Framingham State College
Encyclopedia
Framingham State University (FSU) is located in Framingham
, Massachusetts
, 20 miles (32.2 km) from Boston. It offers undergraduate programs in a range of subjects from Art to Biology to Communication Arts, and graduate
programs including MBA, MEd
, and MSc
. The school also has undergraduate degree evening programs along with online courses.
, Horace Mann
instituted sweeping school reforms. A centerpiece of these changes was the creation of an experimental normal school
, the first one in the United States
, in Lexington
, with Cyrus Peirce
as its first principal or president. A companion was opened the next year in Bridgewater
. Growth forced the normal school's relocation to West Newton
in 1843, followed a decade later by a move to the present site on Bare Hill in Framingham.
In 1922, the Framingham Normal School granted its first Bachelor of Science
in Education degrees in conjunction with a four-year study program. Ten years afterward, with degreed teachers becoming the norm, the normal schools were renamed State Teachers Colleges. This was changed again in 1960 to the State College at Framingham when Bachelor of Arts
degrees were added. At present, Masters'
of Education, Arts, and Science degrees are granted as well. In 2007 the college began offering the Master's of Business education degree. In July 2010, the State Legislature granted several state colleges the choice to become state universities, unaffiliated with the University of Massachusetts
system. Framingham State College was one of the colleges that chose university status and changed its name to Framingham State University. The measure was signed into law by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick on July 28, 2010.
. Six newly-renovated University residence halls house over 1,500 students.
The Henry Whittemore Library has over 200,000 volumes wifi, and access to over 70,000 electronic journals.
convert its central chilled water plant to electric chillers.
For the second year in a row, Framingham State University was named a "Green College" by the Princeton Review in a 2011 publication. FSU was one of 22 schools in Massachusetts to receive the distinction, and one of 311 nationwide.
The University’s annual budget is $105 million, and has 775 full and part-time employees.
Clubs can be created by groups of students with interest in an area that has not yet been explored by another club. For example, the Gaming Club was created due to a lack of social structure for gamers. Since the founding, however, it has grown to be a very popular and successful club rivaling some of the older recreational groups on campus.
There is a club on campus that can cater to anyone attending, and assuming there is no club, it is possible for someone with ambition to create their own. However, the campus is fairly small with a very small population of students and therefore many existing clubs have branched to include many different topics and fields of study.
(MASCAC). Men's programs include baseball, cross country, football, basketball, ice hockey, and soccer. Women's programs include cross country, lacrosse, softball, basketball, field hockey, soccer, and volleyball. All teams compete on campus, except for the baseball and softball teams who play on fields off campus, as well as the ice hockey team who skates at the Loring Arena in Framingham. FSU also offers a wide variety of intramural programs that include everything from badminton, to golf, to dodgeball. There is also a state-of-the-art athletic and recreation center that includes basketball courts, a volleyball court, and a weight room.
In 2007, the women's soccer team was awarded the prestigious NCAA Sportsmanship Award
.
Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, 20 miles (32.2 km) from Boston. It offers undergraduate programs in a range of subjects from Art to Biology to Communication Arts, and graduate
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
programs including MBA, MEd
MED
-Medicine:* Medicine * Medication, often used in the plural "meds"* Title of Medic, the first Physician degree in Argentina* Medical Extrication Device, a device for extricating an injured patient from an accident site, such as the Kendrick Extrication Device* Minimal Erythemal Dose, the minimum...
, and MSc
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
. The school also has undergraduate degree evening programs along with online courses.
History
As the first secretary of the newly created Board of Education in MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Horace Mann
Horace Mann
Horace Mann was an American education reformer, and a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1827 to 1833. He served in the Massachusetts Senate from 1834 to 1837. In 1848, after serving as Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education since its creation, he was...
instituted sweeping school reforms. A centerpiece of these changes was the creation of an experimental normal school
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
, the first one in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in Lexington
Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,399 at the 2010 census. This town is famous for being the site of the first shot of the American Revolution, in the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.- History :...
, with Cyrus Peirce
Cyrus Peirce
Cyrus Peirce , American educator and Unitarian minister, was the founding president of the first American public normal school, which evolved into Framingham State University.-Early life:...
as its first principal or president. A companion was opened the next year in Bridgewater
Bridgewater State College
Bridgewater State University is a public liberal-arts college in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is the largest college in the Massachusetts state university system outside of the University of Massachusetts system. The school's mascot is the bear.-History:BSU was founded by...
. Growth forced the normal school's relocation to West Newton
West Newton, Massachusetts
West Newton is a village of the City of Newton, Massachusetts and is one of the oldest of the thirteen Newton villages. The postal code 02465 roughly matches the village limits.-Location:...
in 1843, followed a decade later by a move to the present site on Bare Hill in Framingham.
In 1922, the Framingham Normal School granted its first Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Education degrees in conjunction with a four-year study program. Ten years afterward, with degreed teachers becoming the norm, the normal schools were renamed State Teachers Colleges. This was changed again in 1960 to the State College at Framingham when Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degrees were added. At present, Masters'
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
of Education, Arts, and Science degrees are granted as well. In 2007 the college began offering the Master's of Business education degree. In July 2010, the State Legislature granted several state colleges the choice to become state universities, unaffiliated with the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
system. Framingham State College was one of the colleges that chose university status and changed its name to Framingham State University. The measure was signed into law by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick on July 28, 2010.
Timeline of name changes
The school has had several names in the past:- 1839 opened as the Normal School;
- 1845 designated State Normal School;
- 1932 became State Teacher's College at Framingham;
- 1960 became State College at Framingham; and
- 1968 became Framingham State College;
- 2010 became Framingham State University.
Campus
The 73-acre campus is located in Framingham, MassachusettsFramingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
. Six newly-renovated University residence halls house over 1,500 students.
The Henry Whittemore Library has over 200,000 volumes wifi, and access to over 70,000 electronic journals.
Sustainability
In 2007, the school signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. That year, Executive Order No. 484 also required reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption for all state agencies and institutions. It madates greenhouse gas emission reductions of 80% by the year 2050. In 2010, the school adopted a plan to convert its heating plant to natural gas and toconvert its central chilled water plant to electric chillers.
For the second year in a row, Framingham State University was named a "Green College" by the Princeton Review in a 2011 publication. FSU was one of 22 schools in Massachusetts to receive the distinction, and one of 311 nationwide.
Organization
FSU is led by an eleven member Board of Trustes. The governor appoints nine trustees to five-year terms, renewable once. The SSU Alumni Association elects one for a single five-year term. Finally, the student body elects one student trustee for a one year term. In addition to five full board meetings each year, which are open to the public, the board also meets in standing committees.The University’s annual budget is $105 million, and has 775 full and part-time employees.
Undergraduate Majors
Undergraduate Minors
Graduate Majors
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
- Master of Arts in Educational Leadership
- Master of Arts in Health Care Administration
- Master of Arts in Human Resource Management
- Master of Arts in Public Administration
- Master of Education in Art
- Master of Education in Curriculum & Instructional Technology
- Master of Education in Early Childhood Education
- Master of Education in Elementary Education
- Master of Education in English
- Master of Education in History
- Master of Education in Literacy and Language
- Master of Education in Mathematics
- Master of Education in Nutrition Education
- Master of Education in Spanish
- Master of Education in Special Education
- Master of Education in The Teaching of ESL
- Master of Science in Food and Nutrition concentration in Coordinated Program in Dietetics
- Master of Science in Food and Nutrition concentration in Food Science and Nutrition Science
- Master of Science in Food and Nutrition concentration in Human Nutrition: Education and Media Technologies
- Master of Science in Nursing(MSN)concentration in Nursing Education
- Master of Science in Nursing(MSN)concentration in Nursing Leadership
Undergraduate Degree Evening Program
- Bachelor of Arts in English
- Bachelor of Arts in History
- Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
- Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
- Bachelor of Science in Business and Information Technology
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Post Baccalaureate Programs
- Pre-Health Studies Certificate Program
- Teacher Licensure Program (PBTL)
Undergraduate
- Computer Programming Languages
- Information Technology Fluency
- Network and System Administration and Management
- Software Engineering
Graduate
- Children's Literature
- Human Resource Management
- Instructional Technology Proficiency
- Merchandising
- Nursing Education
- Nutrition Education
- STEM Education
- Sustainable Development and Policy
Rankings
As of 2010, stateuniversity.com gave Framingham State an overall score of 81.59%, making it the 744th best college in the nation, and 39th best in Massachusetts.Clubs
Through work with the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership Development and the Student Government Association, students have formed many clubs and organizations both recreational and academic in nature. There are many clubs on campus including the Gaming Club, the Anime Club, the Wildlife Club, the Black Student Union, the Catholic Newman Association, 91.3 FM WDJM Framingham State University Radio, History Club and many others.Clubs can be created by groups of students with interest in an area that has not yet been explored by another club. For example, the Gaming Club was created due to a lack of social structure for gamers. Since the founding, however, it has grown to be a very popular and successful club rivaling some of the older recreational groups on campus.
There is a club on campus that can cater to anyone attending, and assuming there is no club, it is possible for someone with ambition to create their own. However, the campus is fairly small with a very small population of students and therefore many existing clubs have branched to include many different topics and fields of study.
Athletics
All Framingham State University teams compete at the NCAA Division III level. All teams compete in the Massachusetts State College Athletic ConferenceMassachusetts State College Athletic Conference
The Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III...
(MASCAC). Men's programs include baseball, cross country, football, basketball, ice hockey, and soccer. Women's programs include cross country, lacrosse, softball, basketball, field hockey, soccer, and volleyball. All teams compete on campus, except for the baseball and softball teams who play on fields off campus, as well as the ice hockey team who skates at the Loring Arena in Framingham. FSU also offers a wide variety of intramural programs that include everything from badminton, to golf, to dodgeball. There is also a state-of-the-art athletic and recreation center that includes basketball courts, a volleyball court, and a weight room.
In 2007, the women's soccer team was awarded the prestigious NCAA Sportsmanship Award
NCAA Sportsmanship Award
The NCAA Sportsmanship Award is given each year to one man and one woman in National Collegiate Athletics Association sports who have demonstrated one or more of the ideals of sportsmanship, including fairness, civility, honesty, unselfishness, respect and responsibility...
.
Notable Alumni
- Olivia A. DavidsonOlivia A. DavidsonOlivia America Davidson Washington, was a co-founder of the Tuskegee Institute and the wife of Booker T. Washington. She was born on June 11, 1854 in Mercer County, Virginia, now Mercer County, West Virginia. She died May 9, 1889....
co-founder of Tuskegee Institute and wife of Booker T. WashingtonBooker T. WashingtonBooker Taliaferro Washington was an American educator, author, orator, and political leader. He was the dominant figure in the African-American community in the United States from 1890 to 1915... - Christa McAuliffeChrista McAuliffeChrista McAuliffe was an American teacher from Concord, New Hampshire, and was one of the seven crew members killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster....
(Class of 1970), who was on her way to becoming the first teacher in spaceTeacher in Space ProjectThe Teacher in Space Project was a NASA program announced by Ronald Reagan in 1984 designed to inspire students, honor teachers, and spur interest in mathematics, science, and space exploration....
before being killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disasterSpace Shuttle Challenger disasterThe Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida at 11:38 am EST...
. There is a center at the college dedicated to her. - Brian J. Moran Chair of the Democratic Party of VirginiaDemocratic Party of VirginiaThe Democratic Party of Virginia is based in Richmond in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is affiliated with the national Democratic Party of the United States. The organization is governed by a State Party Plan, which guarantees an open and fair candidate selection process...
External links
- Framingham State University
- 150th Anniversary pages - includes a history of the college, information on past presidents, photos.
- Christa Corrigan McAuliffe Center for Education and Teaching Excellence
- John Stalker Institute of Food and Nutrition