Southern Virginia University

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Southern Virginia University
Motto Learn that Life is Service
Established 1867, reorganized in 1996 to promote LDS Values and Standards
Type Private
Endowment Under $1 billion
President Rodney K. Smith
Faculty Over 100
Students 750
Location Buena Vista, Virginia, USA
Campus Rural
155 acres
Athletics 20 varsity teams
Colors Hunter Green
Nickname Knights
Affiliations The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Not owned by the LDS Church)
Website southernvirginia.edu
Southern Virginia University
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Southern Virginia University

Southern Virginia University (SVU) is a small liberal arts college in Buena Vista, Virginia with fewer than 1,000 students. It is owned by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon church, or LDS church), however, it does not receive funding from, nor is it affiliated with the LDS church. Institute classes are, however, provided by the Church Educational System.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

The school was founded in Bowling Green, Virginia as a for-profit institution in 1867 as the Home School for Girls by Alice Scott Chandler, for whom a current scholarship is named.[2] In 1900 the school was moved to Buena Vista and renamed Southern Seminary. In 1922 the school became a junior college and was renamed Southern Seminary and Junior College. In 1959 it became a non-profit college under the control of trustees. In 1961 the school ended its high school program and became Southern Seminary Junior College.[3]

The financial health of the college began to decline in the 1980s, and by 1996 the school was at the point of closing. Late name changes were to Southern Virginia College for Women in 1993 and simply Southern Virginia College when the school began accepting male students in 1994.[3]

In 1996 the school was sold to a group of LDS businessmen from Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area, who had the goal of establishing an institution founded on LDS principles in the eastern United States.[4] In 2000 the school regained its accreditation[5] and was renamed Southern Virginia University.[6]

[edit] LDS influence

SVU has an honor code that upholds LDS Church standards. All students "must pledge ... to abide by the Principles of Honor and Conduct" which includes specific standards of conduct including honesty, dress and grooming.[7]

During the summer months, Southern Virginia University hosts multiple sessions of Especially for Youth, a week-long camp coordinated and run by the LDS Church. Facilities on campus are used for workshops and the participants are housed in the campus dorms, and eat in the cafeteria.[8]

A few flaws of SVU are its lack of campus facilities and classroom resources. There is one cafeteria, one classroom building (many classes are held in other available spaces around campus), and limited lab space.[citation needed] The library does not have adequate space to keep all materials on-campus, approximately 100,000 volumes are housed in a warehouse off-campus.[9]

A majority of the faculty and staff are Latter-day Saints,[citation needed] and many employees at SVU have past or present relationships with the LDS Church.

  • President, Rodney K. Smith, graduated in the second class of BYU J. Rueben Clark Law School[10]
  • Vice President of Student Life and Enrollment, Walter Ralls,[11] is the stake president of the Buena Vista Virginia Stake.[citation needed]
  • Executive Vice President and Provost, Paul S. Edwards, former member of the Political Science Department at Brigham Young University[12]
  • Director of Annual Giving, Jeffrey D. Robison, spent 13 years working for the LDS Foundation[13]
  • Dean of Students, Dean Hanchett, former Army Chaplain (30 years active duty) representing the LDS Church[14]
  • The Board of Trustees includes former mission presidents and former stake presidents for the LDS Church as well as Chieko Okazaki former member of the Relief Society General Presidency[15]

Recently, in the summer of 2006, the Division of Arts at SVU performed Beauty and the Beast. The play was performed during SVU's Education Conference, which drew high-profile LDS church members and BYU faculty, many of them who were prone to donate. In attendance were Robert Millet, dean of religion at BYU, and millionaire Glade Knight, who was the main person who provided funds to purchase the school, and whom the school mascot is named after.[citation needed]

[edit] Academics

One of Southern Virginia University's most high profile professors is the noted science fiction author and LDS church member Orson Scott Card, who has taken time away from writing to teach at the college.[16] Another notable professor beginning in 2007 is Keith Alessi, venture capitalist and former CEO of Jackson Hewitt. Alessi, a non-Mormon, will be teaching business and accounting classes.

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Brief History of the Institute of Religion Program. Press release. Retrieved on [[2006-07-11]].
  2. ^ SVU Scholarships. Southern Virginia University. Retrieved on [[2006-07-11]].
  3. ^ a b History of Southern Virginia University. Southern Virginia University. Retrieved on [[2006-07-11]]. Additional copy of history.
  4. ^ Southern Virginia University (2000-02-23). Utah Family Donates Prime Real Estate to Southern Virginia College. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-07-11.
  5. ^ Southern Virginia University (2000-05-15). SVC Receives Preaccreditation Status. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-07-11.
  6. ^ Southern Virginia University (2000-04-17). SVC changes name to SVU. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-07-11.
  7. ^ Application Process. Southern Virginia University. Retrieved on [[2006-07-11]]. See Part C of application (PDF) for full text of the pledge.
  8. ^ Summer Conferences and Programs: EFY - Especially for Youth. Southern Virginia University. Retrieved on [[2006-07-11]].
  9. ^ Ways To Give. Southern Virginia University. Retrieved on [[2006-07-11]].
  10. ^ Rodney K. Smith. Southern Virginia University. Retrieved on [[2006-07-11]].
  11. ^ Rodney K. Smith. Southern Virginia University. Retrieved on [[2006-07-11]].
  12. ^ Paul S. Edwards. Southern Virginia University. Retrieved on [[2006-07-11]].
  13. ^ Jeffrey D. Robison. Southern Virginia University. Retrieved on [[2006-07-11]].
  14. ^ Donald G. Hanchett. Southern Virginia University. Retrieved on [[2006-07-11]].
  15. ^ About SVU - quick facts. Southern Virginia University. Retrieved on [[2006-07-11]].
  16. ^ Southern Virginia University (2005-05-05). Orson Scott Card Joins The Faculty. Press release. Retrieved on [[2006-07-11]].

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../s/o/u/Southern_Virginia_University_002c.html"