Southern Connecticut State University facts for kids
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Former names
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New Haven State Normal School (1893–1937) New Haven State Teacher's College (1937–1959) Southern Connecticut State College (1959–1983) |
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| Motto | Qui transtulit sustinet (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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"He who transplanted still sustains." |
| Type | Public university |
| Established | September 11, 1893 |
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Parent institution
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Connecticut State Colleges & Universities |
| Accreditation | NECHE |
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Academic affiliation
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Space-grant |
| Endowment | $30.6 million (2020) |
| President | Sandra Bulmer (interim) |
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Administrative staff
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403 |
| Students | 8,155 (spring 2022) |
| Undergraduates | 6,242 (spring 2022) |
| Postgraduates | 1,913 (spring 2022) |
| Location |
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United States
41°19′57″N 72°56′51″W / 41.33250°N 72.94750°W |
| Campus | Midsize city, 168 acres (68 ha) |
| Newspaper | Southern News |
| Colors | Reflex blue and white |
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Sporting affiliations
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| Mascot | Otus the Owl |
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Southern Connecticut State University, often called SCSU or just "Southern," is a public university in New Haven, Connecticut. It is part of the Connecticut State University System. The university was started in 1893. It is known for its research and is governed by the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education.
Contents
History of Southern Connecticut State University
How the University Started
Southern Connecticut State University began on September 11, 1893. It was first called "New Haven State Normal School." This school was a two-year program to train teachers. The first campus was in a building called the Skinner School. It was located on State Street in New Haven.
Arthur Boothby Morrill was the first principal, leading the school from 1893 to 1924. He worked with two other teachers. To join, students had to be at least 16 years old. They usually had a high school degree or two years of teaching experience. The first class had 85 women.
Early Years and Growth
Students did not have to pay tuition if they promised to finish their studies and teach in Connecticut. The school also provided all textbooks. Boarding was available for a small fee each week. However, most students lived in New Haven and traveled to school each day.
The school quickly grew too big for the Skinner School. In 1896, it moved to a new, larger building on Howe and Oak Street. This new spot was also close to elementary schools where students could practice teaching. At this time, the school could only give out teaching certificates.
Becoming a College and University
By 1937, the school could offer bachelor's degrees. Because of this, its name changed to "New Haven State Teacher's College." In 1954, it started offering graduate degrees. This was one year after the school moved to its current campus on Crescent Street.
In 1959, New Haven State Teacher's College became "Southern Connecticut State College." Then, in March 1983, the school was renamed "Southern Connecticut State University." It became part of the Connecticut State University System.
Campus Life and Buildings
Southern Connecticut State University has one main campus. It is located at 501 Crescent Street in New Haven. The campus is next to parts of Hamden, Connecticut. Fitch Street divides the campus into areas for classes and areas where students live.
New Science and Business Buildings
In 2015, a new science building opened. This four-story building helps the university expand its science programs. It has special labs for cancer research, physics, and optics.
In summer 2023, the School of Business moved to a new building. This building is on Wintergreen and Farnham Avenue. It is special because it is the first building in Connecticut built to use Net Zero Energy. This means it produces as much energy as it uses. The building has many meeting rooms, a large community room, faculty offices, and trading rooms. It also has a 100-seat auditorium and many study rooms for students.
What Students Learn
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| National Program Rankings | |||
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| Program | Ranking | ||
| Nursing | 182 | ||
Teacher Training Programs
Southern Connecticut State University is still a very important place for training teachers. It is the only school in Connecticut that offers a master's degree in teaching students with autism spectrum disorders. The university also has a special doctoral program for leaders in education.
Nursing Programs
Students in the nursing program at Southern have a very high success rate. In the past 30 years, between 90% and 100% of Southern nursing students have passed their national licensing exam (NCLEX).
Liberal Education Program (LEP)
The LEP program is a set of required classes for all students. It helps students learn about different subjects outside of their main area of study. This program has three levels and makes up 42 credits of a student's degree.
- Tier One: Includes basic classes like Inquiry 101 and Writing 102 for new students. It also requires a 200-level language course. Students can choose from 10 languages, including American Sign Language.
- Tier Two: Has nine different categories. Students must take one class from each category. These categories include American Experience, Cultural Expression, Creative Drive, Global Awareness, Mind and Body, Natural World I and II, Social Structure, and Time and Place.
- Tier Three: This is a "Capstone" level, where students take one final class. This is usually a higher-level course in their major. All students must also take three "W" or writing-intensive courses before they graduate.
Student Life at Southern
| Race and ethnicity | Total | ||
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| White | 44% |
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| Hispanic | 25% |
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| Black | 20% |
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| Asian | 4% |
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| Two or more races | 4% |
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| Unknown | 3% |
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| International student | 1% |
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| Economic diversity | |||
| Low-income | 42% |
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| Affluent | 58% |
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Greek Life Organizations
Southern Connecticut State University has many Greek-letter organizations. These are social groups like fraternities and sororities. Each group works to help students grow and improve. They all have their own unique traditions and beliefs.
Here are some of the sororities and fraternities that have been active on campus:
| Sororities | Fraternities |
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| Alpha Sigma Alpha | Alpha Phi Delta |
| Delta Phi Epsilon | Iota Phi Theta |
| Sigma Gamma Rho | Lambda Alpha Upsilon, Latino America Unida, Inc. |
| Sigma Iota Alpha, Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Incorporada | Phi Beta Sigma |
| Zeta Phi Beta | Tau Kappa Epsilon |
Hilton C. Buley Library
The library at Southern Connecticut State University is named after Hilton C. Buley. He was the president of the school from 1954 to 1971, when it was called New Haven State Teachers College.
History of the Library
The first library was in the original school building at 2 Howe Street. It was a small reading room with bookshelves. When the school opened in 1893, the library had only 500 books. By 1950, it had grown to over 28,000 books. This was much more than the space was designed for.
In 1954, the library moved to the main building on Crescent Street, Engleman Hall. By 1969, it had over 200,000 books and was running out of space again.
The Current Library Building
A new Hilton C. Buley Library building was officially opened on October 31, 1970. This was just before President Buley retired. The new library was designed to hold up to 500,000 books. However, as the collection kept growing, space became a concern again.
In 1999, plans were approved to add to and renovate the library. The new, updated library building finally opened in March 2014.
Special Features of the Library
The current library has four beautiful Tiffany Windows. These stained-glass windows were created by Louis Comfort Tiffany. He was a famous American artist known for his work with stained glass.
Three of these windows, "Angel of Praise," "Water Brooks," and "Hector," are in the Learning Commons area. They are displayed so natural light shines through them. These windows were given to the university in the 1960s. A fourth window, the "Congregational window," was donated in the 1990s. It is displayed in the second-floor reading room.
The "Water Brooks" window was made between 1898 and 1904. It honors Ezekiel Hayes Trowbridge. The "Hector" window, designed in 1898, shows the ship that brought early settlers to New Haven in 1638.
The library also has many special collections. These include children's literature, historical textbooks, and unique art books. It also has digital collections, like old American book bindings and postcards of libraries.
Sustainability Efforts
On May 30, 2019, Southern Connecticut State University officially declared a "Climate Emergency." This happened after students and professors from the Department of the Environment, Geography, and Marine Sciences pushed for the university to do more about climate change. This made Southern the first university in the U.S. to make such a declaration.
Athletics
Southern Connecticut State University's sports teams are known as the Fighting Owls or just the Owls. They compete in NCAA Division II.
Famous People Who Attended Southern
Many notable people have attended Southern Connecticut State University. Here are a few examples:
- Timothy I. Ahern – A general in the U.S. Air Force.
- Tony Amendola – An actor.
- Joe Andruzzi – A professional football player.
- Lynn Austin – An author.
- Dave Gettleman – A professional football general manager.
- Jahana Hayes – A politician.
- Dan Lauria – An actor.
- Nangolo Mbumba – The fourth president of Namibia.
- Mike Petke – A professional soccer player.
- Victoria Leigh Soto – A teacher.
