- Northeastern State University
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For other universities with a similar name, see Northeastern University (disambiguation).
Northeastern State University 
Established 1851 Type Public President Martin Tadlock (Interim)[1] All campus enrollment 9,769[2] Academic staff 325 Location Tahlequah, Oklahoma, USA Campus 200 acres (0.81 km2) (Tahlequah) Colors NSU Green and Silver Nickname RiverHawks Mascot Rowdy the RiverHawk Affiliations Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association Website
Northeastern State University (NSU) is a public university with its main campus located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, United States, at the foot of the Ozark Mountains. Northeastern's home, Tahlequah, is also the capital of the Cherokee nation of Oklahoma. The university also has two other campuses in Muskogee and Broken Arrow.
Contents
History
Although a school was founded on May 7, 1851, as the Cherokee National Female Seminary, it was not until statehood that the school now known as Northeast Oklahoma State University commenced operations. On March 6, 1909, the State Legislature of Oklahoma passed an act providing for the creation and location of Northeastern State Normal School at Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and for the purchase from the Cherokee Tribal Government of the building, land, and equipment of the Cherokee Female Seminary. In the 1950s Northeastern emerged as a comprehensive state college, broadening its curriculum at the baccalaureate level to encompass liberal arts subjects and adding a fifth year program designed to prepare master teachers for elementary and secondary schools. In 1974, the Oklahoma Legislature authorized that the name of the institution be changed from Northeastern State Normal School to Northeastern Oklahoma State University and then again in 1985 to Northeastern State University. Northeastern is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of Oklahoma as well as one of the oldest institutions of higher learning west of the Mississippi River.[3] Today NSU is the fourth largest university in Oklahoma.[4] On March 6, 2009, NSU celebrated its centennial with Founders Day celebrations.
Tahlequah Campus
The Tahlequah campus, which spans over 200 acres (0.81 km2), rests on the grounds of the Cherokee Female Seminary. The original building for the seminary is still in use, and now known as Seminary Hall. The campus consists of a multitude of different buildings with classroom, laboratory, residential, and athletic facilities. Recent years have witnessed the construction of a $10 million Science Center which was funded by a bond issued by the university.[5] NSU boasts the only College of Optometry in Oklahoma, and the largest enrollment of Native American students of any public institution of higher education by both percentage and amount.[6] NSU offers 69 undergraduate degrees, 18 graduate degrees and 13 pre-professional programs in five colleges (Business & Technology, Liberal Arts, Education, Optometry, and Health & Science Professions). The student-to-faculty ratio is 26 to 1 and in the Spring of 2008 the total enrollment for the Tahlequah Campus was 6,216.[2] There is also a distance learning program, where students who cannot attend the university due to work or family obligations can complete courses via the Internet or videoconferencing.
Seminary Hall April 2008
The Net Building Oct. 2007Academic buildings
The academic buildings stretch throughout the campus. The buildings are:
- Seminary Hall
- The Science Center
- The Business and Technology Building (formerly Practical Arts Building)
- The Fine Arts Building
- The W. Roger Webb Educational Technology Center (formerly NET Lab)
- Bagley Hall (Education Building)
- John Vaughan Library
- The CASE Building (Center for Admissions and Student Enrollment)
Residential buildings
Northeastern has nine residence halls. The halls are:
- Haskell Hall
- Hastings Hall
- Logan Hall
- North Leoser complex
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- North wing
- Northeast wing
- Northwest wing
- South Leoser complex
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- South wing
- Southeast wing
- Southwest wing
- Ross Hall
- Seminary Suites
- Wilson Hall
- Wyly Hall
Athletics
NSU Homecoming Game 2007See also: Doc Wadley StadiumNSU's athletic teams compete in the NCAA Division II. NSU's athletic teams are known as the RiverHawks, a mascot announced on Nov. 14, 2006.[7] NSU announced on May 23, 2006 that they would be dropping "Redmen" in favor of a new mascot to represent the school.[8] Although the "Redmen" name was not deemed to be hostile or abusive towards Native Americans by the NCAA, restrictions connected to the use of American Indian nicknames could have affected future NSU athletic competitions had NSU not taken the initiative to comply before the Redmen name became an issue. NSU offers all the major sports including football, baseball, softball, men and women's basketball, men and women's soccer, golf, and tennis. In 2003, the men's basketball team won the Division II national championship.[9]
In 2010 the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association began considering expanding its conference from 12 to 16 members and inviting NSU into the conference.[10] It was accepted into the conference on July 30, 2010 with a tentative starting date of 2012-2013 academic year.[11]
Campus life
The Iguana Cafe, right next to campus.There are several restaurants on, or just off NSU's campus some of which include the Iguana Cafe, El Zarape, Sam & Ella's Chicken Palace (Pizza), The Town Branch Eatery & Pub, Flo's Cafe (located on campus in the Florence Willson Hall), and Vidalia's. The night life includes Ned's and Granny's Attic.
Campus organizations
There are several campus organizations such as RHA (Residence Halls Association), NAB (Northeastern Activities Board), NSUSF (Northeastern State University Student Foundation), and NSGA (Northeastern Student Government Association) that provide alternate activities, usually free of charge for students to enjoy on campus. The NSGA is the official organization to represent the students of NSU. The purpose of the NSGA is to establish a representative student government and to provide a forum for student's views and ideas for the purpose of promoting and representing the students of NSU. RHA caters to on-campus residents and hosts such annual events as "Welcome Week Luau," Freshman Move-in Day, Mardi Gras, and "Resident Round-up". Northeastern State University also has a several fraternities and sororities located on the Tahlequah campus.
Jazz Lab
Created in 1993, the building serves as a place where musicians can practice performing and listeners can enjoy the music. In addition to a performance venue, the Jazz Lab is also the site of the jazz program offices and classes. The university has one student jazz ensemble, as well as several different combo groups, ranging in style from fusion, to Latin, to big band era. Recently the university has been awarded a bachelors in music- jazz studies degree. Every year the NSU Jazz Ensemble performs with 4 guest artist at the Jazz Lab. Many famous musicians have performed at the jazz lab since its creation such as T.S. Monk, Henry Johnson, Diana Krall, Mulgrew Miller, Bobby Watson, Bob Mintzer, Slide Hampton, Robin Eubanks, Wynton Marsalis, and Bobby Shew.
Branch campuses
Muskogee
NSU's Muskogee campus was opened in 1993 as a 27,700-square-foot (2,570 m2) facility located on 23 acres (93,000 m2). The campus offers upper-level and graduate courses in education, business, general studies, nursing, industrial management.[12] In 2001 the NSU Muskogee opened the Mike Synar Center in honor of Mike Synar, former U.S. Congressman from the 2nd District of Oklahoma from 1979 to 1995. The Mike Synar Center is a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) facility that is used for offices and classrooms. The center also houses the Master of Business Administration and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program for the campus.[13]
Broken Arrow
NSU's Broken Arrow campus was opened in 2002 with a little over 1,000 students. Funding for the campus came from a one-half percent sales tax which was approved by Broken Arrow voters. The campus consisted of an Administration, two classrooms, and a maintenance building.[14] In 2004 the campus began a $26 million expansion made possible by Tulsa County's Vision 2025, which also funded Tulsa's new BOK Center. The expansion doubled the size of the campus and also allowed room for up to another 5,000 students. It also added a library along with science and classroom buildings. Construction was completed in the fall of 2007.[14]
Presidents of Northeastern
- Albert Sydney Wyly, 1909
- Frank Redd, 1909–1911
- Frank E. Buck, 1911–1912
- W.E. Gill, 1912–1914
- George W. Gable, 1914–1919
- William T. Ford, 1919–1923
- Monroe P. Hammond, 1923–1935
- J.M. Hackler (Acting), 1935–1936
- John Samuel Vaughan, 1936–1951
- Louis H. Bally (Acting), 1951
- Harrell E. Garrison, 1951–1970
- Robert E. Collier, 1970–1977
- Elwin Fite (Acting), 1977–1978
- W. Roger Webb, 1978–1997
- Larry B. Williams, 1997–2007
- Kim Cherry (Interim), 2007–2008
- Don Betz, 2008–2011
- Martin Tadlock (Interim), 2011-present[15]
See also
- List of Northeastern State University alumni
- List of fraternities and sororities at Northeastern State University
- Cherokee Female Seminary
Citations
- ^ "Tadlock named as NSU interim president". NSU. http://www.nsuok.edu/News/Story/1459/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2011-09-14.
- ^ a b Enrollment Report Spring 2008.xls "Opening Enrollment Data". NSU. http://arapaho.nsuok.edu/~assessment/Opening Enrollment Report Spring 2008.xls. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
- ^ "General Information". NSU. http://www.nsuok.edu/catalog/2007/generalinformation/history.html. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
- ^ "About NSU". NSU. Archived from the original on 2008-01-28. http://web.archive.org/web/20080128160906/http://nsuok.edu/about/. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
- ^ "Grand Opening Set For NSU Science Center)". NSU. http://www.nsuok.edu/news/story.php?1841. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
- ^ "Northeastern State University Demographics (Fall 2006)" (PDF). NSU. http://arapaho.nsuok.edu/~research/formsguide/NSU%20DEMOGRAPHICS%202005-2006.pdf. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ^ "It’s Official – It’s the NSU RiverHawks". NSU. http://www.nsuok.edu/news/story.php?1870. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ^ "NSU Announces Plans to Find a New Mascot". NSU. http://www.nsuok.edu/news/story.php?1807. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
- ^ "Division II Men's Basketball History". NCAA. http://www.ncaa.com/history/default.aspx?id=87928. Retrieved 2008-04-11.[dead link]
- ^ Toppmeyer, Blake (2010-07-06). "Commentary: What a 16-member MIAA would mean - Maryville, MO". Maryville Daily Forum. http://www.maryvilledailyforum.com/homepage/x41620181/Commentary-What-a-16-member-MIAA-would-mean. Retrieved 2010-08-02.
- ^ Toppmeyer, Blake. "MIAA adds 2, more on horizon - Maryville, MO". Maryville Daily Forum. http://www.maryvilledailyforum.com/homepage/x84678274/MIAA-adds-2-more-on-horizon. Retrieved 2010-08-02.
- ^ "Other NSU Campuses". NSU. http://www.nsuba.edu/about/othercampuses.html. Retrieved 2008-10-08.[dead link]
- ^ "The Mike Synar Center". NSU. Archived from the original on 2008-05-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20080527030545/http://www.nsuok.edu/muskogee/synar.html. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
- ^ a b "The NSUBA Campus". NSU. http://www.nsuok.edu/nsuba/about/campus.html. Retrieved 2008-10-08.[dead link]
- ^ "Tadlock named as NSU interim president". NSU. http://www.nsuok.edu/News/Story/1459/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2011-09-14.
External links
Lone Star Conference Categories:- Lone Star Conference
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- American Association of State Colleges and Universities
- Universities and colleges in Oklahoma
- Educational institutions established in 1851
- Northeastern State University
- Education in Cherokee County, Oklahoma
- Buildings and structures in Cherokee County, Oklahoma
- Education in Muskogee County, Oklahoma
- Education in Tulsa County, Oklahoma
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