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Delaware State University

Delaware State University (also referred to as Del State or DSU), is a historically black, public university located in Dover, Delaware with two satellite campus sites in Wilmington, Delaware and Georgetown, Delaware. It is the second-largest university in the state (behind the University of Delaware) and encompasses six colleges and a diverse population of undergraduate and advanced degree students.

Academics

The university consists of six colleges: College of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology; School of Business; College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Health and Public Policy; College of Education; and College of Agriculture and Related Sciences. As of 2008, the university has approximately 3,700 total enrolled students, of which about 340 are graduate students. There are 168 faculty members in 21 academic departments. Of this number, 140 have doctorate degrees and 40 have reached the academic rank of full professor.

The university offers 64 undergraduate degrees, 21 graduate degrees, and at least six doctoral degrees (applied mathematics, mathematical physics, applied chemistry, neuroscience, optical physics, and doctorate programs in education). The school also offers several cooperative and dual degree programs. Students receive instruction in classes with a 20:1 student/ faculty ratio. About 83 percent of undergraduates receive scholarships, grants, loans, or work-study income. DSU has an Honors Program and an Honors Curriculum and a MARC (Minority Access to Research Careers) Program to increase the number of students in science and interested in obtaining PhD degrees in biology, chemistry, physics, and psychology.

In addition to satisfying the requirements for the major or majors and any minor, all undergraduates are required to complete the General Education Program which includes: seven core courses, twelve foundation courses (across the curriculum), and the Senior Capstone Experience.

The graduating class of 2006 was the largest in DSU's history, consisting of over 500 seniors and graduate students.

Global connections

The university has over 20 formal international partnerships with institutions in countries such as France, Egypt, Japan, Nigeria, Serbia, Mexico, China, Cuba, and many others, which facilitate student exchanges and research and conference collaborations.

Research

The institution has greatly increased its research endeavors over the past five years, as it has developed the research infrastructure needed to attract federal grants for projects in the areas of mathematics (Applied Mathematics Research Center (AMRC), numerical analysis of partial differential equations, analytical methods in solid mechanics, wavelet analysis, NURBs methods of computer geometric design, nonlinear PDEs, topology); optical science and laser physics (The Center for Applied Optics, as well as The Center for Research and Education in Optical Sciences and Applications (CREOSA), a National Science Foundation-Center for Research Excellence (NSF-CREST)); mathematical physics; plasma physics; theoretical physics; fluid dynamics; high pressure materials; semiconductor materials and devices; geophysics; chemistry (Hydrogen storage and Fuel cell Center, RNA sequencing, organic chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, synthetic chemistry, NMR spectroscopy, electrochemistry); biological sciences (Idea Network of biomedical research Excellence (NIH-INBRE), cell biology, microbiology, molecular mechanisms of neuronal function, neurobiology and behavior, nanobioscience, phospholipases); biotechnology; computer science and bioinformatics (Delaware Center for Scientific and Applied Computation (DeSAC), data mining and machine learning, combinatorics, spatial-temporal statistics, artificial neural networks); neuroscience; environmental sciences; among others. Major grants are awarded through the Department of Defense (Department of Army), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and other granting agencies.

History

The State College for Colored Students, now known as Delaware State University, was established May 15, 1891 by the Delaware General Assembly under the provisions of the Morrill Act of 1890 by which land-grant colleges for Blacks came into existence in states maintaining separate educational facilities. Through the conservative and practical planning of the Board of Trustees appointed by Governor Robert J. Reynolds of Delaware, the College was launched upon its mission of education and public service on February 2, 1892. Five courses of study leading to a baccalaureate degree were offered: Agricultural, Chemical, Classical, Engineering, and Scientific. A Preparatory Department was established in 1893 for students who were not qualified to pursue a major course of study upon entrance. A three-year normal course leading to a teacher's certificate was initiated in 1897. The College graduated its first class of degree candidates in May 1898. The normal course of study was extended to four years in 1911 and the Bachelor of Pedagogy degree was awarded to students on satisfactory completion of the curriculum.

In 1912, the courses of study were changed to Academic, Agricultural, Mechanic Arts, and Domestic Science. The Bachelor of Pedagogy degree was awarded on creditable completion of the academic curriculum. A certificate of graduation was granted on completion of the other courses of study.

In the 1916-1917 school year, the Preparatory Department was phased out, a Model Grade School was established, and a high school diploma was granted on completion of a four-year course of study. In 1923, a Junior College Division was added. Four-year curricula in the Arts and Sciences, Elementary Education, Home Economics, Agriculture, and Industrial Arts were established in 1932. The College graduated the first class of bachelor-degree candidates completing one of these courses of study in June 1934.

In 1944, the college received provisional accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. In 1947, the name of the institution was changed to "Delaware State College" by legislative action. In November 1949, the Middle States Association revoked the accreditation of the institution. This was a severe blow to the prestige of the College. Strenuous efforts were exerted to maintain the existence of the College and to make it an accredited four-year, land-grant institution. At the end of the 1951-52 school year, the High School Division was discontinued. In April 1957, the College was fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The Middle States Association in 1962, 1972, 1982, 1987, 1992, and 1997 reaffirmed this accreditation. Concurrently, the university achieved and maintained accreditation of its teacher education programs by the Delaware State Board of Education.

On July 1, 1993, Delaware State College turned another chapter in its history, when Governor Thomas Carper signed a name change into law, thus renaming the college to Delaware State University.

Since 1957, the University has grown in stature as a center for teaching, research, and public service. The purpose and object of the University have broadened in keeping with changing times. While recognizing its historical heritage, the University provides higher education today for a diverse student population. Undergraduate studies is organized into three undergraduate schools and a college of arts & sciences with a total of 19 academic departments, and offers a wide variety of programs leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Social Work. The undergraduate programs in airway science, chemistry, education, nursing, and social work are approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, American Chemical Society, National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification, the The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the Council on Social Work Education, respectively. The Division of Graduate Studies offers programs leading to the master's degree in biology, business administration, chemistry, education, physics, social work, and historic preservation.

The underpinning of the growth and development of Delaware State University has been the leadership of its ten presidents, including Wesley P. Webb (1891—1895); William C. Jason (1895—1923); Richard S. Grossley (1923—1942); Howard D. Gregg (1942—1949); Oscar J. Chapman (1949—1951); Jerome H. Holland (1953—1960); Luna I. Mishoe (1960—1987); William B. DeLauder (1987—2003); Allen L. Sessoms (2003—2008); and Dr. Claibourne Smith (2008-present). Maurice E. Thomasson served as acting president from 1951 to 1953. As a result of their efforts, the University is well positioned to reach new levels of prestige and respect in the new millennium.

In the new millennium, the university anticipates enrollment to increase to over 5,000 students continuing a growth pattern which saw enrollment increase from 7 students when it opened to a high of 3,500 in 1995.

Dr. Allen L. Sessoms, who began his tenure as the DSU president in 2003, resigned in August 2008 to take a position in Washington D.C. effective September 1, 2008.

September 21, 2007 campus shootings

Two students were shot at Delaware State University on the morning of September 21, 2007. The students were shot near Memorial Hall around 1 a.m. Classes were canceled for the day. One student was hospitalized in stable condition, and another student was hospitalized with injuries that were considered serious, according to a news release on the university's Web site. The campus was "locked down" with students confined to their dormitories and traffic blocked at the campus gate, through Sunday, September 23. Classes resumed on Monday, September 24. On that day, a freshman student was arrested for attempted murder in connection with the incident, and has been expelled from the University. The episode is significant because it marks the first test of a university in handling a campus shooting following the Virginia Tech shootings. One of the students, a 17 year- old freshman, died.

Campus

The 400-acre main campus is located in Dover, Delaware. It is two hours away from Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., and three hours away from New York City. DSU also has satellite sites in Wilmington, Delaware and Georgetown, Delaware.

The main campus in Dover contains 30 buildings, including:

Alumni Stadium
Memorial Hall
The Mishoe Science Center
The MBNA America Building
Warren-Franklin Hall residential hall
Medgar Evers Hall residential hall
Harriet Tubman Hall residential hall
Laws Hall residential hall
Jenkins Hall residential hall
Conwell Hall residential hall
Delaware Hall
Price Building
Loockerman Hall
Administration building
University Village residential hall complex
Willam C.Jason Library
University Courtyard Apts

There are seven campus residential halls: four for women, and three for men. There are also three apartment-style residence halls for upperclassmen. Two dining halls serve the more than 1,500 on-campus students.

Delaware State University, as a part of the Internet2 initiative, maintains several research computer labs, including a high-performance computational cluster in its DESAC center. Almost every building has a computer lab and each student has a dedicated data port for Internet access, their own phone, a campus email address, and Cable TV access in all residence hall rooms. Certain campus buildings also offer wireless connectivity.

Administration

Presidents
Wesley P. Webb	1891–1895
William C. Jason	1895–1923
Richard S. Grossley	1923–1942
Howard D. Gregg	1942–1949
Oscard J. Chapman	1949–1951
Jerome H. Holland	1953–1960
Luna I. Mishoe	1960–1987
William B. DeLauder	1987–2003
Allen L. Sessoms	2003—2008
Claibourne D. Smith	2008-present)

The president of the University is selected by the Board of Trustees and is given the authority for actual control of the university, including day-to-day management. In practice, this responsibility is delegated by the president to other departments of the administration, to the faculty, or to the student body.

Student activities

Athletics

Delaware State University's athletic programs participate in NCAA's Division I (I-AA for football). The athletic teams at Delaware State are known as the Hornets. The Hornets compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference as full members since the conference was founded in 1970.

The university fields teams in football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, track and field, tennis, wrestling, volleyball, soccer, and bowling. The university's Department of Intramural Sports provides a wide variety of quality recreational programs for students, faculty, and staff.

Football

The Delaware State Football team won the 2007 MEAC football championship with a win over Norfolk State with a score of 28 to 21 in overtime giving them an automatic bid into the 2007 NCAA Division I FCS playoffs. During that tournament the Hornets lost to University of Delaware with a score of 44-7 in the first round, the first ever meeting between the two schools.

Men's and Women's Basketball

The Delaware State men's basketball team won the 2005 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship and earned a berth in the 2005 NCAA tournament. Playing as a 16-seed, the Hornets lost 57-46 in the opening round to 1-seed Duke. The Hornets also have made back to back NIT appearances in 2006 and 2007.

The Delaware State women's basketball team won the 2006 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship and earned a berth in the 2006 NCAA tournament. Playing as a 15-seed, the Lady Hornets kept the game close down by only three until 9 minutes remained in the game, but lost 62-47 in the opening round to 2-seed Vanderbilt University.