University of West Alabama
The University of West Alabama, formerly Livingston Female Academy and State Normal College, is a public four-year institution offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees. It is located in Livingston, Alabama.
History
The University of West Alabama was chartered in 1835 as Livingston Female Academy and State Normal College, a church-related female academy, and admitted its first students in 1839. After difficult times during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods, the school reopened in the late 1860s or early 1870s. Although it appears that a few male students were admitted following the reopening, a resolution by the Board of Trustees in 1876 excluded boys, and this policy was followed until the beginning of the 20th century.
Livingston Female Academy and State Normal College continued as a private institution with some State support until 1907, when the State assumed full control. It remained under its own board of trustees, however, until the Alabama Legislature created a State Board of Trustees for all the normal schools in 1911. In 1919 this board was abolished and all state normal schools were placed under the supervision of the State Board of Education. During these early years the school offered both secondary education and normal school programs for the training of teachers.
In 1929 the school at Livingston became State Teachers College, Livingston, Alabama, with authority to confer the degree of Bachelor of Science. The Bachelor of Arts degree was authorized in 1947. Although the institution had begun accepting male students soon after 1900, the student body remained predominantly female through the 1950s.
In 1957 the name was again changed by an act of Legislature — this time to Livingston State College — and the following year the mission of the institution was broadened when the Graduate Division was established and the College was authorized to confer master’s degrees in the field of professional education. In 1967 an act of the Legislature created Livingston University, with its own Board of Trustees.
In 1995 the institution recognized its broader mission as a regional university serving the educational needs of all the citizens of the area by changing its name to The University of West Alabama.
The current president of The University of West Alabama is Dr. Richard Holland, who has served since 2002. For the first time in the history of the college, enrollment reached the 3,000 mark with 3,021 students attending during the 2005-2006 academic year. Enrollment reached an even higher mark for 2006-2007 with 3,633 students attending on campus or taking courses offered under the university's online program.
Academic Divisions
The five divisions of the University granting undergraduate degrees are:
- College of Business
- College of Education
- College of Liberal Arts
- College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- Division of Nursing
Degrees in the College of Business, College of Education, College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the Master's are awarded through the School of Graduate Studies.
Athletics
The University of West Alabama competes in the Eastern Division of the Gulf South Conference in NCAA Division II. It sponsors 12 different sports in men's and women's teams. The official colors of the university are red, white, and black. The university's mascot is the Tigers. Athletic scholarships are given to those participating in a sport at the university. Men's and women's tennis was re-instated for the 2005-2006 academic year.
The men's sports are:
- Football
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Cross Country
- Rodeo
- Tennis
The women's sports are:
- Volleyball
- Basketball
- Softball
- Cross Country
- Rodeo
- Tennis
Athletic Standings
| Team | Won | Lost | Pct. | Next Contest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Football | 5 | 2 | .714 | October 21, 2006 |
| Volleyball | 8 | 19 | .296 | October 17, 2006 |
| Men's Basketball | 0 | 0 | - | *November 1, 2006* |
| Women's Basketball | 0 | 0 | - | *October 31, 2006* |
| Baseball | 0 | 0 | - | February 3, 2007 |
| Softball | 0 | 0 | - | February 9, 2007 |
| Men's Tennis | 0 | 0 | - | *October 19, 2006* |
| Women's Tennis | 0 | 0 | - | *October 19, 2006* |
| Total of All Teams | 13 | 21 | .382 |
Greek Life
UWA has seven fraternities and six sororities:
| Sororities: | Fraternities: |
|---|---|
| ΑΚΑ Alpha Kappa Alpha |
ΑΦΑ Alpha Phi Alpha |
| ΑΣΑ Alpha Sigma Alpha |
ΚΑΨ Kappa Alpha Psi |
| ΑΣΤ Alpha Sigma Tau |
ΠΚΦ Pi Kappa Phi |
| ΔΣΘ Delta Sigma Theta |
ΣΠ Sigma Pi |
| ΖΦΒ Zeta Phi Beta |
ΤΚΕ Tau Kappa Epsilon |
| ΦΜ Phi Mu |
ΦΒΣ Phi Beta Sigma |
| ΩΨΦ Omega Psi Phi |
Housing and Residential Life
The University of West Alabama has six residence halls and an apartment complex for graduate and married students, all of which are conveniently located near classes and campus services.
Most of the students live in traditional residence halls, though students who attend the University on a Trustee Scholarship may also choose to live in one of the Residential Scholar Communities. The traditional residence halls are Spieth Hall, Selden Hall and Sisk Hall.
The three buildings that make up the Residential Scholar Communities are Reed Hall, Stickney Hall and Hoover Apartments. First-year freshmen on a Trustee Scholarship are given priority to stay in Reed Hall. Patterson Apartments are for graduate students or those who are married, have children or are over 24 years of age.
Each residence hall consists of a Hall Director, Resident Assistants (RA's), Desk Assistants (DA's), and several residents. Reed Hall, Stickney Hall, Hoover Apartments, and Spieth Hall are co-ed residence halls, while Selden Hall is for women, and Sisk Hall is for men.
Spieth Hall, formerly a co-ed residence hall in the past, will be converted back to this arrangement for the 2006-2007 academic year. Also, Sisk Hall, formerly just for football players, will now be an all male residence hall that is not limited to football players. Other males may live in Sisk if space is available.
The University of West Alabama Housing Office's mission is to provide an environment conducive to personal growth and academic success. This mission is accomplished by:
- Providing reasonably priced residence halls and apartments which are clean, well maintained, safe, and comfortable.
- Coordinating programs to assist students in their personal growth and development outside of the classroom.
- Assisting new students in their adjustment to college.
- Creating an environment in the residence halls that is conducive to learning.
- Involving students within the residence halls so that they develop a sense of community and tolerance for others.
Notable Alumni
- Jeff Branson, retired Major League Baseball infielder
- Chris Mitchell, retired UWA Legend lineman
- the late Charles Martin, retired National Football League defensive tackle
- Scott Gray, contestant and winner on NBC Treasure Hunters