Jesuit Honor Society, with chapters at twenty-eight Jesuit universities throughout the United States.^[4] The University of Scranton’s chapter was founded in 1943, one year after the Jesuits assumed control of the University. Alpha Sigma Nu is the oldest honor society at the University.^[73]^[74] Alpha Sigma Nu is the only honor society at the University which accepts students and faculty from all three colleges and all disciplines.^[75] Juniors and seniors who have distinguished themselves in scholarship, loyalty and service are eligible for membership. Its selection process is rigorous. First, the Registrar compiles lists of students in the top 15% of their classes based on GPA, separately for juniors, seniors, and graduate students based on their college.^[76] Juniors are those having completed 60-89 credits; seniors 90+ credits; graduate students at least 18 graduate credits. Then, the honor society solicits nominations from current ΑΣΝ members, including faculty, staff, and student members, who have received the list of students in the top 15% of their classes.^[76] The chapter coordinator and faculty advisor compile the nominations. The student officers review the nominations and make selections of student nominees. The faculty advisor provides guidance on the selection process. Student selections are sent to the deans of the respective colleges for review. Student and honorary selections are sent to the University President for his review. A letter is sent to persons approved by the President inviting them to become members of ΑΣΝ. The final list of inductees consists of those accepting membership.
Phi Alpha Theta: Founded in 1921, Phi Alpha Theta is the International History Honor Society. The University’s Mu Rho chapter was established in 1967.^[77] In order to be eligible for membership, students must have completed at least twelve credits in history, have maintained a grade point average of at least a 3.33 in history, and rank in the top 35% of their class.^[75]
Sigma Xi: Founded in 1886, Sigma Xi is the International Honor Society in scientific research. The University’s chapter was established in 1968 and later authorized in 1979. In order to be inducted, undergraduate and graduate students must show outstanding promise in original research.^[75]
Sigma Pi Sigma: Founded in 1921, Sigma Pi Sigma is the National Honor Society for Physics. The University’s chapter was founded in 1969. Only schools of recognized standing which offer a strong physics major are permitted to establish chapters. In order to be inducted, undergraduate students must have completed at least nine physics credits and rank in the top third of the class. Graduate students and faculty can be induced at any time, given that they meet the requirements.^[75]
Eta Sigma Gamma: Founded in 1967, Eta Sigma Gamma is an honor society for Health Education dedicated to promoting the discipline by elevating the standards, ideals, competence, and ethics of professional prepared men and women in health education. The University’s Epsilon Eta chapter was established in 2012. In order to be inducted, students must be Community Health Education majors, have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0, and a GPA of 3.2 in the major.^[75]
Omicron Delta Epsilon: Founded in 1963, Omicron Delta Epsilon is the International Honor Society for Economics. The University’s Xi chapter of Pennsylvania was established in 1969. In order to qualify for membership, students must have taken twelve credits in economics, have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0, and have a 3.0 GPA in economics.^[75]
Psi Chi: Founded in 1931, Psi Chi is the National Honor Society in Psychology. The University’s chapter was established in 1969. In order to qualify for membership, students must have either a minor or major in psychology, rank in the top 35% of their class, and demonstrate superior scholarship in psychology.^[75]
Phi Delta Kappa: Founded in 1906, Phi Delta Kappa is the International Professional Fraternity for Education. The University’s chapter was established in 1970. In order to qualify for membership, inductees must be either graduate students or teachers.^[75]
Pi Gamma Mu: Founded in 1924, Pi Gamma Mu is the International Honor Society in Social Science. The University’s chapter was established in 1970. In order to become inductees, students must have completed at least 60 credits of academic work with a minimum of 21 in economics, human services, psychology, sociology, political science or history, and have an overall GPA of 3.4.^[75]
Alpha Sigma Lambda: Founded in 1946, Alpha Sigma Lambda is the National Honor Society which encourages scholarship and leadership among adult students in continuing higher education. The University’s Alpha Upsilon chapter was established in 1972. In order to qualify for membership, inductees must be non-traditional students who achieve and maintain outstanding scholastic standards, and demonstrate leadership abilities.^[75]
Pi Mu Epsilon: Founded in 1914, Pi Mu Epsilon is the National Honor Society for Mathematics. The University’s chapter was established in 1973. In order to qualify for membership, students must be mathematics majors in their junior or senior year, have an overall GPA of 3.33, and have a mathematics GPA of 3.50. Additionally, biomathematics majors who meet the criteria can be nominated with an unsolicited recommendation from full-time mathematics faculty.^[75]
Alpha Mu Gamma: Founded in 1931, Alpha Mu Gamma is the National Honor Society for Foreign Languages. The University’s Theta Iota chapter was established in 1973. In order to qualify for membership, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, and have completed Foreign Language classes and have received at least two A’s in those courses.^[75]
Phi Lambda Upsilon: Founded in 1899, Phi Lambda Upsilon is the National Honor Society for Chemistry. The University’s Beta Kappa chapter was established in 1975. In order to qualify for membership, students must have at least 24 credits in chemistry and a minimum GPA of 3.0.^[75]
Alpha Epsilon Delta: Founded in 1926, Alpha Epsilon Delta is the National Honor Society for Health Pre-Professionals. The University’s Iota chapter was established in 1976. In order to qualify for membership, students must have completed at least three semesters of pre-professional health work, have a minimum GPA of 3.2, and have a minimum science GPA of 3.2.^[75]
Theta Alpha Kappa: Founded in 1976 at Manhattan College, Theta Alpha Kappa is the National Honor Society for Theology and Religious Studies. The University’s Alpha Nu chapter was established in 1980. In order to qualify for membership, students must have completed 12 or more credits in theology, have an overall GPA of 3.5, and have a theology GPA of 3.5.^[75]
Sigma Tau Delta: Founded in 1924, Sigma Tau Delta is the National Honor Society for English. The University’s Mu Omicron chapter was established in 1980. In order to qualify for membership, students must have either a minor or major in English, Theatre, or Secondary Education/English, have a minimum overall GPA of 3.4, and have at least a 3.5 GPA in English, Theatre, and Writing Courses.^[75]
Alpha Epsilon Alpha: Founded in 1980 at the University of Scranton by Fr. Joseph Hamernick, S.J., Alpha Epsilon Alpha is a Honor Society for Communications. In order to qualify for membership, students must be senior Communication majors and have a minimum 3.5 GPA.^[75]
Alpha Kappa Delta: Founded in 1920, Alpha Kappa Delta is the International Honor Society for Sociology. The University’s Upsilon chapter was established in 1980. In order to qualify for membership, students must have completed at least 18 credits in sociology and have a minimum GPA of 3.0.^[75]
Pi Sigma Alpha: Founded in 1920, Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Honor Society for Political Science. The University’s Kappa Iota chapter was established in 1980. In order to qualify for membership, students must be juniors or seniors, have completed at least 18 credits in political science, have a minimum political science GPA of 3.4, and rank in the top third of their class.^[75]
Alpha Phi Sigma: Founded in 1942, Alpha Phi Sigma is the National Honor Society for Criminal Justice. The University’s Epsilon Zeta chapter was established in 1982. In order to qualify for membership, students must be juniors or seniors, have a criminal justice major or minor, have completed 12 credits of criminal justice courses, have a minimum overall GPA of 3.2, have a minimum criminal justice GPA of 3.2, and rank in the top 35% of their class.^[75]
Phi Sigma Tau: Founded in 1930, Phi Sigma Tau is the International Honor Society for Philosophy. The University’s Tau chapter was established in 1982. In order to qualify for membership, students must have a major or minor in philosophy and demonstrate excellence in philosophy. Induction is based on nomination and voting results of philosophy faculty and current members of the society. ^[75]
Omega Beta Sigma: Founded in 1982 at the University of Scranton, Omega Beta Sigma is the Women’s Business Honor Society. In order to qualify for membership, students must have a major in minor in business, be sophomores, juniors, or seniors, and have an overall GPA of 3.25. ^[75]
Upsilon Pi Epsilon: Founded in 1967, Upsilon Pi Epsilon is the International Honor Society for Computing and Information Disciplines. It has been endorsed by both the corresponding professional organizations, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the IEEE Computer Society (IEEE-CS).^[75] The University’s Gamma chapter was established in 1985. In order to qualify for membership, inductees must fit in one of the following five categories:
- An undergraduate student must have completed at least 64 semester hours of overall credit, with at least 18 in Computing Sciences courses. He/she must have a minimum GPA of 3.2 both overall and in Computing Sciences courses.
- A graduate student must have completed at least one half of the graduate degree requirement (15 credits in Software Engineering courses), and must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 in those courses.
- A faculty member must have been teaching in the Computing Science program, or in a field related closely thereto, at the University of Scranton, for at least one year.
- A former student, at the time of his/her degree, must satisfy the same requirements as outlined for an undergraduate student.
- A honorary candidate shall be an individual of distinguished achievement in the field of Computing Science, otherwise ineligible for election to membership.^[78]
Sigma Theta Tau: Founded in 1922, Sigma Theta Tau is the International Honor Society of Nursing. The University’s Iota Omega chapter was established in 1988. In order to qualify for membership, students must have completed one half of the nursing curriculum, demonstrated an ability in nursing, have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0, and rank in the top third of the class.^[75]
Kappa Delta Pi: Founded in 1911, Kappa Delta Pi is the International Honor Society for Education. The University’s Sigma Chi chapter was established in 1992. In order to qualify for membership, students must have completed at least 24 credits of collegiate work, have completed at least 6 credits in education course work, have a minimum overall GPA of a 3.2, and rank in the top 20% of the class.^[75]^[79]
Beta Beta Beta: Founded in 1922, Beta Beta Beta is the National Honor Society for Biology. The University’s chapter was established in 1994. In order to qualify for membership, students must be either juniors or seniors, have completed at least 9 credits in biology, have a minimum biology GPA of 3.0, and be in good academic standing at the University. Additionally, all undergraduate students interested in biology may join as associate members. The society encourages undergraduate biological research through presentations at conventions, publication in the journal BIOS, and research/travel grants.^[75]
Beta Gamma Sigma: Founded in 1913, Beta Gamma Sigma is the Honor Society for Business, recognized by the International Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The University’s chapter was established in 1997. In order to qualify for membership, the academic ranking of those being considered must place them in the upper 7% of the junior class, upper 10% of the senior class or upper 20% of the graduating master’s class.^[75]
Lambda Pi Eta: Founded in 1985, Lambda Pi Eta is the National Honor Society for Communication. The University’s chapter was established in 1999. In order to qualify for membership, students must be senior Communication majors, have earned a minimum overall GPA of 3.25, and a minimum communication GPA of 3.25.^[75]
Alpha Lambda Delta: Founded in 1924, Alpha Lambda Delta is the National Honor Society of freshman which honors excellent academic achievement by students in the first year of study. The University’s Richard H. Passon Chapter was established in 2001. In order to qualify for membership, students must be enrolled as full-time students in a degree program, have a minimum overall GPA of 3.5 in their first semester, and rank in the top 20% of the class.^[75]
Upsilon Phi Delta: Founded in 1999, Upsilon Phi Delta is the Honor Society for Health Administration. The University’s chapter was established in 2002. In order to qualify for membership, undergraduate and graduate students must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.5.^[75]
Phi Epsilon Kappa: Founded in 1913, Phi Epsilon Kappa is the National Honor Society of Physical Education. The University’s Zeta Gamma chapter was established in 2004. In order to qualify for membership, students must be juniors or seniors, be Exercise Science majors, have a minimum overall GPA of 3.3, and have a minimum Exercise Science GPA of 3.5.^[75]
Nu Rho Psi: Founded in 2007, Nu Rho Psi is the National Honor Society for Neuroscience. The University’s Alpha chapter was established in 2006. In order to qualify for membership, students must have demonstrated an interest in neuroscience, have a minimum overall GPA of 3.2, and have a minimum neuroscience GPA of 3.5.^[75]

Ranking

The university has received accolades from in a number of national publications including the Princeton Review, Kaplan's Publishing, U.S. News & World Report, The Economist, Forbes and Newsweek. For 23 consecutive years, beginning in 1994, The University of Scranton has been ranked in the top 10 schools in U.S. News & World Report's rankings of the Best Master's Universities-North.^[80] In the 2017 edition, Scranton placed sixth and was also recognized for "Service Learning" as well as one of the "Best Colleges for Veterans." In its 2016 guidebook, U.S. News & World Report ranked several of The University of Scranton’s master's degree programs among America’s "Best Graduate Schools." The University’s online graduate program in education ranked No. 13 in the nation. The University’s graduate program in nursing ranked No. 83.

In its 2017 guidebook, three Kania School of Management programs ranked among the top in the nation on U.S News & World Report’s business specialty lists:

Entrepreneurship ranked No. 13
Finance ranked No. 16
Accounting ranked No. 20^[81]

The Princeton Review has named the university to its annual “Best Colleges," guidebook from 2002 to its most recent list for 2017.^[82]

In the 2017 guidebook, The Princeton Review also recognized the University for: “Best Science Labs" (No. 4), “Best Campus Food” (No. 11), “Best College Dorms” (No. 17) and “Students Most Engaged in Community Service” (No. 20).^[82]

In 2011 The Huffington Post recognized The University of Scranton as the sixth friendliest school in the United States.^[83] An October 2015 report by The Economist ranked The University of Scranton No. 22 in the nation (top 2% of four-year colleges) for the impact a Scranton education has on the earnings of its graduates.^[84] The Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, published in October 2015, ranked The University of Scranton among the top 100 colleges in the nation for the increase in annual earnings it contributes to its graduates at 10 years after enrollment.^[85]

The University of Scranton ranked among the top “Healthiest” college in the United States, according to an September 2016 listing posted on Greatist.com, an online source for health and fitness information.^[86]

Campus buildings and landmarks

Academic Buildings

Alumni Memorial Hall: the building was originally constructed as Alumni Memorial Library in 1960.^[60] After the completion of the Weinberg Memorial Library in 1992, it underwent extensive renovations and was converted into Alumni Memorial Hall.^[87] It currently houses the Psychology Department and the Division of Planning and Information Resources.^[88]
Brennan Hall: the building was completed in 2000. It houses the departments of the Aruthur J. Kania School of Management.^[89] Its five stories contain classrooms, seminar rooms, faculty offices, an advising center, the Pearn Auditorium, and the Irwin E. Alperin Financial Center, which is designed to simulate a stock market trading floor, complete with an electronic ticker and data displays.^[90]^[91] The fifth floor of Brennan Hall is the Joseph M. McShane Executive Center, which includes a meeting room, a large reception area, the PNC Bank board room, and the Rose Room, an open space used for lectures, events, and dinners.^[92]
Ciszek Hall: the building, originally named the Center for Eastern Christian Studies, was completed in 1987 as an ecumenical and academic institute designed to promote knowledge about and understanding of the religious and cultural traditions of Eastern Christianity.^[93]^[94] Currently, Cisek Hall houses the university’s Office of Career Services, a chapel which celebrates service in the Byzantine Rite, and a library containing 15,000 books.^[95]
Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Hall: the building was completed in 2015. At eight stories tall, it is currently the tallest University building and houses the departments of Exercise Science, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy.^[96]^[97] Leahy Hall contains 25 interactive rehabilitation laboratories, 9 traditional and active-learning classrooms, research facilities, multiple simulation environments, more than 50 faculty offices, 9 group study rooms, a forum for lectures and events, an Einstein Bros Bagels Cafe, and a green roof and patio.^[98]^[99] The new building is located on the former site of the old Leahy Hall / YWCA building, on the southwest corner of Jefferson Avenue and Linden Street, which was demolished to make room for the new building.
Houlihan-McLean Center: the Victorian Gothic style building was constructed in 1910 as the Immanuel Baptist Church. The University acquired the former church in 1986, after its congregation moved to a different church.^[100] Currently, it houses the school’s Performance Music Program, which includes the university’s Orchestra, Bands, and Singers, as well as serving as a site for musical and other arts performances, lectures, and special liturgies.^[101] The main floor of the building houses the Aula (an approximately 650 seat concert hall), the Atrium (a recital and reception hall), the Nelhybel Collection Research Room, small ensembles areas, a musicians' lounge, practice rooms, offices, music library, and an organ loft and organ chamber, which holds an historic 1910 Austin Opus 301 symphonic pipe organ.^[102]
Hyland Hall: the building, completed in 1987, is a four-story facility which contains sixteen classrooms and a 180-seat tiered lecture hall, in addition to a cafe, lounge, and the University's Hope Horn Art Gallery.^[103]^[104] Currently, it mostly houses classes for the Departments of Political Science, Sociology, Criminal Justice, and World Languages and Cultures.
Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine: the building was completed in 1996 and houses research laboratories, offices, and the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute.^[105] The IMBM is dedicated to the molecular biological research, chiefly in the field of proteomics, in order to find and treat viral diseases and cancer as well as to be able to engineer a patient’s immune system to avoid these diseases and to develop DNA probes that could possibly seek out a defective gene that is responsible for cancer.^[106]
Loyola Science Center: completed in 2011, the building houses the University’s Biology, Chemistry, Computing Sciences, Mathematics, and Physics/Electrical Engineering departments as well as any programs currently associated with these departments.^[107] The construction of the Loyola Science Center involved integrating a new four-story structure into an existing structure, the Harper-McGinnis wing of St. Thomas Hall.^[108] The unified building includes 22 class and seminar rooms, 34 laboratories, 80 offices, a 180-seat lecture hall, an atrium and coffee shop, a vivarium, and a rooftop greenhouse for research.^[109]
McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts: constructed in 1992, the building serves as the home for the University's English & Theatre department.^[110] It contains classrooms, offices, labs, meeting spaces, a black box studio theatre, the 300-seat Royal Theater where the University Players stage their productions, computer writing and instructions lab, a seminar room, a small screening room for film classes and an office for Esprit, the university's Review of Arts and Letters.^[111]
McGurrin Hall: the building was completed in 1998. It houses many of the departments in the J.A. Panuska College of Professional Studies, including Education, Nursing, Counseling and Human Services, and Health Administration and Human Resources. McGurrin's four stories include classrooms, laboratories, teaching instruction labs, and counseling suites as well as the Panuska College of Professional Studies’ advising center and administration offices.^[112]^[113] In the basement of McGurrin Hall, the University created the Leahy Community Health & Family Center, which meets the health and wellness needs of underserved individuals in the greater Scranton community while providing a place where faculty guide students in a practical educational experience through its programs, which include the University of Success, the Alice V. Leahy Food and Clothing Pantry, the Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Center Clinic, “Peacemakers After School,” and “Growing Stronger.”^[114]^[115]
O'Hara Hall: the Neoclassical, six-story building was built in 1922 as the administrative headquarters for the Glen Alden Coal Company.^[116] Acquired by the University in 1968, it originally housed the departments of the Kania School of Management until the construction of Brennan Hall.^[117]^[118] It now serves as the home for the Dexter Hanley College (now the College of Graduate and Continuing Education), Alumni Relations, the Annual Fund, Continuing Education, Development, the World Languages and Cultures department, Instructional Development, the Learning Resource Center, the Political Science department, Public Relations, and the Sociology and Criminal Justice department.^[119] It contains classrooms, faculty offices, supporting administrative services, conference rooms, and the language learning laboratory.
St. Thomas Hall: the building, constructed at the corner of Linden and Monroe Streets, was completed in 1962.^[64] At the time of its completion, the five-story L-shaped building contained contained 50 classrooms, 15 utility rooms, 11 equipment rooms, 10 corridors, 128 offices, ROTC offices, student lounges, the St. Ignatius Loyola Chapel, and four laboratories.^[66]^[120] In 1987, the Harper-McGinnis Wing, a two-floor addition that contained offices and laboratories, was added to St. Thomas Hall to house the Physics and Electronics Engineering department.^[121]^[122] Recently, in 2009 and 2011, St. Thomas underwent significant renovations. The Chapel was converted into offices for Human Resources and Financial Aid and it now houses the departments of Theology and Religious Studies, Communications, Philosophy, History as well as the office of LA/WS, or Latin American and Women’s Studies, and the University’s radio station, 99.5 WUSR.^[108]^[123]
Smurfit Arts Center: the Romanesque building was constructed in 1906 as the Universalist John Raymond Memorial Church. The University acquired the property in 1987, after its congregation moved to a different church.^[124] Currently, it houses the Fine Arts program, including faculty offices, classrooms, and a studio.^[125] Originally, the church contained Tiffany Glass stained glass windows, which were moved to Hyland Hall to provide optimum and natural lighting for the studio.
Weinberg Memorial Library: the Library was completed in 1992, replacing Alumni Memorial Library which proved unable to serve adequately the growing student population, to house the vast library collections, and lacked the necessary wiring for modernizing the library with new technological advances.^[126]^[127] The Library has five floors, which seat approximately 700 students at one time and hold the University's extensive library collections. The Library is home to the University of Scranton Archives and Special Collections. In addition to study space and books, it contains administrative offices, two classrooms, group study rooms, a Java City cafe, the Reilly Learning Commons, and the Scranton Heritage Room, an open hall used to host campus and community events and to exhibit artifacts and documents from the university’s archives and special collections, showcases of faculty scholarship and university alumni authors, and the library's Environmental Art Show.^[128]

Additional Facilities

Brown Hall: the Classicial Revivalist building was constructed in 1896. Acquired by the University in 2012, the four-story structure contains University offices, including the Small Business Development Center and the Division of External Affairs as well as some retail spaces on the first floor, rented out to various businesses.^[129]
Byron Recreation Center: completed in 1986, the building serves as the home for recreational and intramural activities for the University's student body.^[130] The three-level structure connects to the Long Center, the facility for intercollegiate athletics.^[131] The facility contains three multi-use courts for basketball, volleyball, tennis, and one-wall handball as well as a one-tenth mile indoor running track, a six-lane Olympic-sized swimming pool complete with diving boards and an electronic scoreboard, four 4-wall racquetball courts, two different aerobics/dance rooms, and men's and women’s locker rooms.^[132]
Campion Hall: the building, completed in 1987, is the University’s residence building for the Jesuit community, who originally lived in the Estate since their arrival at the University in 1942, which proved too small to accommodate the priests.^[133] The two-story building features thirty-one bedrooms, an interior garden, an office, kitchen and dining facilities, and a chapel. Currently, Campion Hall provides housing for Jesuits who teach or hold administrative positions at the University of Scranton or at Scranton Preparatory School, a local Jesuit high school.^[134]^[135]
Chapel of the Sacred Heart: completed in 1928, the building was originally part of the Scranton Estate, designed as a small athletic facility, containing a gym and a squash court.^[57] The building, after being donated to the University in 1958, served as the center of athletics, a print shop, and the headquarters for the University's Alumni Association before being converted into a chapel in 2009.^[136] Currently, the Chapel is used for daily masses, Eucharistic Adoration, and prayer by students, faculty, and staff of the University of Scranton.^[137]
DeNaples Center: the campus center completed in 2008, replacing the Gunster Memorial Student Center, since its facilities could no longer effectively serve the expanding student body.^[138] The DeNaples Center houses the campus bookstore, the student mail center, commuter lockers, a Provisions on Demand (P.O.D.) convenience, a dining hall, a fireplace lounge, the Rev. Bernard R. McIllhenny, S.J. Ballroom, meeting rooms, the Ann and Leo Moscovitz Theater, and the first floor DeNaples Food Court, a retail dining option which includes Starbucks Coffee, Chick-Fil-A, and Quizno’s.^[139] The center also contains offices for Student Affairs, University Ministries, and the Student Forum which is comprised of the Center for Student Engagement, the University of Scranton Programming Board (USPB), the Aquinas newspaper, the Windhover yearbook, the Jane Kopas Women's Center, the Multicultural Center, Student Government, and Community Outreach.^[140]
Dionne Green: in 2008, after the completion of the DeNaples Center and the subsequent demolition of Gunster Memorial Student Center, the University created the Dionne Green, a 25,000-square-foot green space roughly the size of a football field featuring a 3,600 sq ft outdoor amphitheater.^[141] Located directly in front of the DeNaples Center, it serves as the gateway to the campus.^[142]
The Estate: in 1867, Joseph H. Scranton, one of the founders of the city of Scranton, commissioned the building of his family home in the French Second Empire Style, which was completed in 1871.^[143] The twenty-five room, three story residence contained a billiards room, a ballroom, a library, a Tiffany Glass skylight, and a solid mahogany staircase.^[25] The Estate was occupied by members of the Scranton family until 1941, when Worthington Scranton donated the home and its adjoining estate to the University.^[30] The home was used as the Jesuit residence from 1942 until 1987 and currently houses the Admissions Office.^[144]
Fitzpatrick Field: the field was completed in 1984. The facility was designed as a multi-sports complex, complete with a regulation-size field for men’s and women’s soccer which also can be used for other sports such as lacrosse, field hockey, and intramural athletics.^[145] It also has bleachers, an electronic scoreboard, a maintenance building, a storage area, and a parking lot. In 1997, a re-dedication ceremony celebrated the installation of new artificial turf and improved lighting for the field.^[146] Currently, Fitzpatrick Field remains the university’s primary outdoor athletic facility.
Founder's Green: in 2001, after the demolition of the Gallery Building whose departments had been moved to O'Hara and Hyland Halls, the University created Founder's Green, a large, open green space in front of Brennan Hall.^[147]^[148]
Galvin Terrace: after the completion of St. Thomas Hall and the subsequent demolition of the Barracks buildings, the University created an outdoor recreation facility, containing four volleyball courts, three basketball courts, a grass practice field for football and soccer, and a faculty parking lot.^[149]^[150] Later, after renovations, it included six tennis courts, two combination basketball/volleyball courts, and four handball/racquetball courts.^[151] In the early 1990s, the recreational complex was demolished to make room for the Weinberg Memorial Library and now a small garden outside the Library is known as Galvin Terrace.^[152]
Long Center: completed in 1967, the building contained the university’s first indoor athletic facilities, as well as instructional areas for physical education.^[70] At the time of its construction, the top floor featured a large entrance foyer and a gymnasium, complete with movable bleacher seats that could accommodate up to 4,500 people. The gymnasium contained three basketball courts, two ticket rooms, a sound control room, locker room facilities, a training room, a weight room, a wrestling room, laundry facilities, and equipment room, and offices for the director and assistants of the physical education program as well as athletic coaches.^[153] From 2001 until 2015, it housed the Department of Exercise Science, including offices, classrooms, a fitness assessment center, and laboratories for sport biomechanics, body composition, cardio-metabolic analysis, biochemistry, and muscular skeletal fitness, which was then moved to Leahy Hall.
Mosque: in 1996, the university community renovated a University-owned house at 317 North Webster Avenue into the Campus Mosque as a gift to the Muslim community of Scranton.^[154] The Mosque contained two large, spacious rooms as the women’s and men’s prayer rooms, a library, and an apartment where two members of the Muslim Student Association lived and served as caretakers of the facility.^[155] In 2007, the Mosque, along with several other properties, was razed in order to create a site for the sophomore residence, Condron Hall.^[156] The university then purchased and renovated a house at 306 Taylor Avenue for use as the new mosque, which is open to the public for prayer and reflection.
Pantle Rose Garden: when the University of Scranton acquired the Scranton family estate in the mid-1950s, the school received the garden, located next to the Chapel of the Sacred Heart on the former grounds of the Estate.^[157]
Parking and Public Safety Pavilion: completed in 1995, the Parking and Public Safety Pavilion accommodates 510 cars in its five stories, with one floor below ground, one floor at ground level, and three above ground.^[158] Additionally, the parking garage contains the offices of the university's police and the offices of parking services.^[159]
Quain Memorial Conservatory: the Victorian-style structure, built in 1872, was part of the Scranton family Estate and donated to the University in 1958.^[160] The glass building has a central square (20 ft by 20 ft) flanked by two 40 ft by 15 ft wings on either side. At the time of its construction, each section had its own pool.^[161] In the early 1970s, the student-led University Horticultural Society coordinated and organized an effort to renovate and restore the greenhouse.^[162] Currently, the greenhouse is used for classes as well as faculty and personal research projects.
Retreat Center at Chapman Lake: in 1961, the University of Scranton purchased a nine-acre tract of lakefront property containing three buildings on Chapman Lake, about 30 minutes away from the University.^[163] For several years, it was chiefly used as a place for relaxation by the Jesuits and for conferences with faculty members and student leaders.^[164] As time progressed, the University’s Office of Campus Ministries began using the Chapman Lake property as a Retreat Center.^[165] The site originally had one old retreat house, featuring several bedrooms equipped with bunkbeds, a small chapel, a main room with a fireplace, a kitchen, and dining area. In 1998, the University expanded the lakeside Conference and Retreat Center. Doubling the size of the center, the new 16,000 square-foot facility contained a dining room, kitchen, a large meeting room nicknamed the Lake Room, five small meeting rooms, and a residential wing with 11 bedrooms.^[166] In 2005, in order to meet the growing demand for retreats, the University expanded the Retreat Center again. The new addition contained a lounge, 21 more bedrooms, and the Peter Faber chapel with large window views of the Lake.^[167]^[168] Retreats offered at Chapman Lake are usually offered and run by staff and students from the University of Scranton's Office of Campus Ministries. More than 1,400 people participate annually in about 50 retreats and other spiritual programs conducted at Chapman Lake by the university. Retreats are offered virtually every weekend, including retreats for seniors as they prepare to end their college careers, for students interested in learning about Ignatian spirituality, for students who have never experienced a retreat before, for students seeking a better understanding of faith and Christian living, and for participants searching for answers to help them through the challenges they face as students.
Roche Wellness Center: the building, constructed in 1986, formerly housed Hazzouri’s pharmacy and drugstore as well as a restaurant named Babe’s Place.^[169] It was acquired by the University in 1992 and opened as the Student Health and Wellness Center in 1996 and the Drug and Alcohol Information Center and Educators (DICE) Office.^[170] The building holds a reception area, four exam rooms, a laboratory, an assessment room, an observation room, and storage space.
Rock Hall: in 1983, the University of Scranton purchased the Assembly of God Church from the Reformed Episcopalian congregation who could no longer properly maintain the facility as the costs and utilities were too high.^[171] Rock Hall houses the Madonna della Strada Chapel, which serves as the primary site for the university’s major liturgical services, including the regular Sunday masses.^[172] Currently, the first floor of Rock Hall is the home of the university's Military Science department and ROTC program.^[173]
Scranton Hall: constructed in 1871, Scranton Hall was built as a one-story carriage house and stable on the Scranton family Estate by Joseph H. Scranton.^[58] In 1928, Worthington Scranton and his wife added an additional story, renovating the building and converting it into an office space. The building was donated to the University in 1958.^[57] Since it was acquired, the building has been used to house the President’s Office and other administrative offices.^[58]
University Commons: are the main walkways through the University's campus. In 1980, the University of Scranton received approval from the Scranton City Council to close the portion of Linden Street to vehicular traffic which ran through the University's campus in order to unify the campus and create a safer environment for its students.^[174]^[175] Later, in the early 1990s, the University also closed part of Quincy Avenue and converted it into a pedestrian walkway.^[176]

Student Housing

The university has 13 traditional residences: Casey Hall, Denis Edward Hall, Driscoll Hall, Fitch Hall, Gannon Hall, Lavis Hall, McCormick Hall, Hafey Hall, Hannan Hall, Lynett Hall, Martin Hall, McCourt Hall, Nevils Hall, which provide housing for first-year students. These residence halls contain traditional double-rooms that share a community restroom on each floor. Most of these buildings were constructed in the 1960s, when the University was becoming a residential campus.

Sophomore students are offered suite-style housing, in which two double rooms share a shower and toilet, with each room having its own sink. There are three buildings, clustered together on the edge of the campus, which house sophomores: Condron Hall (2008), Redington Hall, and Gavigan Hall.^[177]

Junior and senior students are offered apartments and houses, which have more private options for residents. The University's apartment buildings include: Linden St. Apartments, Madison Square, Mulberry Plaza, Montrone Hall, and Pilarz Hall. The University also owns a number of residential houses scattered throughout the campus and the historic Hill Section of the city which they use to house students depending on the need for additional housing, most of which were originally acquired during the 1970s and 1980s. These include: Blair House, Fayette House, Gonzaga House, Herold House, Liva House, McGowan House, Cambria House, Monroe House, Tioga House, and Wayne House. After sophomore year, students can also elect to live off-campus in the residential and historic Hill Section located adjacent to the University's campus.

Graduate students can either chose to rent houses in the Hill Section, or live in the University-owned Quincy Apartments, located on the 500 block of Quincy Avenue which was just transformed from an abandoned high school into an early childhood learning center and University graduate housing in 2015.^[178]^[179]

Athletics

File:University of Scranton Royal Wolf.png

Athletics logo

Scranton athletes compete at the NCAA Division III. In 2007, Scranton joined the newly formed Landmark Conference, which ended a long history with the Middle Atlantic/Freedom Conference.

The school offers 19 varsity sports and has won national championships in Men's Basketball in 1976 and 1983 and Women's Basketball in 1985.^[180] The university's basketball teams play at the John Long Center located in the heart of the campus. The university's soccer and field hockey teams play at Fitzpatrick Field, also on campus.

In February 2012, the university fully acquired the South Side Sports Complex in Scranton. The complex was converted into NCAA-regulation fields for soccer, baseball, and softball. The complex includes a child's play area and public basketball courts.^[181]

In February 2016, the athletic director suspended the Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving team from the Landmark Conference championship meet for alleged hazing.^[182]^[183]

In fall 2016, women's golf was added to the athletics program. They debuted with a 5-0 victory in September 2016.^[184]

Student life

Media

The Aquinas, the university's student newspaper, publishes on Thursday during the academic year. WUSR 99.5 is the college radio station owned and operated by the University of Scranton.

The University of Scranton alma mater

The hours too quickly slip away
And mingle into years
But memories of our Scranton days will last
Whatever next appears.
The legacy from those before
Is briefly ours to hold,
We leave the best behind for others
As the coming years unfold.

With faith in lives that touch us here
And paths that ours have crossed
We know that reaching for the rising sun
Is surely worth the cost.
May God be ever at our side,
May goodness fill our days.
We hail as loving sons and daughters
Alma mater ours always.^[185]

Student government

History of the Student Senate

The Student Senate came about in the spring semester of 2002 with the ratification of its Constitution. On May 3, 2002 the first Student Senate meeting was held in the Office of Student Activities. Today, the Student Senate assembles for regular sessions on a biweekly basis and for emergency sessions as necessary.

The Student Senate is the main avenue of governance for the students. The Student Senate deals with pertinent issues that affect the day-to-day lives of students at The University of Scranton. The Senate is chaired by the Vice-President of Student Government who votes only in the case of a tie. The other Executive members of Student Government are the President, a nonvoting member with veto authority, as well as the Secretary and Treasurer, both non-voting members. The body of the Student Senate is made up of the non-voting executive positions, and four equal representatives from each class, two commuter representatives, two off-campus representatives, and two resident representatives for a total of 26 members, 22 of which have voting rights.

There are four standing committees formed out of the Senate: Safety and Crime Prevention, Student Life and Dining Services, Academic Affairs, and Appropriations. Proposed legislation is sent to the appropriate committee for research and development at the discretion of the Chair. The Executive Treasurer advises the Appropriations Committee; a Senator appointed by the Executive Council chairs each of the committees.

Future of the university

On April 26, 2008, the university held a public launch its new fundraising campaign. The campaign includes the DeNaples Center, The Dionne Green, Condron Hall, renovations to the Estate as a new home for admissions and the development of a new science facility. The building, now known as the Loyola Science Center, is in the planning stages with a tentative construction start date in Spring 2009 (according to October 2007 Provost's Report). Other campaign priorities include building endowment for financial aid, scholarships and faculty development and growing support in annual giving.

On October 26, 2009, the university began construction on a new science/humanities facility, the Loyola Science Center.

On May 6, 2010, the university announced plans to build a new apartment style Residence Hall with a food option as well as a new fitness facility on the first floor. This will be located across the street from the DeNaples Center on the 900 block of Mulberry Street.

On August 30, 2010, President Scott Pilarz, S.J. announced that he would leave the university at the end of the academic year to become the president of Marquette University.^[186]

On December 15, 2010, Christopher "Kip" Condron announced that Kevin Quinn, S.J. would become the 25th President of the University of Scranton. Quinn is originally from New York, a graduate of Fordham University and was, prior to his appointment, the executive director of the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education at Santa Clara University, where he was also a professor of law.^[187]

In fall 2011, Scranton welcomed two new facilities to the city's skyline: the Loyola Science Center and an apartment and fitness complex on the 900 block of Mulberry Street.

The 200,000-square-foot science center is home to 22 class and seminar rooms, 34 laboratories and a multistory atrium. It is a fitting home to Scranton's rich legacy of science education, and serves as a center of collaborative learning for all members of the campus and community.

The apartment and fitness complex, which consists of the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., Hall and Montrone Hall, stands directly across the street from the Patrick and Margaret DeNaples Center and provides fitness space, a dining area and apartment-style units to accommodate 400 juniors and seniors.

Edward R. Leahy Jr. Hall, which houses the departments of physical therapy, occupational therapy and exercise science, was dedicated in September 2015.

In these early years of the 21st century, the University is building on its historical and educational heritage guided by its "Engaged, Integrated, Global" strategic plan for 2015-2020. This plan guides the University's efforts in ever-improving the education and formation of students in the Catholic, Jesuit educational tradition through learning experiences that are transformative and reflective. Integrated teaching and learning opportunities across disciplines and programs emphasize understanding, discernment and action in a global context.^[188]