Secular Student Alliance

Secular Student Alliance
Abbreviation SSA
Motto Empowering Students for a Secular Future
Formation November 21, 2001
Type non-profit
Legal status corporation
Purpose scientific rationality, secularism, and human-based ethics
Headquarters Columbus, Ohio
Region served
  United States
Official language
 English
Key people
 August E. Brunsman IV, Executive Director
Evan Clark, Chairman of the Board of Directors
Staff
 12[1]
Website http://www.secularstudents.org/

The Secular Student Alliance (SSA) is an educational nonprofit organization whose purpose is to educate high school and college students about the value of scientific reason and the intellectual basis of secularism in its atheistic and humanistic manifestations. The SSA also offers these students and their organizations a variety of resources, including but not limited to leadership training and support, guest speakers, discounted literature and conference tickets, and online articles and opinions.

History

The Secular Student Alliance was organized under the nonprofit corporation laws[2] of the State of Ohio on November 21, 2001.[3] The corporation's principal office is located in Columbus, Ohio.[4]

The Secular Student Alliance is an independent, democratically structured organization in the U.S. that promotes freethinking high school and college students. The SSA was formed "to organize, unite, educate and serve students and student communities that promote the ideals of scientific and critical inquiry, democracy, secularism, and human based ethics".[5]

As of January 2012, the SSA has over 312 affiliates in North America and abroad, including groups in Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia.[6]

In June 2013 the SSA announced that with the Freedom from Religion Foundation, it will work on educating students on their rights and will assist with rectifying violations.[7][8]

The SSA is a founding member of the Secular Coalition for America.

Membership growth

The Secular Student Alliance (SSA) has experienced increasing membership growth since its founding.[9] As of February 2013, the SSA's Board of Directors has ten members.[10] The number of SSA community college and university campus affiliates has expanded considerably in recent years:[11][12]

Events

On August 7, 2009, the SSA organized a trip to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. 304 students, atheists, and scientists attended, in order to familiarize themselves with the museum.[5] One notable name in attendance was PZ Myers, who also came to experience the museum.[16]

Since 2009, the SSA has held their Annual Leadership Conference over the Summer which aims to train student leaders and group members in leadership skills and grassroots organizing.[17] In 2013, the conference was split into two locations (East and West).

Conferences

The Secular Student Alliance holds an annual leadership conference.[18]

Year Location Theme
2000 University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minnesota)[19]
2001 Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio) Kicking Ass for the New Enlightenment[20]
2002 Chicago, Illinois Education Against Indoctrination[21]
2004 Washington, D.C.[22]
2005 Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio) Connecting the Secular Movement with Other Communities[23]
2006 Kansas City, Missouri We're Not in Kansas Anymore[24]
2007 Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts) Harvard Humanist Chaplaincy 30th Anniversary Gala/Symposium[25]
2008 Washington, D.C. World Humanist Congress[26]
2009 Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio) Freethinking Friends & Secular Cephalopods [27]
2010 Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)[28]
2011 Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)[29]
2012 Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio) Contrary to Popular Belief[30]
2013 Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio) and University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nevada) Contrary to Popular Belief[31]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Atheist Teen's Court Victory a Sign of Growing Secular Student Influence". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  2. ↑ Chapter 1702: Nonprofit Corporation Law, Ohio Revised Code.
  3. ↑ The "Articles of Incorporation" of the Secular Student Alliance were filed on November 21, 2001.
  4. ↑ The SSA's principal office is located in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. "Corporation Details", Ohio Secretary of State. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Powell, Devin (2009-08-09). "Creation Museum: Is This How World Began? 300 Skeptics Converge on Christian Museum in Kentucky". ABC News/Inside Science News Service. Retrieved 2009-10-20.
  6. ↑ Galef, Jesse (2012-01-12). "Atheist Teen's Court Victory a Sign of Growing Secular Student Influence". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
  7. ↑ "In Response to Mounting Violations, National Orgs Vow to Protect Atheist Students' Rights" (Press release). Secular Student Alliance. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  8. ↑ "In Response to Mounting Violations, National Orgs Vow to Protect Atheist Students’ Rights" (Press release). Freedom from Religion Foundation. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
  9. ↑ Niose, David (2012-07-17). Nonbeliever Nation: The Rise of Secular Americans. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 023033895X. "Founded in 2000, the SSA had less than fifty campus affiliates in early 2007, but by 2011 it had over 340".
  10. ↑ SSA Board of Directors. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  11. ↑ Urbina, Ian (2009-12-01). "Approaching Holidays Prompt Atheist Campaign". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-09-26.
  12. ↑ Galef, Jesse (2010-09-06). "Fall Brings Record Numbers of Atheist, Agnostic Student Organizations on Campus". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2011-02-08.
  13. ↑ Winerip, Michael (2011-04-03). "Teenagers Speak Up for Lack of Faith". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  14. ↑ "There are currently 413 affiliate groups (counting university, college, and high school)". Student Secular Alliance. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
  15. ↑ Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  16. ↑ McLendon, Ryan (2009-09-30). "Beyond Belief: Atheist community thrives in Cincinnati’s backyard". CityBeat. Retrieved 2009-10-20.
  17. ↑ "Leadership Events". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  18. ↑ "Past Secular Student Alliance Conferences". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  19. ↑ "Con 2000 Write-Up". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  20. ↑ "2001 Conference Write-Up". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  21. ↑ "2002 Conference Write-Up". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  22. ↑ "2004 Conference Write-Up". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  23. ↑ Crary, Duncan (2005-08-17). "2005 Secular student conference a success". Humanist Network News. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  24. ↑ "SSA/AAI 2006 Joint Conference: Most Spiffy!". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  25. ↑ "2007 Conference: Recommendations to Students". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  26. ↑ "Secular Student Alliance Conference - June 2008". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  27. ↑ "The Secular Student Alliance 2009 Conference: Freethinking Friends & Secular Cephalopods". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  28. ↑ "Secular Student Alliance 2010 Annual Conference - July 23-25, Columbus OH". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  29. ↑ "Annual Conference 2011". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  30. ↑ "SSA Conference 2012". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  31. ↑ "2013 Conference". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.

Further reading

External links