Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Motto Seize the Opportunity
Established 1855
Type Public liberal arts
Endowment $14.3 million
President Dr. Francine G. McNairy
Academic staff 333 full-time
129 part-time
Admin. staff 613 staff and administration
Undergraduates 7,259
Postgraduates 1,047
Location Millersville, Pennsylvania, USA
Campus Suburban, 250 acres (1,011,714 m²)
Colors Black and Gold
         
Athletics NCAA Division II
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
Nickname Marauders
Mascot Millersville Marauder and Skully (Marauders)
Website www.millersville.edu

Millersville University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Millersville, Pennsylvania, USA, 3 miles (5 km) southwest of Lancaster. Millersville University is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

Contents

History

Millersville University was established in 1855 as the Lancaster County Normal School, the first state normal school in Pennsylvania. It subsequently changed its name to the Millersville State Normal School in 1859 and Millersville later became a state teacher’s college in 1928. It was renamed Millersville State College in 1957 and officially became Millersville University of Pennsylvania in 1983. Millersville is one of 14 state owned universities administered by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and one of two schools located in south-central Pennsylvania.

Campus

Millersville University is known for its campus and at the heart of the campus is Millersville's lake; home of Miller and S'ville, Millersville's resident swans, the pond was originally a brickyard in the 1800s.[1]

Completed in 1894, Biemesderfer Executive Center, also known as the Old Library, is the centerpiece of Millersville University's campus. The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees designated $27,500 for the construction of the library in 1891 with the contract awarded to Lancastrian D.H. Rapp, who submitted the lowest bid in a blind auction.[2]

Millersville University runs and operates nine Residence Halls which are divided into the North Side (3 Halls) and South Side (6 Halls) of campus. The university has four residence halls which are designated for freshman: Bard, Gaige, Hull, and Harbold. Diehm is the designated hall for students in the university Honors College. Hobbs, Gilbert, Lenhardt, Burrowes, and Diehm are for upperclassmen students, though freshmen may be placed in those halls as well.

The library on campus is called the Helen Ganser Library. In September 2011, the University intends to close its library for two years in order to complete renovation.[3]

Academics

Millersville University is one of 300 colleges and universities to maintain a chapter of Phi Kappa Phi.[4] In 2011, it was ranked 67th by US News and World Report in the Regional Universities (North) category,[5] making it "the highest ranked among the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities in this category",[6] and it ranked 18th in the Public Regional Universities (North) category.[7] Washington Monthly ranked Millersville at 113 among Master's Universities.[8] In a national comparison by Forbes Magazine of all undergraduate colleges based on the quality of the education they provide, the experiences of the students, and how much they achieve, Millersville University ranked 535 of the top 600.[9]

The average class size is 25, with 77% of the classes ranging from 20-49 students, 17% having fewer than 20 students, and the remaining 5% having 50 students or more.[10][11] The student to faculty ratio is 21:1, the university-wide average GPA for current students is 2.88, and the calendar is a 4-1-4.[12][13]

Millersville University's Carnegie Classification is Master's Colleges and Universities (Larger programs), meaning it awards at least 200 Masters-level degrees per year.[14][15]

The University's largest program is in Education and Teaching, with 319 degrees granted in the 2008-9 year. A close second is the program in Liberal Arts (Humanities and Social Sciences), with 301 degrees granted for the same year.[16] Overall, Millersville has 55 undergraduate and 44 graduate degree programs leading to an Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree, or Master's degree.[17] It also offers Post-Bachelor's certificates and Post-Master's certificates. These degrees and certificates are offered across the following schools and colleges:

Athletics

The Millersville Marauders participate in 21 intercollegiate varsity sports competing against other NCAA Division II teams (Wrestling competes as a Division I Independent). Millersville is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) conference. Millersville University also has a premier men's rugby team that is a member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union and has had success competing on the Division I level, with an undefeated season and Championship victory in 2007.

Greek Societies

Academic

Alpha Epsilon Rho (Broadcasting), Alpha Zeta (Agriculture), Chi Sigma Iota (Counseling), Epsilon Pi Tau (Technology), Gamma Theta Upsilon (Geography) Kappa Delta Pi (Education), Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics), Phi Alpha (Social Work), Phi Alpha Theta (History), Phi Eta Sigma (First-Year Students), Phi Kappa Phi (all-discipline), Phi Sigma lota (Foreign Languages), Pi Sigma Alpha (political Science), Psi Chi (Psychology) Sigma Pi Sigma (Physics), Sigma Theta Tau (Nursing), Upsilon Pi Epsilon (Computing and Information Disciplines)

Social—fraternities

ACACIA, Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Lambda Sigma Upsilon, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Sigma Tau Gamma

Social—sororities

Alpha Sigma Alpha, Alpha Sigma Tau, Alpha Xi Delta, Chi Alpha Tau, Delta Sigma Theta, Delta Zeta, Mu Sigma Upsilon, Sigma Gamma Rho, Sigma Phi Delta, Zeta Phi Beta

Academic and social

Phi Sigma Pi (Honor Fraternity—mixed gender), Delta Phi Eta (Honor Sorority)

Notable Alumni

Controversies

In April 2007, The Snapper, the university's student newspaper, published an article that highlighted the omission of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation from the university’s Discrimination Policy.[19] University administrators have not amended the policy, despite a popular petition. A “Silencing the Hate” campaign was held from April 16 to April 20, 2007 that included various educational seminars, discussion forums, and a “day of silence” protest.

Also in April 2007, Stacy Snyder, a 27-year old mother of two, filed a $75,000 federal lawsuit against the university alleging that she was denied a teaching certificate and education diploma as a result of a picture on her MySpace page labeled “drunken pirate” in which she is shown drinking out of a yellow Mr. Goodbar cup while wearing a pirate hat.[20][21] The courts ruled against Stacy Snyder. [22][20]

Notes

  1. ^ Downey, Dennis B. We Sing to Thee (Millersville University of Pennsylvania, 2004) ISBN 0-9759340-1-5
  2. ^ Slotter, Carole L. The Centerpiece of the Campus (Science Press, 1982) Library of Congress # 82-62395
  3. ^ "Why Will it Take 2 Years". Millersville Library Renovation Information (blog). 2010-12-22. http://blogs.millersville.edu/newlibrary/2010/12/22/why-will-it-take-two-years/. Retrieved 2011-01-01. 
  4. ^ "Chapter Directory". The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. http://www.phikappaphi.org/web/members/chapter_details.asp?ChapterID=211. Retrieved 13 May 2010. 
  5. ^ "Best Colleges 2011". US News and World Report. 2010. http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/millersville-pa/millersville-university-of-pennsylvania-3325. Retrieved 21 Aug 2010. 
  6. ^ "U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100". Millersville University. August 18, 2010. http://blogs.millersville.edu/exchange/2010/08/18/millersville-university-ranks-in-u-s-news-world-report%E2%80%99s-top-100/. Retrieved 18 AUG 2010. 
  7. ^ "Best Colleges 2011". US News and World Report. 2010. http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/masters-north-top-public. Retrieved 14 May 2010. 
  8. ^ "2010 College Rankings". Washington Monthly. 2010. http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings_2010/masters_universities_rank_2nd_page.php. Retrieved 11 Oct 2010. 
  9. ^ "America's Best College-Forbes.com". Forbes.com. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/94/best-colleges-10_Millersville-University_94254.html. Retrieved 13 Aug 2010. 
  10. ^ "About". Millersville University of Pennsylvania. http://www.millersville.edu/about/. Retrieved 13 May 2010. 
  11. ^ "Millersville University of Pennsylvania". Rankings and Reviews. U.S. News and World Reports. http://www.millersville.edu/about/. Retrieved 18 Feb 2011. 
  12. ^ "Fraternity Grade Summary". Millersville University of Pennsylvania. http://www.millersville.edu/sprogram/greeklife/scholarship/fratgrades.php. Retrieved 16 May 2010. 
  13. ^ "Millersville University - At a Glance". The College Board. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?collegeId=1231. Retrieved 14 May 2010. 
  14. ^ "Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs)". Universities.com. http://www.universities.com/Carnegie_classification/Masters_Colleges_and_Universities_larger_programs.html. Retrieved 13 May 2010. 
  15. ^ "Institution Profile - Millersville University". Carnegie Foundation. http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/lookup_listings/view_institution.php?unit_id=214041&start_page=index.php&clq={%22basic2005_ids%22%3A%2218%22. Retrieved 13 May 2010. 
  16. ^ "Millersville University of Pennsylvania". BrainTrack College and University Directory. http://www.braintrack.com/college/u/millersville-university-of-pennsylvania. Retrieved 15 May 2010. 
  17. ^ "Millersville University of Pennsylvania". Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. http://www.passhe.edu/universities/Pages/UniversityDetails.aspx?q=Millersville. Retrieved 14 May 2010. 
  18. ^ "Nicole Brewer-cbs3.com". cbs3.com. Archived from the original on July 29, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080729034129/http://cbs3.com/bios/nicole.brewer.web.9.694710.html. Retrieved 20 Aug 2010. 
  19. ^ Capanear, Katie (2007-04-05). "Silencing the Hate brings light to discrimination against gays". The Snapper. http://www.thesnapper.com/index.php?page=articles&article_id=1922609. Retrieved 2007-05-02. 
  20. ^ a b Jeffrey Rosen (July 19, 2010). "The Web Means the End of Forgetting". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/magazine/25privacy-t2.html?src=me&ref=general. Retrieved 2010-07-23. "Four years ago, Stacy Snyder, then a 25-year-old teacher in training at Conestoga Valley High School in Lancaster, Pa., posted a photo on her MySpace page that showed her at a party wearing a pirate hat and drinking from a plastic cup, with the caption 'Drunken Pirate.' ..." 
  21. ^ "College Sued Over "Drunken Pirate" Sanctions: Woman claims teaching degree denied because of single MySpace photo". The Smoking Gun. 2007-04-26. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0426072pirate1.html. Retrieved 2009-11-19. 
  22. ^ "Court Rules Against Teacher in MySpace 'Drunken Pirate' Case" (Press release). Washington Post. 2008-12-03. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/12/court_rules_against_teacher_in.html. Retrieved 2010-04-09. 

External links