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The University of North Alabama (UNA) is a
public university A public university, state university, or public college is a university or college that is State ownership, owned by the state or receives significant funding from a government. Whether a national university is considered public varies from o ...
in
Florence, Alabama Florence is a city in, and the county seat of, Lauderdale County, Alabama, Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States, in the state's northwestern corner, and had a population of 40,184 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Florence is l ...
, United States. It is the state's oldest university. Occupying a campus in a residential section of Florence, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Tuscumbia,
Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...
and
Muscle Shoals Muscle Shoals is the largest city in Colbert County, Alabama, United States. It is located on the left bank of the Tennessee River in the northern part of the state and, as of the 2010 census, its population was 13,146. The estimated popula ...
. The four cities compose a metropolitan area with a combined population of 140,000 people. The University of North Alabama was one of about 180 "
normal schools Normal(s) or The Normal(s) may refer to: Film and television * ''Normal'' (2003 film), starring Jessica Lange and Tom Wilkinson * ''Normal'' (2007 film), starring Carrie-Anne Moss, Kevin Zegers, Callum Keith Rennie, and Andrew Airlie * ''Norma ...
" founded by state governments in the 19th century to train teachers for the rapidly growing public common schools. Some closed but most steadily expanded their role and became state colleges in the early 20th century and state universities in the late 20th century. It was founded as LaGrange College in 1830. It was reestablished in 1872 as the first state-supported
teachers college Teachers College, Columbia University (TC) is the graduate school of education affiliated with Columbia University, a private research university in New York City. Founded in 1887, Teachers College has been a part of Columbia University since ...
south of the
Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...
. A year later, it became one of the nation's first coeducational colleges.


History

LaGrange College opened on January 11, 1830, in a mountain hamlet a few miles south of
Leighton Leighton may refer to: Places In Australia: * Leighton, Western Australia, a beachside locality In the United Kingdom: * Leighton, Cambridgeshire * Leighton, Cheshire * Leighton, North Yorkshire ** Leighton Reservoir * Leighton, Shropshire *Lei ...
in northeast
Colbert County, Alabama Colbert County () is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census the county's population was 57,227. The county seat is Tuscumbia. The largest city is Muscle Shoals. The county is named ...
. LaGrange means "The Barn" in French. Twenty-one local college trustees were listed in Acts of Alabama, Eleventh Annual Session. The town of LaGrange and its college were sacked and burned by Union troops in 1863. But by then the college had moved north across the
Tennessee River The Tennessee River is a long river located in the Southern United States, southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. Flowing through the states of Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, it begins at the confluence of Fren ...
to Florence. The section of Franklin County containing
LaGrange Mountain Joseph-Louis Lagrange (born Giuseppe Luigi LagrangiaColbert County Colbert County () is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census the county's population was 57,227. The county seat is Tuscumbia. The largest city is Muscle Shoals. The county is named in ...
. LaGrange College, which became Florence Wesleyan University in 1855, is now the University of North Alabama. LaGrange College arose from the idea offered at a November 28, 1826 meeting of the
Tennessee Conference The Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference is an Annual Conference (a regional episcopal area, similar to a diocese) of the United Methodist Church. This conference serves the congregations in Middle Tennessee and West Tennessee and is part of the ...
of the
Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...
to establish a college which would not be "religious or theological". By January 1829, the selection of Lawrence Hill on LaGrange Mountain was made for the site of the school. A year later, LaGrange College opened to students of all denominations in two three-story brick buildings. The Rev. Robert Paine was the first president; he was also the professor of moral science and
belles lettres () is a category of writing, originally meaning beautiful or fine writing. In the modern narrow sense, it is a label for literary works that do not fall into the major categories such as fiction, poetry, or drama. The phrase is sometimes used pej ...
and taught
geography Geography (from Ancient Greek ; combining 'Earth' and 'write', literally 'Earth writing') is the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. Geography is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks an understanding o ...
and
mineralogy Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical mineralogy, optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifact (archaeology), artifacts. Specific s ...
. He was assisted by two other professors. The first board of trustees had a total of 50 members, including two Native Americans, a
Choctaw The Choctaw ( ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States, originally based in what is now Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The Choctaw language is a Western Muskogean language. Today, Choct ...
politician and a
Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...
leader. In 1830, Turner Saunders, a native of Virginia, was the first president of the board of trustees. Saunders' mansion, built around 1826, still stands in Lawrence County. Among the many distant trustees was John Coffee of Florence, friend of Andrew Jackson. Among the local trustees was Henry Stuart Foote of Tuscumbia, who would move to Mississippi and defeat Jefferson Davis in the 1850 Governor's election. In 1850, a
grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a Latin school, school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented Se ...
was added to LaGrange College. (Today, UNA's Kilby Laboratory School is the only university-owned and operated elementary laboratory school in Alabama). In 1858, following the death of the school's president and the loss of most of its students to nearby Florence, the college was suspended and re-established as the LaGrange College and Military Academy, with James W. Robertson as superintendent. Under its new name, additional buildings were constructed and the school reached its highest prosperity. The state of Alabama made provision for two cadets from each county to be enrolled, and by 1861 47 of its 171 students were state cadets. The school suffered a loss of enrollment again when Alabama seceded, and in March 1862 Robertson received approval from the Alabama governor to enroll the 35th Alabama Infantry from faculty, cadets, and enlistees from surrounding counties. On April 28, 1863, the buildings were destroyed by Union soldiers of the 10th Missouri Cavalry, including a library of 4,000 volumes. Among LaGrange's alumni were several generals, Alabama governors Edward A. O'Neal and David P. Lewis,
Alabama Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Alabama is the highest court in the state of Alabama. The court consists of a chief justice and eight associate justices. Each justice is elected in partisan elections for staggered six-year terms. The Supreme Court is hous ...
justice William M. Byrd and
U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...
Jeremiah Clemens Jeremiah Clemens (December 28, 1814 – May 21, 1865) was a United States senator and novelist from Alabama. A Southern Unionist, he opposed the secession of Alabama from the Union in 1861 but briefly served in the Confederate Army. He was the a ...
, who wrote the first
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
novel and the first western novel.


Florence Wesleyan University

LaGrange graduate Richard H. Rivers, after becoming president of the college, led most of the students and all but one faculty member from the mountain in late 1854 to relocate to Florence. The school was re-incorporated as Florence Wesleyan University. Admission to Florence Wesleyan required an acquaintance with
English grammar English grammar is the set of structural rules of the English language. This includes the structure of words, phrases, clauses, Sentence (linguistics), sentences, and whole texts. Overview This article describes a generalized, present-day Standar ...
,
arithmetic Arithmetic is an elementary branch of mathematics that deals with numerical operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. In a wider sense, it also includes exponentiation, extraction of roots, and taking logarithms. ...
,
geography Geography (from Ancient Greek ; combining 'Earth' and 'write', literally 'Earth writing') is the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. Geography is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks an understanding o ...
and the
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
and Greek Grammar. Prospective students also were required to demonstrate an ability to translate four books of
Caesar's Caesar's is a restaurant inside a hotel of the same name on Avenida Revolución in Tijuana, Mexico. The restaurant is best known for originating the Caesar salad. History The restaurant was founded by Italian immigrants Cesare (Cesar) an ...
Gallic Wars The Gallic Wars were waged between 58 and 50 BC by the Roman general Julius Caesar against the peoples of Gaul (present-day France, Belgium, and Switzerland). Gauls, Gallic, Germanic peoples, Germanic, and Celtic Britons, Brittonic trib ...
, six books of
Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; 15 October 70 BC21 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Rome, ancient Roman poet of the Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Augustan period. He composed three of the most fa ...
's
Aeneid The ''Aeneid'' ( ; or ) is a Latin Epic poetry, epic poem that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Troy, Trojan who fled the Trojan War#Sack of Troy, fall of Troy and travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Ancient Rome ...
, Jacob's or Felton's Greek Reader, and at least one of
Xenophon Xenophon of Athens (; ; 355/354 BC) was a Greek military leader, philosopher, and historian. At the age of 30, he was elected as one of the leaders of the retreating Ancient Greek mercenaries, Greek mercenaries, the Ten Thousand, who had been ...
's
Anabasis Anabasis (from Greek ''ana'' = "upward", ''bainein'' = "to step or march") is an expedition from a coastline into the interior of a country. Anabase and Anabasis may also refer to: History * '' Anabasis Alexandri'' (''Anabasis of Alexander''), ...
. One hundred and sixty students enrolled in the first year of operation (1855) of Florence Wesleyan University. The school quickly attracted students from five states and two foreign countries. Among Florence Wesleyan's graduates were Alabama governor
Emmet O'Neal Emmet O'Neal (September 23, 1853 – September 7, 1922) was an American Democratic politician and lawyer who was the 34th Governor of Alabama from 1911 to 1915. He was a reformer in the progressive mold and is best known for securing the com ...
and
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
governor Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross (the latter of whose tenure as president of
Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, TA&M, or TAMU) is a public university, public, Land-grant university, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of ...
was known as the 'golden age' of that institution). Ross also is the namesake of
Sul Ross State University Sul Ross State University (SRSU) is a public university in Alpine, Texas, United States. The main campus is the primary institution of higher education serving the nineteen-county Big Bend, Texas, Big Bend region of far West Texas. Branch campuse ...
in
Alpine, Texas Alpine ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Brewster County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,035 at the 2020 census. The town has an elevation of , and the surrounding mountain peaks are over above sea level. A university, hospi ...
.


Civil War

The
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
created hardship for the institution. Robert A. Young, president of Florence Wesleyan at the time, is credited with saving the institution from destruction. Florence Wesleyan alumnus Lawrence "Sul" Ross, the future Texas governor and university educator, served as a general in the
Confederate States The Confederate States of America (CSA), also known as the Confederate States (C.S.), the Confederacy, or Dixieland, was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States from 1861 to 1865. It comprised eleven U.S. states th ...
Army. LaGrange College and Florence Wesleyan University also produced three other
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
generals: Confederate Generals Edward A. O'Neal (later an Alabama governor) and John Gregg and Union General
Daniel McCook Jr. Daniel McCook Jr. (July 22, 1834 – July 21, 1864),Eicher, p. 374. one of the famed Fighting McCooks, was a brigade commander in the Union Army who was mortally wounded in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, during t ...


State Normal School at Florence

When the
Methodist Church Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
deeded Florence Wesleyan to the State of Alabama in 1872, the institution became the State Normal School at Florence, the first state-supported teachers college south of the
Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...
. Shortly thereafter, it became one of the first co-educational institutions in the nation. A year after its becoming a state school, the institution opened its doors to women; however, none attended until 1874, when 31 young women enrolled. The first woman joined the faculty in 1879. Florence Normal School's Newton W. Bates, professor of language and literature, published his ''History of Civil Government of Alabama'' in 1892, the first textbook on the history of
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
. T.S. Stribling, one of the university's most noteworthy alumni, graduated from Florence State Normal School in 1903.


Florence State Teachers College

The institution functioned as a normal school for more than 50 years until 1929, when it became a state teachers college offering a four-year curriculum in elementary education. The first bachelor's degrees were awarded in 1931. Less than a decade later, the curriculum was expanded to include a four-year course of study in secondary education. In 1947, the curriculum was expanded again to include A.B. and B.S. degree programs in fields other than teacher training.


Florence State College

In 1956, the institution crossed another academic milestone with the formation of a graduate course of study in education leading to the Master of Arts degree. With the establishment of a new Graduate Division, the graduate program was launched in the summer of 1957. The same year, the Alabama Legislature voted to change the institution's name to Florence State College to reflect its expanding academic mission.


Integration at Florence State College

Compared with other southern institutions of higher learning, particularly the universities of
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
and
Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...
, integration occurred almost painlessly at Florence State College. In 1963, Wendell Wilkie Gunn became the first African-American student to enroll at the college. Gunn had initially been denied admission. Then-President E.B. Norton sent Gunn a letter informing him that the
Alabama Legislature The Alabama Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a bicameral body composed of the House of Representatives and Senate. It is one of the few state legislatures in which members of both cham ...
and Board of Education would not allow the college to accept his application. Speaking at UNA in 2005, famed civil rights attorney Fred Gray, who represented Gunn, recalled that the hearing that integrated UNA lasted only ten minutes, after which Gunn returned to campus and enrolled. Gray described the episode as "the easiest case of my civil rights career." Gunn, who subsequently earned degrees from Florence State College and the
University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...
, went on to a distinguished career in banking and finance, including an appointment as international trade adviser to President
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
in 1982. Wendell Gunn was appointed to the board of trustees of the University of North Alabama by Governor
Kay Ivey Kay Ellen Ivey ( ; born October 15, 1944) is an American politician who is the 54th governor of Alabama, serving since 2017. A Republican since 2002, Ivey was the 38th Alabama state treasurer from 2003 to 2011 and the 30th lieutenant governor o ...
in 2019.


Florence State University

In 1967 the Alabama Legislature removed jurisdiction for the college from the State Board of Education and vested it in a board of trustees. A year later, the new board voted for another name change to Florence State University, once again symbolizing the steady expansion of the institution's academic offerings and mission. Ethelbert Brinkley "E.B." Norton, who was serving as president at the time this name was adopted, is distinguished as the only president in the university's history to preside over three institutional name changes: Florence State Teachers College, followed by Florence State College in 1957, and, roughly a decade later, by Florence State University. The change of name also was accompanied by an extensive reorganization of the university's academic and administrative structure, including the establishment of separate schools within the university.


University of North Alabama

Less than a decade later, on August 15, 1974, the university underwent another change of name to the University of North Alabama, symbolizing its coming of age as a comprehensive, regional university. The following year, the graduate curriculum again was expanded with the introduction of the master's degree program in business administration. Following a reorganization in 1991, the university's administrative structure consists of four divisions: Academic Affairs, Business Affairs, Student Affairs and Advancement, each headed by a vice president. In 1993, the Board of Trustees, anticipating continued and steady enrollment growth, adopted a new master facilities plan to ensure that UNA will be equipped to accommodate 10,000 students. Kenneth D. Kitts became the 20th president of the University of North Alabama in March 2015.


Campus

UNA's campus facilities master plan was developed by the
Olmsted Brothers The Olmsted Brothers company was a Landscape architecture, landscape architectural firm in the United States, established in 1898 by brothers John Charles Olmsted (1852–1920) and Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. (1870–1957), sons of the landscape ar ...
, the sons of the architect who designed New York City's
Central Park Central Park is an urban park between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, and the first landscaped park in the United States. It is the List of parks in New York City, sixth-largest park in the ...
. The campus has three antebellum structures: Wesleyan Hall; Rogers Hall; and
Coby Hall Coby Hall is an antebellum Georgian Revival former residence in Florence, Alabama, that now serves as a learning and cultural center for the University of North Alabama. History 19th century The house was built by John Simpson on the site of his e ...
. All three are listed in the
National Historic Register The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of sites, buildings, structures, districts, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.Smith, William E., "Leo's Tale: University of North Alabama Trivia, Florence, AL, Shoals Heritage Publishers, 2000. The University of North Alabama encompasses two campuses, following a decision in June 2006, by the university's board of trustees to purchase J.W. Powell School from the Florence City Schools. The East Campus houses several academic units, including the Office of Continuing Studies and Outreach and the Human Environmental Sciences' state-of-the-art Culinary Facility


Buildings

The UNA Science and Engineering Technology Building was completed in 2015. The five-story, 160,000-square-foot facility was designed by Lambert Ezell Durham Architects and constructed by BL Harbert, The building houses engineering technology, biology, chemistry, occupational health science, physics and earth science. It also includes conference areas, faculty offices, research facilities, specialized classrooms, a dining area, computer laboratories, super laboratories and lecture halls. In June 2018, the building was renamed the Mitchell Burford Science and Technology Building in honor of Mitchell Burford, the largest individual private donor in the university's history. The Wendell W. Gunn University Commons was completed in 2014. The $8 million complex houses the University Success Center, Student Financial Services, the UNA branch of Listerhill Credit Union, Starbucks and Chick-fil-A. The Wendell W. Gunn University Commons was designed by Hugo Dante and Create Architects, and was built by Consolidated Construction. In March 2018, the building was renamed the Wendell W. Gunn University Commons in honor of Wendell Gunn, the first African-American student to enter Florence State College in 1963. Harrison Plaza was made possible by 1955 alumna Laura McAnally Harrison and her husband, Donald C. Harrison, of Cincinnati. The plaza, constructed around a large Italian limestone fountain, occupies the former intersections of Morrison and Wesleyan Avenues and Seminary Street between 601 Cramer Way, Keller Hall and the
George H. Carroll Lion Habitat The George H. Carroll Lion Habitat is a , climate-controlled facility located on the campus the University of North Alabama, US that previously housed the only live lion mascots in the United States, Leo III and Una. It was dedicated on October ...
, which houses UNA's live mascots. Harrison Plaza now constitutes the hub of UNA's three pedestrian walkways and serves as the principal entrance to campus. With its distinctive towers, Wesleyan Hall, one of UNA's most familiar structures, is considered one of the most eminent landmarks in North Alabama. The
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
structure was designed to serve LaGrange College when this Methodist institution relocated from Franklin to Lauderdale county and was renamed Florence Wesleyan University. During the Civil War, Wesleyan Hall was occupied by both Union and Confederate armies. General
William Tecumseh Sherman William Tecumseh Sherman ( ; February 8, 1820February 14, 1891) was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a General officer, general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), earning recognit ...
is considered the most famous Civil War-era occupant of Wesleyan Hall. After the war, the building was deeded to the state of Alabama and thereafter served as a state normal school. It currently serves as the center for Foreign Languages (French, German, and Spanish), Psychology, and Geography. The building is listed in the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. Adjacent to Wesleyan Hall in a specially constructed tower is the Wesleyan Bell, which tolled regularly throughout the last quarter of the 19th century to summon Florence Normal School students to class. Sometime around 1910, the bell was removed from Wesleyan Hall and stored. Rediscovered in 2002, the 130-year-old Wesleyan Bell was restored to a prominent place on campus following construction of the Smith Bell Tower in 2004. Rogers Hall, another one of UNA's most distinctive structures, was constructed by planter George Washington Foster in 1855 at the summit of Court Street (hence its original name, Courtview). Because construction would result in the permanent obstruction of a major thoroughfare, the city had to secure the approval of the
Alabama Legislature The Alabama Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a bicameral body composed of the House of Representatives and Senate. It is one of the few state legislatures in which members of both cham ...
before work could begin. In the fall of 1864, the residence served as the headquarters of Confederate Gen.
Nathan Bedford Forrest Nathan Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821October 29, 1877) was an List of slave traders of the United States, American slave trader, active in the lower Mississippi River valley, who served as a General officers in the Confederate States Army, Con ...
. Courtview was occupied by members of the Foster family until 1900, when it became the home of Alabama Gov.
Emmet O'Neal Emmet O'Neal (September 23, 1853 – September 7, 1922) was an American Democratic politician and lawyer who was the 34th Governor of Alabama from 1911 to 1915. He was a reformer in the progressive mold and is best known for securing the com ...
. In the 1920s, the residence was acquired by Thomas M. Rogers Sr., and in 1948 by the university. It houses the Offices of Advancement, Alumni Relations, and Communications and Marketing. Constructed in 1930, 601 Cramer Way houses UNA's senior administrative offices. The building is named for David Bibb Graves, who served as Alabama's governor from 1927 to 1931 and 1935–39. Graves's passage of the largest education budget in Alabama history led to the moniker as the "Education Governor", Graves's support for education led to recognition on virtually every Alabama college campus. The Office of the President, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs, Human Resources, and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering are housed in the building.
Coby Hall Coby Hall is an antebellum Georgian Revival former residence in Florence, Alabama, that now serves as a learning and cultural center for the University of North Alabama. History 19th century The house was built by John Simpson on the site of his e ...
was donated to the university in 1990 by David Brubaker in memory of his wife, Coby Stockard Brubaker. Built by John Simpson on the site of his earlier home in 1843, the Simpson House/Irvine Place, as it had been known, later was purchased by George W. Foster, builder of Courtview, for his daughter, Virginia, and her husband, James B. Irvine. The University Admissions office is located in the building. Coby Hall is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Robert M. Guillot University Center is named after UNA's former president, who served from 1972 to 1989. Popularly known as the "GUC," it houses the Post Office, 256 Grill, Moe's Southwest Grill, Panda Express and the Lion's Den Game Room. The GUC also houses the Student Engagement Office, the Vice President for Student Affairs Office, Student Conduct, Title IX, University Case Manager, Career Planning, the University Center Operations and Event Management Office, Disability Student Services, UNA Dining, Military and Veterans Services, University Ombudsman, Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, PMA Program and the Student Government Association. The Performance Center, located on the second floor, hosts a variety of events including concerts and comedy acts. The Memorial Amphitheater, erected in 1934 as a memorial to World War I veterans, is used for outdoor plays, concerts and speeches. Much like the nearby Guillot Center, it is a popular site for socializing, lounging and studying between classes. Originally a men's dormitory, Keller Hall, constructed in 1947, is named after James Albert Keller, who served as president of Florence State Teachers College from 1938 to 1948. Keller Hall serves as the headquarters of UNA's College of Business & Technology, housing the dean, faculty offices, computer labs and classrooms, as well as the Steele Center for Professional Selling. Keller Hall underwent a significant expansion following dedication of the Raburn Wing in 2002. This new addition provides state-of-the-art classrooms and related space for the College of Business & Technology.Steen, Robert S., "The 175-Year March from the 19th into the 21st," UNA Magazine, Summer, 2005 Originally a women's dormitory, Willingham Hall, named after long-serving President Henry J. Willingham, was constructed by the
Works Projects Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; from 1935 to 1939, then known as the Work Projects Administration from 1939 to 1943) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to c ...
in 1939. Willingham Hall houses the Department of English, the Department of History, and the Department of Politics, Justice, Law, and Philosophy. The President's Home, completed in 1941, was constructed by the
Works Projects Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; from 1935 to 1939, then known as the Work Projects Administration from 1939 to 1943) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to c ...
. Occupied by President and Mrs. Kenneth Kitts, the residence is located next to the George H. Carroll Lion Habitat, home of Leo III and Una, the university's live lion mascots. Overnight guests often were awakened by the lions' roaring.


Residences

Mattielou and Olive residence halls were completed in fall 2015 and spring 2016, respectively. The new residence halls are located on the extreme north end of campus, behind Covington and Hawthorne halls. Mattielou has 335 spaces and Olive has 429 spaces. These buildings were built primarily for incoming freshmen students. There are double and limited single rooms and each unit has its own bathroom.


Academic organization


Classification and accreditation

According to the Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education, the University of North Alabama is considered an M1; Master's Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs. UNA is a mid-sized, four year institution accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.


Degrees conferred

The University of North Alabama's five colleges offer degree programs in more than 80 different areas of study. UNA conferred 1,304 undergraduate degrees and 643 graduate degrees in the 2020–2021 academic year. ''Cum laude'' honors are conferred to graduates with a GPA of 3.5-3.69. ''Magna cum laude'' honors are conferred with a GPA of 3.70-3.89. ''Summa cum laude'' honors are conferred with a GPA of 3.9 or higher.


Programs

The University of North Alabama offers 219 bachelor's degree programs and concentrations, 45 master's degree programs, 3 education specialist degree programs, 3 doctoral programs, and numerous certificates and micro-credentials. UNA is composed of five colleges: Colleges: * Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions * College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering * Sanders College of Business and Technology * College of Education and Human Sciences * Delores and Weldon Cole Honors College


Kilby School

The College of Education and Human Sciences oversees the Kilby Laboratory School (child development center, kindergarten through sixth grade). The vision of Kilby Laboratory School is to serve as a site for university students to engage in meaningful interdisciplinary teaching, research, and service opportunities.


Libraries

The university libraries include Collier Library (main library), the Learning Resources Center located in Stevens Hall, the Music Library located in the Music Building and the Kilby School Library. The combined holdings of the libraries provide users with access to literature from a wide range of disciplines and include newer formats such as streaming media. Materials not found in the libraries are available through interlibrary loan. Library instruction sessions tailored to meet the needs of individual classes may be scheduled through the library. Common topics include location books and articles, searching the Internet, and evaluation information sources. Collier Library is named in memory of C.B. Collier, Dean of Florence State Teacher's College from 1918 to 1946. Notable items in the 350,000-volume library include the collections of several musicians, actors, and writers, including W.C. Handy, acclaimed the world over as "father of the blues." The
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...
Certificate and Collection of T.S. Stribling, one of the South's premiere novelists and an alumnus of Florence Normal School, is housed in the library. Script collections include those of science fiction author
Ray Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury ( ; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, Horror fiction, horr ...
and actors
Lucas Black Lucas Black (born November 29, 1982) is an American actor. He plays Sean Boswell in the films for '' Fast & Furious'', including '' The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift'' (2006), '' Furious 7'' (2015), and '' F9'' (2021). He also stars in vario ...
,
Ernest Borgnine Ernest Borgnine ( ; born Ermes Effron Borgnino; January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012) was an American actor whose career spanned over six decades. He was noted for his gruff but relaxed voice and gap-toothed Cheshire Cat grin. A popular perf ...
,
Tom Cherones Thomas Harry Cherones, Jr. ( ; born September 11, 1939) is an American television director, director and Television producer, producer of several TV series. He is best known for his work on ''Seinfeld'', where he directed 81 of the 86 episodes ...
,
Elinor Donahue Elinor Donahue (born Mary Eleanor Donahue; April 19, 1937) is an American retired actress known for playing the role of Betty Anderson, the eldest child of Jim and Margaret Anderson, on the 1950s American sitcom ''Father Knows Best''. Early li ...
and
Noble Willingham Noble Henry Willingham, Jr. (August 31, 1931 – January 17, 2004) was an American actor who appeared in more than thirty films and in many television shows, including a stint opposite Chuck Norris in ''Walker, Texas Ranger''. Early life Will ...
. Also included are the memorabilia of science fiction writer
Forrest Ackerman Forrest James Ackerman (November 24, 1916 – December 4, 2008) was an American magazine editor; science fiction writer, and literary agent; a founder of science fiction fandom; a leading expert on science fiction, horror, and fantasy films; a ...
. Collier Library is the location of the
George Lindsey George Smith Lindsey (December 17, 1928 – May 6, 2012) was an American actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his role as Goober Pyle on ''The Andy Griffith Show'', '' Mayberry R.F.D.'' and his subsequent tenure on '' Hee-Haw''. Life a ...
Television and Film Collection, part of which is displayed in Norton Auditorium. In 2018 the library launched the UNA Scholarly Repository, a digital repository of the research and scholarly output of UNA faculty and students.


International emphasis

According to the tenth edition of American Universities and Colleges, published in 1968 by the
American Council on Education The American Council on Education (ACE) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) U.S. higher education association established in 1918. ACE's members are the leaders of approximately 1,600 accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities and higher educati ...
, the University of North Alabama, then known as Florence State College, had only three international students enrolled during the 1966–1967 academic year — two undergraduate students and one graduate student, all from the Middle East. However, during the Robert Potts administration, UNA undertook a concerted effort to diversify its student body by recruiting individuals from throughout the world. By 2004, international enrollment had grown to nearly 300 students representing 35 countries. Today, UNA has the third highest international student enrollment of any institution in its category according to ''U.S. News & World Report''s America's Best Colleges. Roughly 4 percent of the UNA student body is international. The Global Lions Organization has become one of the largest and most influential student organizations on campus. A major focus of the GLO is organizing campus and community activities to integrate international students more closely with other UNA students and also with the surrounding Shoals community.


Student body

The table below displays the Fall 2021 Gender/Ethnic Breakdown of Students for the University of North Alabama. Full-time, four-year undergraduates comprise a large amount of the total university enrollment. In Fall 2021, 72% of all students were considered full-time and 28% were considered part-time. Total enrollment for the Fall 2021 semester was 8,832. Total enrollment for the Fall 2020 semester was 8,361. In regards to source of student, 70.5% of students came from within the state of Alabama, 21.0% were from out-of-state areas, and 8.5% were considered international students in Fall 2021.


Media

*The ''Diorama'', UNA's student-run yearbook. *''The Flor-Ala'', named after Florence, Alabama, has functioned as the school newspaper since 1931. Published in 29 issues each year, the paper is run by UNA students who serve in all facets of news gathering, writing and production. The Flor-Ala is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. *''Lights & Shadows'', published once a year, is the university's literary and art magazine, and was started as a publication of the Florence State Teachers College English Club in 1956. *''UNA Magazine'', UNA's alumni magazine, is published bi-annually.


Athletics

UNA operated a collegiate athletic program in
NCAA Division II NCAA Division II (D-II) is the intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environment ...
's
Gulf South Conference The Gulf South Conference (GSC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, which operates in the Southeastern United States. History Originally known as the ...
for almost fifty years as a founding member of the conference. The North Alabama Lions football, men's basketball, women's volleyball, and softball teams have each won national championships. UNA operates 14 varsity teams, which have collected more than 40 conference championships, dozens of No. 1 national rankings and seven national titles. It also possesses the oldest costume mascot program in the state of Alabama. Flor-Ala, November 4, 1961 As of July 1, 2018, UNA began its transition to Division I as a member of the
ASUN Conference The Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) is a collegiate athletic conference operating mostly in the Southeastern United States. The league participates at the NCAA Division I level, and began sponsoring football at the Division I FCS level in 2022. ...
in 2018. Because the ASUN did not sponsor football at the time, the football team became an
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
in the second level of D-I football, the
Football Championship Subdivision The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, is the second-highest level of college football in the United States, after the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Bowl Subdivision (F ...
, at the same time. The following year, UNA became a football-only member of the FCS
Big South Conference The Big South Conference is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I. Originally a non-football conference, the Big South began sponsoring football in 2002 as part of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), ...
. The Lions remained in Big South football through the 2020–21 season, after which the ASUN entered into a football-only alliance with the Western Athletic Conference, which reinstated football at the FCS level in fall 2021. The Lions now play football in the successor to the ASUN–WAC alliance, the football-only United Athletic Conference.


Greek life

The university's embryonic Greek community initially was housed in O'Neal Hall, which was demolished in the 1980s to clear space for the construction of the Guillot University Center.


Fraternities and Sororities

After more than two generations, UNA Greek life is alive and well, even though fraternities and sororities combined represent slightly less than 10 percent of the undergraduate student population. Despite these comparatively small numbers, Greeks historically have exerted a major influence on virtually every facet of student life at UNA.


Student life


School colors

Purple and gold are the school colors of the University of North Alabama. While they are a ubiquitous sight on campus and especially at UNA athletic events, no one has ever ascertained who or what inspired their adoption. Little in the school archives accounts for the origin of these colors, according to Cecil Nabors, a UNA archivist and associate professor. All that is certain is that the 1912 yearbook, published the same year as inauguration of the football team, was named the "Purple and Gold."


UNA Fight Song

The "UNA Fight Song" is the fight song of the University of North Alabama, and is played by the Marching Pride of North Alabama. The song is based on one of three songs called "Three School Songs," which was published in the 1960s. The lyrics were chosen by band members in the late 1970s.


"Lion Pride" and "Pride Rock"

"Lion Pride" is a term frequently used by members of the UNA community to describe commitment to school traditions and activities reflected among students, alumni and friends of the university. The university's Pride Rock tradition began in 1994. Pride Rock is a 69-pound, engraved granite stone bearing the actual paw print of Leo II, UNA's second live lion mascot. Placed just behind the north end zone of all UNA home games, Pride Rock is touched by players as they file past on their way to the field. Pride Rock serves not only as a motivational tool for the players but also as a tangible expression of the deep well of pride, community and tradition associated with the University of North Alabama and particularly with its athletic program.


Mascots

On July 22, 1974, former UNA president Robert M. Guillot brought a lion cub to the campus and Leo I spent the next 14 years "roaring" the school to victory. The original Leo died on January 20, 1988, and a great outpouring of support from the Shoals community resulted in Leo II being brought to UNA in July 1988. Leo II lived in the compound that once housed the original Leo. In 1997, Leo II was selected as the nation's "Second Best Mascot" by ''Sports Illustrated''. He died in February 2000. Leo III was born on November 18, 2002, and resided on the campus in the
George H. Carroll Lion Habitat The George H. Carroll Lion Habitat is a , climate-controlled facility located on the campus the University of North Alabama, US that previously housed the only live lion mascots in the United States, Leo III and Una. It was dedicated on October ...
. Leo III had lived on campus with his sister, Una, who died on June 30, 2020. He died in 2024.


Traditional mascots

Leo and Una, the mascots of the University of North Alabama, are two anthropomorphic lion siblings. Leo's name is taken from the Latin word for lion, and Una is named after the common abbreviation of the university's name. Leo is described as more of a comedic character, while Una's personality leans more towards being cute. The earliest usage of UNA's character mascot (also called Leo) is in an article from the January 1949 edition of the Flor-Ala, describing him as a "cartoon" to be used in that years issue of the Diorama.Flor-Ala, January 19, 1949 The exact date of the debut of Leo as a costume mascot is unknown, however, the earliest recorded mention was from another article of the Flor-Ala from November 6, 1961,Flor-Ala, November 4, 1961 portrayed at the time by Claude Hunt, who initiated efforts to begin a mascot program at the university. The original suit was made if a head created by the Art Department of the University, and a body made by Hunt's mother. Prior to the advent of Una in 2008, Leo's original female counterpart was a lioness with a much simpler design, called Leona.Flor-Ala, December 15, 1966 Around 1975, the year following the acquisition of the university's first live lion, the mascot program was done away with. Just as efforts by a student began the program, though, a push by a student named Ramona Sutton would revive Leo, but not Leona, in 1979. As the original costume was no longer in usable condition, a new one would be created. A more realistic design would be used from 1985 to 1995. Two new costumes were produced in 2009 based on a design by a staff member named Walt Vandiver, including the first costume for Una.UNA Magazine, Summer 2009 After one more change in design, the university would mark 75 years since the creation of the mascot on January 19, 2024.


Miss UNA Scholarship Pageant

The Miss UNA Scholarship Pageant is an official preliminary for the Miss Alabama/Miss America Pageant. The Miss UNA Scholarship pageant has been a UNA tradition for over 31 years. The pageant provides an opportunity for the university's young women to compete in the following categories for scholarship money and prizes. In 2007 over $12,000 in scholarships and prizes was awarded to the contestants. Each young woman is encouraged and mentored to develop skills that will enrich her personal and professional life beyond her university experience. Miss University of North Alabama spends her year in service to the university and Shoals Area community. She promotes the platform of her choice, makes official appearances as a university representative, and represents the university at the Miss Alabama Scholarship Pageant.


Spirit Hill Tailgating and Lion Walk

Within the past few years, pregame tailgating at Spirit Hill, an area adjoining Braly Municipal Stadium, has developed into a major UNA tradition, thanks largely to the efforts of former Athletic Director Joel Erdmann. Erdmann enlisted the UNA Greek community, general student organizations and alumni to expand this tradition, which had been lacking. Along with former head UNA football Coach Mark Hudspeth, Erdmann also was instrumental in developing the highly popular Lion Walk, a pregame parade down Royal Avenue (next to Spirit Hill) that includes Lion athletes, cheerleaders and the Marching Pride of North Alabama. The parade is held before every UNA home game.


UNA's Marching Pride of North Alabama

The Marching Pride of North Alabama was founded in 1949. The Marching Band has represented the university at many different events since, including a performance for President Jimmy Carter during his historic 1980 visit to neighboring Tuscumbia. The band also appeared in the award-winning movie, Blue Sky (1994 film), Blue Sky, starring Jessica Lange, Tommy Lee Jones and Powers Boothe. The Marching Band also has recorded a CD with famed musician and producer Jimmy Johnson (session guitarist), Jimmy Johnson. With more than 210 members, the group is the largest organization on campus and serves as a major contributor to school spirit, especially at athletic events. The UNA Marching Band performs at all home american football, football games, local parades and travels the state performing in exhibition at high school competitions. They are known for precision marching and drill design, while entertaining with strongly played jazz standards.


Step Sing

In the spring, Step Sing is a well-attended event in Norton Auditorium sponsored by the University Program Council featuring take-offs of musical comedy production numbers by campus organizations. Money raised from ticket sales supports the local United Way.


Notable people

Alumni and other former students of the University of North Alabama include business leaders; a number of governors, congressmen and other government and military leaders; professional athletes; artists and entertainers.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:North Alabama, University Of University of North Alabama, Educational institutions established in 1830 Landmarks in Alabama Public universities and colleges in Alabama, University of North Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools 1830 establishments in Alabama