Lipscomb University
Lipscomb University
Lipscomb University Logo (Trademark of Lipscomb University University)
| Motto | "The Truth Shall Set You Free" - John 8:32 |
|---|---|
| Established | 1891 |
| School type | Private |
| President | Steve Flatt |
| Location | Nashville, TN, USA |
| Enrollment | 2,399 undergraduate, 183 graduate |
| Faculty | 115 |
| Endowment | US$46 million |
| Campus | Urban, 65 acres |
| Sports team | Bison |
| Website | www.lipscomb.edu |
Lipscomb University is a Church of Christ-affiliated university in Nashville, Tennessee.
History
Lipscomb University was founded in 1891 by David Lipscomb and James A. Harding. The original name was the Nashville Bible School, which was changed to David Lipscomb College, then to David Lipscomb University. In the late 1990s, the "David" was dropped and the institution was renamed "Lipscomb University". From the school's inception all full-time students were required to take daily Bible classes and to attend daily chapel services (now held in the on-campus sports facility Allen Arena), although the school was never intended to function primarily as a seminary, a term looked upon with disfavor by many members of the Churches of Christ, but rather as a Christian liberal arts institution. However, many of the most prominent Church of Christ religious ministers received at least a portion of their higher education there. All university employees and faculty must prove their membership in a Church of Christ before being hired. The campus grounds consist largely of the former estate of David Lipscomb, who donated it to the school.
Academics
The university has a wide range of academic programs, although there is an emphasis on education, Bible, and business. Many students are involved in pre-professional programs, notably pre-med and pre-law. Additionally, The Raymond B. Jones school of engineering was accredited by ABET in August 2004. There is also an on-campus high school; the associated elementary school has been moved to a renovated former public school a few blocks away.
Campus Information
The 65 acre campus is located in the Green Hills suburbs of Nashville between Belmont Boulevard to the west and Granny White Pike on the east.
The center of the university, known as Bison Square, is located between the Student Center and the Willard Collins Alumni Auditorium. The bricked square is traditionally used during warm weather as the location for nightly devotionals, concerts, and other campus activities. Attached to Alumni Auditorium is the Burton Bible Building where Religious, Philosophical, Mass Communications, History and Political Science classes are held. To the south side of the Burton Bible Building is the Axel Swang Center where Business and English classes are held. Other academenic buildings include the McFarland Hall of Sciences where the Science and Math classes are held.
Some academic buildings were built with public funds. One of the stipulations was that these buildings cannot have religious classes taught in them. For example, no Bible classes are taught in the McFarland Hall of Sciences. However this rule does not apply to Ward Lecture auditorium, which is attached to McFarland Hall. Construction of Ward was built through private donations.
Beaman Library was constructed in time for the university's centennial in 1991. The university's old library, the Crisman building, serves as the university's administrative building.
The university has several dormitories including Elam Hall, Fanning Hall, and Johnson Hall (all women's dormitories). Elam and Fanning are unique in design in that they have a large enclosed inner courtyard. At 8 stories tall High Rise dormitory is the university's tallest structure and the largest men's dormitory. The oldest men's dormitory is Sewell Hall, which was recently renovated in the late 1990s.
The university also boasts the Allen Arena, a 5,028-seat multipurpose facility, which opened in October 2001 on the site of the old McQuiddy Gymnasium. The adjacent student recreational center kept the McQuiddy name. Yearwood Hall, a women's dormitory, was torn down for construction of Allen Arena and its accompanying parking garage.
Campus Life
Full-time students are required to take a daily Bible class and attend chapel services. Currently chapel services are held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at Allen Arena. Students have a limited number of excused absences and can be put on chapel probation if there is a large number of absences. A generalized Bible class called "University Bible" is held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Allen Arena for the entire full-time student body. Students are also required to take a Bible class of their choice on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Lipscomb does not have fraternities and sororities per say. Rather they have social clubs which are localized only to Lipscomb and are not part of any national Greek system. The women's social clubs include Delta Xi, Delta Sigma, Gamma Lambda, Kappa Chi, Phi Sigma, and Pi Delta. Delta Nu, Delta Tau, Gamma Xi, Omega Nu, Sigma Omega Sigma, Sigma Iota Delta, and Tau Phi make up the Men's social clubs. Social club members participate in Singarama (an annual spring musical).
There is a curfew for freshmen and sophomores, and a ban on student facial hair was lifted during the 1986-1987 school year. The campus is a dry campus and students could be potentially suspended if alcohol is discovered on their person by a school staff member.
The university also offers membership in other academic, professional, and service clubs including Alpha Chi National Honors Society, Sigma Tau Delta National English honor society, Circle K International, College Republicans, and College Democrats.
The Babbler is the student newspaper which is published weekly. The origin of the title of the publication comes from Acts 17:18 which in part says "What does this Babbler have to say?" The Backlog is the school's yearbook.
Lipscomb offers a handful of study abroad programs. In the mid 1990s a study abroad program Vienna, Austria was originally offered. Programs in London, Great Britain and Athens, Greece were added afterward.
Sports Information
Sports teams are nicknamed the Bisons, and there is a large statue of the namesake animal centrally located on the campus. At one time the school was a small-college sports powerhouse, notably in baseball and basketball in the NAIA; now it is a new member of NCAA Division I and competes in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
The university has an ongoing sports rivalry with Belmont University, just 3 miles down the road from Lipscomb. Traditionally basketball games between the two schools are called the Battle of the Boulevard.
Contact Information
Lipscomb University
3901 Granny White Pike
Nashville, Tennessee 37204-3951
+1 615 269-1000
Notable Alumni
- Pat Boone
- Jim Jinkins - creator of the animated Doug series.
External links
- Lipscomb University website
- Lipscomb Sports - Official Sports Website of the University
- Lipscomb Underground- a student-led discussion about the university
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