Fayetteville State University
Encyclopedia
Fayetteville State University (FSU) is a historically black
, regional university
located in Fayetteville, North Carolina
, United States
. FSU is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System and is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund
.
in 43 areas, Master's degree
s in 22 areas, and one doctoral degree
in educational leadership. The university is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
.
.
General O. Howard
of the Freedman's Bureau, one of the best-known friends of black education, erected a building on this site, and the institution became known as the Howard School. By a legislative act of 1877, the North Carolina General Assembly
provided for the establishment of a Normal School
for the education of black teachers. The Howard School was chosen as the most promising because of its successful record during the previous ten years. It was designated a teacher training institution, and its name was changed to the State Colored Normal School.
In 1877, An act of the legislature provides for the establishment of a teacher training institution for Black North Carolinians. The A Howard School in Fayetteville is selected to become the State Colored Normal School, and thus becomes the first and oldest state-supported institution of its kind in North Carolina. In 1877, the Howard School became not just the first public normal school for African Americans in North Carolina but also the first state-sponsored institution for the education of African-American teachers in the South. It was renamed the State Colored Normal School in Fayetteville that year, Fayetteville State Teachers College in 1939, Fayetteville State College in 1963, and Fayetteville State University in 1969.
In 1880, Charles W. Chesnutt is appointed Principal of the State Colored Normal School upon the death of Robert Harris. After three years in office, Chesnutt resigns to move to Cleveland, Ohio, where he passes the Ohio Bar and begins a law practice. His literary career begins in earnest in 1889 when The Conjure Woman, a collection of his stories is published. It is followed by The Life of Frederick Douglass, and many other novels and short stories. In 1928 he is awarded the coveted Springarn Medal, at that time given annually by the NAACP for distinguished achievement.
In 1883, Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith, 31 years of age and a graduate of Shaw Collegiate Institute in Raleigh, is appointed Principal upon the resignation of Charles W. Chesnutt. In 1888, President Grover Cleveland appoints Dr. E.E. Smith as Minister Resident and Consul General of the United States to Liberia, in which capacity he serves for two years. George H. Williams assumes the duties of Principal of the State Colored Normal School. In 1895, Dr. E.E. Smith returns to Fayetteville as Principal of the State Colored Normal School. Prior to this he had organized the first newspaper for Black North Carolinians, the Carolina Enterprise, in Goldsboro. In 1898, Dr. Smith obtains a leave of absence for the purpose of serving as Regimental Adjutant of the Third North Carolina Volunteer Infantry during the Spanish-American War. During his absence his work is carried on by the Reverend L. E. Fairly. Dr. Smith returns to his duties in 1899. During Dr. Smith's long and distinguished tenure, the institution moves to its permanent site on Murchison Road in 1907. Later, Dr. Smith and his wife deed additional land to the state to bring the institution's holding to 92 acres. the campus grows to eight buildings and several cottages. All high school work is discontinued in 1929 and the title of Principal is changed to President. Dr. E.E. Smith retires on June 30, 1933 and is elected President Emeritus.
In 1933, Dr. James Ward Seabrook is elected President. Under his leadership the institution becomes a four-year college, is renamed Fayetteville State Teachers College in 1939, and earns both state and regional accreditation. Dr. Seabrook retires in 1956 and is elected President Emeritus.Dr. Seabrook was succeeded by Dr. Rudolph Jones.
In 1956, Dr. Rudolph Jones succeeds Dr. Seabrook as President. Advances made during his tenure include the revision of the charter in 1959 authorizing the expansion of the curriculum to include programs leading to degrees outside the teaching field; adoption of the name Fayetteville State College in 1963; and significant additions to the physical plant to accommodate growing enrollment. Dr. Jones retires and is elected President Emeritus in 1969.
In 1969, the institution acquired its present name, Fayetteville State University, and Dr. Charles A. Lyons, graduate of Shaw University
, Jr. was elected president. By a legislative act in 1972, Fayetteville State University became a constituent institution of University of North Carolina
system. The Chief Executive Officer
's position was re-titled to Chancellor
, with Dr. Lyons becoming the first Chancellor of the university. During his tenure, the curriculum was expanded to include a variety of both baccalaureate and master’s level programs. In addition, the Fort Bragg
-Pope AFB Extension Center
, in conjunction with the weekend and evening college, was established in order to provide military personnel and other persons employed full-time with the opportunity to further their education. The general academic structure took its present configuration in 1985 when the University became a Comprehensive Level 1 Institution. In addition to expanding program offerings and services, eight buildings were added to the physical plant during this period to include the Charles Chesnutt
Library. Dr. Lyons retires in 1987.
In 1988, Dr. Lloyd V. Hackley is named the seventh Chief Executive Officer of Fayetteville State University. He actively pursued initiatives to further expand program offerings and improve the campus environment in response to the needs and interests of students and the community. FSU master's level program offerings expanded to 15; FSU's first doctoral program in Educational Leadership was established; and baccalaureate program offerings were increased to 36 disciplines in the arts and sciences, business and economics, and education. The addition of the $6.3 million ultra-modern School of Business and Economics Building and the new $10.9 million Health and Physical Education Building underscored Dr. Hackley's commitment to FSU's continued expansion and growth. He also strengthened FSU's community outreach to at-risk children in the public schools, establishing numerous scholarship and tutoring/mentoring programs to encourage more young people to aspire to academic excellence and a college education. FSU's first major public capital campaign was completed during Dr. Hackley's tenure, and enabled FSU to increase the number of privately funded scholarships available to students. On December 31, 1994, Dr. Hackley left his post at FSU to become President of the North Carolina Department of Community Colleges, the first African-American to lead the state's system of 59 community colleges. Dr. Donna J. Benson, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs for The University of North Carolina, is appointed by UNC President C. D. Spangler to serve as Interim Chancellor.
The University of North Carolina Board of Governors elects Dr. Willis B. McLeod, FSU Class of 1964, as the ninth leader and first alumnus Chancellor of FSU, effective November 15, 1995. Dr. McLeod's major initiatives include a new "Freshman Year Initiative," or "F.Y.I." program designed to enhance students' educational outcomes; new outreach efforts aimed at strengthening community ties and involving the community in university life; campus improvements including $46 million in Higher Education Improvement Bond Projects underway; forming a regional partnership of public school, community college, and university leaders to focus on enhancing the educational outcomes for pre-K through 16 students; and initiatives funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to revitalize the neighborhoods surrounding the FSU campus. After serving his alma mater for eight years, Dr. McLeod steps down from the position of Chancellor on June 30, 2003.
Dr. T. J. (Thelma Jane) Bryan made history in July 2003, accepting the job as Chancellor of Fayetteville State University as the first female leader of the institution, moreover the first African-American female chancellor of the University of North Carolina System. In June 2007, she resigned as Chancellor.
Dr. James A. Anderson is named the 11th Chief Executive Officer of Fayetteville State University on March 7, 2008. Dr. Anderson, who comes to FSU from the University of Albany in New York, began his duties as Chancellor of the state’s second-oldest public institution on June 9, 2008. The appointment was made by Erskine Bowles, President of the 17-campus University of North Carolina System.
(CIAA).
Men's Golf, the most successful athletic program at Fayetteville State, was added as a varsity sport in 1970 under the direction of Coach Raymond McDougal. In 1972 Dr. Moses Walker took over the leadership of the program because Coach McDougal was also directing the football program and he could not provide adequate leadership to both programs. Since joining the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in 1970, the Bronco's golfers have won 24 CIAA titles and, four PGA National Minority Golf Championships and have individual national medalists. Before becoming a varsity sport, golf was a club activities organized by basketball standout William Carter. Carter would later participate in the Charlotte Tournament of Champions in 1948 and 1949 and won the championship both years with scores 270 and 280 respectively. Although golf is the most successful athletic program it was not recognized by many in the Bronco family. Golf was viewed by many as a recreational sport played by the elite. During the 1970s and 1980 the golf teams were ranked among the best in NCAA Division I and Division II institutions. In 1979 Fayetteville State University became the first school in the CIAA to have a woman; Carolyn Jones, Rose Robin, Linda Robinson and Ruth Atkins, participate on an all-male team.
The university won back-to-back CIAA football championships in 2002 and 2003. They also won the 2009 CIAA Football Championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II football playoff. Have been the Western Division Champions in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2009.
Recent years have seen men's and women's Bronco teams lay claim to 29 conference championships in a variety of sports to include football, basketball, golf, volleyball, tennis, bowling, and softball. and the Lady Bronco Basketball team won the 2010 CIAA conference tournament and also advanced to the DII playoffs.
-FM is an NPR News and jazz radio station owned by the university.
Bronco-iRadio is the student online radio station. It is operated and managed by FSU students. The general manger is Ray Thomas.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
, regional university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
located in Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. FSU is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System and is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund
Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund , named for the U.S. Supreme Court's first African-American Justice, was established in 1987. TMCF supports and represents nearly 300,000 students attending 47-member schools, which include public Historically Black Colleges & Universities and Predominantly Black...
.
Academics
The primary mission of Fayetteville State University is to provide quality education to its students through a basic liberal-arts foundation, specialized professional training, and specific graduate programs. The university offers Bachelor’s degreesBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 43 areas, Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s in 22 areas, and one doctoral degree
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in educational leadership. The university is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
.
History
In 1867, seven African-American men – Matthew N. Leary, Andrew J. Chesnutt, Robert Simmons, George Grainger, Thomas Lomax, Nelson Carter, and David A. Bryant – paid $136 for two lots on Gillespie Street and converted themselves into a self-perpetuating Board of Trustees to maintain this property permanently as a site for the education of black children in FayettevilleFayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
.
General O. Howard
Oliver O. Howard
Oliver Otis Howard was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War...
of the Freedman's Bureau, one of the best-known friends of black education, erected a building on this site, and the institution became known as the Howard School. By a legislative act of 1877, the North Carolina General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
provided for the establishment of a Normal School
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
for the education of black teachers. The Howard School was chosen as the most promising because of its successful record during the previous ten years. It was designated a teacher training institution, and its name was changed to the State Colored Normal School.
In 1877, An act of the legislature provides for the establishment of a teacher training institution for Black North Carolinians. The A Howard School in Fayetteville is selected to become the State Colored Normal School, and thus becomes the first and oldest state-supported institution of its kind in North Carolina. In 1877, the Howard School became not just the first public normal school for African Americans in North Carolina but also the first state-sponsored institution for the education of African-American teachers in the South. It was renamed the State Colored Normal School in Fayetteville that year, Fayetteville State Teachers College in 1939, Fayetteville State College in 1963, and Fayetteville State University in 1969.
In 1880, Charles W. Chesnutt is appointed Principal of the State Colored Normal School upon the death of Robert Harris. After three years in office, Chesnutt resigns to move to Cleveland, Ohio, where he passes the Ohio Bar and begins a law practice. His literary career begins in earnest in 1889 when The Conjure Woman, a collection of his stories is published. It is followed by The Life of Frederick Douglass, and many other novels and short stories. In 1928 he is awarded the coveted Springarn Medal, at that time given annually by the NAACP for distinguished achievement.
In 1883, Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith, 31 years of age and a graduate of Shaw Collegiate Institute in Raleigh, is appointed Principal upon the resignation of Charles W. Chesnutt. In 1888, President Grover Cleveland appoints Dr. E.E. Smith as Minister Resident and Consul General of the United States to Liberia, in which capacity he serves for two years. George H. Williams assumes the duties of Principal of the State Colored Normal School. In 1895, Dr. E.E. Smith returns to Fayetteville as Principal of the State Colored Normal School. Prior to this he had organized the first newspaper for Black North Carolinians, the Carolina Enterprise, in Goldsboro. In 1898, Dr. Smith obtains a leave of absence for the purpose of serving as Regimental Adjutant of the Third North Carolina Volunteer Infantry during the Spanish-American War. During his absence his work is carried on by the Reverend L. E. Fairly. Dr. Smith returns to his duties in 1899. During Dr. Smith's long and distinguished tenure, the institution moves to its permanent site on Murchison Road in 1907. Later, Dr. Smith and his wife deed additional land to the state to bring the institution's holding to 92 acres. the campus grows to eight buildings and several cottages. All high school work is discontinued in 1929 and the title of Principal is changed to President. Dr. E.E. Smith retires on June 30, 1933 and is elected President Emeritus.
In 1933, Dr. James Ward Seabrook is elected President. Under his leadership the institution becomes a four-year college, is renamed Fayetteville State Teachers College in 1939, and earns both state and regional accreditation. Dr. Seabrook retires in 1956 and is elected President Emeritus.Dr. Seabrook was succeeded by Dr. Rudolph Jones.
In 1956, Dr. Rudolph Jones succeeds Dr. Seabrook as President. Advances made during his tenure include the revision of the charter in 1959 authorizing the expansion of the curriculum to include programs leading to degrees outside the teaching field; adoption of the name Fayetteville State College in 1963; and significant additions to the physical plant to accommodate growing enrollment. Dr. Jones retires and is elected President Emeritus in 1969.
In 1969, the institution acquired its present name, Fayetteville State University, and Dr. Charles A. Lyons, graduate of Shaw University
Shaw University
Shaw University, founded as Raleigh Institute, is a private liberal arts institution and historically black university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1865, it is the oldest HBCU in the Southern United States....
, Jr. was elected president. By a legislative act in 1972, Fayetteville State University became a constituent institution of University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
system. The Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
's position was re-titled to Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
, with Dr. Lyons becoming the first Chancellor of the university. During his tenure, the curriculum was expanded to include a variety of both baccalaureate and master’s level programs. In addition, the Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
-Pope AFB Extension Center
Pope Air Force Base
Pope Field is a United States Army facility located 12 miles northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.-Units:...
, in conjunction with the weekend and evening college, was established in order to provide military personnel and other persons employed full-time with the opportunity to further their education. The general academic structure took its present configuration in 1985 when the University became a Comprehensive Level 1 Institution. In addition to expanding program offerings and services, eight buildings were added to the physical plant during this period to include the Charles Chesnutt
Charles W. Chesnutt
Charles Waddell Chesnutt was an American author, essayist, political activist and lawyer, best known for his novels and short stories exploring complex issues of racial and social identity in the post-Civil War South, where the legacy of slavery and interracial relations had resulted in many free...
Library. Dr. Lyons retires in 1987.
In 1988, Dr. Lloyd V. Hackley is named the seventh Chief Executive Officer of Fayetteville State University. He actively pursued initiatives to further expand program offerings and improve the campus environment in response to the needs and interests of students and the community. FSU master's level program offerings expanded to 15; FSU's first doctoral program in Educational Leadership was established; and baccalaureate program offerings were increased to 36 disciplines in the arts and sciences, business and economics, and education. The addition of the $6.3 million ultra-modern School of Business and Economics Building and the new $10.9 million Health and Physical Education Building underscored Dr. Hackley's commitment to FSU's continued expansion and growth. He also strengthened FSU's community outreach to at-risk children in the public schools, establishing numerous scholarship and tutoring/mentoring programs to encourage more young people to aspire to academic excellence and a college education. FSU's first major public capital campaign was completed during Dr. Hackley's tenure, and enabled FSU to increase the number of privately funded scholarships available to students. On December 31, 1994, Dr. Hackley left his post at FSU to become President of the North Carolina Department of Community Colleges, the first African-American to lead the state's system of 59 community colleges. Dr. Donna J. Benson, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs for The University of North Carolina, is appointed by UNC President C. D. Spangler to serve as Interim Chancellor.
The University of North Carolina Board of Governors elects Dr. Willis B. McLeod, FSU Class of 1964, as the ninth leader and first alumnus Chancellor of FSU, effective November 15, 1995. Dr. McLeod's major initiatives include a new "Freshman Year Initiative," or "F.Y.I." program designed to enhance students' educational outcomes; new outreach efforts aimed at strengthening community ties and involving the community in university life; campus improvements including $46 million in Higher Education Improvement Bond Projects underway; forming a regional partnership of public school, community college, and university leaders to focus on enhancing the educational outcomes for pre-K through 16 students; and initiatives funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to revitalize the neighborhoods surrounding the FSU campus. After serving his alma mater for eight years, Dr. McLeod steps down from the position of Chancellor on June 30, 2003.
Dr. T. J. (Thelma Jane) Bryan made history in July 2003, accepting the job as Chancellor of Fayetteville State University as the first female leader of the institution, moreover the first African-American female chancellor of the University of North Carolina System. In June 2007, she resigned as Chancellor.
Dr. James A. Anderson is named the 11th Chief Executive Officer of Fayetteville State University on March 7, 2008. Dr. Anderson, who comes to FSU from the University of Albany in New York, began his duties as Chancellor of the state’s second-oldest public institution on June 9, 2008. The appointment was made by Erskine Bowles, President of the 17-campus University of North Carolina System.
Student organizations
Fayetteville State University students may participate in over 78 registered student organizations, including sororities and fraternities. An active intramural program offers students the opportunity to participate in flag football, basketball, track and field, soccer, and swimming. Many other organizations are continually added on a yearly basis at this school.Athletics
Fayetteville State University currently participates in 10 NCAA sports, including men's football, basketball, cross-country/track, and golf. The women's programs include basketball, volleyball, softball, cross-country/track, tennis, and bowling. The university is a member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic AssociationCentral Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association is a college athletic conference, mostly consisting of historically black colleges and universities. Recent addition Chowan University is the first non-HBCU to play in the conference. Conference teams participate in the NCAA's Division II...
(CIAA).
Men's Golf, the most successful athletic program at Fayetteville State, was added as a varsity sport in 1970 under the direction of Coach Raymond McDougal. In 1972 Dr. Moses Walker took over the leadership of the program because Coach McDougal was also directing the football program and he could not provide adequate leadership to both programs. Since joining the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in 1970, the Bronco's golfers have won 24 CIAA titles and, four PGA National Minority Golf Championships and have individual national medalists. Before becoming a varsity sport, golf was a club activities organized by basketball standout William Carter. Carter would later participate in the Charlotte Tournament of Champions in 1948 and 1949 and won the championship both years with scores 270 and 280 respectively. Although golf is the most successful athletic program it was not recognized by many in the Bronco family. Golf was viewed by many as a recreational sport played by the elite. During the 1970s and 1980 the golf teams were ranked among the best in NCAA Division I and Division II institutions. In 1979 Fayetteville State University became the first school in the CIAA to have a woman; Carolyn Jones, Rose Robin, Linda Robinson and Ruth Atkins, participate on an all-male team.
The university won back-to-back CIAA football championships in 2002 and 2003. They also won the 2009 CIAA Football Championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II football playoff. Have been the Western Division Champions in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2009.
Recent years have seen men's and women's Bronco teams lay claim to 29 conference championships in a variety of sports to include football, basketball, golf, volleyball, tennis, bowling, and softball. and the Lady Bronco Basketball team won the 2010 CIAA conference tournament and also advanced to the DII playoffs.
Student media
WFSSWFSS
WFSS is a radio station broadcasting National Public Radio and Jazz as well as an eclectic mix of formats on the weekend, including bluegrass, Gospel, blues, African and Latin music. Licensed to Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA, it serves the Fayetteville area and twelve surrounding counties...
-FM is an NPR News and jazz radio station owned by the university.
Bronco-iRadio is the student online radio station. It is operated and managed by FSU students. The general manger is Ray Thomas.