SOUTHERN NAZARENE UNIVERSITY

'Southern Nazarene University (SNU)' is a Christian liberal arts college located on a 40-acre campus^[1] in Bethany, Oklahoma. SNU is one of eight colleges and universities affliated with the Church of the Nazarene in the United States. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, specifically the Higher Learning Commission, and a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).

Contents

Affiliation

History

The ''Transforming Vision'' Campaign

Academics

Campus Life

Campus Publications

Student government

Athletics

Spiritual development

Housing

Notes and references

External links

See also

Affiliation

As one of eight U.S. liberal arts colleges^[2] and universities affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene,^[3] SNU is the college for the "South Central Region"^[4] of the United States. Although its name might suggest that it is the college for the "Southern" region, no such region currently exists.^[5] In terms of the Church of the Nazarene, the "South Central Region" is comprised of the Northwest Oklahoma, Northeast Oklahoma, Southwest Oklahoma, Southeast Oklahoma, West Texas, South Texas, Dallas, North Arkansas, South Arkansas, and Louisiana districts, which include Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and most of Texas. Prior the establishment of Mid-America Nazarene College in Olathe, Kansas in 1966, SNU's region was larger than it is currently. Each college receives financial backing from the Nazarene churches on its region; part of each church budget is paid into a fund for its regional school. Each college or university is also bound by a gentlemen's agreement not to actively recruit outside its respective "educational region."^[6]

History

SNU's history is one of various mergers, and, therefore one of several differing institutions.^[7] While SNU claims its founding date as 1899, that founding date refers to another institution that merged with what is now SNU, while the current campus and college date back to 1906.
Texas Holiness University was established in 1899, by one A.M. Hills, at Peniel, a small holiness community outside Greenville, Texas. It was sponsored by the Holiness Association of Texas, but the association disbanded in 1910 after many of its members united with the Nazarenes. The school became a Nazarene institution, supported by the Dallas District. In 1920, Peniel College (as it had been renamed) merged with Oklahoma Nazarene College in Bethany, Oklahoma.
A school founded by Fannie Suddarth opened in Vilonia, Arkansas opened in 1900. It was thought to have a Free Methodist affiliation but became a part of the Eastern Council of the Holiness Church of Christ in 1906. After the Holiness Church of Christ merged with the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene, the school functioned under the Arkansas District. Arkansas Holiness College, as it was called, merged with the college at Bethany in 1931.
Mattie Hoke founded a Bible school in Hutchinson, Kansas in 1905. It was supported by a local holiness
congregation, later by the Kansas and Nebraska Districts of the Church of the Nazarene. In 1940, its financial situation overwhelmed it and it merged with the college at Bethany.^[8]
Another school was established at Pilot Point, Texas in 1905 by the Holiness Church of Christ. After the Holiness Church of Christ merged with the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene in 1908, the school was renamed Nazarene Bible Institute and became an official institution of the Abilene District. Then, in 1911, it was moved to Hamlin, Texas near Abilene, and renamed Central Nazarene University. It later merged in the early 1930’s with the college at Bethany, Oklahoma.

The roots of Oklahoma Holiness College, the original "Southern Nazarene University," are in the Oklahoma Orphanage in downtown Oklahoma City, founded by Mattie Mallory. Mallory used her inheritance to buy property north of Oklahoma City, which she named Beulah Heights, and relocated the orphanage there. Later, in 1906, Beulah Heights Academy and Bible School opened. In 1909, the holiness community became Nazarene, and new property was purchased to the west of Oklahoma City. As its church base swelled within the new community known as Bethany, the college’s financial problems proved less threatening than those at other institutions. Historian Timothy Smith wrote, "It eventually outdistanced and absorbed the schools at Hutchinson, Kansas, Peniel and Hamlin, Texas, Vilonia, Arkansas, and Des Arc, Missouri. Bethany became the Nazarene center for the whole Southwest.”^[9]
In 1988, the name was changed from Bethany Nazarene College to Southern Nazarene University.^[10]

The ''Transforming Vision'' Campaign

This is the first major change to the campus since 1988. There are four major aspects to the campaign: Marchant Center, Centennial Gates, Parker Center, and Science Hall renewal, in addition to a remodel and update of most of educational buildings, wireless network access in every campus building, and new campus art throughout.

Academics

As a liberal arts college, SNU provides students undergraduate degree options in several different fields of interest. It also offers three graduate degrees within seven program areas as well as five adult studies programs and four associate's degree programs.

Campus Life

SNU provides several housing opportunities for residential students and various opportunities for student involvement on campus, from athletics to campus publications, theatre, and student government. As a Christian institution, there is also an emphasis on spiritual development.

Campus Publications

The campus newspaper is called ''The Echo'', formerly ''The Reveille Echo'', and is published weekly. The campus yearbook is called ''The Arrow'' and is published annually.

Student government

The Student Government Association (SGA) of SNU is committed to providing events and services to the students of SNU. The SGA is broken up into five councils: Campus Ministries, Community Relations, Publicity, Social Life, and Student Services.^[11]

Athletics

SNU is a member of the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) and in Region VI of the NAIA Division I schools. SNU offers 17 sports for men and women, including programs in baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, indoor track, soccer, tennis, track and field, softball, and volleyball.^[12] SNU also competes in equestrian events, cheerleading^[13], and drumline.^[14]
SNU's mascot is the Crimson Storm (and Lady Storm). Until 1999, the mascot was the Redskins, but SNU officials adopted the Crimson Storm in an effort to be more politically correct. In 2003, SNU unvieled the "Thunder Cat," who is present at SNU's home games.
The SNUPY Awards are held annually every spring to honor the achievements of student athletes both on the field and in the classroom.
There are five facilities and sites for athletic competition and training at SNU. These include the ''Sawyer Center'' (1998) with a capacity of 5,000, ''SNU Memorial Stadium'' (2001) with a capacity of 3,500, the ''Claud & Bett Cypert Athletic Complex'' (2000) with a capacity of 1,500 for baseball and 500 for softball, the ''Wanda Rhodes Soccer Complex'' (1978) with a capacity of 1,500, and the SNU tennis courts (1985).

Spiritual development

It is the intent that spiritual formation, therefore, pervade the work of the entire university community. Commitment to principles of Christian faith, excellence in learning, and integrity of learning are thought to translate into a supportive, caring environment, where close friendships develop and where students and faculty can grow together.
To facilitate this, SNU has an Office of Spiritual Development, presided over by a Vice President of Spiritual Development. Chapel services meet each Tuesday and Wednesday at SNU. The University invites a variety of speakers, and students are not only encouraged to expand their worldview, challenged by the implications of their faith, but to attend and participate in weekly services as part of a local Christian congregation.

Housing

Dormitories and places of residency include ''Asbury Apartments'' for men and women, ''Bracken Hall'' for upperclassmen men, ''Chapman Apartments'' for Juniors, international students, and married couples, ''Imel Townhouses'' for Juniors, ''Garey Hall'' for upperclassmen women, ''Hatley Hall'' for freshmen and upperclassmen women, and ''Snowbarger Hall'' for freshmen and upperclassmen men. Residency requires the purchase of a meal plan from the campus food service Sodexho.

Notes and references

1. SNU About Page
2. Eastern Nazarene College is the only Nazarene institution to retain the "college" moniker. Different states hold different standards, but none of the Nazarene liberal arts colleges fit the standard national definition of a ''research university''.
3. ''LIBERAL ARTS AND THE PRIORITIES OF NAZARENE HIGHER EDUCATION'' by J. Matthew Price, Ph.D.
4. South Central Region
5. Eastern and Northwest are the only Nazarene schools to use their regional names. The lack of accuracy is odd, considering the fact that its name was changed from Bethany Nazarene College to Southern Nazarene University in 1988 (see History below for more notes). MidAmerica's name is descriptive of a general location, but SNU's name makes less sense when there is no "Southern Region" and, were there to be, Trevecca is still the college for the traditional American "South".
6. Nazarene Educational Regions
7. "Why These Schools? Historical Perspectives on Nazarene Higher Education," by Stan Ingersol
8. In 1966, Mid-America Nazarene College was formed in Olathe, Kansas. Hutchinson and Bethany are 216 miles apart, Olathe and Bethany are 333 miles apart, and Olathe and Hutchinson are 199 miles apart. The three sites form a rather close triangle of decisions made and changed 28 years later.
9. Timothy Smith, ''Called Unto Holiness'', pp. 226–227. found in "Why These Schools? Historical Perspectives on Nazarene Higher Education," by Stan Ingersol
10. This is a curious development, considering the fact that its name was changed after the creation of Mid-America Nazarene College in 1966 and Mount Vernon Nazarene College in 1968, and the subsequent re-arrangement of educational regions. See the section on Affiliation for more notes.
11. Student Government Association
12. SNU Sports Page
13. SNU Cheerleading
14. SNU Drumline

External links

★ Southern Nazarene University

See also

★ Nazarene International Education Association

★ List of Church of the Nazarene schools