Motto Unconventional Wisdom Academic staff 210 Students 3,033 (Fall 2016) Mascot Falcons Phone +1 205-665-6000 | Established October 12, 1896 Administrative staff 175 Acceptance rate 74.3% (2014) President John W. Stewart III Colors Purple, Gold | |
Type Public Liberal Arts University Address 75 College Dr, Montevallo, AL 35115, USA Undergraduate tuition and fees Local tuition: 10,660 USD (2015), Domestic tuition: 21,220 USD (2015) Notable alumni Rusty Greer, Slade Blackwell, Rodger Smitherman, Beth Chapman, John Amari Similar Birmingham–Southern College, Auburn University at Montgo, University of West Alabama, University of North Alabama, Lander University Profiles | ||
Four years at the university of montevallo
The University of Montevallo is a four-year public university located in Montevallo, Alabama, United States. Founded in 1896, it is Alabama's only public liberal arts college and a member of the prestigious Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges.
Contents
- Four years at the university of montevallo
- University of montevallo campus tours
- History
- College Night
- Crook WeekSenior March
- Life Raft Debate
- Athletics
- Mens basketball
- Mens baseball
- Mens soccer
- Mens cross country
- Notable faculty and staff
- Notable alumni
- References
The University of Montevallo continues to receive accolades through the rankings of "America’s Best Colleges", published by U.S. News & World Report. UM is ranked as the No. 1 public master’s-level university in Alabama, a distinction it has held each year since 2008. For 2016, Montevallo is listed as the 13th-best public university in the South in its division, moving up 2 spots since last year. Schools in 12 states make up the South geographic region.
University of montevallo campus tours
History
The campus is considered an architectural jewel with an appearance more in line with private, elite institutions. The main part of the campus was designed by the Olmsted Brothers and the central part is a National Historic District. The university opened in October 1896 as the Alabama Girls’ Industrial School (AGIS), a women-only technical school that also offered high school-level courses. AGIS became the Alabama Girls’ Technical Institute in 1911, further adding "and College for Women" in 1919. The school gradually developed as a traditional degree-granting institution, becoming Alabama College, State College for Women in 1923.
The school effectively became coeducational after lobbying by the school's supporters resulted in the Alabama Legislature passing a bill on January 15, 1956 to remove the designation "State College for Women". The first men entered the school that same month. Its student body still maintains a 7:5 ratio of women to men.
In 1965, the board of trustees authorized President D.P. Culp to sign the Certificates of Assurance of Compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In the fall of 1968, three African American women, Carolyn Buprop, Ruby Kennbrew and Dorothy (Lilly) Turner, enrolled in the university. On September 1, 1969, Alabama College was renamed the University of Montevallo.
Montevallo is in the geographic center of Alabama in an area rich with Civil War history. Many of the buildings on campus predate the founding of the college, including King House (reserved for special guests of the campus) and Reynolds Hall (used by the Theater Department and alumni relations). King House was reportedly the first home in Alabama to receive pane glass windows. With slightly over 3,000 students, the university has a significant economic impact on the surrounding communities in Shelby County.
College Night
The oldest tradition at Montevallo is called College Night, an intramural competition between the Purple Side and the Gold Side. The tradition officially began on March 3, 1919, in honor of the school adding the name "college" to its title.
The homecoming competition consists of sports events, management of the side finances, and spirit. While these are key to the game of College Night, the primary focus is two student written, produced and performed musicals—one for each competing side.
For a small University in which the student-to-faculty ratio is only about 17-to-1, participation is key. A noticeable number of people participate in bringing the tradition together; at least 400 actually participate in the activities, but it is a tremendous success that draws those who do participate back after many years of being out of college. Each year, the school's Palmer Auditorium, which boasts a large stage, orchestra pit and seating for 1200, is standing room only as alumni and spectators gather to witness the unique tradition that is College Night.
"First designed to celebrate the introduction of a 4-year college curriculum, the early celebrations were competitions between classes. In 1921, to celebrate UM’s 25th anniversary, students divided into two teams, the Gold Side and the Purple Side." The two colors of the school, purple and gold, compete for the title of either "PV" (purple victory) or "GV" (gold victory).
The student involvement is all-inclusive: there are athletic intramurals that count for points toward victory, cheerleading competitions, signs designed and painted by students to be judged and even community efforts and fund raising drives to gain points toward a victory.
College Night is known as the oldest Homecoming tradition of its kind in America. An exhibit about College Night is housed in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
Crook Week/Senior March
Traditionally, Crook Week was a week in late October when the senior class women would hide the "crook"—a staff shaped roughly like a shepherd's crook—and give obscure clues for the underclass women who were to find it.
At the end of Crook Week was Senior March. When the chimes struck thirteen, if the underclass women did not find the crook, the seniors march on them, getting them out of their rooms and onto Main Quad where they would have a shaving cream and water balloon battle. If the underclass women found the crook, they were safe that year. This tradition ended in the 1990s because the administration considered it hazing.
Today, the Hiding of the Crook occurs the week of Founders' Day. The administration hides the crook and leaves clues as to where it can be found. The finder of the crook gets recognized at Founders' Day with a small prize.
Life Raft Debate
The Life Raft Debate is an annual event sponsored by the Philosophy Club. The debate has occurred each fall semester since 1998, making it the longest continually-held debate of its type. The debate occurs on the second Thursday in October during the university's Founders’ Day commemoration.
In the Life Raft Debate, the audience is asked to imagine that there has been a nuclear war and that they, as the survivors, are setting sail to rebuild society from the ground up. There is a group of professors vying to win the coveted Oar and get on the raft, and only one seat is left. Each professor has to argue that his or her discipline is the one indispensable area of study that the new civilization will need to flourish.
Each professor gets to give an introductory account of his or her discipline then a brief rebuttal to the others. At the end of the debating, the audience votes and the lucky winner claims the Oar and climbs aboard, waving goodbye to the others.
Often, a seventh participant, the Devil's Advocate, appears and tries to convince the audience that the entire panel is unworthy and that all should be left behind to drown.
In the following year, the defending champion faces five new challengers in a new debate. To date, no one has successfully defended the Oar.
The first event was held in 1998 before an audience of roughly 200 people. Michael Sterner of the Mathematics Department carried the day with an impassioned defense of his discipline, touting both its usefulness and beauty and promising that, if he were to be saved, there would be "no more word problems ever."
In the subsequent years the debate's popularity grew to attract more than 800 audience members per year. Following years saw victories by professors from a variety of academic disciplines.
On March 12, 2010, the public radio show This American Life ran a story on the Life Raft Debate entitled "I’d Like to Spank the Academy."
The story followed the events of the 2007 Life Raft Debate in which the Devil's Advocate, Professor Jon Smith of the Department of English, successfully argued that all the panelists should be drowned because they were merely trying to be funny, not to educate or to defend the importance of their respective disciplines.
Following the broadcast, several colleges and universities in the United States and abroad began hosting Life Raft Debates of their own, most after consulting the UM Philosophy Club for advice.
The 19th Annual Life Raft Debate took place on October 13, 2016. The current champion is Dr. Andrea Eckelman, defending Political Science.
Athletics
The University of Montevallo fields 12 NCAA Division II athletic teams that currently compete in the Peach Belt Conference.
Men's athletics include: baseball, basketball, soccer, golf and cross-country.
Women's athletics include: basketball, soccer, golf, cross-country, tennis, volleyball and track and field.
In 2013, the Board of Trustees voted to start a women's softball program during the 2014–2015 competition season. This addition will bring the number of university sports offered to 13. Also in 2014 a track stadium will be built for the women's and newly formed men's track and field team in the fall.
On June 16, 2016, the Gulf South Conference announced that the Falcons will re-join the conference, along with new conference member and in-state rival Auburn University at Montgomery, for the 2017-18 academic year.