Valdosta State University

Infobox University
name = Valdosta State University


image_size = 150px
established =1906
type = Public
president = Dr. Patrick J. Schloss
city = Valdosta
state = Georgia
country = USA
students = 11,280 cite web|url=http://www.usg.edu/research/students/enroll/fy2008/fall07.pdf |title=Semester Enrollment Report |accessdate=2007-12-23 |date=2007-11-12 |format=PDF |work=Office of Research and Policy Analysis |publisher=University System of Georgia ]
undergrad = 9,728
postgrad = 1,552
campus = convert|168|acre|km2
nickname = Blazers
mascot = Blaze
colors = Red and black color box|redcolor box|black
website= [http://www.valdosta.edu/ www.valdosta.edu]

Valdosta State University is a public university located in the city of Valdosta, Georgia, in the United States, and is part of the University System of Georgia.

Degree levels offered at VSU include: Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, Education Specialist, and Doctoral. The university comprises the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education, Arts, and Nursing. The Graduate School also includes the Divisions of Social Work and Library Science.

Valdosta State University is also home to the six-week residential Governor's Honors Program during the summer.

History

A special act of the Georgia Legislature established an institution of higher learning in Valdosta, Georgia, in 1906. However, no appropriation was made for buildings or maintenance until the summer of 1911, when the State appropriated $30,000 for a building and equipment. With a community enthusiasm that has continued to the present day, the City of Valdosta first donated 60 acres of land and $50,000 to be used toward establishing the college. The first building, Converse Hall, was erected and furnished at a cost of $55,000.

In 1912, the Legislature granted an adequate annual appropriation for maintenance, and the future of the institution was assured. The college, called the South Georgia State Normal College, opened to “young ladies” on January 2, 1913, and offered two years of college work. An act of the Legislature in 1922 changed the institution’s name to Georgia State Woman’s College at Valdosta and authorized a four-year program leading to the bachelor’s degree. The Board of Regents made the school coeducational in 1950 and changed the name to Valdosta State College. In 1993, Valdosta State College was named a Regional University. In fall 1998, Valdosta State University adopted the semester system, along with other units of the University System of Georgia.

The institution has been led by eight presidents: Richard Holmes Powell (1913- 1933), Jere Madison Pound (1933-1935), Frank Robertson Reade (1935-1948), James Ralph Thaxton (1948-1966), Sidney Walter Martin (1966-1978), Hugh Coleman Bailey (1978-2001), Ronald M. Zaccari (2002-2008), and Patrick J. Schloss who assumed leadership of the university in 2008.

Location

The city of Valdosta is located in South Georgia, just off of Interstate 75, approximately convert|20|mi|km from the Florida state line. Valdosta is about two hour's drive from Tallahassee, Macon, and Jacksonville, and about four from Atlanta.

Valdosta, with a population of just over 50,000, offers many shopping areas, restaurants, movie theaters, a theme park, and more.

The total economic impact of VSU related activities on the Valdosta Metro area reached $331.7 million for fiscal year 2006. The total economic impact of VSU related activities on Valdosta Metro area employment was 5,183 jobs, or approximately 8 percent of the employed labor force in the Valdosta Metro area.

Campus

The VSU campus is divided into two areas: main campus, which houses much of the academic and administrative departments, and north campus, which primarily houses the Langdale College of Business. In total, 85 buildings located across convert|168|acre|km2 make up the Valdosta State University campus.

The campuses of Valdosta State are widely recognized for their exceptional beauty, including the Spanish Mission architecture that is on every building of the main campus. Flowering plants include a variety of camellias, azaleas, redbud, and dogwood located amid tall pines, palms, and oaks spaced throughout the landscaped grounds.

The 85 acre Main Campus faces North Patterson Street, one of the city’s main thoroughfares. Approximately ten blocks north is the North Campus. Other units of the University are located in satellite facilities adjacent to the campus and along Patterson Street. The campuses and principal satellite buildings are connected by the University bus service, operating regularly throughout each class day.

The Jewel Whitehead Camellia Trail is believed to be the only such trail on a university campus in the nation. Located in the northwest area of the Main Campus, more than 1100 camellias of many varieties form a winding trail through the towering pines. The trail was a 1944 Christmas gift to the University from the late Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Whitehead of Valdosta.

Source: VSU 2006-2007 Undergraduate Course Catalog

Expansion

Valdosta State University is on the cusp of major growth. In order to accommodate an ever increasing student enrollment, several major construction projects have been slated that will forever change the face of Valdosta State.

(Hopper Hall) Hopper Hall was originally constructed back in 1963. It was originally situated on one of the largest sites on the campus. Valdosta State University demolished Hopper Hall in August 2007, to make way for a larger Hopper Hall, which will house 513 students in a suite-style configuration. Additionally, Hopper Hall will house the student mail center, offices for student life, and a new dining center.

(Georgia Hall) Georgia Hall was built in 1969 and currently houses 200 female students in a traditional dormitory configuration. Upon completion of the new Hopper Hall, Georgia Hall will be demolished and rebuilt as a six-story facility housing 496 students in a suite-style configuration. Construction will begin in August 2008. (Student Union) The current Student Union on the campus is too small to accommodate the numerous programs that the university offers. During the fall of 2008, the current student union will be demolished along with the Old Gymnasium that sits adjacent to the site. Construction will begin on a convert|120000|sqft|m2|sing=on replacement that will open in 2010.

(Health Science / Business Administration Building) This new facility will consolidate several colleges into one facility. This building will be located on the North Campus of Valdosta State University. The Board of Regents has recently approved this project and it now awaits funding. Construction is anticipated to begin January 2011.

(Farber Health Center Replacement) This new facility will replace the current outdated and undersized Farber Health Center. This convert|27000|sqft|m2|sing=on facility will house the latest in medical technologies and will include a pharmacy for students, something that the university currently does not have.

In addition to the numerous building projects that are slated, numerous renovation projects will also be undertaken in the coming years, including the total renovation of historic Reade Hall, Nevins Hall, and Ashley Hall.

Academics

Valdosta State University offers undergraduate work leading to the following degrees: Associate of Applied Science, the Associate of Arts, the Bachelor of Arts in thirteen major programs, the Bachelor of Science in eleven major programs, the Bachelor of Science in Education in twelve major programs, the Bachelor of Business Administration in five major programs, the Bachelor of Fine Arts in seven major programs, the Bachelor of Music in two major programs, the Bachelor of General Studies, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, the Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology, and the Bachelor of Applied Science.

Graduate degrees offered include the Master of Education in seventeen major programs, the Master of Arts in two major programs, the Master of Science in seven major programs, Master of Science in Biology, Master of Public Administration, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Art Education, Master of Music Education, Master of Social Work, Master of Library and Information Science, the Education Specialist in ten major programs, the Doctor of Education in three major programs, and the Doctor of Public Administration. New baccalaureate and graduate degree programs are added from time to time to meet the needs of the population served by the University.

Source: 2007-2008 VSU Undergraduate Course Catalog

Accreditations

Valdosta State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral degrees.

Current program accreditations include:

*Art - National Association of Schools of Art and Design
*Business (College)- AACSB International
*Chemistry - Committee on Professional Training of the American Chemical Society
*Communication Disorders (Master's)- Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
*Education (College) - National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
*Education (College) - Georgia Professional Standards Commission
*Library and Information Science (Master's)- Committee on Accreditation of the American Library Association
*Music - National Association of Schools of Music
*Nursing (BSN and MSN) - Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
*Public Administration (Master's)- National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration
*Public Relations - Certification in Education for Public Relations by the Public Relations Society of America
*School Psychology (Master's)- National Association of School Psychologists
*Social Work (Master's)- Council on Social Work Education
*Sociology - Commission on Applied and Clinical Sociology
*Sports Medicine/Athletic Training - Commission on the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education Programs
*Theatre - National Association of Schools of Theatre

Source: VSU 2007-2008 Undergraduate Course Catalog

tudent activities

VSU offers many opportunities for students to become involved. There are over 140 recognized student organizations, catering to a variety of student interests. Other opportunities for students include VSU's student radio station 90.9FM, weekly newspaper ("The Spectator"), and annual literary publication ("Odradek"). The newly constructed Student Recreation Center provides students with state of the art facilities including an indoor pool, track, racquetball, volleyball and basketball courts, weight rooms, a cardio area, rock climbing wall, and more.

"The Spectator"

"The Spectator" is the independent student newspaper of Valdosta State University, published every Thursday morning during each Fall and Spring Semester. The Spectator began in 1936 as the "Campus Canopy" but changed its name to "The Spectator" some years later. It contains latest campus news, local news, opinions, features, entertainment, and sports. It won four awards at the 2007 Georgia College and Press Association Better Newspaper Awards Conference in February 2008.cite news|url=http://www.valdosta.edu/news/releases/spectator.022608/|title=Spectator Captures Awards at State Conference|date=February 26, 2008|publisher=Valdosta State University News|accessdate=2008-09-25]

Athletics

*Valdosta State University offers a variety of varsity sports for students to participate in, including baseball, basketball, cross country, football, softball, tennis and volleyball.

*The Blazers won the 2007 NCAA Division II national championship by defeating Northwest Missouri State 25-20. The Blazers also won the 2004 NCAA Division II national championship with a 36-31 win over Pittsburg State University. The Blazers lost to Grand Valley State University 31-24 in the 2002 NCAA Division II national championship.

*The Atlanta Falcons' Jessie Tuggle graduated from Valdosta State.

*Valdosta State University's Men's Tennis team won the 2006 NCAA Division II national championship with a 5-2 win over Lynn University.

*Valdosta State's baseball team won the 1979 NCAA Division II national championship.

*Valdosta State baseball head coach Tommy Thomas is the all-time wins leader in NCAA Division II baseball with 1302 wins and counting.

Fall 2007 profile

* Enrollment for Fall semester 2007 was a record breaking 11,279, an increase over Fall semester 2006's enrollment of 10,888.

As of Fall 2007:

* Enrollment comprised 9,727 undergraduate students and 1,552 graduate students.
* A record number of first-time freshmen entered VSU in Fall 2007: 2,069.
* The average age of undergraduates is 22, and graduate students average 34 years of age.
* Females represent the majority of the student body at sixty-two percent.
* Twenty-nine percent of the students are self-declared minorities.
* Georgians comprise ninety-two percent of the total enrollment.
* Students come from 154 of Georgia's 159 counties, 45 states, 2 territories, and 65 countries.
* Thirty-seven percent of all students come from the Southwest Georgia Economic Development Region. An additional twenty-six percent come from the Metro Atlanta Economic Development Region.
* The three most popular undergraduate majors are Biology, Early Childhood Education, and Nursing.
* From July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007 VSU awarded 60 Associate's degrees, 1,449 Bachelor's degrees, 394 Master's degrees, 87 Ed. Specialist degrees, and 7 Doctoral degrees.
* In FY 2006, over $70 million in student financial aid was distributed.

Summer 2008

*Valdosta State's football blazers were a large contributor in ESPNs decision to name Valdosta, GA; Title Town USA

Controversy

In October 2007, Hayden Barnes, a student at Valdosta State University (VSU) in Georgia, was expelled for criticizing the construction of two new parking garages on campus. Concerned that new garages would provide little incentive for VSU students to rely less on cars, Barnes openly advocated for money budgeted for the parking garages to be spent elsewhere. Barnes spread his message by sending letters to his student newspaper, posting flyers on campus, and including pictures of the proposed parking garages on his page on Facebook. However, rather than successfully derailing plans for the garages’ construction, the Facebook photos seem to have prompted Barnes’ expulsion. Apparently, captions for the online photos suggested that the garages could be named in memory of current VSU President Ronald Zaccari—and while Barnes maintains he meant to suggest that students would remember Zaccari’s term by the garages, Zaccari himself apparently felt otherwise. Barnes was expelled without a hearing after posting the pictures on Facebook, receiving a letter calling him a “clear and present danger to the campus."Thus far, President Zaccari has been unable to answer questions about Barnes’ expulsion, due to pending litigation. President Zaccari has confirmed that legal proceedings are currently underway, and the report indicates that the State Board of Regents has asked an administrative law judge to review Barnes’ case.

http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/10166201.html

Expelled Valdosta State University (VSU) student T. Hayden Barnes has filed a lawsuit against the university, VSU President Ronald Zaccari, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and other VSU administrators after being punished for publicly protesting the school’s decision to construct two new parking garages on campus. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in cooperation with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) (www.thefire.org) and First Amendment attorney Robert Corn-Revere. [http://www.thefire.org "Student Files Federal Lawsuit Against Valdosta State University After Expulsion for Peaceful Protest"]

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), has added Valdosta State University (VSU) to its "red alert" list of institutions that act with severe and ongoing disregard for the fundamental rights of its students or faculty members. VSU joins two other schools, Tufts University and John Hopkins University, on FIRE's "red alert" list. [http://www.thefire.org/index.php/redalert?PHPSESSID=83492b484ec4d4a0a5c39dbdf57dea27 FIRE's Red Alert List]

Valdosta State University has suffered from an unfortunate series of false bomb-threats, all targeted at the same residence hall, Centennial Hall. On each occurrence, students were evacuated from the building via fire-alarm, and the entire building was searched by the Moody Air Force Base K-9 squad. In each occurrence, no bomb was ever found.

External links

* [http://www.valdosta.edu/ VSU website]
* [http://www.vsuspectator.com/ The Spectator (Student Newspaper)]
* [http://www.vsublazers.com VSUBlazers.Com Notes on VSU Alumni website]
* [http://www.usg.edu/ University System of Georgia website]
* [http://www.vsuspectator.com "The Spectator" (Online)]