Kent State University

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Kent State University
Image:KSU seal.png

Motto: "Excellence In Action"
Established: 1910
Type: Public (state university)
Endowment: $80 Million [1]
President: Dr. Lester Lefton [2]
Faculty: 2,279 (Fall, 2006, all campuses)
Staff: 3,453 (Fall, 2006, all campuses)
Undergraduates: 29,227 (Fall, 2007, all campuses)
Location: Kent, Ohio, United States
Campus: 1,347 acres (5 km²) Main Campus Suburban College Town[1]
Sports: Golden Flashes
Colors: Navy Blue and Gold         
Mascot: Flash
Website: http://www.kent.edu

Kent State University (also known as Kent, Kent State or KSU) is one of America’s largest university systems, the third largest university in Ohio after Ohio State University (57,748) and the University of Cincinnati (35,364), and the largest residential university in northeast Ohio. From its roots as one of Ohio’s original four-corner universities, Kent State University focuses on teaching and research excellence to serve the public good. Kent State distinguishes itself as a magnet for high-achieving students. Kent State is a traditional, selective, residential public research university; it is also a multicampus university, with open access on its Regional Campuses to serve local communities in Northeast Ohio.[3] Its eight campuses provide easy and extensive access to degree programs from the associate to doctoral levels as well as medical degrees. The university’s academic programs and facilities attract students, faculty, and visitors from across the nation and the world. Kent State is a Carnegie Foundation Doctoral/Research University-Extensive, one of 90 public institutions to be so designated. Kent State is located in Kent, Ohio, United States, which is about 40 miles (60 km) southeast of Cleveland, 12 miles (19 km) east of Akron, and 30 miles (50 km) west of Youngstown. With 34,056 students across eight campuses, Kent State serves as one of the largest employers in northeast Ohio.

Contents

[edit] History

In 1910, the Kent State Normal School was established as a college for training public school teachers as part of the Lowry bill which also created sister school Bowling Green State Normal School. The new school was constructed on land donated by William S. Kent (grandson of Marvin Kent, the namesake for the city of Kent) in what was then the eastern edge of Kent. The first president was John Edward McGilvrey, who served from 1912 to 1926. By 1915, the school was named Kent State Normal College[4], then Kent State College (after it was authorized to issue Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees), and finally Kent State University after it received university status in 1935. The bill granting Kent State university status was signed by Governor Martin L. Davey, a native of Kent, and created graduate degree programs and the College of Business Administration. In 1965, Chemistry professor Glenn H. Brown established the Liquid Crystal Institute, which has become a world leader in the development of liquid crystals.

Cement Kent on Front Campus
Cement Kent on Front Campus

In 1967, Kent State became the first university to run its own independent and student-operated bus service by establishing Campus Bus Service. It was unique in that it not only provided jobs for students, but also received funding from fees charged to students rather than fares collected on the buses. As a result, no fares are collected on campus for any riders and KSU students can ride free from any location with a valid KSU ID. The service was originally necessitated by a 75% enrollment growth from 1964-1969 and the increasing parking needs of the student body. Campus Bus Service was the largest such operation in the country and functioned as a service of the university until it was sold to the Portage Area Transportation Authority (PARTA) in 2004. It continues to operate on and around campus as a division of PARTA. [1]

The multibillion-dollar liquid crystal industry was born at the university’s world-renowned Liquid Crystal Institute in 1970 with the discovery of the LCD, named by Forbes magazine as one of 85 innovations that change the way we live today.

Kent State gained international attention on May 4, 1970 when an Ohio National Guard unit fired at students during a war protest on campus, killing four and wounding nine. This event, known as the Kent State shootings, caused an immediate closure of the campus as well as many other college campuses around the nation. The Guard had been called into Kent after several protests in and around campus had become violent, including the rioting of downtown Kent and the burning of the ROTC building. The main cause of the protests was the United States' invasion of Cambodia during the Vietnam War.

Kent State was again in the national spotlight in 1977 when construction was set to begin on the Memorial Gym Annex, adjacent to the area where the shootings had occurred in 1970. Protesters organized a tent city in May, which lasted into July. Several attempts were made to block construction even after the end of the tent city, including an appeal to Congress to have the area declared a national historic landmark, but these attempts failed. Construction finally began on September 19, and finished in 1979.[2]

In 1994, Kent State earned status as a Research University II from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. In 2000, the foundation changed its classification system and Kent State was classified as a Doctrinal/Research University-Extensive, one of just 90 public research schools in the country in this classification.[5]

[edit] Presidents of Kent State University

Cartwright Hall, Named after President Carol A. Cartwright
Cartwright Hall, Named after President Carol A. Cartwright
  • John Edward McGilvrey (1911-1926); (b.1867-d.1945)
  • David Allen Anderson (1926-1928); (b.1874-d.?)
  • James Ozro Engleman (1928-1938); (b. 1873-d.1943)
  • Karl Clayton Leebrick (1938-1943); (b. 1885-d.1982)
  • George A. Bowman (1944-1963); (b.1893-d.1976)
  • Robert I. White (1963-1971); (b.1909-d.1990)
  • Glenn A. Olds (1971-1977); (b.1921-d.2006)
  • Brage Golding (1977-1982); (b.1920-)
  • Michael Schwartz (1982-1991); (b.1938-)
  • Carol A. Cartwright (1991-July 2006); (b.1941-)
  • Lester Lefton (July 2006-present)

[edit] Main Campus

Main Library
Main Library

The Kent Campus is a landscaped suburban/rural environment. The 1000 acres (4 km²) house over 100 buildings, gardens, bike trails, and open greenery. Kent's official mascot(s) is/are the Golden Flashes[citation needed], and its unofficial mascot the Black Squirrel. The campus is divided into North, South, and East campus but many areas have come to be referred to as Front Campus, Residential Campus, Science Row. Today the main hub of activity and central point at KSU is the Student Center and Risman Plaza. In addition to the campus itself, the university also operates the 18-hole Kent State Golf Course just east of campus in Franklin Township and the 219-acre (0.9 km²) Kent State University Airport in Stow.

[edit] Regional Campuses

Map of KSU campuses.
Map of KSU campuses.

Kent State operates seven regional campuses in Northeast Ohio in addition to the main campus in Kent. The system is one of the largest and oldest regional campus systems in the United States. Regional campuses include:

[edit] Ashtabula

The Ashtabula Campus is currently made up of three buildings: Main Hall, a library, and a technology and art building. It is on an 80 acre site along the shores of Lake Erie in Ashtabula, Ohio. Kent State-Ashtabula is noted locally for its nursing program. Seventy-five percent (75%) of registered nurses working in Ashtabula County graduated with an Associate's degree in nursing from Kent State-Ashtabula. On July 17, 2007, ground was broken for a new Health and Science building, which is being constructed for use mainly by the growing nursing and allied health programs. [3]

[edit] East Liverpool

The East Liverpool Campus occupies a downtown site overlooking the Ohio River. It is composed of the Main Building, Memorial Auditorium, Mary Patterson Building, and a Commons area.

[edit] Geauga

Located in Burton, Ohio, Kent State's Geauga Campus is at the heart of Ohio’s maple syrup country in Geauga County. The campus provides easy access to urban, suburban and rural areas. The Geauga Campus also includes the Twinsburg Center, a small extension located in Twinsburg, Ohio.

[edit] Salem

Kent State's Salem Campus is located just south of the city. It features a lake, a 25 acre outdoor classroom, and nature walk.

[edit] Stark

The Stark Campus is the largest regional campus of Kent State University, serving around 5,300 students each year. It is located on 200 acres (0.8 km²) in Jackson Township just five minutes from the Akron-Canton Regional Airport. It is composed of six major buildings and a natural pond and offers 11 complete bachelor degree programs. These programs are: applied communication, business management, English, general studies, history, justice studies, mathematics, middle childhood education, and nursing, as well as technology and psychology degrees. Additionally, there are three associate degrees offered: arts, justice studies, and science. The campus also offers two masters level programs: a professional M.B.A degree and a M.A. or M.Ed. in Curriculum and Teaching Studies. Nearly 90 percent of Kent State Stark’s full-time faculty hold the highest academic credentials in their field. The campus boasts the Professional Education and Conference Center as Northeast Ohio’s most technologically advanced meeting, training and events facility.

[edit] Trumbull

Kent State's Trumbull Campus is located in Warren, Ohio just north of the SR 5 bypass on SR 45. It offers programs in 170 majors at the freshman and sophomore level, as well as 18 certificates and 15 associate degree programs. In addition, there is junior/senior level coursework for baccalaureate degree completion in nursing, justice studies, technology, business management, and English, as well as general studies and psychology degrees. The campus recently opened a new 68,000-square-foot (6,300 m²) Technology Building that supports a variety of technology degree programs. Including in the building are computer technology education; the new Workforce Development and Continuing Studies Center's program that includes certification for professionals; and an Adaptive Technology Lab that provides education and training to individuals with special needs.

[edit] Tuscarawas

The Tuscarawas Campus, located in New Philadelphia, Ohio offers 19 associate degrees, six bachelor's, and the Master of Technology Degree. Bacelors degrees are offered in business management, general studies, justice studies, industrial technology, nursing and technology 2+2. The recently constructed Science and Advanced Technology Center provides 50,000 square feet (5,000 m²) of laboratory and classroom space for science, nursing and workforce development. The Tuscarawas Campus plans to construct a 55,000-square-foot (5,100 m²), $13.5 million Fine and Performing Arts center that will enable the campus to expand academic and cultural programming.

[edit] Academic divisions

Front Campus at Night
Front Campus at Night

Kent State has colleges of:

  • Architecture and Environmental Design
  • Arts (focusing on fine/performing arts and fashion-related studies)
  • Arts and Sciences
  • Business Administration
  • Communication and Information
  • Education, Health, and Human Services
  • Nursing
  • Technology

The university also has an Honors College.
The university also has interdisciplinary programs in:
Biomedical Sciences, Financial Engineering, and Information Architecture and Knowledge Management.

[edit] Notable programs

KSU Water Tower, part of the Kent State Campus "City within a City" system
KSU Water Tower, part of the Kent State Campus "City within a City" system
  • The university's Liquid Crystal Institute has an international reputation for research in optics and chemical physics, and has helped develop technologies such as flat display screens.
  • The Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising is ranked in the top tier of fashion education institutions in the nation by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and has overseas programs in Florence, Hong Kong, and New York City, and affiliations in Paris and London.
  • The Hugh A Glauser School of Music in the newly-formed College of the Arts offers many demanding degrees including: Music Education, Music Performance, Music Theory and Composition, and Ethnomusicology. The School of Music is one of the few colleges in the US that offer a BM, a MM, and a PhD in Music Education.
  • The Kent/Blossom Music program partners with members of the Cleveland Orchestra each summer for one of the nation's major classical music festivals.
  • The Center for the Study of World Musics is one of the primary centers for ethnomusicology in the United States.
  • The School Psychology Program (SPSY [4]), housed within the College of Education, Health and Human Services, serves as the only program in the state that is both accredited by APA and approved by NASP. The KSU SPSY program is an influential 'flagship' training program in Ohio (its graduates comprise about 18% of all SPSY professionals in the state) and nationally.
  • The Physical Education program has been nationally recognized and the top in the state of Ohio.
  • Created as an undergraduate major in 1964 by J. Charles Walker, the Visual Communication Design Program (VCD) has earned its standing as one of the most professionally respected in the United States. In the Fall of 2001, VCD, after 30+ years as a division within the School of Art, was separated to become the School of Visual Communication Design. Joining with the Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication, Communication Studies and Library and Information Sciences in a new College of Communication and Information, this unique combination of Communication disciplines housed together in one College is the first of its kind in the United States.
  • Kent State University is one of the few universities in the country that has already instituted graduate level programs of study in the burgeoning fields of Information Architecture and Knowledge Management (IAKM [5]). Recently they have also started offering an online Certificate Program in Knowledge Management.
  • Kent State University is the only institution in the state of Ohio to offer a degree in Library and Information Science, and the program is ranked 19th by U.S. News & World Report.
  • Kent State University's Business School has been noticed and nationally known. The school is a very competitive in the state and national level.
  • Kent State's Financial Engineering program is ranked thirteenth in the country.
  • The College of Technology offers three degrees in the field of Aeronautics. Students in this school can pursue baccalaureate degrees in Flight Technology, Aviation Management and Aeronautical Engineering. The Flight Technology specialization can lead to a career as an airline pilot, while those focusing in Aviation Management typically begin careers on the business side of the aviation industry. The Aeronautical Engineering program is the only mechanical engineering program offered at Kent State.
See also: Kent State University Airport.
  • The College of Architecture offers one of the most demanding undergraduate programs in the country, with many of its graduates continuing at such well regarded graduate schools such as Harvard GSD, Yale school of architecture, MIT, UCLA, and the University of Pennsylvania. The College of Architecture's interior design program is one of the top twelve such programs in the nation.
Kent State Math and Computer Science Building
Kent State Math and Computer Science Building
  • With the establishment of a doctoral program in translation in Fall 2006, Kent State became the nation's only university to offer a complete undergraduate, master's, and doctoral sequence in translation.
  • The Institute for the Study and Prevention of Violence (ISPV)[6] was created in February 1998. KSU established the multi-disciplinary ISPV where faculty, staff, and students from across campus collaborate on research, training, and policy related to violence prevention. The ISPV brings together local and national expertise to develop multidisciplinary research strategies that inform the development and implementation of best practices and policy.
  • The Center for Peaceful Change, a response to the Kent State shootings of 1970, was established at Kent State University in 1971 "as a living memorial to the events of May 4, 1970."[7] Now known as The Center for Applied Conflict Management (CACM), it developed one of the earliest conflict resolution undergraduate degree programs in the United States.
  • The Department of Pan-African Studies is one of the oldest African American programs in the nation.
  • Kent State offers the only B.A. degree in American Sign Language in the U.S. east of the Mississippi River.
  • The Wick Poetry Center, established in 1984, is one of only ten poetry centers in the nation.


[edit] Tuition costs

The following are tuition costs per semester for full-time (at least eleven credit hours) students at Kent State University at its main and regional campuses, effective for the Spring 2008 semester:[6][7]

[edit] Kent Campus

[edit] Ohio residents

  • undergraduate tuition $4,215
  • graduate tuition $4,484

[edit] non-Ohio residents

  • undergraduate tuition $7,931
  • graduate tuition $7,990

[edit] Regional Campuses

[edit] Ohio residents

  • regional campus lower division credit tuition $2,385
  • regional campus upper division credit tuition $2,795

[edit] non-Ohio residents

  • regional campus lower division credit tuition $6,101
  • regional campus upper division credit tuition $6,511

[edit] Student Life

[edit] Greek Life

[edit] Fraternities

Alpha Tau Omega, Alpha Epsilon Pi, Delta Chi, Delta Omicron, Delta Lambda Phi, Delta Tau Delta, Delta Upsilon, Kappa Alpha Psi, Kappa Kappa Psi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Sigma Kappa, Sigma Chi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Nu, Sigma Tau Gamma, Tau Kappa Epsilon

[edit] Sororities

Alpha Phi, Alpha Xi Delta, Delta Gamma, Delta Zeta, Chi Omega, Sigma Sigma Sigma,

[edit] Performing Arts

Through the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music and the School of Theatre and Dance, the university offers several performance opportunities in the performing arts, including ten band ensembles (Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, University Band, Marching Golden Flashes, Flasher Brass, Jazz Ensemble I, Jazz Ensemble II, Jazz Lab Band, and University Band), six choral ensembles (Kent Chorus, KSU Chorale, Women's Chorus, Men's Chorus, Gospel Choir, and Ars Nova Singers), Orchestra, World Music Ensembles, as well as theater and dance opportunities.

[edit] Student Government

  • Kent Interhall Council (KIC)
  • Undergraduate Student Government (USG)
  • Graduate Student Senate (GSS)

[edit] Student media

Tri-Towers Residence Hall Complex
Tri-Towers Residence Hall Complex
Eastway Dining Hall at Night
Eastway Dining Hall at Night
Centennial Court A at Night
Centennial Court A at Night

The Daily Kent Stater, colloquially known as the "Stater", is a student newspaper produced for the University and its regional campuses. It is published Monday-Friday during the fall and spring semesters and once a week during summer semesters. During summer semesters the name is changed to Summer Kent Stater. Editorials from students and guest columnists appear Monday-Friday in the Forum section. Sports receives its own section on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Features receives its own section Tuesday through Friday. The weekly entertainment section ALL (arts, life and leisure) appears on Thursdays. The staff of the Stater is made up entirely of undergraduate and graduate students, most of whom are enrolled in Kent State's journalism program. Most editors hold their positions for one semester.

TV2 is Kent State's student-run television station. The station is produced solely by students and features a live 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm newscast Monday through Friday. Other student-created shows include Sportscorner, a music video show, talk shows and more. Both news broadcasts are available to anyone on the KSU campus cable system on channel 2 and throughout Portage County on channel 16 on Time Warner Cable. They can also be viewed on-demand online.

In Fall 2007, with the move into the remodeled Franklin Hall, the two organizations converged to operate out of one newsroom and maintain one web site - http://www.kentnewsnet.com/ [8]

Black Squirrel Radio is the student radio station, which broadcasts on the internet. It has more than 100 disc jockeys.

[edit] Residence Life

Kent State University has 35 residence halls and 13 Learning Communities. Learning Communities:
A Community of Entrepreneurs (ACE)
College of Business Colleagues (CBC)
CCI Commons
Centennial Leadership Academy
Education Learning Community (ELC)
EXCEL
Global Passport Community
Honors Hall
Literacy and Independence for Family Education (LIFE)
Pathways
Physical Education Professional Learning Community (PEPLC)
Science Learning Community (SLC)
Quest

[edit] Residence Halls

On-campus residence halls are subdivided into groups on campus. They are: Twin Towers (Beall, McDowell), Tri-Towers (Koonce, Leebrick, Wright and Korb), Loop Road (Heer, Harbourt, Van Campen), First Year Experience (Apple, Altmann, Humphrey, McSweeney, Metcalf, Munzenmayer, Musselman, Stewart), Eastway (Allyn, Clark, Fletcher, Manchester), New Front (Prentice, Verder, Dunbar, Engleman), Centennial Courts (A - F), Quad (Lake, Olson, Johnson and Stopher)

Dining halls are located in Eastway, Tri-Towers, Stewart in First Year Experience and Prentice, as well as multiple loactions in the Student Center. Each of the residence hall dining locations also houses grocery stores for students to use their board plan at.

All 8 "First Year Experience" dorms are set to be torn down during the summer of 2008.

[edit] Athletics

The current Kent State athletic logo
The current Kent State athletic logo

Kent State's athletic teams are called the Golden Flashes. Their colors are Navy Blue and Gold. They compete in the NCAA's Division I (Bowl Subdivision for football), and the Mid-American Conference East division. Kent State fields 16 varsity athletic teams and one club team.

The Kent defense lines up against Akron at Dix Stadium on September 30, 2006
The Kent defense lines up against Akron at Dix Stadium on September 30, 2006

The Flashes athletic teams have had much success in the Mid-American Conference and limited national success as well. The Flashes have earned the Mid-American Conference's Reese Cup for best men's athetic program three times (2000, 2002, 2006) and the Jacoby Cup for best women's athletic program six times (1989, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005)[9]. In 2002 the Men's Basketball team made national headlines by advancing to the NCAA tournament's "Elite Eight", while the baseball team, women's basketball, gymnastics, men's golf, and women's golf teams have won numerous MAC titles and advanced to NCAA tournament play. Some notable athletic alumni include: 2003 British Open Champion and current PGA member Ben Curtis, former New York Yankees catcher Thurman Munson, former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jack Lambert, ESPN Analyst and former college football coach Lou Holtz, current San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, current Cleveland Browns return man Joshua Cribbs, former San Diego Padres pitcher Dustin Hermanson, and current Alabama Crimson Tide head football coach Nick Saban.

The Golden Flashes compete in the following sports:

  • Spring Sports
    • Baseball
    • Men's Golf*
    • Women's Golf*
    • Softball
    • Men's Track and Field (Outdoor season)
    • Women's Track and Field (Outdoor season)

*=the golf teams' season begins in the fall, but continues through most of the school year, culminating in the league and NCAA tournaments in the spring.

[edit] City of Kent, Ohio

Main article: Kent, Ohio
Aerial of Kent Campus.
Aerial of Kent Campus.

Kent State is located in the city of Kent, Ohio, which sits on the banks of the Cuyahoga River. Historically, Kent's growth was heavily influenced by the canals and the railroad and the city was also known as a strong location for the Underground Railroad. Known as the Tree City, Kent is home to the Davey Tree Expert Company, a leader in tree sales and growth. With a population of 27,906[8] the city of Kent offers a suburban yet accessible setting for the university. Nearby cities include Streetsboro, Stow, Hudson, Ravenna and Akron.



[edit] Alma Mater & Fight Song

Kent Hall Front
Kent Hall Front

Alma Mater:
From the beauty land Ohio comes a universal praise,
'Tis the song of Alma Mater that her sons and daughters raise.
'Tis a Hail to Kent forever, on the Cuyahoga shore,
Now we join the loving thousands as they sing it o'er and o'er.
Hail to Thee, our Alma Mater.
O, how beautiful Thou art,
High enthroned upon the hilltop,
Reigning over every heart.

Fight Song:
Fight on for KSU
Fight for the Blue and Gold!
We're out to beat the foe;
Fight on brave and bold!
Fight on for victory,
Don't stop until we're through.
We're all together,
Let's go forward, K-S-U!

[edit] University Press

May 4 Memorial at Night
May 4 Memorial at Night

The Kent State University Press is the publishing arm of Kent State University. Their mission is "to advance knowledge through publishing." The Kent State University Press's imprint is controlled by an Editorial Board composed of Kent faculty scholars. As a member of the Association of American University Presses, it is included in the select group of more than 100 university-sponsored scholarly presses, whose outstanding programs make them an important segment of the publishing and academic community.

The Press began in 1965 under the direction of Howard Allen and published in the University faculty strengths in literary criticism. In 1972 Paul Rohmann became the Press's second director and expanded the Press's publishing program to include regional studies and ethnomusicology. In 1985 historian John Hubbell assumed the directorship and for fifteen years saw the staff and publishing program grow to include widely regarded lists in Civil War history and Ohio history. Today, under director Will Underwood, the Press publishes 30 to 35 titles a year and reaches a large and appreciative audience.


[edit] Notable alumni

Rockwell Hall, Fashion Museum and School of Fashion
Rockwell Hall, Fashion Museum and School of Fashion

[edit] Campus and Buildings

[edit] External links

KSU links

Regional Campuses

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b College Overview: Kent State University. www.petersons.com. Petersons (2007-12-15). Retrieved on 2008-02-29.
  2. ^ Lefton, Lester. Welcome to the Office of the President. www.kent.edu. Kent State University. Retrieved on 2008-02-29.
  3. ^ Kent State University's Strategic Plan. www.kent.edu. Kent State University. Retrieved on 2008-02-29.
  4. ^ Special Collections FAQ
  5. ^ Timeline of Kent State University History. Retrieved on 2007-04-16.
  6. ^ http://www.kent.edu/bursar/Fall-2007-Tuition-and-Fees.cfm
  7. ^ [http://www.kent.edu/bursar Bursar's Office website: Fees and payment options.
  8. ^ Kent, Ohio
  • 2004 Flash Facts. Kent State University Flash Facts 2004-2005. Retrieved on April 23, 2005.
  • Fall 2007 Flash Facts. Kent State University Flash Facts Fall 2007. Retrieved on January 2, 2007.