University of North Alabama
Encyclopedia
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al 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 Florence
Florence, Alabama
Florence is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States, in the northwestern corner of the state.According to the 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the city's population was 36,721....
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, and the state's oldest four-year public university.
Occupying a 130 acre (0.5260918 km²) campus in a residential section of Florence, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Tuscumbia
Tuscumbia, Alabama
Tuscumbia is a city in and the county seat of Colbert County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,423 and is included in The Shoals MSA....
, Sheffield
Sheffield, Alabama
Sheffield is a city in Colbert County, Alabama, United States, and is included in The Shoals MSA. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 9,652. Sheffield is the birthplace of notable attorney, actor, former senator and presidential contender Fred Thompson...
and Muscle Shoals
Muscle Shoals, Alabama
Muscle Shoals is a city in Colbert County, Alabama, United States. As of 2007, the United States Census Bureau estimated the population of the city to be 12,846. The city is included in The Shoals MSA. It is famous for its contributions to American popular music.-Geography:Muscle Shoals is located...
. The four cities comprise a metropolitan area with a combined population of 140,000 people.
The University of North Alabama, which celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2005, has undergone numerous sweeping changes in the course of its long history. Originally founded as LaGrange College in 1830, it was reestablished in 1872 as the first state-supported teachers college south of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. A year later, it became one of the nation's first coeducational colleges.
Within the last half century, the University of North Alabama has developed into a comprehensive regional university exerting a major influence over the cultural, social and economic life of Northwest Alabama and providing educational opportunities for students pursuing undergraduate and graduate majors offered through the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Nursing and Health.
UNA administrators also have expressed a strong commitment to improving academic quality, an effort perhaps reflected in the 2008 edition of U.S. News and World Report’s America’s Best Colleges, which ranked the university as a top tier public university.
UNA also underwent continued growth in 2009, with 7,243 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled for the fall semester.
History
The University of North Alabama first opened its doors as LaGrange College on January 11, 1830, in a mountain hamlet a few miles south of LeightonLeighton, Alabama
Leighton is a town in Colbert County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Florence - Muscle Shoals Metropolitan Statistical Area known as "The Shoals". At the 2000 census the population was 849...
in northeast Franklin County, Alabama
Franklin County, Alabama
Franklin County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Benjamin Franklin, famous statesman, scientist, and printer. As of 2010, the population was 31,704...
. LaGrange means "The Place" in French. Twenty-one local college trustees were listed in Acts of Alabama, Eleventh Annual Session.
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
troops in 1863. But by then, however, the college, as such, had moved north across the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
to Florence. The section of Franklin County containing LaGrange Mountain is now Colbert County
Colbert County, Alabama
Colbert County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of brothers George and Levi Colbert, Chickasaw Indian chiefs. George Colbert operated a ferry across the Tennessee River in 1790 near present day Cherokee....
. LaGrange College, which became Florence Wesleyan University in 1855, is now the University of North Alabama.
LaGrange College arose from the idea offered at a November 28, 1826 meeting of the Tennessee Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
to establish a college which would not be “religious or theological." By January 1829, the selection of Lawrence Hill on LaGrange Mountain was made for the site of the school.
A year later, LaGrange College opened to students of all denominations in two three-story brick buildings. (This was slightly more than a year before the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
would open in Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
.) Eight days after the opening of LaGrange College, the Alabama Legislature
Alabama Legislature
The Alabama Legislature is the legislative branch of the state government of Alabama. It is a bicameral body composed of the Alabama House of Representatives, with 105 members, and the Alabama Senate, with 35 members...
issued a charter for the institution, making it the first state-chartered institution to begin operation in Alabama. Other colleges were in operation, but not chartered by the state.
Robert Paine
Robert Paine may refer to:* Rob Paine, American DJ*Robert Treat Paine , signer of the United States Declaration of Independence* Robert Treat Paine, Jr. , poet and son of the signer* Robert Treat Paine , U.S...
was the first president. The North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
native was also the professor of moral science and belles lettres and taught geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
and mineralogy
Mineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
. He was assisted by two other professors. The first board of trustees had a total of 50 members, including two Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, a Choctaw
Choctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
politician and a Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
leader. In 1830, Turner Saunders
Turner Saunders
The Rev. Turner Saunders , a noted Methodist preacher, was born in Brunswick County, Virginia.In 1830 he was elected President of the Board of Trustees of an academy for young women. This was LaGrange College, near Leighton, Alabama, which was burned during the Civil War. He served in that...
, a native of Virginia, was the first President of the Board of Trustees. Saunders' mansion c1826 still stands in Lawrence County. Among the many distant trustees was John Coffee of Florence, friend of Andrew Jackson. Among the local trustees was Henry Stuart Foote of Tuscumbia, who would move to Mississippi and defeat Jefferson Davis in the 1850 Governor's race. J.D. Malone
J.D. Malone
John Dennis Maloney Jr. “J.D. Malone” is a singer and songwriter of life experiences. Born and raised in Bennington, Vermont USA.-Biography:J.D. Malone born in 1965, grew up in a small town of Bennington, Vermont, USA....
, of Limestone County
Limestone County, Alabama
Limestone County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Metro Area. Its name comes from Limestone Creek, a local stream. In 2000, the population was 65,676. As of 2010 the county's...
, was the first graduate in 1833.
In 1850, a grammar
Grammar
In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics,...
school was added to LaGrange College. (Today, UNA has the only university-owned and operated elementary laboratory school - Kilby Professional Laboratory School - in Alabama.) In 1858 the death of the school's president and the loss of most of its students to nearby Florence, the college was suspended and re-established as the LaGrange College and Military Academy, with James W. Robertson as superintendent. Under its new name, additional buildings were constructed and the school reached its highest prosperity. the state of Alabama made provision for two cadets from each county to be enrolled, and by 1861 47 of its 171 students were state cadets. The school suffered a loss of enrollment again when Alabama seceded, and in March 1862 Robertson received approval from the Alabama governor to enroll the 35th Alabama Infantry from faculty, cadets, and enlistees from surrounding counties.
On April 28, 1863, the buildings were destroyed by Union soldiers of the 10th Missouri Cavalry
10th Missouri Volunteer Cavalry
The 10th Missouri Volunteer Cavalry was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 10th Missouri Cavalry was organized at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, Missouri in October 1862 and mustered in for three years. It was organized from the 28th...
, including a library of 4,000 volumes.
Among LaGrange's alumni were several generals, Alabama governors Edward A. O'Neal and David P. Lewis
David P. Lewis
David Peter Lewis was the 23rd Governor of the U.S. state of Alabama from 1872 to 1874. After his term was over, a Republican would not be elected Governor of Alabama for 119 years.He had previously been a delegate to the Confederate Provisional Congress in 1861. In 1868 he was a delegate to the...
, Alabama Supreme Court
Alabama Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Alabama is the highest court in the state of Alabama. The court consists of an elected Chief Justice and eight elected Associate Justices. Each justice is elected in partisan elections for staggered six year terms. The Governor of Alabama may fill vacancies when they occur...
justice William M. Byrd and U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Jeremiah Clemens
Jeremiah Clemens
Jeremiah Clemens was a U.S. senator and novelist from the state of Alabama. He was elected to fill the vacancy left by the death of Dixon Hall Lewis, and served from November 30, 1849 to March 3, 1853...
, who wrote the first American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
novel and the first western novel.
Florence Wesleyan University
Richard H. Rivers
Richard H. Rivers was a nineteenth century educator. He was president of Centenary College of Louisiana from 1849 to 1853 and president of La Grange College in Florence, Alabama after that...
, after becoming president of the college, led most of the students and all but one faculty member from the mountain in late 1854 to relocate to Florence. The school was re-incorporated as Florence Wesleyan University.
Admission to Florence Wesleyan required an acquaintance with English grammar
English grammar
English grammar is the body of rules that describe the structure of expressions in the English language. This includes the structure of words, phrases, clauses and sentences...
, arithmetic
Arithmetic
Arithmetic or arithmetics is the oldest and most elementary branch of mathematics, used by almost everyone, for tasks ranging from simple day-to-day counting to advanced science and business calculations. It involves the study of quantity, especially as the result of combining numbers...
, geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
and the Latin
Latin grammar
The grammar of Latin, like that of other ancient Indo-European languages, is highly inflected; consequently, it allows for a large degree of flexibility in choosing word order...
and Greek Grammar. Prospective students also were required to demonstrate an ability to translate four books of Caesar's
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
Gallic Wars
Gallic Wars
The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns waged by the Roman proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gallic tribes. They lasted from 58 BC to 51 BC. The Gallic Wars culminated in the decisive Battle of Alesia in 52 BC, in which a complete Roman victory resulted in the expansion of the...
, six books of Virgil's
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
Aeneid
Aeneid
The Aeneid is a Latin epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. It is composed of roughly 10,000 lines in dactylic hexameter...
, Jacob's or Felton's Greek Reader, and at least one of Xenophon's
Xenophon
Xenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, philosopher and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates...
Anabasis
Anabasis (Xenophon)
Anabasis is the most famous work, in seven books, of the Greek professional soldier and writer Xenophon. The journey it narrates is his best known accomplishment and "one of the great adventures in human history," as Will Durant expressed the common assessment.- The account :Xenophon accompanied...
.
One hundred and 60 students enrolled in the first year of operation (1855) of Florence Wesleyan University. The school quickly attracted students from five states and two foreign countries. Among Florence Wesleyan’s graduates were Alabama governor Emmet O'Neal
Emmet O'Neal
Emmet O'Neal was an American Democratic politician and lawyer who was the 34th Governor of Alabama from 1911 to 1915....
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
governor Lawrence Sullivan “Sul” Ross
Lawrence Sullivan Ross
Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross was the 19th Governor of Texas , a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War, and a president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now called Texas A&M University.Ross was raised in the Republic of Texas, which was later annexed to...
(the latter of whose tenure as president of Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
was known as the 'golden age' of that institution). Ross also is the namesake of Sul Ross University in Alpine, Texas
Alpine, Texas
Alpine is a city in and the county seat of Brewster County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,786 people at the 2000 census, and had increased to 5,905 by 2010.-History:...
.
The Civil War
The American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
bestowed much hardship on the institution. Robert A. Young, president of Florence Wesleyan at the time, is credited with saving the institution from destruction.
Florence Wesleyan alumnus Lawrence "Sul" Ross, the future Texas governor and university educator, served as a general in the Confederate States
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Army. LaGrange College and Florence Wesleyan University also produced three other Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
generals: Confederate Generals Edward A. O'Neal (later an Alabama governor) and John Gregg
John Gregg (CSA)
John Gregg was an American judge, politician, and general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was killed in action during the Siege of Petersburg.-Early life and career:...
and Union General Daniel McCook, Jr.
Daniel McCook
Daniel McCook was an attorney and an officer in the Union army during the American Civil War. He was one of two Ohio brothers who, along with 13 of their sons, became widely known as the “Fighting McCooks” for their contributions to the war effort.-Biography:McCook was born in Canonsburg,...
State Normal School at Florence
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...
at Florence, the first state-supported teachers college south of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. Shortly thereafter, it became one of the first co-educational institutions in the nation. A year after its becoming a state school, the institution opened its doors to women; however, none attended until 1874, when 31 young women enrolled. The first woman joined the faculty in 1879.
Florence Normal School's Newton W. Bates, professor of language and literature, published his History of Civil Government of Alabama in 1892, the first textbook on the history of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
.
T.S. Stribling, one of the university's most noteworthy alumni, graduated from Florence State Normal School in 1903. He is recognized as one of the leaders of the Southern Renaissance
Southern Renaissance
The Southern Renaissance was the reinvigoration of American Southern literature that began in the 1920s and 1930s with the appearance of writers such as William Faulkner, Caroline Gordon, Elizabeth Madox Roberts, Katherine Anne Porter, Allen Tate, Tennessee Williams, and Robert Penn Warren, among...
for his novels Birthright, The Forge, The Store
The Store
The Store is a 1932 novel by Thomas Sigismund Stribling. It won the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel in 1933. It is the second book of the Vaidan trilogy, comprising The Forge, The Store, and Unfinished Cathedral.-Introduction:...
and the Unfinished Cathedral. The Pulitzer prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning novelist and author also outsold contemporaries William Faulkner
William Faulkner
William Cuthbert Faulkner was an American writer from Oxford, Mississippi. Faulkner worked in a variety of media; he wrote novels, short stories, a play, poetry, essays and screenplays during his career...
and Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
during the interwar period of the 1920s and 1930s.
Florence State Teachers College
The first bachelor’s degrees were awarded in 1931. Less than a decade later, the curriculum was expanded to include a four-year course of study in secondary education. In 1947, the curriculum was expanded again to include A.B. and B.S. degree programs in fields other than teacher training.
Florence State College
Integration at Florence State College
Compared with other southern institutions of higher learning, particularly the universities of Alabama and Mississippi, integration occurred almost painlessly at Florence State College.In 1963, Wendell Wilkie Gunn was the African-American student to enroll successfully at the college. Gunn previously was denied admission, even though he had the support of the college's president and administration. Then-President E.B. Norton reluctantly sent Gunn a letter informing him that the Alabama Legislature
Alabama Legislature
The Alabama Legislature is the legislative branch of the state government of Alabama. It is a bicameral body composed of the Alabama House of Representatives, with 105 members, and the Alabama Senate, with 35 members...
and Board of Education would not allow the college to accept his application. Speaking at UNA in 2005, famed civil rights attorney Fred Gray
Fred Gray
Fred Gray is a civil rights attorney and activist who practices law in Alabama . He served as the President of the National Bar Association in 1985 and the first African-American President of the Alabama State Bar....
, who defended Gunn, recalled that the hearing that ultimately integrated UNA lasted only ten minutes, after which Gunn returned to campus and enrolled successfully. Gray describes the episode as "the easiest case of my civil rights career."
Gunn, who subsequently earned degrees from Florence State College and the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, went on to a distinguished career and was appointed a special assistant to President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
in 1982.
Florence State University
Yet another major milestone was crossed in 1967 when the Alabama Legislature removed jurisdiction for the college from the State Board of Education and vested it in a Board of Trustees. Scarcely a year later, the new board voted for another name change to Florence State University, once again symbolizing the steady expansion of the institution’s academic offerings and mission.Ethelbert Brinkley "E.B." Norton, who was serving as president at the time this name was adopted, is distinguished as the only president in the university's history to preside over three institutional name changes: Florence State Teachers College, followed by Florence State College in 1957, and, roughly a decade later, by Florence State University.
The change of name also was accompanied by an extensive reorganization of the university’s academic and administrative structure, including the establishment of separate schools within the university.
The University of North Alabama
Following a reorganization in 1991, the university's administrative structure consists of four divisions: Academic Affairs, Business Affairs, Student Affairs and Advancement, each headed by a vice president. In 1993, the Board of Trustees, anticipating continued and steady enrollment growth, adopted a new master facilities plan to ensure that UNA ultimately will be equipped to accommodate 10,000 students.
Lamar University
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...
in Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, Texas.
A ghost-ridden campus?
By some accounts, the University of North Alabama campus is ridden with ghosts. One of the most popular ghost stories - once related to incoming freshmen with considerable aplomb by upperclassmen - concerned a young woman named Priscilla who, because of some terrible but undisclosed secret, hanged herself in the elevator shaft of O'Neal Hall, which then functioned as a dormitory. The story holds that she has chosen to spend her afterlife haunting the building and the Guillot University Center that eventually replaced it. Meanwhile, in nearby Norton Auditorium, a ghost affectionately known among the UNA community as George - supposedly a worker who fell to his death from scaffolding while the auditorium was under construction - is frequently heard moving back and forth across the catwalk.Campus
UNA's initial campus facilities master plan was developed by Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
, the same architectural firm that designed New York City's Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
. A copy of the original Olmsted plan is permanently displayed in the President’s Office in Bibb Graves Hall.
The modern campus is distinguished by its shaded walkways, spacious green lawns, fountains, sculptures and historic buildings. UNA also is noted for its three antebellum structures: Wesleyan Hall
University of North Alabama Wesleyan Hall
Wesleyan Hall, constructed in 1856, is one of the oldest structures on the University of North Alabama campus, located in Florence, Alabama.-History:...
; Rogers Hall
University of North Alabama Rogers Hall
Rogers Hall, also known as Courtview and Alumni House, located at 500 Court Street, Florence, Alabama, is a three-story antebellum structure built in 1855...
; and Coby Hall
University of North Alabama Coby Hall
Coby Hall is an antebellum Georgian Revival former residence in Florence, Alabama that now serves as a learning and cultural center for the University of North Alabama.-History:...
. All three buildings are listed in the National Historic Register.
Gifts from friends and alumni and federal grants made possible a massive renovation of the UNA campus to conform with the landscape design originally formulated by Olmstead brothers. The university was transformed into an almost entirely pedestrian campus, with a brick walkway added to simulate the nearby Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
and accented with fountains designed by Hugo Dante, of the Hill and Jangaard architectural firm, of Florence.
Laura Harrison Plaza
George H. Carroll Lion Habitat
The George H. Carroll Lion Habitat is a 12,764 square foot , climate-controlled facility located on the campus the University of North Alabama that houses the only two live lion mascots in the United States, Leo III and Una...
, which houses UNA’s live mascots. Harrison Plaza now constitutes the hub of UNA’s three pedestrian walkways and serves as the official entrance to campus.
Wesleyan Hall and Bell
With its distinctive towers, Wesleyan HallUniversity of North Alabama Wesleyan Hall
Wesleyan Hall, constructed in 1856, is one of the oldest structures on the University of North Alabama campus, located in Florence, Alabama.-History:...
, one of UNA’s most familiar structures, also is considered one of the most eminent landmarks in North Alabama. The Gothic Revival structure was designed to serve LaGrange College when this Methodist institution relocated from Franklin to Lauderdale county and subsequently was renamed Florence Wesleyan University. During the Civil War, Wesleyan Hall was occupied by both Union and Confederate armies. General William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
is considered the most famous Civil War-era occupant of Wesleyan Hall.
After the war, the building was deeded to the state of Alabama and thereafter served as a state normal school.
Howell Heflin
Howell Thomas Heflin was a United States Senator from Tuscumbia, Alabama, and a member of the Democratic Party.-Biography:...
, a native of nearby Tuscumbia. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Adjacent to Wesleyan Hall in a specially constructed tower is the Wesleyan Bell, which tolled regularly throughout the last quarter of the 19th century to summon Florence Normal School students to class. Sometime around 1910, the bell was removed from Wesleyan Hall and stored. Rediscovered in 2002, the 130-year-old Wesleyan Bell was restored to a prominent place on campus following construction of the Smith Bell Tower in 2004.
Rogers Hall (Courtview)
Alabama Legislature
The Alabama Legislature is the legislative branch of the state government of Alabama. It is a bicameral body composed of the Alabama House of Representatives, with 105 members, and the Alabama Senate, with 35 members...
before work could begin. In the fall of 1864, the residence served as the headquarters of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He is remembered both as a self-educated, innovative cavalry leader during the war and as a leading southern advocate in the postwar years...
. Courtview was occupied by members of the Foster family until 1900, when it became the home of Alabama Gov. Emmet O'Neal
Emmet O'Neal
Emmet O'Neal was an American Democratic politician and lawyer who was the 34th Governor of Alabama from 1911 to 1915....
. In the 1920s, the residence was acquired by Thomas M. Rogers, Sr., and in 1948 by the university.
Bibb Graves Hall
Bibb Graves
David Bibb Graves was a Democratic politician and the 38th Governor of Alabama 1927-1931 and 1935–1939, the first Alabama governor to serve two four-year terms.-Early life:...
Hall, named after Alabama’s “Education Governor,” David Bibb Graves, a popular political figure of the state’s New Deal era. Constructed during the administration of Dr. Henry Willingham in 1930 and renovated in 1980 and 1989, Bibb Graves Hall functions as the administrative headquarters of the university and houses the university president, vice president of Academic Affairs and the offices of Admissions, Financial Aid and others. Most history and English lectures are held in Bibb Graves Hall.
Coby Hall
Coby Hall also is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Institute for Learning in Retirement and facilities for Continuing Education and Outreach are located in the building.
The Guillot University Center
The Robert M. Guillot University Center, the hub of student life, is named after one of UNA’s former presidents, who served from 1972 to 1989.
Collier Library
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
Certificate and Collection of T.S. Stribling, one of the South’s premiere novelists and an alumnus of Florence Normal School, also is displayed in the library.
Script collections include those of actors Lucas Black
Lucas Black
Lucas York Black is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles in the CBS television series American Gothic as well as roles in films such as Sling Blade, Jarhead, Friday Night Lights, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Legion, Get Low, and All the Pretty Horses.-Personal...
, Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine is an American actor of television and film. His career has spanned more than six decades. He was an unconventional lead in many films of the 1950s, including his Academy Award-winning turn in the 1955 film Marty...
, Tom Cherones
Tom Cherones
Tom Cherones is an American director and producer of several TV series.-Early life:He grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where his father operated a radio and TV repair shop. His grandfather was a Greek immigrant. From 1961 to 1965, he was a lieutenant in the United States Navy...
, Elinor Donahue and Noble Willingham
Noble Willingham
Noble Henry Willingham, Jr. was an American television and film actor.-Career:Willingham had appeared in more than thirty feature films, including Harry's War , Up Close and Personal , City Slickers , The Last Boy Scout , City Slickers II , Ace Ventura: Pet Detective , Chinatown...
. Also included are the scripts of science fiction legend Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
and the memorabilia of fellow science fiction great, Forrest Ackerman. The Correspondence Collection of UNA alumnus and trustee Ronnie Flippo
Ronnie Flippo
Ronnie Gene Flippo is a former United States Congressman from Alabama.Flippo was born August 15, 1937 in Florence, Alabama. He attended the University of North Alabama and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. This was followed up by a Masters degree in accounting from the University...
, a former U.S. congressman, also is stored in Collier Library.
George Lindsey
George Lindsey is an American character actor, best known for his role as "Goober Pyle" on The Andy Griffith Show, as well as for his tenure on Hee-Haw.-Early life and career :...
Television and Film Collection, part of which is displayed in Norton Auditorium.
The Memorial Amphitheater
The Memorial Amphitheater, located on the grassy commons between Guillot University Center and Collier Library, is another one of the most familiar sites on the University of North Alabama campus. Erected in 1934 as a memorial to World War I veterans, the Amphitheater is used for outdoor plays, concerts and speeches. Much like the nearby Guillot Center, it is a popular site for socializing, lounging and studying between classes.Opler Clock
The Opler Clock is located on Waterloo Road between Floyd Science Building and LaGrange Hall.Keller Hall
Keller Hall serves as the headquarters of UNA’s College of Business, housing the dean, faculty offices, computer labs and classrooms, as well as the Small Business Development Center.
Keller Hall underwent a significant expansion following dedication of the Raburn Wing in 2002. This new addition provides state-of-the-art classrooms and related space for the College of Business.
Willingham Hall
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
in 1939. Willingham Hall currently houses the Department of English and the Department of History and Political Science. It stands on the site of the old Locust Dell Academy, founded by Nicholas Marcellus Hentz and commemorated by a historical marker.
The President’s Home
University of North Alabama President's Home
The President's Home at the University of North Alabama serves as the official residence of the university president.Constructed by the Works Projects Administration and completed in 1940, the residence is currently occupied by President and Mrs. William G. Cale, Jr.-History:Plans for the home were...
, completed in 1941, was constructed by the Works Projects Administration. Currently occupied by President and Mrs. William G. Cale, Jr., the residence is located next to the George H. Carroll Lion Habitat, home of Leo III and Una, the university’s live lion mascots. Overnight guests often are awakened by the lions’ roaring.
East Campus
The University of North Alabama will soon encompass two campuses, following a decision in June, 2006, by the university’s Board of Trustees to purchase J.W. Powell School from the Florence City Schools. The East Campus houses several academic units, including the Office of Continuing Studies and Outreach and the Human Environmental Sciences' state-of-the-art Culinary Facility. The Culinary Arts program is the first and only four-year Culinary Program in a public institution of higher learning in Alabama.Academic programs
Undergraduate Programs
The University of North Alabama offers more than 60 majors through its four colleges.Graduate programs
The University of North Alabama offers graduate programs in business administration; criminal justiceCriminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
; English; community counseling; health promotion and human performance, special education
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
; elementary education; secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
; and educational administration.
Recently, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education
Alabama Commission on Higher Education
The Alabama Commission on Higher Education is the government agency that oversees higher education in the US state of Alabama.Currently, the state is considered a haven for diploma mills, but the state agencies "are planning to seek new legislation during the upcoming legislative session to better...
approved UNA's proposal for a master of arts in history.
The advanced degree program, which began accepting students in spring, 2007, offered a full course load this fall. The university anticipates that the program, which partly was established to meet local demand for such a degree, will attract between 15 and 20 new students each year. Dr. Evan Ward, director of the program, says that all of the instructors are involved in historical research and that the quality of instruction will rival those of institutions offering similar courses of study.
Distinctive academic programs
The University of North Alabama was the first major university to offer a four-year degree in commercial music, which has become one of the university's most successful programs - one that has been enhanced by the development of the UNA Entertainment Industry Center and the addition of an entertainment industry major. UNA commercial music majors have interned in record industry offices in NashvilleNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, and nearby Muscle Shoals
Muscle Shoals, Alabama
Muscle Shoals is a city in Colbert County, Alabama, United States. As of 2007, the United States Census Bureau estimated the population of the city to be 12,846. The city is included in The Shoals MSA. It is famous for its contributions to American popular music.-Geography:Muscle Shoals is located...
, world-renowned for its recording industry.
Speaking in January, 2006, as a guest lecturer for the University of Georgia's
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
business music certificate program, former University of North Alabama student Patterson Hood, songwriter and front man for the nationally acclaimed Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
band Drive-by Truckers
Drive-By Truckers
Drive-By Truckers are an alternative country/Southern rock band based in Athens, Georgia, though three out of six members are originally from The Shoals region of Northern Alabama, and the band strongly identifies with Alabama. Their music uses three guitars as well as bass, drums, and now...
, said he would have welcomed the opportunity to have enrolled in a music business program rather than to have built his career through trial and error. The Florence native had tried but failed to get into UNA's nationally acclaimed commercial music program. "They wouldn't let me in!" he said, still visibly affected by the memory. Hood's father, world renowned bassist David Hood
David Hood
David Hood , is a bassist from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He also plays the trombone and is a member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame....
, also attended UNA.
UNA is one of only 11 schools nationwide that offer an undergraduate degree in industrial hygiene.
In 2007, UNA announced that it would add another course of study to its curriculum - culinary arts - following approval by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education
Alabama Commission on Higher Education
The Alabama Commission on Higher Education is the government agency that oversees higher education in the US state of Alabama.Currently, the state is considered a haven for diploma mills, but the state agencies "are planning to seek new legislation during the upcoming legislative session to better...
in June. The university becomes the first four-year public institution in the state to offer such a program.
Other programs the university characterizes as "regionally unique" include the marine biology
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
and hospitality management
Hospitality management
Hospitality management is the academic study of the hospitality industry. A degree in Hospitality management is often conferred from either a university college dedicated to the studies of hospitality management or a business school with a department in hospitality management studies...
programs.
The University Honors Program
The University of North Alabama Honors Program http://www.una.edu/honors was founded in 2005 and recently graduated its first entering cohort, the Class of 2009. The Honors Program is a distinguished degree option for exceptional students from all majors and colleges on campus. Open primarily to first year students and transfers on a limited basis, the Honors Program consists of 27 credit hours of coursework, social and cultural enrichment programming, a residential home, a civic engagement component, travel opportunities, scholarships, and a capstone project during the senior year. The Capstone Project consists of a final project in the major field of study through independent research and/or through junior and senior seminars. Honors faculty are selected for the enthusiasm for teaching, knowledge in their discipline, and dedication to student learning. Student applicants are recruited from throughout the southeast and evaluated on a holistic basis using standardized test scores, GPA, community service, leadership, and writing ability. Students accepted into the Program must maintain a 3.25 grade point average and participate in Program events. Graduates are entitled to receive diplomas bearing the distinction of “Honors Program” and receive special designation on their transcripts.Accreditations
The University of North Alabama is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Colleges and departments that have earned accreditation include the colleges of Education, Business, and Nursing and Allied Health, and the departments of Social Work (and Criminal Justice), Music, Art and Chemistry and Industrial Hygiene. English as a Second Language program is accredited by the English Language Program Association.The Department of Chemistry also is certified by the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
. The Department of Human Environmental Sciences is endorsed by the National Kitchen and Bath Association.
Rankings
In 2007, UNA was ranked as a top tier public university in the Southern Master’s category of the 2008 U.S. News and World Report’s America’s Best Colleges. UNA placed 56th among Southern universities in 12 states. Among Alabama universities in its category, UNA ranks behind the universities of South AlabamaUniversity of South Alabama
The University of South Alabama is a public, doctoral-level university in Mobile, Alabama, USA. It was created by the Alabama Legislature in 1963, and replaced existing extension programs operated in Mobile by the University of Alabama. No other areas of the state were willing to support such a...
and Montevallo
University of Montevallo
The University of Montevallo is a four-year public university located in Montevallo, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1896, it is Alabama's only public liberal arts college and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. Programs are offered through the Michael E...
and ahead of the Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville State University is a regional public coeducational university located in Jacksonville, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1883, Jacksonville State offers programs of study in four academic units leading to Bachelor's, Master's, and Education Specialist degrees, in addition to continuing and...
, Troy University
Troy University
Troy University is a public university that is located in Troy, Alabama, United States. It was originally founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School. Its main campus enrollment is 7,194 students. The total enrollment of all Troy University campuses is 29,689...
and the University of West Alabama
University of West Alabama
The University of West Alabama is a public university located in Livingston, Alabama, United States. It is currently on probation with its regional accrediting body....
.
UNA’s admissions standards are rated as "selective" – a rating shared by the vast majority of other publicly supported regional universities.
International emphasis
American Council on Education
The American Council on Education is a United States organization, established in 1918, comprising over 1,800 accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities and higher education-related associations, organizations, and corporations....
, the University of North Alabama, then known as Florence State College, had only 3 international students enrolled during the 1966-67 academic year — 2 undergraduate students and 1 graduate student, all from the Middle East. However, during the Robert Potts administration, UNA undertook a concerted effort to diversify its student body by recruiting individuals from throughout the world. By 2004, international enrollment had grown to nearly 300 students representing 35 countries.
Charmy Gupta, an MBA student from Gujarat, India, was selected as the 2007 Homecoming Queen, a notable example of the integral role international students now serve within the UNA community.
Media
- The Diorama, UNA’s student-run yearbook, has won numerous awards competing at the national level with other yearbooks.
- The Flor-Ala, named after Florence, Alabama, has functioned as the school newspaper since 1931. Published in 29 issues each year, the paper is run by UNA students who serve in all facets of news gathering, writing and production. The Flor-Ala is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press.
- Lights & Shadows, published once a year, is the university’s award-winning literary and art magazine. Originally started as a publication of the Florence State Teachers College English Club in 1956, the magazine has earned numerous awards, including first place in the Southern Literary Association’s annual competition.
Athletics
UNA operates a successful collegiate athletic program in NCAA Division II's Gulf South ConferenceGulf South Conference
The Gulf South Conference is a College Athletic Conference which operates in the southeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division II.-History:...
. The North Alabama Lions football, men's basketball, and women's volleyball teams have each won national championships.
Greek life
Fraternities
The threat apparently worked. Successfully chartered fraternity chapters - Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega is a secret American leadership and social fraternity.The Fraternity has more than 250 active and inactive chapters, more than 200,000 initiates, and over 7,000 active undergraduate members. The 200,000th member was initiated in early 2009...
, Delta Chi
Delta Chi
Delta Chi or D-Chi is an international Greek letter college social fraternity formed on October 13, 1890,at Cornell University, initially as a professional fraternity for law students. On April 29, 1922, Delta Chi became a general membership social fraternity, eliminating the requirement for men...
, Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma , commonly nicknamed Kappa Sig, is an international fraternity with currently 282 active chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 240,000 men on college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Today, the Fraternity has over 175,000 living...
, Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Gamma Delta
The international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
, Pi Kappa Alpha
Pi Kappa Alpha
Pi Kappa Alpha is a Greek social fraternity with over 230 chapters and colonies and over 250,000 lifetime initiates in the United States and Canada.-History:...
, Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
and Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
- subsequently began acquiring off-campus lodges that over time were upgraded to or replaced by fraternity houses. Kappa Sigma's Lambda-Omicron chapter was the first chapter to acquire an off-campus lodge, the site of the present-day Off-Campus Bookstore.
Kappa Sigma's Lambda-Omicron chapter was the first fraternity to construct a house on UNA's fraternity row, which opened on April 4, 1984.
Sororities
Alpha Delta Pi
Alpha Delta Pi is a fraternity founded on May 15, 1851 at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The Executive office for this sorority is located on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. Alpha Delta Pi is one of the two "Macon Magnolias," a term used to celebrate the bonds it shares with Phi Mu...
, Alpha Gamma Delta
Alpha Gamma Delta
Alpha Gamma Delta is an international women's fraternity, who are mainly sluts, founded in 1904 at Syracuse University. The Fraternity promotes academic excellence, philanthropic giving, ongoing leadership and personal development, and a spirit of loving sisterhood. Also known as "Alpha Gam" and...
, Alpha Omiron Pi (no longer on campus), Phi Mu
Phi Mu
Phi Mu is the second oldest female fraternal organization established in the United States. It was founded at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The organization was founded as the Philomathean Society on January 4, 1852, and was announced publicly on March 4 of the same year...
, and Zeta Tau Alpha
Zeta Tau Alpha
Zeta Tau Alpha is a women's fraternity, founded October 15, 1898 at the State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia. The Executive office is located in Indianapolis, Indiana...
.
Young women interested in joining the emerging Greek system were encouraged to sign up for recruitment and subsequently were divided into several groups to visit rooms on campus assigned to sorority recruiters. In the interest of fairness, only four alumnae could be present in each of these rooms while recruiting occurred.
According to an article on UNA Greek life in the 1982 Diorama, the first historically African-American sorority chartered on campus, Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
, arrived in 1980, closely followed by its rival, Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...
.
Founded in 2006, Alpha Delta Chi is a Christian Sisterhood at UNA. The sisters aim to strengthen the spiritual lives of the members, serve the campus and community, promote scholastic achievement, and provide spiritual fellowship from the community in Christ. The group functions as a student organization outside the Greek system.
Greek system today
President Guillot's decision to organize a UNA Greek system initially was greeted with strong opposition by some segments of the administration. Previous attempts to establish a Greek community had been successfully resisted for years.Nevertheless, almost two generations after its founding, UNA Greek life is alive and well, even though fraternities and sororities combined represent slightly less than 10 percent of the undergraduate student population. Despite these comparatively small numbers, Greeks historically have exerted a major influence on virtually every facet of student life at UNA.
Inter-Fraternity Council
Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega is a secret American leadership and social fraternity.The Fraternity has more than 250 active and inactive chapters, more than 200,000 initiates, and over 7,000 active undergraduate members. The 200,000th member was initiated in early 2009...
, Founded January, 1974
Delta Chi
Delta Chi
Delta Chi or D-Chi is an international Greek letter college social fraternity formed on October 13, 1890,at Cornell University, initially as a professional fraternity for law students. On April 29, 1922, Delta Chi became a general membership social fraternity, eliminating the requirement for men...
, Founded September, 2006
Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma , commonly nicknamed Kappa Sig, is an international fraternity with currently 282 active chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 240,000 men on college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Today, the Fraternity has over 175,000 living...
, Founded May 4, 1974
Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Gamma Delta
The international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
, Founded March 23, 1974
Pi Kappa Alpha
Pi Kappa Alpha
Pi Kappa Alpha is a Greek social fraternity with over 230 chapters and colonies and over 250,000 lifetime initiates in the United States and Canada.-History:...
, Founded March 3, 1974
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
, Founded February 24, 1989
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
, Founded April 20, 1974
National Panhellenic Council
Alpha Delta PiAlpha Delta Pi
Alpha Delta Pi is a fraternity founded on May 15, 1851 at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The Executive office for this sorority is located on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. Alpha Delta Pi is one of the two "Macon Magnolias," a term used to celebrate the bonds it shares with Phi Mu...
, Founded February 17, 1973
Alpha Gamma Delta
Alpha Gamma Delta
Alpha Gamma Delta is an international women's fraternity, who are mainly sluts, founded in 1904 at Syracuse University. The Fraternity promotes academic excellence, philanthropic giving, ongoing leadership and personal development, and a spirit of loving sisterhood. Also known as "Alpha Gam" and...
, Founded 1975
Phi Mu
Phi Mu
Phi Mu is the second oldest female fraternal organization established in the United States. It was founded at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The organization was founded as the Philomathean Society on January 4, 1852, and was announced publicly on March 4 of the same year...
, Founded March 2, 1973
Zeta Tau Alpha
Zeta Tau Alpha
Zeta Tau Alpha is a women's fraternity, founded October 15, 1898 at the State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia. The Executive office is located in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, Founded March 3, 1973
National Pan-Hellenic Council
Alpha Phi AlphaAlpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
, local chapter founded January 17, 1975
Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
, local chapter founded October 10, 1976
Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
, local chapter founded December 4, 2010 (initially colonized December 2, 1998)
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...
Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
, local chapter founded April 12, 1980
Zeta Phi Beta
Zeta Phi Beta
Zeta Phi Beta is an international, historically black Greek-lettered sorority and a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.Zeta Phi Beta is organized into 800+ chapters, in eight intercontinental regions including the USA, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean...
, local chapter founded November 22, 2003
Traditions
| UNA Fight Song |
| Go, Fight for U-N-A |
| We are behind you all the way |
| Go Fight! Win Ole U-N-A |
| The Purple and Gold is here to stay |
| We'll roar on to victory |
| We'll send that team back on their way |
| Go! Fight! U-N-A |
| We are behind you all the way |
| (Cheer) |
| Go! Fight! U-N-A |
| Go! Fight! U-N-A |
| Go! Fight! U-N-A |
| Go-Fight-Lions! |
School colors
"Lion Pride" and "Pride Rock"
"Lion Pride" is a term frequently used by members of the UNA community to describe the intense level of commitment to school traditions and activities reflected among students, alumni and friends of the university.Perhaps nowhere is this level of commitment more strongly expressed than in the university's Pride Rock tradition, which began in 1994. Pride Rock is a 60-pound, engraved granite stone bearing the actual paw print of Leo II, UNA's second live lion mascot. Placed just behind the north end zone of all UNA home games, Pride Rock is touched by players as they file past on their way to the field. Pride Rock serves not only as a motivational tool for the players but also as a tangible expression of the deep well of pride, community and tradition associated with the University of North Alabama and particularly with its athletic program.
Leos I and II
The Shoals
The Shoals is a metropolitan area in northwestern Alabama, officially known as the Florence-Muscle Shoals Metropolitan Area, including the cities of Florence, Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia, and Sheffield, and the counties of Lauderdale and Colbert...
community resulted in Leo II being brought to UNA in July 1988. Leo II lived in the compound that once housed the original Leo and grew to a weight of more than 600 pounds at eleven years of age. In 1997, Leo II was selected as the nation's "Second Best Mascot" by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. He died in February, 2000.
Leo III and Una
George H. Carroll Lion Habitat
The George H. Carroll Lion Habitat is a 12,764 square foot , climate-controlled facility located on the campus the University of North Alabama that houses the only two live lion mascots in the United States, Leo III and Una...
. UNA's other mascots, students who don lion costumes (one male one female) to cheer the Lions and entertain the crowd, also represents the school at athletic games and other university functions. Tryouts are held each year and the identity of the students are kept secret for as long as possible.
Miss UNA Scholarship Pageant
The Miss UNA Scholarship Pageant is an official preliminary for the Miss Alabama/Miss America Pageant. The Miss UNA Scholarship pageant has been a UNA tradition for over 31 years. The pageant provides an opportunity for the university's young women to compete in the following categories for scholarship money and prizes. In 2007 over $12,000 in scholarships and prizes was awarded to the contestants. Each young woman is encouraged and mentored to develop skills that will enrich her personal and professional life beyond her university experience. Miss University of North Alabama spends her year in service to the university and Shoals Area community. She promotes the platform of her choice, makes official appearances as a university representative, and represents the university at the Miss Alabama Scholarship Pageant.
Spirit Hill Tailgating and Lion Walk
Braly Municipal Stadium
Tom Braly Municipal Stadium is a stadium in Florence, Alabama. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the University of North Alabama Lions and the Florence High School Falcons...
, has developed into a major UNA tradition, thanks largely to the efforts of former Athletic Director Joel Erdmann. Erdmann enlisted the UNA Greek community, general student organizations and alumni to expand this tradition, which previously was lacking.
Pride of Dixie Marching Band
The University of North Alabama Pride of Dixie Marching Band, or POD, is the official marching band of the University of North Alabama. The POD is the largest organization on campus, and performs at all North Alabama Lions football home games, as well as local parades and high school competition...
. The parade is held before every UNA home game.
UNA's "Pride of Dixie" Marching Band
The Pride of Dixie Marching BandPride of Dixie Marching Band
The University of North Alabama Pride of Dixie Marching Band, or POD, is the official marching band of the University of North Alabama. The POD is the largest organization on campus, and performs at all North Alabama Lions football home games, as well as local parades and high school competition...
was begun in 1949. The Marching Band has represented the university at many different events during the past 60 years, perhaps most notably performing for President Jimmy Carter during his historic 1980 visit to neighboring Tuscumbia.
The band also appeared in the award-winning movie, Blue Sky, starring Jessica Lange
Jessica Lange
Jessica Phyllis Lange is an American actress who has worked in film, theatre and television. The recipient of several awards, including two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes and one Emmy, Lange is regarded as one of the première female actors of her generation.Lange was discovered by producer...
, Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones is an American actor and film director. He has received three Academy Award nominations, winning one as Best Supporting Actor for the 1993 thriller film The Fugitive....
and Powers Booth. The Marching Band also has recorded a CD with famed musician and producer Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (musician)
Jimmy Johnson is an American a member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section that was attached to FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama for a period in the 1960s and 1970s, and later was the a founder of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio located at first on 3614 Jackson Highway in Sheffield, Alabama and at...
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With more than 210 members, the group is the largest organization on campus and serves as a major contributor to school spirit, especially at athletic events. The UNA Marching Band performs at all home football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
games, local parades and travels the state performing in exhibition at high school competitions. They are known for precision marching and drill design, while entertaining with strongly played jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
standards.
Step Sing
In the spring, Step Sing is a well-attended event in Norton Auditorium sponsored by the University Program Council featuring take-offs of musical comedy production numbers by campus organizations. Money raised from ticket sales supports the local United Way.Baker roots
James Baker
James Addison Baker, III is an American attorney, politician and political advisor.Baker served as the Chief of Staff in President Ronald Reagan's first administration and in the final year of the administration of President George H. W. Bush...
, III, stumbled upon a major family discovery sparked by a visit to Florence, where he delivered the 2002 annual commencement address at the University of North Alabama - a discovery he discusses in his autobiography "Work Hard, Study...and Stay out of Politics." The former secretary's ancestors resided in antebellum Florence before settling in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
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