Salem State College
Encyclopedia
Salem State University is a four-year public institution of higher learning located in Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...

, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

. Salem State University, established in 1854 as Salem Normal School, is located approximately fifteen miles north of Boston, Massachusetts. Salem State enrolls over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students from 27 states and 57 foreign countries. From 1968 to 2010 the institution was named Salem State College. , Salem State enrolled 5,894 undergraduate and 343 graduate, full-time students. The university offers Bachelors Degrees in the Arts and Sciences, Masters Degrees in the Arts and Sciences, Masters of Business Administration (MBAs) and Post Masters Certificates in more than forty academic disciplines. In addition, the university also offers Continuing Education
Continuing education
Continuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad spectrum of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...

 courses for credit or non-credit.

History

Salem State University was founded in 1854 as the Salem Normal School under the direction of Horace Mann
Horace Mann
Horace Mann was an American education reformer, and a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1827 to 1833. He served in the Massachusetts Senate from 1834 to 1837. In 1848, after serving as Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education since its creation, he was...

. The Salem Normal School was the fourth 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...

 to open in Massachusetts and only the tenth to open in the United States. Initially, the school was a two-year, post-secondary educational institution for women. The school proudly welcomed its first class of young ladies on September 13, 1854. Among the second graduating class in 1856 was Charlotte Forten, the university's first African American graduate and the first African American teacher to travel south during the Civil War to teach freed slaves. In 1892 the school began to enroll male students for the first time since its establishment.

In 1896 the school relocated to its current location in south Salem (on the campus known today as North Campus). With the constructing of the new campus the school was able to lengthen its curriculum to a four-year study program in 1921; allowing the institution to offer bachelors degrees. The first liberal art programs (History, English and Mathematics) were introduced to the school that same year. In 1932 the school was renamed State Teachers College at Salem (also referred to as Salem Teachers College).

In 1960 the school was renamed State College at Salem. Shortly afterwards in 1968 the school was renamed yet again to Salem State College due in part by a legislative bill supported by state senator Kevin B. Harrington. The school developed quite rapidly during the 1960s. The Arts & Sciences Building (known today as Meier Hall) opened in 1964. In 1966 the school also opened its first residence halls; used today to house freshman student. 1966 also saw the opening of the Ellison Campus Center (formally known as the "Student Union"). The library (closed in 2007) was opened in 1971.

In 1972 the school purchased the land for what is known today as South Campus; this included the purchasing of the former Loring Estate (used today as the Alumni House). South Campus now includes the School of Nursing, the Criminal Justice Department, the Social Work Department, and the Bates Residence Complex. The O'Keefe Center (athletic complex) opened in 1976.

In 2004 the school opened what is today known as Central Campus. When Central Campus first opened it included the brand new Bertolon School of Business, the Music Department, a state-of-the-art recital hall, a new public safety building, a new campus bookstore, and the enterprise center. In addition, the school also opened a new residence hall, Atlantic Hall. Since the opening of the new campus in 2004 the school as temporality moved the library to Central Campus; has constructed a new residence hall, Marsh Hall; and has constructed a new baseball field and tennis courts.

In July 2010 Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick
Deval Patrick
Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...

 signed into law a bill that renamed the institution Salem State University. The name change became official on October 27, 2010.

Campus

Salem State University is made up of five campuses totaling 115 acre (0.4653889 km²) with 33 buildings. The main campus is located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of downtown Salem, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...

 about five blocks west of Salem Harbor. The university also has a maritime facility at Cat Cove 2.5 miles (4 km) north of the main campus. A focal point of the main campus is the George H. Ellison Campus Center which houses the career and counseling staffs as well as student organizations. Nearly 2,000 Salem State students reside in five residence halls, although the majority of students commute to campus. Three of the residence halls are traditional corridor style halls, and two are apartment style halls. First-year students are housed in double, triple, and quad rooms at Bowditch and Peabody Halls, sophomores are housed in double and limited triple rooms at Marsh Hall on Central Campus, while upper-class students select single and double rooms within six-person apartments at the Bates Complex on South Campus or Atlantic Hall on Central Campus. Atlantic and Marsh Halls also have their own dining halls. SSU will also begin construction of a new library in 2010.

North Campus

Edward Sullivan Building (1896): named after the university's sixth president. The Sullivan Building houses the academic departments of Education, English, Foreign Languages, Mathematics, History, and Philosophy. In addition, the School of Graduate Studies is housed on the first floor and there is a 75-seat “black box” theater in the basement.

Frederick Meier Hall (1964 / 1966): named after the university's seventh president. Meier Hall houses the academic departments of Art and Design, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, Communications, Computer Science, Economics, Geography, Geological Sciences, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology. In addition, the building also houses the Writing Center, Media and Visual Services, and a newly installed Dunkin Donuts lounge on the first floor.

George H. Ellison Campus Center (1966): The campus center houses the majority of the university’s fifty student organizations. The university’s student newspaper and student radio station are among the many organizations with offices inside the building. The campus center also houses the offices of Career Services, Health Services, ROTC, and the Student Government Association.

North Campus Dining Commons: three-story dining complex: cafeteria-style dining on the first floor, fast-food style dining on the second floor, and the third floor contains additional seating. Office of Dining Services located within building.

Administration Building: houses the offices of Academic Advising, Bursars, Financial Aid, and Registars. In addition, the Theater Department is also located within the building.

Mainstage Auditorium: 750-seat theater venue.

Bowditch Hall (1966): freshman student residence complex. Approximately 290 students reside within the building.

Peabody Hall (1966): freshman student residence complex. Approximately 320 students reside within the building.

Horace Mann School: elementary school used by the city of Salem.

Central Campus

Building One / Bertolon School of Business (opened in 2004): houses the academic departments of Business Administration and Music. In addition, the building also houses a state-of-the-art recital hall and several recording studies. The office of Information Technology and a small dining facility are located on the first floor.

Library: located within Building One. The university is currently in the process of constructing a new library on the north campus; completion of the project is estimated for late 2012 or early 2013.

Enterprise Book store: College Book store, logo items, and more.

Enterprise Glass: houses glass art from art majors.

Public Safety Building (2004): houses the campus police station.

Marsh Hall (2010): sophomore student residence complex. Approximately 525 students reside within the building. There are lounges located throughout the building in addition to a small dining facility and gym on the first floor.

Atlantic Hall (2004): upper-class student residence complex. Approximately 450 students reside within the building. Living areas are apartment-style with six students per apartment. There are lounges located throughout the building in addition to a gym on the first floor.

Baseball Field and Tennis Courts (constructed in 2007)

South Campus

Kevin B. Harrington
Kevin B. Harrington
Kevin Brian Harrington was an American politician who served as President of the Massachusetts State Senate....

 Building
: named after a former state senator from the city of Salem. The Harrington Building houses the academic departments of Nursing and Criminal Justice. In addition, there is a dining facility and gym located within the building.

Academic Building: located in “upper South Campus.” The Academic Building houses the Social Work Department.

Alumni House: located in “upper South Campus.” The Alumni house is a former estate which houses the university’s Office of Alumni Affairs and Institutional Advancement.

Bates Complex (1990): upper-class student residence complex. Approximately 400 students reside within the six buildings making-up the complex. Living areas are apartment-style with six students per apartment.

International House: The International House houses the university's study abroad program and acts as the main resource for information regarding international programming.

Richard O’Keefe Center

The O’Keefe Center houses the academic departments of Sports Movement Sciences and Dance. The facility contains the university’s main gym, two pools, wellness center, and Rocket Arena (hockey rink). Alumni Field is located on the same campus.

Cat Cove

Cat Cove is a maritime research center located about 2.5 miles (4 km) from the North Campus on Salem Harbor. Facility used for marine biology classes.

Organization

SSU is led by an eleven member Board of Trustes. The governor appoints nine trustees to five-year terms, renewable once. The SSU Alumni Association elects one for a single five-year term. Finally, the student body elects one student trustee for a one year term. In addition to five full board meetings each year, which are open to the public, the board also meets in seven standing committees: Executive Committee, Academic Affairs, Finance and Facilities, Human Resources, Student Life, Long Range Planning, and Institutional Advancement.

The university's annual operating budget for fiscal year 2010 was approximately $130 million; 40% of this coming from state appropriations. The Salem State University Foundation's endowment market value is in excess of $16 million at the end of fiscal year 2010.

SSU has an important economic impact on the city of Salem, being its second largest employer. The college generated more than $376 million in economic spending in Massachusetts in fiscal year 2006. SSU creates jobs for 3,459 Massachusetts residents, including 593 in Salem and 1,978 throughout Essex County.

Student body

Undergraduates: 38% Male / 62% Female / (20% people of color)

Graduates: 22% Male / 78% Female / (5% people of color)
  • 94% of the Undergraduate student body are Massachusetts residents.

Athletics

Sports are housed at the Richard B. O'Keefe Center. The O'Keefe center also includes its own workout facility, the Wellness Center, which is open to all students. From September 1994 to February 1997, the Marblehead
Marblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,808 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and Devereux Beach...

/Swampscott YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...

 housed their gymnastics in the multi-purpose room there. The Richard H. Rockett Arena is a public skating rink in the winter, and in the summer it is converted to an indoor tennis facility.

The Salem State University Vikings compete in the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference
Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference
The Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III...

 in NCAA Division III. SSU offers 17 varsity sports: men's baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross-country, women's field hockey, men's golf, men's ice hockey, men's lacrosse, women's softball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's tennis, and women's volleyball. Non-varsity club sports include women's lacrosse and women's ice hockey. Men's and women's outdoor track, as well as men's and women's indoor track have been discontinued as of the 2010–11 school year. There are also a number of intramural and recreational sports, including Ultimate
Ultimate
Ultimate, penultimate or antepenultimate may refer to:*Ultimate , a team disc sport*Ultimate , at Lightwater Valley amusement park near Ripon, North Yorkshire, England...

, basketball and ice hockey cheerleading, and the dance team who perform at home basketball games.

Theatre and the Arts

SSU's theatre department has two theatres, the 730 seat Mainstage Theatre and the more intimate Callan Studio Theatre in the basement of the Sullivan Building.

The theatre department produces up to six shows an academic year. They are also members of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) and compete regularly. Other groups that perform regularly are:
  • The Student Theatre Ensemble (STE) who produce one show each semester and a summer musical.
  • Repertory Dance Theatre (RDT) have two dance shows a year.
  • The Students' Work Theatre Project (SWTP) a student-run organization that allows anyone interested in theatre to join in a no-pressure environment to grow, learn, and have fun. The production is made up of entirely student-produced, -directed, and -written 10-minute plays. SWTP performs in the fall of every school year, allowing incoming freshman and non-theatre students to get involved.
  • Human Action Theatre (HAT) an educational theatre group that performs during Freshman Orientation.
  • Salem State University is also home to the improv/sketch comedy troupe, Grandma's 3rd Leg (G3L), which performs twice a semester and at venues around Massachusetts.
  • Summer Theatre at Salem, a professional theatre set up that produces three shows every summer.


The campus newspaper is The Log,http://www.salemstatelog.com the alumni magazine is called Salem Statement, the student e-zine is Red Skies, and
the campus radio station is 130-watt WMWM
WMWM
WMWM is a non-commercial radio station at 91.7 Megahertz in Salem, Massachusetts, licensed to Salem State University. The station was founded as WSSC AM 640 in 1968 and became WMWM at 91.7 FM in 1976 with a power of 10 watts...

, 91.7 FM.

Library

The Salem State University library was built in 1969 and with structural problems was not open to the students until 1971. The library was closed for safety reasons on Oct. 15, 2007, when engineers discovered structural flaws while examining.. The library owns over 300,000 volumes, 39,000 microform units, 9,000 maps and subscribes to 692 periodicals. Memberships with other local libraries enable access to over 3.1 million holdings in the north-of-Boston area. A brand new, state-of-the-art library will be open by 2012 http://www.salemnews.com/local/x278369795/Amazing-work-paves-the-way-for-new-library-at-Salem-State and will be around 118,000- to 120,000-square-foot.

Salem State University Speaker Series

The Salem State University Speaker Series was founded in 1982 as one of the first high-profile speaker series in the country. Former President of the United States, Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...

 was invited to speak at the university in 1982 as the series' first renowned speaker. Every year since then, the university has hosted local, national, and international leaders and activists to share their stories with Salem residents and the surrounding North Shore community. Recent past speakers have included former President of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton; former President of the United States, George H.W. Bush; television host and comedian, Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...

; head coach of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...

; baseball legend, Cal Ripken Jr.; award-winning actor and director, Robert Redford
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...

; and poet, Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou is an American author and poet who has been called "America's most visible black female autobiographer" by scholar Joanne M. Braxton. She is best known for her series of six autobiographical volumes, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first and most highly...

.

For the complete list of past speakers please visit the SSU website.

Notable Alumni

  • Demetrius Atsalis
    Demetrius Atsalis
    Demetrius J. Atsalis is a Democratic Party member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, representing the 2nd Barnstable District...

    , member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1999 – present)

  • Arthur Broadhurst
    Arthur Broadhurst
    Arthur J. Broadhurst is an American politician who represented the 15th Essex district in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1993–2007. He was a candidate for Essex County Register of Deeds in 2006, but lost in the Democratic primary.-References:...

    , (1988), member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1999 – 2007)

  • Michael A Costello, (1989), member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 2003 – present)

  • Kimberley Driscoll, (1989), first woman elected mayor of Salem, Massachusetts (served 2006 – present)

  • Robert Fennell
    Robert Fennell
    Robert Feargal Fennell is an American restaurant owner and politician who represents the 10th Essex district in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.-References:...

    , (1978), member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (served 1995 – present)

  • Charlotte Forten Grimké
    Charlotte Forten Grimké
    Charlotte Louise Bridges Forten Grimké was an African-American anti-slavery activist, poet, and educator.-Biography:...

    , (1856), anti-slavery activist, educator: first African-American teacher to travel south during the Civil War.

  • Nancy Harrington, (1960, 1963G), 12th president of Salem State University (served 1990 – 2007)

  • Thatcher Kezer, (1988), mayor of Amesbury, Massachusetts (served 2006 - present)

  • Keith Knight, (1990), cartoonist (The K Chronicles)

  • Dick Lamby
    Dick Lamby
    Richard A. "Dick" Lamby is a retired professional ice hockey defenseman who played 22 National Hockey League regular season games with the St. Louis Blues in 1978-80 but spent most of his career in the minor leagues...

    , (1975), NHL defenseman for the St. Louis Blues
    St. Louis Blues
    The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...

     (1978–1981), member of 1976 U.S.A. Olympic Hockey Team

  • Brian Lees
    Brian Lees
    Brian Patrick Lees is a Massachusetts politician, currently serving as the Clerk of Courts for Hampden County...

    , (1975), member of the Massachusetts State Senate (served 1989 - 2007, Minority Leader from 1993 - 2007)

  • Wayne Marquis (1975), town manager of Danvers, Massachusetts (served 1979 - present)

  • Julie McNiven
    Julie McNiven
    Julie McNiven is an American actress. McNiven was born in Amherst, Massachusetts. She is best known for her recurring roles in Mad Men and Supernatural. McNiven had a recurring role in the 2010-2011 second season of Stargate: Universe.McNiven studied swinging trapeze as a teenager at French...

    , actress (appearances on Law & Order, Mad Men, Supernatural and Stargate: Universe)

  • Mark Parisi
    Mark Parisi
    Mark Parisi is the creator of Off The Mark, a comic panel which began in 1987 and now appears in 100 newspapers, as well as on greeting cards, T-shirts, and more. Off The Mark is distributed daily by United Media. Parisi's work is influenced by Charles Schulz, MAD Magazine and Gary Larson...

    , (1984), cartoonist

  • Robert Preston
    Robert Preston
    Robert Preston may refer to:*Robert Preston , American actor*Robert Preston *Robert E. Preston , Director of the U.S. Mint 1893-98*Robert K...

    , (1966), member of the New Hampshire State Senate (served 1973 - 1991)

  • Robert A. Rufo, (1972), military officer, writer, artist

  • Tom Thibodeau
    Tom Thibodeau
    Tom Thibodeau is an American basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. He previously served as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics....

    , (1981), head coach of the Chicago Bulls
    Chicago Bulls
    The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...

     (2010 – present)

  • John F. Tierney
    John F. Tierney
    John F. Tierney is the United States representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party and an advocate for liberal policies and government oversight. A former attorney, he has served since 1997....

    , (1973), member of the United States House of Representatives (served 1997 – present)

  • Jacyn Tremblay, (2002), Presidential Art Scholar, member of Universal Motown recording artists Jada
    Jada (singing group)
    Jada is a pop and R&B female vocal group from Boston, Massachusetts. They are known for their mix of pop, soul, dance, and R&B styling, and their gospel-inspired harmonies. Jada was signed by Universal Motown Records president Sylvia Rhone in October 2006. Jada won “Outstanding Pop/R&B Music Act...

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