Southern Arkansas University


Southern Arkansas University is a public university in Magnolia, Arkansas.

History

Southern Arkansas University was established by an Act of the Arkansas Legislature in 1909 as a district agricultural high school for southwest Arkansas and was originally named Third District Agricultural School, often called by students and faculty "TDAS." Its first term began in January 1911, with its curriculum including only subjects at the secondary school level. In 1925, the State Legislature authorized the school to add two years of college work and to change its name to Agricultural and Mechanical College, Third District. The school continued to offer both high school and junior college courses until 1937, at which time the high school courses were discontinued.
In the fall of 1949, the Board of Trustees, exercising authority vested in it by the State Legislature, decided to develop the college at a four-year, degree-granting institution. The Board authorized the addition of third-year college level courses to being with the fall semester of 1950. Fourth-year courses were added in the fall semester of 1951. By Act Eleven, the State Legislature changed the name of the institution to Southern State College. In 1975, the institution was approved and accredited to offer a Master of Education Degree in selected areas. Following approval of the Board of Trustees, the name of the institution was changed to Southern Arkansas University by the Board of Higher Education on July 9, 1976, in accordance with Act 343 of the General Assembly of 1975.
Also in 1975, Southwest Technical Institute in Camden, Arkansas, joined the SAU system as Southern Arkansas University Tech.

Academics

Southern Arkansas University offers 70 different undergraduate options, including pre-professional tracks, and 2+2 degree completion programs in four different academic colleges:
Southern Arkansas University also offers 19 graduate programs, which are offered either face-to-face, online, or as a hybrid combination of the two.

Campus housing

Residence halls

The university operates several residence halls, many of which are associated with specific living-learning communities :
Southern Arkansas University is in the NCAA Division II as a member of the Great American Conference.
The university's athletic nicknames are Muleriders and Lady Muleriders. The Muleriders take their name from the legend that the football team in the early 1900s had to ride mules from the college's agricultural department to catch the nearest train north of the college in order to reach out-of-town football games.
The Muleriders football team won the Gulf South Championship in 1997.
In each of 1953 and 1954, the then Southern State College Mulerider tennis team went undefeated winning the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference in both singles and doubles and was invited by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics to represent their district in their National Tennis Championships in 1953.
In 2006 and 2009, the Mulerider baseball team won the Gulf South Conference championship. In 2009 the Mulerider baseball team hosted the NCAA Division Two South Regional for the first time in school history.
In 2007, the Mulerider coed cheerleading squad competed at the NCA National Competition. In 2008, the cheerleading squad went back to nationals and took 5th in their division.

Traditions

Bed races

The annual Bed Races have been a unique tradition as a part of SAU's Family Day festivities since November 7, 1981. Representatives from SAU's residence halls build and race twin-sized "beds" with a mattress platform on top of four bicycle tires. Once constructed, the beds are decorated according to a theme decided annually by the residence's Hall Councils. The bed must have one reclining student, protected by a football helmet, and four runners. Each team competes in a double elimination race, and the winners take home the coveted Bed Race Trophy.

Celebration of Lights

The Celebration of Lights has been a Christmas tradition at SAU since 1984. What once started as a single display to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the school has become an annual part of the holidays in Magnolia. During the celebration, a large Christmas tree is lit in front of Overstreet, as well as light displays all over campus. Additional strands of lights are strewn along the 187-foot SAU bell tower, transforming it into a giant Christmas candle. Included in the festivities each year are: the Magnolia City Christmas Parade, caroling, pictures with Santa Claus for the children, and a holiday buffet dinner for the community.

Mulesitting

"Mulegating" is a family-oriented event that gets Mulerider football fans geared up for every home SAU football game. Mulegating got its start in September, 2003, after the opening of the SAU Welcome Center. The SAU version of tailgating, students, family, and friends of SAU gather to visit, eat, and prepare for the upcoming game. The event is hosted by the University's Office of Alumni Relations, and there is always a variety of grilled food, as well as games for the children.

Greek life

Sororities

National Panhellenic Conference affiliates

North-American Interfraternity Conference affiliates