Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Bryan College

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Motto
  
"Christ Above All"

Established
  
1930

Endowment
  
$6 million

Acceptance rate
  
46% (2015)

Mascot
  
Lions

Type
  
Private

Affiliation
  
Undergraduate tuition and fees
  
22,200 USD (2015)

Total enrollment
  
1,550 (2015)

Bryan College

Former names
  
William Jennings Bryan University (1930–1958), William Jennings Bryan College (1958–1993)

Address
  
721 Bryan Dr, Dayton, TN 37321, USA

Similar
  
Tennessee Wesleyan University, Milligan College, Lee University, Cumberland University, Bluefield College

Profiles

Bryan college


Bryan College is a Christian liberal arts college in Dayton, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in the aftermath of the 1925 Scopes Trial to establish an institution of higher education that would teach from a Christian worldview.

Contents

History

During the Scopes Trial in 1925, William Jennings Bryan expressed the wish that a school might be established in Dayton, "to teach truth from a Biblical perspective". Following his death on July 26, 1925, a national memorial association was formed to establish such an institution in Bryan’s honor.

William Jennings Bryan University was chartered in 1930. Its stated purpose was to provide “for the purpose of establishing, conducting and perpetuating a university for the higher education of men and women under auspices distinctly Christian and spiritual, as a testimony to the supreme glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to the Divine inspiration and infallibility of the Bible,” and its mission statement is "Educating Students to become Servants of Christ to make a Difference in Today's World." In 1958, it was designated William Jennings Bryan College, and the name was shortened to Bryan College in 1993.

Affiliations

Bryan College is a member of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA), the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), the Appalachian College Association (ACA), and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).

Campus

The Bryan College campus in Dayton is 128 acres (0.52 km2) with 20 buildings, 7 of which are residence halls.

Its association with the Scopes Trial has led to its addition as a stop along the Southeast Tennessee Religious Trail.

Accreditation and ranking

Bryan has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools since 1969.

Bryan ranks 22nd in the U.S. News & World Report for Regional Colleges in the South as of the 2015 rankings. and was formerly ranked 4th among the "Up and Coming" institutions in its category by the same publisher (as of the 2012 edition of the rankings.)

Academics

Bryan offers the associate's degree, the bachelor's degree in 20 majors with over 60 distinct options, and three master's degrees: the Master of Business Administration degree, the Master of Arts in Christian Studies degree and the Master of Education degree. 77% of their professors hold terminal degrees in their fields of study.

The Adult and Graduate Studies programs are designed for adult learners to attend school part-time. Students can earn degrees online and onsite, and options include associate degrees, as well as bachelor's and master's degrees.

Statement of belief and academic freedom

In February 2014, the statement of belief, which is included in the employment contract of professors, was clarified to declare that Adam and Eve "are historical persons created by God in a special formative act, and not from previously existing life-forms." Hundreds of students including the student body president criticized this change, several professors left the institution, and two tenured faculty who had their contracts terminated filed a lawsuit against the college, which was settled in October 2014.

In 2014, professors voted "no confidence" in the college president, Stephen Livesay. Four board members resigned in response. In 2015, Livesay instituted rules that made it extremely difficult for faculty to hold meetings.

Athletics

Bryan College athletic teams, nicknamed athletically as the Lions, are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC). Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, fishing, volleyball, and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cheerleading, cross country, fishing, golf, soccer, softball, track & field, and volleyball.

Publications

Bryan Life is the college's alumni magazine and is published quarterly. Illumine is a publication of the Bryan Institute for Critical Thought and Practice. E-Lumine is an e-newsletter for alumni and friends of Bryan, and is published each month except July. The Triangle is a bi-weekly student newspaper containing articles and stories written by Bryan College students. It also includes stats and updates on the college's sports teams. It is available in print on campus and electronically. In 2015, Vice President of Academics, Kevin Clauson, imposed censorship restrictions on the Triangle.

Presidents (1930–present)

  • George E. Guille (1930–1931)
  • Malcolm M. Lockhart (1931–1933)
  • Judson A. Rudd (1933–1955)
  • Theodore C. Mercer (1956–1986)
  • Kenneth G. Hanna (1986–1992)
  • William E. Brown (1993–2003)
  • Stephen D. Livesay (2003–present)
  • Notable alumni

  • David C. Fisher – Bible scholar, pastor
  • Robert Clouse – professor
  • David Alward – Canadian politician, Premier of New Brunswick
  • Mastin M. Robeson – retired Major General, United States Marine Corps
  • Joseph Ledbetter - Whiskey distiller, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the Chattanooga Whiskey Company
  • References

    Bryan College Wikipedia