University of South Alabama

University of South Alabama
Established 1964
Type Public
Endowment $497 million[1]
President Tony Waldrop
Administrative staff
 992
Students 16,055
Location Mobile, Alabama, USA
Campus Main Campus, 1,224 acres
Nickname Jaguars
Colors Red, White, and Blue
              
Mascot South Paw
Affiliations Sun Belt Conference
Website www.southalabama.edu

The University of South Alabama (USA) is a public, national research university in Mobile, Alabama, USA. It was created by the Alabama Legislature in May, 1963, and replaced existing extension programs operated in Mobile by the University of Alabama.

USA is the only major public institution of higher learning on the upper Gulf Coast. With Alabama's two older universities more than 200 miles distant, the University is strategically located in the greater Mobile area, which has a population of more than a million within a 100-mile radius.

Currently, USA is divided into ten colleges and schools and includes one of Alabama's two state-supported medical schools. The university has an enrollment of about 15,000 students.[2] To date, the University has awarded over 75,000 degrees.[3]

USA has an annual payroll of $404 million (US), with over 5,500 employees, and is the second largest employer in Mobile, Alabama. It has remained one of Alabama's fastest growing universities for the past several years.[4] The university has come under great criticism; as of 2014 the university maintains a 14% graduation rate, and was named the 8th most dangerous college in the country by Business Insider.[5] South Alabama also has an annual economic impact of US$2 billion.[3] South Alabama owned hospitals treat over 250,000 patients annually.

Academics

The Covey College of Allied Health and College of Nursing
University rankings
National
Forbes[6] 517
U.S. News & World Report[7] 207–270
Washington Monthly[8] 147
Global

The university offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in ten colleges and schools. Several programs offer masters level degrees in addition to undergraduate degrees. Doctoral level degrees are offered in several areas, including Business Administration, Nursing, Medicine, Basic Medical Sciences, Instructional Design, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Audiology, Marine Science, Psychology, Physical Therapy, and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree offered in collaboration with Auburn University.

The university will add doctoral programs in Business and Engineering beginning in 2013, with the business doctorate being the state's first doctorate in business administration.[9][10]

The psychology doctoral program was initiated in 2009 and is one of a handful of such programs nationwide that offers a Combined degree, emphasizing both Clinical Psychology and Counseling Psychology. Significant research is done by faculty members in the above fields.

In all, undergraduate students at South Alabama can choose from more than 50 bachelor’s degree and certificate programs while there are more than 40 master’s degree programs. As of 2011, USA ranks as the 22nd best public university in the southern United States, and 52nd overall (in the South). It has an acceptance rate of 86.5%.[2]

The student-faculty ratio at USA is 22:1, and the school has 41.5 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. USA students are 57% female and 43% male.[2]

Colleges

Shelby Hall - College of Engineering

The University of South Alabama has ten colleges:

Administration

The University is governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by and including the governor of Alabama. The Board appoints a president of the University. Since the founding of the University, there have been two presidents: Frederick Palmer Whiddon (served 1963–1998) and V. Gordon Moulton (served 1998-2013). John W. Smith, the current Vice President for Student Affairs, served as an interim president until the arrival of Tony G. Waldrop in 2014.

Research

USA has several research centers and institutes: Center for Design & Performance Improvement, Center for Real Estate and Economic Development, Center for Archaeological Studies, Center for Forensics and Information Technology Security, Center for Lung Biology, South Alabama Research and Inservice Center, and USA Mitchell Cancer Institute (USAMCI).

The USAMCI is the first academic cancer research institute in the upper Gulf Coast region. It was initiated in 2000, and is funded through philanthropic gifts; support from the state of Alabama; the city of Mobile, and Mobile county; federal appropriations; competitive contracts and grants; tobacco settlement funds; and the USA Foundation. The USAMCI is the largest single research endeavor in the history of the University of South Alabama, with a total investment of over $125 million. It currently provides over 55,000 patient treatment contacts annually.

In addition to improving cancer care, the Institute stimulates the growth of a strong regional economy built on biomedicine and biotechnology. Together with the entire USA Health System, USAMCI focuses on discovery and development of new and more effective treatments for cancer.

Athletics and traditions

Main article: South Alabama Jaguars
South Alabama Football at Ladd Stadium

The Jaguars participate in 17 NCAA sanctioned sports (8 men 9 women), and are founding members of the Sun Belt Conference. Men's sports include Football, Basketball, Baseball, Tennis, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, and Outdoor Track and Field. Women's sports include Basketball, Softball, Soccer, Tennis, Cross Country, Volleyball, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, and Golf. All sports participate in the Sun Belt Conference, a Division I/FBS conference. The school is often referred to as simply "South", "USA", or the "Jags", but the more formal South Alabama is often used as well.

The university announced the creation of a NCAA sanctioned football team on December 6, 2007, with the goal of fast tracking the program to full FBS status by the 2013 season. The school's first ever game was played on September 5, 2009 in front of 26,000+ fans. The Jaguars football team is led by head coach Joey Jones, former Alabama player under Paul "Bear" Bryant. The Jaguars lost at NC State 35-13 during the 2011 football season, the program's first game against a FBS opponent and its first loss after going a combined 19-0 during its first 2+ seasons.[11]

The Jaguars have future football contests scheduled with Mississippi St, NC State, Hawaii, Navy, Tennessee, LSU, Oklahoma St, Tulane, South Carolina, Nebraska, Louisiana Tech, and Southern Miss, including home contests with Mississippi State, NC State, Oklahoma State, Louisiana Tech, Tulane, and Navy.[12]

The baseball program enjoyed much success under Coach Eddie Stanky (for whom the baseball stadium and field on campus is now named after), and later Coach Steve Kittrell, coming one win away from the College World Series six different times. The Jaguars have produced a litany of Major League Baseball talent. The most notable current players are David Freese, who was both the 2011 National League Championship Series MVP and 2011 World Series MVP for the St. Louis Cardinals, and Juan Pierre, a World Series winner with the Florida Marlins in 2003. Coach Steve Kittrell retired at the end of the 2011 season and handed over the position to the coach in waiting, Mark Calvi, who had been on staff for that final year. Calvi was the pitching coach at the University of South Carolina when the Gamecocks won the College World Series in 2010.

The basketball program has reached the NCAA tournament eight times, with its only win coming against the University of Alabama in 1989. The Jaguars have been beaten by the eventual national champion 3 of those 8 times (Michigan, Arizona, & Florida), with the Michigan loss occurring in the second round.

School songs

Moulton Bell Tower and Alumni Plaza
Jaguar statue and Mitchell Center Arena

Jaguar Pride Fight Song

We're the mighty Jaguars
Stand up and cheer,
In our colors we take pride;
On to vic'try lead us year after year
We will stand here side by side.
Through the years we've prov'n
Our glory and fame.
Honor be to the victor's name,
U-S-A FIGHT!
FOR THE RED, WHITE & BLUE, GO JAGS![1]

  1. ^ "The Jaguar Mascot". USAJaguars.com. 2006-07-11. Retrieved 2007-04-13. 

South! Fight Song

South! Alabama
We're the pride of the red, white, blue!
Loyal, strong and faithful
To our alma mater true!
South! Alabama
We will cheer you to win the day!
For it's J-A-G-U-A-R-S
For U-S-A![1]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference jagmascot was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

Alma mater

All hail great university, Our Alma Mater dear,
South Alabama, red and blue, proud colors we revere.
Nestled among the hills of pine, enduring throughout time,
Upward and onward may your fame continue in its climb.
It seems that we have just begun; too soon we must depart
In all that life has planned for us, you'll share within our hearts.
So with thy blessings now send us, pray highest be our aim,
South Alabama may we ever glorify your name![1]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference jagmascot was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

Campus life

Housing

USA Housing & Residence Life: The University of South Alabama department of Housing & Residence Life is committed to providing safe, reasonably priced, well maintained residence halls and interacting with students in a courteous and efficient manner. We endeavor to support the academic mission of the University by creating purposeful residential communities that are conducive to the academic and personal success of students.

Residence Life staff members are in the building and available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including Resident Assistants, Community Directors, Desk Assistants, and Area Coordinators. Remember, just one charge a semester covers all of your housing expenses including extended basic cable, wireless Internet, electricity, water, garbage, pest control, campus post office box, free maintenance, and unlimited laundry.

The Grove: is a privately owned apartment complex on campus that offers individual leases of 2br/3br apartments to only USA undergraduate and graduate students. (Not affiliated with USA Housing & Residence Life.)

Greek life

Organizations

Panhellenic Council

Interfraternity Council

National Panhellenic Council

Professional Fraternities

Independent Social Fraternities

The following are Greek organizations that existed at the University of South Alabama that are no longer active sorted by the date they received their national charter

Notable alumni

Notable alumni of the University of South Alabama include:

Publications

Criticisms

Federal discrimination lawsuit

On April 4, 2014, a large group of students belonging to Students for Life USA, a pro-life student organization, has filed a complaint in federal court against numerous University of South Alabama officials, including Dean of Students Michael A. Mitchell alleging discrimination.[16]

References

  1. ↑ (PDF) http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/EndowmentFiles/2014_Endowment_Market_Values_Revised.pdf. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 South Alabama | University of South Alabama | Best College | US News. Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-25.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 University of South Alabama Press Release. (PDF) . Retrieved on 2012-05-25.
  4. ↑ University of South Alabama, Office of Public Relations, "Quick Facts.". Southalabama.edu (2011-01-25). Retrieved on 2012-05-25.
  5. ↑ http://collegecompletion.chronicle.com/state/#state=al&sector=public_four. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ "America's Top Colleges". Forbes.com LLC™. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Best Colleges". U.S. News & World Report LP. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  8. ↑ "About the Rankings". Washington Monthly. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  9. ↑ Mobile Press Register http://blog.al.com/live/2011/10/usa_offers_first_doctorate_deg.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ↑ University of South Alabama – Office of Public Relations http://www.southalabama.edu/publicrelations/pressreleases/2012pr/031512.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ↑ University of South Alabama – 2011 Football Schedule. Usajaguars.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-25.
  12. ↑ South Alabama Jaguars Football Schedules and Future Schedules. Fbschedules.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-25.
  13. ↑ Hevesi, Dennis. "Rodger McFarlane, Who Led AIDS-Related Groups, Dies at 54", The New York Times, May 18, 2009. Accessed May 19, 2009.
  14. ↑ Goddard, John (01-04-2010). "Fanatic terrorism spent year in Toronto". The Toronto Star via TheStar.com. Toronto. Retrieved 11-02-2010. Check date values in: |date=, |accessdate= (help)
  15. ↑ http://www.thevanguardonline.com/
  16. ↑ Pro-life students file suit against University of South Alabama. fox10tv.com. Retrieved on 2014-05-27.

External links

Coordinates: 30°41′48″N 88°10′43″W / 30.69671°N 88.17873°W