Saginaw Valley State University

Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) is a state university in the U.S. state of Michigan. Originally founded in 1963 as Saginaw Valley College, it is located in the middle of Michigan's lower peninsula in Kochville Township, Saginaw County. However, its official address places it in University Center, Michigan, which it shares with Delta College (which is 3.3 mi to the north-northwest, in Bay County's Frankenlust Township). It is the youngest of Michigan's 15 public colleges and universities.

History
Higher education in the Saginaw Valley region dates back to the founding of Bay City Junior College in 1922. Though the junior college was replaced by Delta College in 1961, the area still lacked a four-year baccalaureate institution. Saginaw Valley College was founded as a private institution in November 1963, and became a state-supported institution in 1965. The name changed to Saginaw Valley State College in 1974 and again to Saginaw Valley State University in 1987.

Saginaw Valley College received full accreditation by the North Central Association in April 1970. The name changed to Saginaw Valley State College in 1974. That same year, Samuel D. Marble, the college's president who had also served in that role at Delta College, submitted his resignation. Marble had also served as president of Wilmington College in Ohio. He would be named president emeritus and is honored with a lecture hall named in his honor in Wickes Hall. In November 1974, Jack M. Ryder became president of the college. In 1980 the Higher Learning Commission/North Central Association continued this accreditation and granted accreditation at the master’s degree level. Both accreditations have been retained continuously since the original accreditation.

The college became home to the works of the noted sculptor Marshall M. Fredericks in June 1987. In November, SVSC became Saginaw Valley State University. Ryder resigned as president in 1989 and Eric R. Gilbertson succeeded him.

Presidents

 * Samuel Davey Marble (March 23, 1964 - January 1974)
 * Jack McBride Ryder (November 1, 1974 – 1989)
 * Eric R. Gilbertson (1989–present)

College of Arts and Behavioral Sciences
The College of Arts and Behavioral Sciences is the oldest of the university's five colleges. Joni Boye-Beaman is the dean of the college. The James V. Finkbeiner Endowed Chair of Ethics is held by Francis C. Dane.

The most diverse academic unit of the university, the college offers undergraduate majors in applied studies, art, communication, creative writing, criminal justice, English, French, graphic design, history, international studies, modern foreign language, music, political science, psychology, public administration, rhetoric and professional writing, sociology, Spanish, and theatre. Minors are available in all of the major programs, as well as gender studies, geography, German, philosophy, and Polish.

In addition to the number of undergraduate programs, graduate programs are offered in administrative science, and communication and digital media.

College of Business and Management
The College of Business and Management is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the premier standard of achievement for business schools. Less than 5% of all schools of business worldwide are AACSB accredited. The dean of the college is Jill L. Wetmore. The Harvey Randall Wickes Endowed Chair in International Business is Joseph Ofori-Dankwa.

Undergraduate majors are offered in accounting, economics, finance, general business, international business, marketing, and management. Minors are offered in economics, entrepreneurship, finance, general business, legal studies, management, and marketing, as well as certificates in entrepreneurship and international business. An M.B.A. programs is offered at the graduate level.

Crystal M. Lange College of Health and Human Services
Named for Crystal M. Lange, the founder of the College of Nursing who served as its dean for 20 years, the College of Health and Human Services offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in health science, kinesiology, nursing, occupational therapy, and social work.

The university's Board of Control approved a doctor of nursing practice program in December 2011.

Judith P. Ruland is the dean of the college.

College of Science, Engineering and Technology
The College of Science, Engineering and Technology offers majors in biology, chemistry (including biochemistry, business chemistry, and chemical physics), computer science and information systems, electrical engineering, mathematical sciences, mechanical engineering, physics, and optical physics.

Deborah R. Huntley is the dean of the college.

Academic Buildings
Wickes Hall is named for Harvey Randall Wickes, and is the main administrative center on campus.

Brown Hall is named for Maurice E. Brown. It houses faculty offices and classrooms.

The Zahnow Library is named for Melvin J. Zahnow. It houses over 200,000 print volumes and over 400,000 non-print items.

The Arbury Fine Arts Center is named for Ned and Dorothy Arbury. It houses classrooms and other facilities for the fine arts, including the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum.

The Herbert Dow Doan Science Building is named for Herbert Dow Doan, and houses classrooms, faculty offices, teaching labs and research labs, as well as an on-campus Starbucks.

Curtiss Hall is named for Charles B. Curtiss, a long-time member of the Board of Control. Groening Commons, the large atrium inside Curtiss Hall, is named for William A. Groening.

Pioneer Hall, the home of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, was completed in 1978 and recently underwent a large renovation. It is "certified green" by the U.S. Green Building Council, the first building in mid-Michigan to be so recognized.

The Regional Education Center is home to the College of Education.

The Health and Human Services Building is home to the College of Health and Human Services. The building incorporates the largest aqua-thermal heating/cooling system in the state of Michigan to reduce energy costs by over 35%.

The Doan Center houses the Marketplace at Doan, the main dining hall, and other student-related activities. It is named for Leland I. Doan.

The Ryder Center is the main athletic building on campus and also houses classrooms. It is named for Jack McBride Ryder.

Other Buildings
The Covenant MedExpress is a $2.6 million clinic open to SVSU students and the public. It is part of a partnership with Covenant Healthcare and has X-ray and lab facilities.

Residence Halls
(In order of construction)
 * First year suites A-E
 * First year suites F and G
 * Living Center North
 * Living Center South
 * University Village
 * Pine Grove
 * Living Center Southwest

3-D PDF map of the SVSU campus

Administration
The governing authority of the university is the Board of Control, established by the Michigan Constitution and by statute consisting of eight members appointed by the Governor of Michigan for eight-year terms. The university is considered a political subdivision of the state government and, thus, is exempt from federal income tax.

The president of the university is elected by the Board of Control, to whom the Board delegates the authority to conduct university business except certain items specified in the Board's bylaws. The president is ex officio a non-voting member of the Board. The president has a staff consisting of the four vice presidents; the deans of the colleges; the Executive Director of Information Technology; the Special Assistant to the President for Diversity Programs; the Special Assistant to the President for International Programs; the Special Assistant to the President for Government Relations; the Executive Assistant to the President/Planning Officer; the University Ombudsman; and the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Financial
2004 data puts the General Fund at $67 million. The sources include: state appropriations (42%, or $28.1 million), tuition & fees (55.2%, or $36.8 million) and "other sources" (2.8%, or $1.9 million).

SVSU's 2004 'self study'(link is broken) provides detail concerning the university's financials and other miscellaneous information.

The 2004 budget includes a cut of $1.3 million from the 2003 budget. Attempts have been made to avoid future budget cuts by means of raising tuition costs. This has sparked controversy, as SVSU has always prided itself on being a university with a very high quality/cost ratio; i.e. the quality of education has ostensibly and historically been more than commensurate with the price of attending the university. The university's mission statement reflects this belief.

As of Winter 2010, per credit hour charges for in-state students is $229.00. Out of state and non-resident aliens pay $557.30 per hour.

Athletics
The Saginaw Valley State University fields 16 varsity teams at The NCAA Division II level as members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The Cardinals compete in the following sports:

Men's
 * baseball
 * basketball
 * bowling
 * cross country
 * football
 * golf
 * soccer
 * track

Women's
 * basketball
 * cheerleading
 * cross country
 * soccer
 * softball
 * tennis
 * track
 * volleyball

The Junior Varsity football program dates to 1974; the Varsity football started in 1975, as did the marching band. The school song is "Cardinal Fight", written by Thomas Root.

Championships
National Championships:
 * 1982 - Men's Indoor Track and Field - NAIA
 * 1983 - Men's Indoor Track and Field - NAIA
 * 1989 - Softball - NAIA
 * 1991 - Men's Bowling - USBC Collegiate
 * 1997 - Men's Bowling - USBC Collegiate
 * 2006 - Men's Bowling - USBC Collegiate
 * 2007 - Men's Bowling - USBC Collegiate
 * 2009 - Men's Ice Hockey - ACHA Division III
 * 2010 - Men's Ice Hockey - ACHA Division III

National Runners-up:
 * 1977 - Men's Cross Country - NAIA
 * 1978 - Men's Cross Country - NAIA
 * 1982 - Men's Cross Country - NAIA
 * 1983 - Men's Outdoor Track and Field - NAIA
 * 1984 - Men's Outdoor Track and Field - NAIA
 * 1984 - Men's Golf - NAIA
 * 1985 - Women's Basketball - NAIA Division I
 * 1996 - Men's Bowling - USBC Collegiate
 * 2004 - Men's Bowling - USBC Collegiate
 * 2009 - Men's Bowling - USBC Collegiate
 * 2012 - Men's Soccer - NCAA Division II

Basketball Final Four:
 * 1982 - Women's Basketball - NAIA Division I
 * 1985 - Women's Basketball - NAIA Division I (Runner-up)

Notable alumni
Famous graduates of SVSU include the following:


 * Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Rob Callaway
 * Congressman Bart Stupak
 * Congressman, State Representative, and State Senator James A. Barcia B.A. (who received an honorary doctorate from SVSU in 2001)
 * University of Texas women's basketball coach Gail Goestenkors (formerly coach at Duke U.)
 * Philadelphia Eagles tackle Todd Herremans
 * Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Paul Spicer
 * Former Seattle Seahawks defensive end Lamar King
 * Buffalo Bills linebacker John DiGiorgio
 * Mensa International Grant Recipient Eli W. Adams
 * Former Buffalo Bills linebacker Eugene Marve
 * St. Louis Rams wide receiver Ruvell Martin
 * Houston Texans wide receiver Glenn Martinez
 * Virginia Destroyer tight end Galen Stone
 * Toronto Argonauts corner back Matt Black
 * Michigan State University women's basketball coach Suzy Merchant (formerly coach at SVSU and Eastern Michigan University)
 * Central Michigan University women's basketball coach Sue Guevara (formerly coach at University of Michigan and softball coach at SVSU)
 * NASA Flight Director Anthony J. Ceccacci
 * Professional Tenpin Bowler Bill O'Neill
 * Professional Ten-pin bowler Dan Maclelland
 * Former Chief Minister, State of Karnataka, India, B. S. Yeddyurappa (received an honorary doctorate from SVSU in 2008)
 * Meera Chopra, a South Indian film actress
 * Matt LaFleur, former SVSU quarterback and current Washington Redskins quarterbacks coach
 * Jacki West, 3 time world pineapple eating champion(1997, 2001, 2002)
 * Donald Krapohl, Jr., Polygraph researcher at Defense Academy for Credibility Assessment and former President of the American Polygraph Association