Southern Arkansas University
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Southern Arkansas University, formerly the Third District Agricultural School serves as a public four-year institution. It is located in Magnolia, Arkansas.
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[edit] History
Southern Arkansas University was founded as the Third District Agricultural School in 1909. One of four such schools established by the Arkansas Legislature in that year. It officially opened in January 1911 as a district secondary school for southwest Arkansas. In 1925, the State Legislature authorized the school to add two years of college work to its curriculum and to change its name to Agricultural and Mechanical College, Third District.
It carried both high school and junior college courses until 1937, at which time the high school courses were discontinued. In the fall of 1949, the Board of Trustees, exercising authority vested in it by the State Legislature, decided to make the college into a four-year, degree-granting institution. The Board authorized the adding of third-year college courses to begin with the fall semester of 1950, and fourth-year or senior courses to begin with the fall semester of 1951. By Act Eleven, January 24, 1951, the State Legislature changed the name of the institution to Southern State College. In 1975, the college was approved and accredited to offer a master of education degree in selected academic areas. The name was changed to Southern Arkansas University on July 9, 1976. Southwest Technical Institute in Camden, Arkansas, joined the SAU system as Southern Arkansas University Tech in 1975.
[edit] Athletics
The university's athletic nicknames are Muleriders and Lady Muleriders. The Muleriders take their name from the legend that the football team in the early 1900s had to ride mules from the college's agricultural department to catch the nearest train 6 miles north of the college in order to reach out-of-town football games. The teams are the only sports team in the US with the nickname and are often listed in top 10 lists of the most unusual or unique mascot names.
[edit] Facilities
The university operates eight residence halls: Honors Hall North and South, Bussey Hall (women only), Greene Hall (men only), Harrod Hall, Talbot Hall, Talley Hall, and East Hall.[1] East Hall is the site of Residential College (Southern Arkansas University), a special program for freshmen which builds community and contact with faculty.[2].
[edit] Notable Alumni
- Tommy Tuberville- Head football coach at Auburn University
- Tracy Lawrence- Award winning country music performer
[edit] Location
Southern Arkansas University is located in Magnolia, Arkansas which, as of the census of 2000, has a population of 10,858. The city is situated in the southwestern part of the state 55 miles east of Texarkana on U.S. Routes 79, 82, and 371.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.saumag.edu/student_affairs/university_housing/halls.asp
- ^ http://www.saumag.edu/student_affairs/residential_college/
[edit] External links
| Gulf South Conference |
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| Western Division: Arkansas Monticello • Arkansas Tech • Christian Brothers • Delta State • Harding • Henderson State • Ouachita Baptist • Southern Arkansas Eastern Division: Alabama Huntsville • Montevallo • North Alabama • Valdosta State • West Alabama • West Florida • West Georgia |
| Public Colleges and Universities in Arkansas |
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| Arkansas • Arkansas-Fort Smith • Arkansas-Little Rock • Arkansas-Monticello • Arkansas-Medical Sciences • Arkansas-Pine Bluff • Arkansas State • Arkansas Tech • Central Arkansas • Henderson State • Southern Arkansas |
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