Towson University, often referred to as
TU or simply
Towson for short, is a
public universityA public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
located in
TowsonTowson is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 55,197 at the 2010 census...
in
Baltimore CountyBaltimore County is a county located in the northern part of the US state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 805,029. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Towson. The name of the county was derived from the barony of the Proprietor of the Maryland...
,
MarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
,
U.S.The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
It is a part of the
University System of MarylandThe University System of Maryland is a public corporation and charter school system comprising 12 Maryland institutions of higher education. It is the 12th-largest university system in the United States, with over 125,000 undergraduate, 43,000 graduate and roughly 13,000 combined full-time and...
.
Founded in 1866 as Maryland's first
training schoolA 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...
for teachers, Towson University has evolved into a 4-year degree granting institution consisting of 8 colleges with over 20,000 students enrolled. Towson is also the second largest public university in Maryland, and still produces the most teachers of any university in the state.
The
U.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
ranked Towson University 8th in the Public Universities-Master’s (North) category for its 2010 America's Best Colleges issue. Forbes included Towson University in its 2009 list of the top 100 public colleges and universities in the United States. Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine named Towson University one of the top 100 best values in public colleges for the 2008-2009 academic year.
Maryland State Normal School
The
Maryland LegislatureThe Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is a bicameral body. The upper chamber, the Maryland State Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives...
established what would become Towson University in 1865, with the allocation of funds directed toward Maryland’s first teacher-training school, or
normal schoolA 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...
. On January 15, 1866, this institution, known as the Maryland State Normal School (MSNS), officially opened its doors. Located then at Red Man's Hall in Baltimore, the school originally enrolled eleven students and fostered three faculty members. McFadden Alexander Newell served as the school's first principal as well as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and oversaw the first graduating class of sixteen students in June 1866.
As time passed, the enrollment in the school grew exponentially. The school soon outgrew its facilities in Red Man's Hall and moved to a temporary location, later known as the Athenaeum Club, in 1873. The following year, the General Assembly appropriated money to construct an exclusive building to house the burgeoning school. In 1876, the school moved its faculty and 206 students to this new facility located in West Baltimore on Carrollton & Lafayette Street.
Move to Towson
The demand for qualified teachers became overwhelming by the turn of the century. The Maryland Department of Education reported an annual need for 350 new teachers, but the Maryland State Normal School was graduating fewer than 100. The facilities in West Baltimore were now inadequate to meet state demands. Principal
Sarah RichmondSarah Elizabeth Richmond was a teacher and fourth principal of Maryland State Normal School .She was the second person to enroll at the Maryland State Normal School in its opening year, and was in the first graduating class. Miss Richmond's 55 years of consecutive service to the Normal School...
, one of the original eleven graduates, began a campaign to establish a campus where the school could function more appropriately.
In 1910, the General Assembly formed a committee to oversee site selection, budget, and design plans for the new campus.
John Charles LinthicumJohn Charles Linthicum was a U.S. Congressman from the 4th Congressional district of Maryland, serving from 1911 to 1932....
was appointed president of the committee, alongside State Superintendent Dr. M. Bates Stephens and Sarah Richmond. The committee surveyed locations at Roland Park,
Lutherville-TimoniumLutherville-Timonium is a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland made up of the unincorporated communities of Lutherville and Timonium. The population was 15,814 as of the 2000 census. Within its borders lies the Lutherville Historic District...
, Mount Washington,
PimlicoPimlico, a neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland, is the site of Pimlico Race Course, which holds the Preakness Stakes, one of the three legs of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing...
, Glencoe, and many other areas. Eventually, the committee settled on an 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) site in Towson and the General Assembly financed the $600,000 move in 1912. Construction began in 1913 on the Administration Building, now known as Stephens Hall. In September 1915, the new campus, comprising Stephens Hall, Newell Hall, and the power plant, began classes.
Name changes
In 1934, the state decreed that new public school teachers must have
baccalaureate degreesA bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
instead of two-year teaching certificates, and the school retooled its curriculum to issue
Bachelor of ScienceA 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...
degrees. The following year, the school changed its name to
Maryland State Teachers College at Towson. As the name implied, the college's single purpose was to train teachers. In 1946, however, the institution established a junior college to offer two years of college work on a transfer basis. This expansion lay the foundation of what was later to become the art and sciences program. In 1958, the college offered its first graduate program leading to a
Master of EducationThe Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
degree. In 1960, the college expanded the art and science programs into four-year courses and began awarding Bachelor degrees in these fields. Due to this change in focus, the name changed once more to
Towson State College.
Beginning in 1964, the college enrollment rates began a dramatic increase as the
baby boomerA baby boomer is a person who was born during the demographic Post-World War II baby boom and who grew up during the period between 1946 and 1964. The term "baby boomer" is sometimes used in a cultural context. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve broad consensus of a precise definition, even...
generation began applying to colleges. Within a decade, Towson State's enrollment climbed from 3,537 to 13,399. This expansion led to the construction of the Center for the Arts, University Union, Cook Library, and many other new facilities. Under the presidency of James L. Fisher, the college expanded the courses offered to meet the demands of the growing student body. In 1976, the school's name changed again to
Towson State University. In 1988, TU joined 10 other public institutions in the newly created University of Maryland System. On July 1, 1997, another name change took effect. Towson dropped the designation "state" from its name and became
Towson University. The new name recognized shifts in funding and the development and growth of Towson as a
metropolitanThe term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
university.
Academics
Towson University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Maryland State Department of Education. For the Fall 2010 freshmen class, Towson accepted about 57% of their applicants. The average
grade point averageGrades are standardized measurements of varying levels of comprehension within a subject area. Grades can be assigned in letters , as a range , as a number out of a possible total , as descriptors , in percentages, or, as is common in some post-secondary...
was a 3.45 and the middle 50% of matriculating students had ACT composite scores between 21-25. Towson educates undergraduate and graduate students in thirty academic departments which are subdivided into eight colleges:
| Name of College |
Dean |
| College of Business and Economics Towson University's College of Business and Economics has the academic departments of:*Accounting*Economics*Finance*Management*Marketing*e-Business and Technology Management...
|
Shohreh A. Kaynama |
| College of Education Towson University's College of Education comprises the departments of:*Early Childhood Education*Elementary Education*Secondary Education*Special Education*Educational Technology and Literacy*Instructional Leadership and Professional Development...
|
Raymond Lorion |
| College of Fine Arts and Communication Towson University's College of Fine Arts and Communication has the departments of:*Art*Dance*Electronic Media and Film*Mass Communication and Communication Studies*Music and Theatre Arts...
|
Susan E. Picinich |
| College of Health Professions Towson University's College of Health Professions has the departments of:*Audiology*Speech-Language Pathology and Deaf Studies*Health Science*Kinesiology*Nursing*Occupational Therapy and Occupational science....
|
Charlotte E. Exner |
| College of Liberal Arts Towson University's College of Liberal Arts, the largest of the eight colleges at Towson, includes the departments of:*English*Family Studies and Human Services*Foreign Languages*Geography and Environmental Planning*History...
|
Terry A. Cooney |
| Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics Towson University's Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics comprises the departments of:*Biological Sciences*Chemistry*Computer and Information Sciences*Mathematics*Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences...
|
David Vanko |
| Honors College |
Joseph McGinn |
| College of Graduate Studies and Research Towson University's The College of Graduate Studies and Research administers graduate programs leading to master’s and doctoral degrees and advanced certificates. The college recruits and admits graduate students, maintains graduate student records, monitors academic progress and clears students...
|
Lawrence Shirley |
The university provides 64 undergraduate majors, 37 master's degree programs and 4 doctoral programs. Once students have determined a program of study, they become a member of the academic college administering the program.
As a side note, Towson also has a
gerontology programGerontology is the study of the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging...
which is one of only 100 undergraduate programs offered in the United States. They're also the only public university in the United States that offers an undergraduate degree in e-Business.
Enrollment
More than 20,000 full-time and part-time students are enrolled in the University. Their numbers include over 800 international students from 100 nations. There are more than 17,000 undergraduates; approximately 13% are non-white. Also, in 2006 Towson achieved more enrollment in its business school than any college in the state of Maryland.
Housing
About 77% of the freshman class, and over 4,400 students among all four classes, reside on campus. The University has 15 residence halls, which include apartment complexes, modern high-rise towers, and more traditional two- and three-story residential buildings. Students can also choose from five special housing options on campus, including: International House, Honors College, Wellness, Alcohol-free, and Special Quiet. While on campus, students have access to a counseling center, an academic advising center, a health center, and a career center.
OneCard
Students get access to their meal plan, dorm buildings, and computer labs through the use of their
OneCard. They can also go to all of the school sporting events (which are many times free of charge to students) and several on campus events with the use of their card. It also serves dually as identification on campus.
Transportation
TU has its own on campus shuttle system that operates free of charge to students. The on-campus shuttle travels to most sections of the school, while the off-campus shuttles travel to housing complexes (The Fairways at Towson, University Village, The Colony, Donnybrook) that students live in that are on the outskirts of the campus.
There is also direct access to the
MTA MarylandThe Maryland Transit Administration is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is better known as MTA Maryland to avoid confusion with other cities' transit agencies who share the initials MTA. The MTA operates a...
buses with services connecting to the
light railLight rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
.
Towson UnPlugged
Towson Unplugged is one of the largest wireless networks in the Baltimore metro area, and spans the campus’ 328 acres (1.3 km²) including residence halls.
The value of the updated wired network and new wireless network is $3.2 million. Wireless coverage extends across majority of the size of the TU campus, including 28 academic and administrative buildings that are wireless with approximately 400 access points in those buildings, with each access point having a range of 300 feet (91.4 m).
TU Unplugged uses
802.11 b/g standardIEEE 802.11 is a set of standards for implementing wireless local area network computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency bands. They are created and maintained by the IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee . The base version of the standard IEEE 802.11-2007 has had subsequent...
Wi-FiWi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
protocols with 11 Mbit/s is the approximate shared connection speed for Towson Unplugged users with 802.11b wireless adapters and 54 Mbit/s is the approximate shared connection speed for Towson Unplugged users with 802.11 g
wireless networkingA wireless local area network links two or more devices using some wireless distribution method , and usually providing a connection through an access point to the wider internet. This gives users the mobility to move around within a local coverage area and still be connected to the network...
.
On April 11, 2007, Baltimore County officials announced that they may provide wireless internet access throughout the county. However, they will first pilot the program in the
Towson-Places:In the United States:*Towson, Maryland, an unincorporated community in Maryland**Towson Center, an arena in Towson, Maryland**Towson Town Center, a shopping mall in Towson, Maryland*Fort Towson, Oklahoma, a community in Oklahoma...
area, using donated bandwidth from Towson University to send signals to the Towson area.
Campus Police
The Towson University Police Department (TUPD) is the primary law enforcement agency servicing the students, faculty, and visitors within the campus limits and adjacent streets and roadways. The TUPD is aided by the
Baltimore County Police DepartmentThe Baltimore County Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for Baltimore County, Maryland. They have been accredited by CALEA since 1984. The current Chief is James Johnson. Chief Johnson took over as Chief on May 31, 2007, Chief James Johnson's formal ceremony was held that July...
as directed by authority. The current chief of police is Bernard Gerst. The TUPD is divided into several units such as the Patrol Unit and the Community Crime Reduction Unit. It also includes emergency communications.
Campus Master Plan
As a response to the University System of Maryland’s (USM) desire for Towson University to grow its enrollment, a new Campus Master Plan was developed for the university and approved by the USM, Board of Regents in December 2003. The university found that in the past, it has been guided by master plans that focused inward, resulting in disjointed campus development that was disconnected from the larger Towson community.
The resulting vision, called
TU:2010. addresses both
University System of MarylandThe University System of Maryland is a public corporation and charter school system comprising 12 Maryland institutions of higher education. It is the 12th-largest university system in the United States, with over 125,000 undergraduate, 43,000 graduate and roughly 13,000 combined full-time and...
requirements and community concerns. It contains over 70 specific initiatives that range from growing diversity to increasing student involvement in service learning projects. Perhaps its most visible development is the creation of academic and student life buildings, as well as roads, parking, utilities and landscapes to support those buildings.
As part of this vision, Towson's campus is undergoing many construction projects set into different phases with staggered completion dates.
COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
| Name of Project |
Cost |
Completion Date |
Description |
| Union Third Floor Conference Rooms |
$760,000 |
August 2006 |
Conversion of existing patio space on the third floor of the University Union into conference rooms for use by student organizations. |
| Cook Library Lobby Renovation and Starbucks Cafe |
$1 million |
September 2006 |
Complete renovation of the lobby area to include new inner and outer storefronts with Starbucks CafeStarbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
replacing the vending area. |
| Burkshire Marriott Pub |
$1 million |
January 2007 |
The patio outside of Nathan T's at the Burkshire Marriott was enclosed and the interior of Pub Smedley was renovated and expanded to create the newly named University Club. The University Club boasts new interior finishes, bar, and bathrooms. |
| Childcare Center |
$4.5 million |
January 2007 |
Formerly housed in the Lida Lee Tall Education Building, TU's Childcare Center now has its own newly constructed building located on Auburn Drive. |
| Campus Memorial Garden |
$200,000 |
Summer 2007 |
Construction of a memorial garden between the University Union and the Glen Towers was completed 2007. The garden is open to all students, faculty and staff and is designed to provide visitors with a peaceful place where the lives of members of the Towson University community may be remembered and celebrated. |
| Towsontown Garage Expansion |
$10.6 million |
December 2007 |
Expansion of the garage to add 500 parking spaces for use by students, faculty, staff and visitors. Construction was completed in December 2007. |
| West Village Housing - Phase I |
$36 million |
Fall 2008 |
Delivery of 668 additional beds in the West Village sector was completed before the fall 2008 semester. |
| College of Liberal Arts - Phase I |
$51.5 million |
April 2009 |
Design and construction of the first 100000 square feet (9,290.3 m²) of the 250000 square feet (23,225.8 m²) academic building houses the College of Liberal Arts. The university broke ground on the building's construction in September 2007 completing the first phase in Fall of 2009. |
FUTURE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
| Name of Project |
Cost |
Estimated Completion Date |
Description |
| College of Liberal Arts - Phase II |
$72 million |
Summer 2011 |
Design and construction of the second of the academic building that will house the remainder of the College of Liberal Arts. The university broke ground on the building's construction in 2009 with the building set to open in summer 2011. |
| West Village Housing - Phase II |
N/A |
Summer 2011 |
Phase II of the West Village housing project encompasses the construction of two residential facilities in the university’s West Village precinct. The buildings will consist of nearly 160,000 total gross square feet of space and contain 651 beds for freshman and sophomore students. They will be constructed as mirror images of Paca and Tubman Halls, located just west of these buildings which comprised phase one of the West Village housing project. |
| West Village Commons |
$30 million |
Summer 2011 |
When it opens in summer 2011, the West Village Commons building will be an 85,000 gross square foot mixed-use facility that supports the residential population of the campus's West Village precinct. The building will offer dining, retail, meeting, office and other student service spaces that will enhance the area ’s living and learning environment, contribute to the development of its community, and serve as a central gathering space for current and future residential students. |
| West Village Parking Garage |
$27 million |
Summer 2011 |
The West Village Garage is a 489000 square feet (45,429.6 m²) parking facility being constructed west of Towson Run Apartments in the university’s West Village precinct. Construction on the garage began in August 2010 and is anticipated to culminate in August 2011. At that time, the six-story garage will contain 1,500 parking spaces for TU students, faculty/staff and visitors. It will also feature LED lighting, which consumes 50% less electricity than standard garage fixtures. |
| Campus Gateway |
$11 million |
Winter 2012 |
The new gateway will be located near Burdick Hall. Marked by brick pillars and a large, open plaza, the gateway will serve as a major campus access route, giving Towson University’s campus the main entrance that it’s always lacked. The gateway is designed to give campus visitors a sense of arrival and serving as an entry point for the entire campus community. |
| Tiger Arena |
$68 million |
Spring 2013 |
A 5,200-plus seat multi-use arena facility complete with state-of-the-art video screens, entertainment suites/boxes, and expanded lobbies. Towson University will have a new arena with the added benefit of preserving the Towson Center and keeping it operational in a redeveloped form for a basketball/volleyball practice facility, gymnastics facility and newly developed areas for sports medicine, strength & conditioning and a comprehensive academic and life skills area. Moreover, classes and events can continue in the old arena while Tiger Arena is being developed. Construction has begun and will be complete as early as May 2013. Follow the construction of this project at www.TigerArena.com |
Campus Sustainability
Towson University is committed to social and environmental responsibility. The school is achieving this goal by promoting recycling initiatives and green dining. Students partake in “Trayless Tuesdays” and receive incentives for using reusable mugs. Sustainability has also been incorporated into first year orientation so that students can begin a dialogue on environmental stewardship in their daily lives. Towson looks forward to having its initiatives analyzed for the 2010 College Sustainability Report Card.
Towson Tiger
Before the 1960s, the name of the sports teams at Towson were known as the "Towson College Knights". Towson student
John SchuerholzJohn Schuerholz is the President of the Atlanta Braves of the National League. Before joining Atlanta, he spent twenty-two years with the Kansas City Royals organization, including nine as the club's General Manager. Among the teams he has built are the 1985 Royals and 1995 Braves, both world...
pushed for a new mascot, and the tiger was officially adopted in 1962. Schuerholz later became general manager of the
Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and is the team's president as of 2008. The university's present baseball complex is named in his honor.
According to school newspaper
The TowerlightThe Towerlight is the award-winning twice-weekly independent student newspaper at Towson University. It is run by Towson students, and frequently updates the campus on events and news...
, when the Student Government Association first bought the tiger statue that sits outside Cook Library in 1996, the organization hoped to boost school spirit. Instead, it became subject to vandalism and disrepair. In March 2006, after several acts of vandalism, the statue was completely removed from in front of the library.
In September 2006, the Towerlight reported that a new bronze tiger statue had been unveiled as the centerpiece of the university's "Capital Campaign" to raise $50 million dollars. The primary difference between the new statue and previous one is that the new one is made of bronze and all of the legs are on the ground and the tail is wrapped around its legs rather than raised, so it won't get damaged by vandals.
The new statue is outside Stephens Hall and was unveiled on February 8, 2007 where Caret said it would be "visible to passersby on York Road as well as students".
A President's Blog
Towson University is one of the first colleges in the United States to have a president who has his own
blogA blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
and
podcastA podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
. Robert Caret created the blog and podcast to convey different messages to TU students.
Smoke Free Campus
Towson is the first four year institution in Maryland to enact a campus-wide smoke-free policy starting August 1, 2010. All Towson University buildings and exterior grounds are now designated as non-smoking areas.
Athletics
The
Towson TigersThe Towson Tigers, formerly Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson University. All of the major athletic teams compete in the Colonial Athletic Association with 20 Division I athletic teams The Towson Tigers, formerly Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson...
, formerly the Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson University. All of the major athletic teams compete in the
Colonial Athletic AssociationThe Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
with 20 Division I athletic teams (13 in women's sports, 7 in men's sports).
Under the leadership of President Bob Caret the University placed a greater emphasis on the athletics program. In September 2010 Caret hired a new Director of Athletics, Michael P. Waddell, who has significant program building experience at the highest levels of college sports.
Towson University offers the most comprehensive sports program in the metropolitan Baltimore area, fielding 20 varsity teams that compete in the Colonial Athletic Association. Since joining the league in 2001-02, the Tigers have won CAA titles in men’s and women’s lacrosse, women’s swimming, men’s soccer and men’s golf. During an athletics history that traces its roots to the 1920s, Towson has sent teams and individual student-athletes to NCAA post-season competition in baseball, basketball, football, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, track & field and volleyball.
Tiger student-athletes have distinguished themselves in the classroom as well as on the field of competition. Eleven Tigers have been named CAA Scholar-Athlete Award Winners for their respective sports, including the 2010 cross country recipient, Brandi Gervais, a senior Biology/Pre-Dentistry Major with a perfect 4.0 GPA. A number of student-athletes have gone on to enjoy professional careers, including most recently Jermon Bushrod, the starting left offensive tackle for the 2010 Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints; outfielder Casper Wells with the Detroit Tigers; and shooting guard Gary Neal with the San Antonio Spurs. Saint's Associate head coach Joe Vitt is also a prominent alumnus as well as a major contributor to the Athletics Department. Current Atlanta Braves' President John Schuerholz is also a Towson alumnus and a member of the school's Board of Visitors.
In May 2011, the department broke ground on the future of Towson Athletics as it began construction of Tiger Arena, a new 5,200-seat, state-of-the-art arena for basketball, volleyball and gymnastics, slated to open in the Spring of 2013.
Tigerfest
Tigerfest is TU's annual spring festival that features interactive activities for students, as well as live musical entertainment. Tigerfest, which is also open to the public (not just TU students), occurs in late April and is held on Burdick Field. The event has become increasingly popular throughout its history, mainly because mainstream music acts headline Tigerfest each year. Artists such as
Third Eye BlindThird Eye Blind is an American alternative rock band formed in the early 1990s in San Francisco. The songwriting duo of Kevin Cadogan and Stephan Jenkins signed the band's first major label recording contract with Elektra records in 1996 resulting in two multi platinum albums. The band's lineup...
,
Dashboard ConfessionalDashboard Confessional is an American rock band from Boca Raton, Florida, led by singer-songwriter Chris Carrabba. The name of the band is derived from the song "The Sharp Hint of New Tears" from the debut album The Swiss Army Romance....
,
The UsedThe Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third...
, and
YellowcardYellowcard is an American pop punk/alternative rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1997, and based in Los Angeles, California since 2000. Their music features the use of a violin, unusual for the genre...
have appeared at Tigerfest in the past.
The RootsThe Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
,
Immortal TechniqueFelipe Andres Coronel , better known by the stage name Immortal Technique, is an American rapper of Afro-Peruvian descent as well as an urban activist. He was born in Lima, Peru and raised in Harlem, New York. Most of his lyrics focus on controversial issues in global politics...
, and
Alex BandAlex Band is an American musician and singer-songwriter, best known for his work in his former band The Calling and their signature song "Wherever You Will Go", which peaked at #3 on the Top 40 in 2001.Along with bandmate and fellow songwriter Aaron Kamin as part of The Calling, the pair achieved...
of
The CallingThe Calling is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, best known for their hit single, "Wherever You Will Go." The group formed in 2000 and have released two albums. They have been on an indefinite hiatus since 2005.-Band history:...
performed at the 2008 Tigerfest. The 2009 Tigerfest featured
The All-American RejectsThe All-American Rejects are an American rock band formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1999. The band consists of lead vocalist and bass guitarist Tyson Ritter, lead guitarist, Nick Wheeler, rhythm guitarist, Mike Kennerty, and drummer Chris Gaylor....
as the headliner. The concert also featured
Shiny Toy GunsShiny Toy Guns is an American indie rock band that formed in 2002 in Los Angeles, California. They released their first studio album We Are Pilots in 2006, after recording it two previous times. It featured three singles that peaked inside the top 30 in the Alternative Songs Chart. We Are Pilots...
,
VederaVedera is a pop/rock band from Kansas City, Missouri.- History :Kristen May grew up in the Kansas City suburb of Blue Springs, as did the rest of her bandmates. Her entire family was musical; her mother was a singer who loved Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Jim Croce. “I listened to those artists,...
, and Ace Enders as opening acts.N.E.R.D. headlined the 2010 festival and Brand New,
Reel Big FishReel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
, and
Far East MovementFar East Movement is an Asian American electro hop quartet based in Los Angeles. The group formed in 2003 and consists of Kev Nish , Prohgress , J-Splif , and DJ Virman...
will be playing the 2011 Tigerfest.
Division of Economic and Community Outreach
Towson University, Maryland’s Metropolitan University, is committed to addressing education, economic development and broad social issues. To further Towson’s role as a premier metropolitan university, the Division of Economic and Community Outreach (DECO) was established in 2004 as an initiative of President Robert L. Caret. DECO’s charge is to provide a focus for engagement with the external community and to provide a path into the university's research and project talent. DECO includes over 130 experts in the following areas: IT Solutions, Mapping Solutions (GIS), Technical Training, Applied Economics and Human Services, Information Assurance, and Business Growth.
The Cherry Hill Learning Zone
The initiative is a partnership among the Baltimore City Public School System, Baltimore City government, Towson University and Cherry Hill's community organizations. Together, the programs are trying to rebuild the Cherry Hill neighborhood in southern Baltimore. The program interacts with Cherry Hill’s civic leaders, community organizations and citizens, the Learning Zone hopes to serve as a resource for the academic progress of Cherry Hill’s young residents and improvement of the overall environment in the community.
Baltimore Urban Debate League
The Towson Speech and Debate team has close ties with the
Baltimore Urban Debate LeagueThe Baltimore Urban Debate League , is an American, non profit, urban debate league, which is intended as an educational and mentorship program for inner city middle school and high school students in Baltimore, Maryland....
and often volunteers people from the team and the university to judge and facilitate the running of the tournaments.
The university often acts as a host for league tournaments at least once a year.
Towson also has what they call an
Urban Debate Scholar award that they give to one graduating senior every year. The scholarship pays for full tuition and fees at TU. They also offer varying awards between $2,000 - $4,000 to other graduating seniors.
Adopt-A-Campus
President Caret has also established a program called
Adopt-A-Campus, which gives local businesses, organizations and others an opportunity to help beautify the TU campus. Every group will be assigned a certain section of the campus, and will be encouraged to pick up litter and help keep the area clean of trash and debris.
Free Speech policy
The school newspaper,
The TowerlightThe Towerlight is the award-winning twice-weekly independent student newspaper at Towson University. It is run by Towson students, and frequently updates the campus on events and news...
, announced that in February 2008, the school administration was planning to implement a "Free Speech Policy". Within the policy, it defines several things that would be considered free speech, and that students would be restricted to where they could assemble and have demonstrations or protests. This has caused serious backlash from the students, and has solicited various protests on campus and vocal dissent from the Student Government Association as well. Jenny Haley, the SGA president at the time, said the policy was not discussed nor negotiated with the SGA and that she feels it is a mistake to exclude students from the decision making process. It was also noted that during a meeting with the administration to discuss the policy, several administrators said that the only input initially solicited from students for the Free Speech policy was from a committee called the
Student Leadership Council that consists of student leaders who are in charge of large student groups. Several of the students contested that not only did they not know who was on this committee, but that most of them did not even know that kind of committee even existed.
The administration has reworked the policy and named it the
Time, Place and Manner policy.
Media and publications
| Television |
Radio |
Print |
- WMJF – The university's student-run TV station
|
WTMDWTMD is a radio station licensed to and located at Towson University in Towson, Maryland. It is one of only a few locally-owned radio stations in Towson and Baltimore. WTMD has one of the largest listening audiences of any public radio station in Maryland....
– Alternative music FM public radio
XTSRXTSR is a College radio station owned by Towson University and managed by the Department of Electronic Media & Film. Their Internet radio programming operates 24/7 with live student DJ shifts and a Broadcast automation system....
– Student-run Internet radio station; also played on campus television (formerly WTSR). |
The TowerlightThe Towerlight is the award-winning twice-weekly independent student newspaper at Towson University. It is run by Towson students, and frequently updates the campus on events and news...
- Towson's bi-weekly student newspaper http://www.thetowerlight.com/
Grub Street Literary and Arts MagazineGrub Street is Towson University's arts and literary magazine. Published yearly, the magazine features the writings and artwork of Towson students and others in the community. The magazine is nationally recognized and has won many awards given by the Columbia Press Association...
Journal of Philosophical Ideas - The Philosophy Forum's Undergraduate Journal
The Prelaw Society Journal
Journal of Historical Studies |
Student organizations
| SGA Affiliated |
Cultural Organizations |
Recreation and Sport Clubs |
Religious Organizations |
Community Service |
- Active Minds
- Actuary Club
- Alpha Kappa Psi
ΑΚΨ is the oldest and largest professional business fraternity. The Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity was founded on October 5, 1904 at New York University, and was incorporated on May 20, 1905...
Business Fraternity http://www.akpsiok.com/
- American Advertising Federation
- American College of Health-care Executives
- Pakistan Student Association
- American Marketing Association
- Amnesty International
- Anime Club
- Arts and Crafts Club
- Athletic Training Club
- Ballroom Dance Club http://www.towson.edu/ballroomdance/
- Campus Greens http://www.towson.edu/campusgreens/
- College Democrats http://www.towson.edu/collegedems/
- College Libertarians http://www.towson.edu/clt/
- Communications Society
- Computer and Technology Club
- Council for Exceptional Children, TU Student Chapter
- E-business Association
- English Club
- Excelsior
- Financial Management Association
- Geography Club
- Hillel
- Honors College Student Council
- Lambda Kappa Tau http://www.lambdakappatau.com/
- Mathematics Club
- Minority Science and Technology
- National Association of Future Doctors of Audiology
- National Science Teacher’s Association
- National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association
- Nursing Student Association
- Philosophy Forum http://wwwnew.towson.edu/philosophyforum/
- Physical Education Majors Club
- Prelaw Society http://wwwnew.towson.edu/polsci/prelawsociety/
- Psychology Club
- Public Relations Group
- Sign-Up Club
- Society of Physics Students
- Society of Professional Journalists
- Speech and Debate Team
- Sport Business Association
- Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society
- Student Council on Family Studies
- Student Education Association
- Students for Ron Paul
- Students for a Sensible Drug Policy
- Towson Economics Society http://www.towsonecon.tk
- Towson Republicans
- Towson University Feminist Collective
- Wall$treet Investors Investment Club http://www.towson.edu/wiic/
|
African Diaspora Club http://www.towson.edu/adc est.2000
Black Student Union
Caribbean Students’ Association
Chinese Student and Scholarship Association
Delta Phi Omega
Hillel
Queer Student Union http://www.towson.edu/qsu/
Groove Crew
Filipino Cultural Association
International Student Association
Japanese Association
Latin American Student Organization
South Asian Student Association
Towson Zionist Organization of America
Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority |
Chess Club
Dance Team
Baseball
Badminton
Bowling
Cycling
Dodgeball
Golf
Field Hockey
Figure Skating
Ice Hockey
Men's & Women's Lacrosse
Martial Arts
Adventure Pursuits
Pom Squad
Rock Climbing Club
Roller Hockey
Rugby (Men's & Women's)
Men's & Women's Soccer
Ski and Snowboard
Stunt
Surf
Tennis
Track & Field
Men's & Women's Ultimate Frisbee
Men's & Women's Volleyball, Wrestling
Triple T (Towson’s Tapping Tigers) |
Athletes in Action
Baptist Student Ministry
BASIC
Campus Crusade for Christ
Collegelife
Episcopal Campus Fellowship
Gospel Choir (Infinite Praise Ministries)
Korean Campus Ministry
Lutheran Student Movement
Muslim Student Association
Newman Club
Reformed University Fellowship
University Bible Fellowship |
American Red Cross CorpsThe American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
Best Buddies
Choice Tutoring
Circle K
Dance Marathon
Habitat for Humanity
Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle http://www.towson.edu/lbs
NonProfit Leadership Alliance
Proud Athletes Who Serve (PAWS)
Project L.O.U.
Sisterhood
Students Helping Honduras
SWING PHI SWING Social Fellowship,INC
Towson Volunteer Board |
Greek life
| Interfraternity Council (IFC) |
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) |
Unified Greek Council (UGC) |
Panhellenic Association (PHA) |
- Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi , the Global Jewish college fraternity, has 155 active chapters in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Israel with a membership of over 9,000 undergraduates...
fraternity
- Delta Sigma Phi
Delta Sigma Phi is a fraternity established at the City College of New York in 1899 and is a charter member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference. The headquarters of the fraternity is the Taggart Mansion located in Indianapolis, Indiana...
fraternity
- Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men's secret general fraternities in North America, having initiated more than 280,000 members and held chapters at more than 300 universities. It is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and was founded by Warren A. Cole, while he was a...
fraternity
- Phi Sigma Kappa
-Phi Sigma Kappa's Creed and Cardinal Principles:The 1934 Convention in Ann Arbor brought more changes for the fraternity. Brother Stewart W. Herman of Gettysburg wrote and presented the Creed, and Brother Ralph Watts of Massachusetts drafted and presented the Cardinal Principles.-World War II:The...
fraternity
- Pi Kappa Alpha
Pi Kappa Alpha is a Greek social fraternity with over 230 chapters and colonies and over 250,000 lifetime initiates in the United States and Canada.-History:...
fraternity
- Pi Lambda Phi
Pi Lambda Phi International Fraternity Inc. is a college social fraternity with 35 active chapters and four colonies in the United States and Canada....
fraternity
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
fraternity
- Sigma Pi
Sigma Pi is an international college secret and social fraternity founded in 1897 at Vincennes University. Sigma Pi International fraternity currently has 127 chapters and 4 colonies in the United States and Canada and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee...
fraternity
- Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon is a college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University with chapters in the United States, and Canada, and affiliation with a German fraternity system known as the Corps of the Weinheimer Senioren Convent...
fraternity
- Zeta Beta Tau
Zeta Beta Tau was founded in 1898 as the nation's first Jewish fraternity, although it is no longer sectarian. Today the merged Zeta Beta Tau Brotherhood is one of the largest, numbering over 140,000 initiated Brothers, and over 90 chapter locations.-Founding:The Zeta Beta Tau fraternity was...
fraternity |
- Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
fraternity
- Alpha Kappa Alpha
Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...
sorority
- Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
sorority
- Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
fraternity
- Zeta Phi Beta
Zeta Phi Beta is an international, historically black Greek-lettered sorority and a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.Zeta Phi Beta is organized into 800+ chapters, in eight intercontinental regions including the USA, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean...
sorority |
- Alpha Nu Omega
Alpha Nu Omega is a national Greek letter organization founded in 1988 that comprises both a fraternity and sorority under one Constitution. The Constitution mandates that both branches of ANQ are Christian social Greek letter organizations.-History:...
sorority & fraternity
- Zeta Sigma Chi
Zeta Sigma Chi , was founded on March 3, 1991 at the Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois....
multicultural sorority
- Sigma Lambda Gamma
Sigma Lambda Gamma ' is a historically Latina-based national sorority with multicultural membership founded on April 9, 1990, at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.-History:...
sorority
- Lambda Theta Phi
Lambda Theta Phi is a non-profit social fraternity in the United States. It was founded on December 1, 1975 at Kean College in Union, New Jersey. It emphasizes Latin unity and the celebration of the Latin culture. In 1992 Lambda Theta Phi was accepted into the North-American Interfraternity...
Latin fraternity |
Delta Delta DeltaDelta Delta Delta , also known as Tri Delta, is an international sorority founded on November 27, 1888, the eve of Thanksgiving Day. With over 200,000 initiates, Tri Delta is one of the world's largest NPC sororities.-History:...
sorority
Alpha Gamma DeltaAlpha Gamma Delta is an international women's fraternity, who are mainly sluts, founded in 1904 at Syracuse University. The Fraternity promotes academic excellence, philanthropic giving, ongoing leadership and personal development, and a spirit of loving sisterhood. Also known as "Alpha Gam" and...
sorority
Alpha Omicron PiAlpha Omicron Pi is an international women's fraternity promoting friendship for a lifetime, inspiring academic excellence and lifelong learning, and developing leadership skills through service to the Fraternity and community. ΑΟΠ was founded on January 2, 1897 at Barnard College on the campus...
sorority
Alpha PhiAlpha Phi International Women's Fraternity was founded at Syracuse University on September 18, 1872. Alpha Phi currently has 152 active chapters and over 200,000 initiated members. Its celebrated Founders' Day is October 10. It was the third Greek-letter organization founded for women. In Alpha...
sorority
Alpha Xi DeltaAlpha Xi Delta is a women's fraternity founded on April 17, 1893 at Lombard College, Galesburg, Illinois. Alpha Xi Delta is one of the oldest women's fraternities as well as one of the ten founding fraternities of the National Panhellenic Conference...
sorority
Kappa DeltaKappa Delta was the first sorority founded at the State Female Normal School , in Farmville, Virginia. It is one of the "Farmville Four" sororities founded at the university...
sorority
Phi MuPhi Mu is the second oldest female fraternal organization established in the United States. It was founded at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. The organization was founded as the Philomathean Society on January 4, 1852, and was announced publicly on March 4 of the same year...
fraternity for Women
Phi Sigma SigmaPhi Sigma Sigma , colloquially known as "Phi Sig," was the first collegiate nonsectarian fraternity, welcoming women of all faiths and backgrounds...
sorority
Zeta Tau AlphaZeta Tau Alpha is a women's fraternity, founded October 15, 1898 at the State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia. The Executive office is located in Indianapolis, Indiana...
sorority |
See also
- List of presidents of Towson University
- Towson University colleges
External links