Denison University

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Denison University
DenisonUniversitySeal.png
Established 1831
Type Private school
Religious affiliation No church affiliation (formerly Baptist)
Endowment $592 million[1]
President Dale T. Knobel
Admin. staff 212 full-time faculty
Undergraduates 2,132
Location Granville, Ohio, United States
Campus Rural, 900 acres (3.6 km2) plus a 550-acre (2.2 km2) biological reserve.
Athletics 23 varsity teams, NCAA Division III, Member North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC),
Colors Red and White         
Mascot Big Red
Website www.denison.edu
Dulogo.jpg

Founded in 1831, Denison University is a private, coeducational, and residential college of liberal arts and sciences. Denison University is located in Granville, Ohio, approximately 30 miles (50 km) east of Columbus, the state capital. It is a member of the Five Colleges of Ohio, the Great Lakes Colleges Association, and the North Coast Athletic Conference.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Founding & Early Years

A view of Swasey Chapel from the west

On December 13, 1831, John Pratt, the college's first president and a graduate of Brown University, inaugurated classes at the Granville Literary and Theological Institution.[2] Situated on a 200-acre farm south of the village of Granville, it was the first Baptist college west of the Allegheny mountains.[3] While rooted in theological education, the institution submitted students to the same literary and scientific instruction common to other colleges of the day.[4] The first term included 37 students, 27 of whom hailed from Granville; nearly half of these students were under fifteen years of age.[5] The school's first Commencement, which graduated three classical scholars, was held in 1840.[6]

In 1845, the institution, which at this point was male-only, officially changed its name to Granville College.[7] In 1853, William S. Denison, a Muskingum County farmer, pledged $10,000 toward the college's endowment. Honoring an earlier commitment, the trustees accordingly changed the name of the institution to Denison University. They also voted to move the college to land then available for purchase in the village of Granville.[8]

In the years leading up to the Civil War, many students and faculty members at Denison University became heavily involved in the anti-slavery movement. Professor Asa Drury, the chair of Greek and Latin studies, became the leader of a local anti-slavery society, while Bancroft House, now a residential hall, served as a stop on the Underground Railroad.[9][10]

[edit] Expansion

The roots of coeducation at Denison University began in December 1832 with the establishment of the Granville Female Seminary, founded by Charles Sawyer a year before Oberlin launched the first coeducational college in the United States.[11][12] The seminary was superseded by the Young Ladies' Institute, founded in 1859 by Dr. and Mrs. Nathan S. Burton.[13] The Young Ladies' Institute was sold to Reverend Dr. Daniel Shepardson in 1868 and was renamed the Shepardson College for Women in 1886.[14] Shepardson College was incorporated as part of Denison University in 1900, with the two colleges becoming fully consolidated in 1927.[15][16]

In 1887, Denison inaugurated a master's program, with resident graduates pursuing advanced studies in the sciences.[17] Within a few years, the institution considered offering graduate programs on the doctoral level.[18] In 1926, the Board of Trustees formalized a new curriculum that would make Denison University an exclusively undergraduate institution.[19]

In the wake of Shepardson College's incorporation, Denison University made plans for enlargement of its campus. In 1916, the college sought the expertise of the Frederick Law Olmsted & Sons architectural firm, the founder of which had designed Central Park in New York City. The resulting "Olmstead Plan" laid a foundation for expansion that has remained the guiding aesthetic for subsequent growth, establishing and maintaining a pedestrian-friendly campus, while also preserving scenic views of the surrounding hills and valleys. Expansion during this period included the acquisiton of land to the north and east, the transfer of Shepardson College to the east ridge of College Hill, and the development of a new men's quadrangle beyond the library.[20]

[edit] Recent History

While the college's origins were rooted in theological education, Denison University has been a non-sectarian institution since the 1960s.[21] By 1970, the college reached its present size of approximately 2,000 students.[22]

[edit] Campus

The campus size is about 900 acres (4 km²). This includes a 550 acre (1.4 km²) biological reserve just east of campus, where professors of sciences like geology and biology can hold class.

[edit] Students

As of the 2010-11 school year, 2,132 students are enrolled at Denison. They come from 46 states, Washington, DC, and 25 countries. A full-time faculty of 212 professors makes the student-to-faculty ratio 10:1.[23] Over the past several years, Denison University has made great strides in attracting a diverse student population, and multicultural students now represent 25 percent of the current first-year class. The college's students, faculty and staff were honored in 2008 by the State of Ohio for "promoting understanding, racial unity and the appreciation of diversity."[24]

The university currently has a 49% acceptance rate; out of 4,720 applicants for the class of 2014, 2,328 were accepted and 625 enrolled.[25]

[edit] Awards & Recognition

[edit] Academics

Denison offers three types of degrees: B.A., B.S., and B.F.A. The most popular majors are Economics, Biology, Communication, Psychology, History, and English. Students can create their own major (called an interdepartmental major) or choose among the following. A few of these subjects are concentrations only and are not offered as majors.

[edit] Programs

[edit] Academic Affairs Administration

[edit] Student Life

[edit] Student Housing

Denison is a strictly residential campus that features a mixture of historic and contemporary buildings. Housing options include single, double, triple, and quadruple rooms, as well as suites of six. However the eight and nine person rooms have been changed to six person suites. There are various apartments across campus and several satellite houses for seniors.

The Homestead, a student-run community with a focus on ecological sustainability, is an alternative student housing option to dormitories and campus apartments. Twelve students live and work together each semester to promote a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Students living at the Homestead are responsible for cooking weekly meals, sharing chores, and attending weekly meetings.

[edit] Career Services

[edit] Health & Counseling Services

[edit] Multi-Cultural Student Affairs

[edit] Center for Religious & Spiritual Life

The Center for Religious and Spiritual Life is dedicated to fostering religious understanding and spiritual enhancement within the Denison community. We support experiences for the care and expression of all recognized religious traditions on campus. In celebration of our diversity, we also offer inter-religious experiences and dialogue which are central to the mission of the College.

[edit] The Lilly Program

The Lilly Program provides opportunities for students in various settings to reflect upon their career paths and the relationship between their plans and personal values. Additionally, professional careers in religion may be explored, such as through internships.

[edit] Student Organizations

The Denison Campus Governance Association (DCGA) is the Denison student governing body, in which all students are members.[26] The DCGA Student Senate is the primary representative body of students on Denison's campus, and it has been involved in various student initiatives: from postponing quiet hours in the fall of 2007 to drafting the Code of Academic Integrity adopted in the fall of 2009[27] to encouraging the University President to sign onto the Presidents' Climate Commitment.[28] The DCGA Senate Finance Committee is responsible for financially supporting over 100 student clubs and organizations with a budget of over $800,000, providing the Denison community with opportunities to participate in athletics, write for several publications, volunteer in the local community, learn about various cultures, and attend well-known speakers, among other endeavors. They hold an annual Denison Day (or "DDay" for short) concert, which has featured artists such as Ben Folds, The Roots, Reel Big Fish, and Mos Def.

The University Programming Council (UPC) is the main programming body on campus. It annually brings in concerts, comedians, hypnotists, and other forms of entertainment to campus. Other organizations on campus which bring speakers and films include the Denison Film Society (DFS) and the Denison Lecture Series.

The campus radio station, WDUB, features 24 hour programming and broadcasts both on the airwaves 91.1 FM and online at www.doobieradio.com The station was notably featured in American Eagle stores across the country through the summer of 2009.

The Denisonian is the oldest student organization on campus and prints ten issues per semester.

[edit] Service Learning & Community Service

Alford Center

The Alford Center was established in 1997 through a bequest from local philanthropist John W. Alford. The Center provides resources and support for Denison students, faculty and staff to address community issues through volunteerism and service learning courses. The Center also administers an America Reads literacy program serving 10 Licking County elementary schools. In 2009, Denison students committed more than 37,000 hours to community service.

Denison Community Association

Denison Community Association (DCA) is a volunteer service organization, led by students and entirely student operated. DCA is the umbrella organization for 24 committees that recruit and train Denison students to volunteer at local community sites.

[edit] Athletics

Denison is a member of the NCAA and the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). Denison participates as a Division III institution which prohibits athletic scholarships. Denison has won nine (9) consecutive NCAC All-Sports Championships for a total of ten (10) since the founding of the conference in 1984-85. Denison's other All Sports Championship came in 1985-86, and both the consecutive championships streak and the total of ten represent conference records.

The most successful teams are led by the Men's and Women's Swimming programs. In 2001, the women won the NCAA Division III national championship, unseating perennial champion and local rivalKenyon College. In 2006 and again in 2007, the men placed 2nd in the nation; the women's and men's teams each finished in 3rd in the nation in 2008 and again in 2009. Plans are currently underway to expand Denison's athletic facility to include a new state of the art natatorium. The squash program is also a perennial national contender. Other top ranked programs include lacrosse, soccer, baseball, softball, and women's tennis. The Denison women's tennis team finished their 2008 season ranked 3rd in the country. Also, for the first time in school history their #1 doubles team made it all the way to the championship match in the individual national competition. The women's softball team had a record breaking season in the spring of 2008 also. They advanced farther in the NCAA tournament than any other team has since softball became a varsity sport at Denison in 1997. They competed in the regional final against Muskingum College in Glassboro, NJ. and in the final D3 season rankings the softball team was ranked 22nd in the nation. The lacrosse and soccer games against Ohio Wesleyan University are the most widely attended "rivalry" games. Also, the Kenyon/Denison swimming rivalry is recognized in small-college sports.

Woody Hayes, later renowned as the head coach at Ohio State University, graduated from Denison in 1935, having served as captain of the football team the previous fall, and served as the university's head football coach from 1946 to 1948.

[edit] Greek Life

Denison has seven fraternities and five sororities. Fewer students are currently participating in Greek life than they have historically. In the 1980s, over 60% of the student body belonged to a Greek organization. Currently, Greek participation by students is about 40%, with more women participating than men. Greek organizations are governed by an Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council.

During the mid-1990s, in an effort to re-brand the college as more of an academic, and less of a party, institution, the college's trustees and then-President Michele Tolela Myers elected to make Denison a "non-residential" Greek system.[citation needed] The decision led to student and alumni uproar, with a low-grade riot erupting on the campus' "Fraternity Row" as a result with the administration calling in the National Guard to maintain order.[citation needed] The decision turned most of the formerly-residential fraternity houses into general college residential halls, and each chapter was given lounge space in the basement of each respective house for official fraternity functions (including chapter meetings). The change to a non-residential Greek system, combined with a reduction in the number of fraternities, accounts for most of the reduction in the student Greek participation between the current and historic levels. An underground chapter of Phi Gamma Delta still operates, despite expulsion in 2007. There is also an group of students who are ineligible for Greek Life forming an underground chapter of Kappa Sigma in addition to the newly recolonized chapter established in 2009.

The fraternities are:

The sororities are:

Many of the former residential Fraternity Houses have been renamed and are currently used for student housing. Greek-housing was removed from Denison campus due to many alcohol related incidents in the late 80s and early 90s.

Some of these former houses, such as the Beta Theta Pi House, Sigma Chi House, and Kappa Sigma House, are still owned by national fraternities and rented to the college.

[edit] Traditions & Folklore

[edit] D-Day

D-Day, the successor to the college's old Scrap Day, is a celebration of the entire college, held twice a year.[29]

[edit] Mt. Denison

Kirtley Mather, Class of 1909, named the tallest peak in Alaska's Aleutian Peninsula "Mt. Denison." In 1978, a group of students, professors, and alumni successfully scaled the mountain—a feat repeated nearly 20 years later by another Denison group.[30]

[edit] College Cemetery

Denison has one of the few remaining college cemeteries in Ohio. Among those buried on Sunset Hill are Jonathan Going, the college's second president, and Elisha Andrews, its sixth.[31]

[edit] People

[edit] Alumni

Denison has some 28,000 alumni all around the world. Some notable alumni include:

[edit] University Presidents

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ As of March 31, 2010. "Denison University Fast Facts". Denison University. Denison University. http://www.denison.edu/about/fast_facts.html. Retrieved October 8, 2010. 
  2. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. p. 9. 
  3. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. p. 9. 
  4. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. p. 9. 
  5. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. p. 14. 
  6. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. p. 14. 
  7. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. p. 14. 
  8. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. pp. 21–22. 
  9. ^ Chessman, G. Wallace (1957). Denison: The Story of an Ohio College. Granville: Denison University. pp. 84–85. 
  10. ^ "Bancroft House". Denison University. http://www.denison.edu/library/collections/bancroft_house.html. Retrieved October 8, 2010. 
  11. ^ Shepardson, Francis W. (1931). Denison university, 1831-1931: A Centennial History. Granville: Denison University. p. 32. 
  12. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. p. 12. 
  13. ^ Shepardson, Francis W. (1931). Denison university, 1831-1931: A Centennial History. Granville: Denison University. pp. 180–181. 
  14. ^ Shepardson, Francis W. (1931). Denison university, 1831-1931: A Centennial History. Granville: Denison University. pp. 186, 193. 
  15. ^ Chessman, G. Wallace (1957). Denison: The Story of an Ohio College. Granville: Denison University. p. 227. 
  16. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. p. 114. 
  17. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. p. 49. 
  18. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. pp. 71–72. 
  19. ^ Shepardson, Francis W. (1931). Denison university, 1831-1931: A Centennial History. Granville: Denison University. pp. 348–351. 
  20. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. p. 62. 
  21. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. pp. 176–177. 
  22. ^ "Bancroft House". History & Traditions. http://www.denison.edu/about/history.html. Retrieved October 8, 2010. 
  23. ^ "Denison University: Fast Facts". Denison University. http://www.denison.edu/about/fast_facts.html. 
  24. ^ "State of Ohio honors Denison in Martin Luther King Jr. ceremony". Denison University. http://www.denison.edu/offices/publicaffairs/featuredstories/ohio_mlk_award_20080117.htmll. 
  25. ^ "Denison University: At a Glance". Denison University. http://www.denison.edu/admissions/glance.html. 
  26. ^ "DCGA Constitution". Denison Campus Governance Assocation. November 12, 2009. http://student-orgs.denison.edu/dcga/docs/const. Retrieved June 22, 2010. 
  27. ^ "Integrity at Denison". Denison University. August 15, 2009. http://www.denison.edu/about/integrity.html. Retrieved June 22, 2010. 
  28. ^ "President Knobel signs Presidents' Climate Commitment". Denison University. April 23, 2010. http://www.denison.edu/offices/publicaffairs/featuredstories/earth_day_2010.html. Retrieved June 22, 2010. 
  29. ^ Heritage and Promise: Denison 1831-1981. Granville: Denison University. 1981. p. 129. 
  30. ^ Denison Magazine (Spring 2010). Granville: Denison University. 2010. p. 31. 
  31. ^ Denison Magazine (Spring 2010). Granville: Denison University. 2010. p. 26. 
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North Coast Athletic Conference
Allegheny • Denison • Earlham • Hiram • Kenyon • Oberlin • Ohio Wesleyan • Wabash • Wittenberg • Wooster

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