Wittenberg University

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For the original 16th century university in Germany, see University of Halle-Wittenberg.
Not to be confused with Wittenborg University.
Wittenberg University
Witt seal.png
Motto"Having Light, We Pass It On to Others"
TypePrivate
Established1845; 176 years ago (1845)
Religious affiliation
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Endowment$110.96 million (2018)[1]
PresidentMichael L. Frandsen
ProvostMichelle Mattson
Academic staff
121 full-time[2]
Undergraduatesabout 1,400[3]
Postgraduates44
Location
Springfield
,
Ohio
,
United States
CampusSmall city, 114 acres (46 ha)
ColorsRed and white    
AthleticsNCAA Division III – NCAC
Mascot
Websitewww.wittenberg.edu

Wittenberg University is a private liberal arts college in Springfield, Ohio. It has approximately 1,400 full-time students representing 37 states and 10 foreign countries.[4] The university is associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

History[]

Wittenberg College (it became Wittenberg University in 1957)[5] was founded in 1845 by a group of ministers in the English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Ohio, which had previously separated from the recently established German-speaking Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and Other States.

A German American pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Rev. Ezra Keller was the principal founder and first president of the college. Its initial focus was to train clergy with the Hamma School of Divinity as its theological department. One of its main missions was to "Americanize" Lutherans by teaching courses in the English language instead of German, unlike the nearby Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.

The first class originally consisted of eight students at the beginning of the academic year, but grew to seventy-one by the end. With a faculty of one professor and two tutors, classes were held in Springfield, Ohio, in a church on land that was donated. That city was selected for its location on the National Road, running from the eastern cities of Baltimore and Cumberland, Maryland, to the west in the Illinois Country, eventually to the territorial capital of Vandalia, near the Mississippi River.

In 1874, women were admitted to the college, and, the following year, blacks were admitted. The college was named for the historic University of Wittenberg in Wittenberg, Germany, the town in which Martin Luther famously posted his Ninety-five Theses on the church door on October 31, 1517.[5] In 1993 the university and the German city entered into an official partnership.

Hamma Divinity School[]

Luther Alexander Gotwald, Professor of Theology in the Hamma Divinity School that served as the theological department of the college, was famously tried for and unanimously acquitted of heresy by the Board of Directors at Wittenberg on April 4–5, 1893. The trial concerned many key issues that Evangelical Lutherans still debate today.[6]

For decades, Hamma and Wittenberg in Springfield were associated with the local English-speaking regional Lutheran synods in the Midwest.

In 1978, Hamma Divinity School merged with the nearby Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary (associated with Capital University) in the Bexley suburb of Columbus, Ohio, to form Trinity Lutheran Seminary.

Presidents[]

  • Ezra Keller (1844–1848)
  • Samuel Sprecher[7] (1849–1874)
  • John B. Helwig (1874–1882)
  • Samuel Alfred Ort (1882–1900)
  • John M. Ruthrauff (1900–1902)
  • Charles G. Heckert (1903–1920)
  • Rees Edgar Tulloss (1920–1949)
  • Clarence Charles Stoughton (1949–1963)
  • John Nissley Stauffer (1963–1968)
  • G. Kenneth Andeen (1969–1974)
  • William A. Kinnison (1974–1995)
  • Baird Tipson (1995–2004)
  • William H. Steinbrink (Interim President)
  • Mark H. Erickson (2005–2012)
  • Laurie M. Joyner (2012–2015)
  • Richard "Dick" Helton (2016–2017) (Interim President)
  • Michael Frandsen (2017–present)[8]

Academics[]

Main entrance to the University

Wittenberg offers more than 70 majors and special programs. Eight pre-professional programs are offered to students, 70 percent of whom eventually pursue graduate studies. The University's science facilities are housed in the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center. Krieg Hall is the home of the music department.[9] Wittenberg's art department is housed in Koch Hall.[10] Thomas Library contains 400,000 volumes and provides access to OhioLINK,[11] a consortium of Ohio college and university libraries and the State Library of Ohio. The library houses the Kemper Special Collection Area which contains the Luther-Reformation Collection with more than 400 items written by Martin Luther and his contemporaries between 1517 and 1580.[12] The library was built 1956 to the designs of Thomas Norman Mansell of Mansell, Lewis & Fugate of Wynnewood, Pennsylvania.[13]

In 1995, the American Philosophical Association censured Wittenberg University for violating the professional rights of one its members, then a faculty member in the philosophy department denied tenure for unjust reasons. In that instance, the Wittenberg administration overruled the faculty personnel board's authority and asserted its right to deny tenure for reasons beyond teaching, research, and service. The current administration makes no such assertion.[14] In 2021, Wittenberg University was sanctioned and censured by the American Association of University Professors. AAUP sanction is imposed when an administration or governing board violates generally accepted standards of college and university governance, as set forth in the Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities. The report of the AAUP concluded that: "the Wittenberg governing board and administration acted unilaterally in initiating a program-review process that circumvented established faculty governance policies and procedures; in suspending unspecified sections of the faculty manual that would have interfered with their plans to close programs and eliminate faculty appointments; and in discontinuing eight programs and terminating two tenured appointments, with devastating consequences for academic governance at the institution. The investigating committee found that, in so acting, the board and the administration contravened fundamental principles and standards of academic governance enunciated in the Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities. The committee also found that these same actions severely weakened the institution of tenure at the institution and thus degraded the climate for academic freedom." [15]

Rankings and honors[]

Academic rankings
National
Forbes[16] 470
THE/WSJ[17] 446
Wittenberg University's Guest House

In 2012, the magazine U.S. News & World Report ranked Wittenberg as the 121st best Liberal Arts college in the US,[18] and Forbes Magazine ranked the school as the 176th best university in the country.[19]

Study abroad[]

The Office of International Education provides assistance to international students and helps students find appropriate study abroad programs across the globe. The office also administers two semester-long programs: the Wittenberg semester in Wittenberg, Germany, which includes an internship; and the Wittenberg semester in Costa Rica, which also allows students to complete a service requirement. Each semester program provides instruction leading to the completion of the language requirement. Wittenberg also frequently offers summer study abroad programs led by Wittenberg faculty. Most recently students have studied on Wittenberg summer programs in Germany, Japan, and Poland.

Campus[]

Blair Hall[]

Blair Hall houses the University's education department. The Springfield-Wittenberg Teacher Institute and Upward Bound are housed in Blair. Upward Bound is a high school program for students in low-income areas of the city to receive a high level education from college professors while in high school.

The education department occupies a second building at 49 East College Avenue that formerly contained the administration offices of the Springfield Public City Schools, but is now owned by Wittenberg University.[20]

Carnegie Hall[]

Carnegie Hall of Science and Recitation Hall (1911 Postcard)

The athletic department in currently housed in Carnegie Hall, named for the famous Scottish-American immigrant and steel industrialist Andrew Carnegie, (1835–1919), who was known for his philanthropy and endowment of many public library buildings across the country.

Hollenbeck Hall[]

Hollenbeck Hall is home to the History, English, Foreign Languages, Political Science, International Studies, and Philosophy departments, and the Office of International Education. The building's six wings, two per floor, are separated by the Ness Family Auditorium in the center of the building. It is also the home of the Writing Center and Foreign Language Learning Center, two of the predominantly student-run organizations.

Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center[]

The Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center houses ten academic departments in the fields of mathematics and natural sciences. It also serves as a popular breakfast and lunch location for students, as it includes a vendor on the first floor that can be used with the Wittenberg meal plans.[21]

Recitation Hall[]

Recitation Hall was the second building erected on the campus. It contains many of the University's administrative offices, including admissions, financial aid, president's office, provost's, student employment, university communications (Wittenberg's Media office for "Wittenberg Magazine", Press office, New Media, Sports Media, and Publications office), and human resources. Recitation Hall also has its own chapel. In 1883, classes were first held in Recitation Hall. A building behind Recitation Hall serves as the university's police and security headquarters, the campus switchboard and the transportation office.[22]

Synod Hall[]

Synod Hall is home to the Department of Sociology and Information Technologies (IT).

Zimmerman Hall[]

Zimmerman Hall is home to the Department of Psychology.

Shouvlin Center[]

Shouvlin Center houses the Department of Nursing, the School of Graduate and Professional Studies, Womyn's Center, Counseling Services, and Medical Services.

Thomas Library[]

Thomas Library is Wittenberg's main library. The building holds over 500,000 books and resources. Wittenberg is also a member of OhioLINK.

The Steemer[]

Wittenberg Track and Field runners practice in front of the Steemer Indoor Fieldhouse on Nov 8, 2018. (Trent Sprague/Wittenberg University)
Wittenberg Track and Field runners practice in front of The Steemer Indoor Fieldhouse on Nov 8, 2018.

In April 2017, Wittenberg University broke ground on the development of a forty million dollar health, wellness, and athletics facility to supplement the existing Health Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Center. This project will include the renovation of the University's 1929 Field House, 1982 HPER Center, and include a new indoor practice field, classrooms, and locker rooms. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.[23] In September 2018, it was announced the facility would be named "The Steemer", after the company Stanley Steemer, whose CEO, Wes Bates, is a graduate of Wittenberg and a major financial sponsor of the project.[24]

Athletics[]

See also: Wittenberg Tigers football

Wittenberg University teams participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III. The Tigers are a member of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball. The school's newest varsity sport for men, volleyball, was added in the 2015–16 school year (2016 season); that team began play in the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League (MCVL),[25] left after the 2018 season for single-sport membership in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference, and returned to the MCVL after the 2020 season.[26] The newest women's varsity sport, water polo, was added to the 2018–19 school year. That team plays in the Division III varsity division of the Collegiate Water Polo Association.[27]

In 2017 the men's golf team won the Division III National Championship.[28]

In 2017 the women's volleyball team competed in the NCAA Division III National Championship, rising to Division III runner-up.[29]

Wittenberg ended the 2009 fall sports season ranked 16th among more than 430 NCAA Division III schools in the Learfield Sports Directors Cup standings, administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA)[30]

Student organizations[]

The university has over 100 active, registered student organizations.[31]

Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement[]

Wittenberg University opened the Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement on 24 September 2008, to help coordinate community service projects. It builds partnerships between the University and city, state and federal governments. Edward Hasecke, professor of political science, is the faculty director.[32]

Womyn's Center[]

The University's Womyn's Center is located in Shouvlin Center. It has included the Peer Advocate program since 2016, providing advocacy services for survivors of power-based violence (regardless of gender identity). The Womyn's Center also houses Tiger Health Educators, a peer-to-peer education program that offers training and resources regarding sexual health and consent.

Springfield Peace Center[]

The Springfield Peace Center is a non-profit organization located on Wittenberg University's campus. Its goal is educating for peace and teaching alternatives to violence. It holds classes for adults and youth students and hold camps throughout the year.[33]

William C. McClain Center for Diversity[]

The William C. McClain Center for Diversity is located on Alumni Way and is named for the first African American to graduate from Wittenberg University in 1934. Wittenberg also has several multicultural student programs that are supported by the diversity center including Shades of Pearl, Concerned Black Students, the Gender and Sexuality Diversity Alliance, and the American International Association.

Radio station[]

Main article: WUSO

The University has a student-run 24-hour radio station, WUSO, on 89.1 FM.[34] WUSO simulcasts the Dayton classical station WDPR on weekday mornings, filling the remaining hours with news, politics, sports, food, and music shows. The Tiger Sports Network broadcasts the sports programming.[35] The station's studios are located in the basement of Firestine Hall on Woodlawn Ave. The radio station's website allows audio streaming.

The launch of a new media program called the Integrated Media Corps has recently developed. A team of ten university students creates and produces news videos, sports highlight videos for Dayton, Ohio, television stations WDTN, WHIO, and WKEF and for the university website. The team also records news stories for WUSO and writes press releases for the university website. The program also has begun broadcasting sports programs on WIZE-AM in Springfield.

Online radio[]

Wittenberg University has recently launched a new radio station for athletics broadcasting. The radio station currently is internet only. To listen to Wittenberg's athletic radio programming visit the Tiger Sports Network website.

The Wittenberg Torch[]

The Torch is Wittenberg University's weekly student-run newspaper; it is staffed by news reporters, editors, features writers, sports writers, designers and photographers. The paper was founded in 1873 and celebrated its 100th volume in 2012. In 2012, The Torch also won an ACP Online Pacemaker Award.[36]

Medical facilities[]

The Wittenberg Health and Counseling services office is located in the second level of Shouvlin Center. Athletic-related services are also available at the Excel Medicine Sports' office located in the Health, Physical, Education and Recreation building located on Bill Edwards Drive.

Residence life[]

Myers Hall, built in 1846, was the first building at Wittenberg.

Wittenberg's residence halls on campus are Tower Hall, Myers Hall, Firestine Hall, Ferncliff Hall, Woodlawn Hall, New Residence Hall, and Polis House. is the oldest, the first campus building when the university opened. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. It now houses the University Honors Program. The newest residence hall, New Hall, opened in 2006. The Polis House was formerly the international residence hall on campus. Students who are at junior or senior standing have the option to live in the university-provided on-campus apartments or off-campus in apartments or university rental houses.[37]

The Benham-Pence Student Center houses most of the university's dining services. The main floor of the student center houses Post 95 which offers four different options, including Champ City Grill, Ward & Wood Subs, The Pour, and Ezra's (serving prepared-to-order stirfry). Founders Pub, in the basement of the student center, was opened in 2009. The Campus Dining Room is on the second floor of the Student Center along with the faculty dining room. Breakfast and lunch are also served on weekdays in the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center's "Simply To Go" cafe.[38]

Greek life[]

Wittenberg has an activeGreek Life community with ten fraternities or sororities currently chartered on campus.[39]

Fraternities:

Sororities:

Notable alumni[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Which Colleges Have the Largest Endowments?". The Chronicle of Higher Education. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Witt by the Numbers". Wittenberg University. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  3. ^ "Official Census Sept. 7, 2018" (PDF). Wittenberg University. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  4. ^ "Facts You Should Know". Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Chester C. Winter. "Wittenberg founded as the English-speaking University of the Lutheran Church" (PDF). Wittenberg University. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Wittenberg History". Wittenberg University. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 30 September 2007.
  7. ^ Wilson, J. G.; Fiske, J., eds. (1900). "Sprecher, Samuel" . Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton.
  8. ^ "Wittenberg's 15th President – Wittenberg University". Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  9. ^ [1] Archived January 29, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "Wittenberg University : Office of Admission – Virtual Tour – Koch Hall". .wittenberg.edu. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  11. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ^ "Thomas Library – Wittenberg University". .wittenberg.edu. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  13. ^ Thomas Norman Mansell Archived 24 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine American Architects Directory, 3rd ed. (New York City: R.R. Bowker LLC, 1970), p. 593.
  14. ^ McHenry, Leemon; Dilley, Frank B.; Fisher, Saul; Field, Richard; Huemer, Michael; Wilshire, Bruce (1 January 2000). "Letters to the Editor". Proceedings and Addresses of the American Philosophical Association. 73 (5): 169–186. doi:10.2307/3130913. JSTOR 3130913.
  15. ^ https://www.aaup.org/article/covid-19-governance-investigation#.YMEsKvmpGUk
  16. ^ "America's Top Colleges 2019". Forbes. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  17. ^ "Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings 2021". The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  18. ^ "Wittenberg University | Best College | US News". Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  19. ^ "Wittenberg University among best colleges in nation". Springfieldnewssun.com. 13 August 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  20. ^ "Wittenberg's Blair Hall to undergo renovations". Springfieldnewssun.com. 18 June 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  21. ^ "Kuss Science Center". Wittenberg University. Wittenberg University. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
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  23. ^ "Breaking Ground – Wittenberg University". www.wittenberg.edu.
  24. ^ "Wittenberg's new athletic facility, opening in 2019, has a catchy name". DaytonDailyNews.com.com. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  25. ^ "New Tiger Men's Volleyball Program Accepted Into MCVL" (Press release). Wittenberg Athletics. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  26. ^ "Wittenberg Back to the MCVL in 2021" (Press release). Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  27. ^ "Wittenberg University to Add Women's Water Polo".
  28. ^ "Wittenberg wins first DIII golf championship | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  29. ^ "2017 Schedule". Wittenberg. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  30. ^ "WittenbergTigers.com" (PDF). .wittenberg.edu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  31. ^ "Student Organization & Club Directory | Wittenberg University". www.wittenberg.edu. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  32. ^ "About Us". www.wittenberg.edu. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  33. ^ "Springfield Peace Center". .wittenberg.edu. Archived from the original on 2 June 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  34. ^ "WUSO 89.1FM | Wittenberg University's College Radio » Music News". Wuso.org. Archived from the original on 9 May 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  35. ^ [3] Archived 28 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  36. ^ "ACP – Contest Winners". Studentpress.org. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  37. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 22 September 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  38. ^ "Post 95 – Wittenberg University".
  39. ^ "Fraternity & Sorority Chapters at Wittenberg". Wittenberg University. Wittenberg University. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  40. ^ "Mark A. Boyer".
  41. ^ "Paul Dressel and Family Collection". Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections. Michigan State University. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  42. ^ Albers, Sarah M. (1 June 2015). "Former Chapel Hill Mayor Jonathan Howes dies at 78". The News & Observer. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  43. ^ McGinn, Andrew (6 January 2011). "The year foreign films came to Springfield". Springfield News-Sun. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  44. ^ "Disgraced Hong Kong Stock Exchange Pioneer Ronald Li Dies Of Cancer".
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  48. ^ O'Connor, Rod (11 December 2017). "The Improbable Success of RXBar's Peter Rahal". Chicago. Retrieved 26 January 2018.

External links[]

Coordinates: 39°55′59″N 83°48′51″W / 39.93314°N 83.81415°W / 39.93314; -83.81415

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