University of South Alabama

♠ Posted by Anju Satyal at 5:59 PM

The University of South Alabama (USA) is a public, national research university in Mobile, Alabama, USA. It was created by the Alabama Legislature in May, 1963, and replaced existing extension programs operated in Mobile by the University of Alabama. USA is the only major public institution of higher learning on the upper Gulf Coast. With Alabama's two older universities more than 200 miles distant, the University is strategically located in the greater Mobile area, which has a population of more than a million within a 100-mile radius. Currently, USA is divided into ten colleges and schools and includes one of Alabama's two state-supported medical schools. As of the Fall semester of 2014, South Alabama has an enrollment of 16,055 students. To date, the University has awarded over 80,000 degrees. USA has an annual payroll of $404 million (US), with over 5,500 employees, and is the second largest employer in Mobile, Alabama. It has remained one of Alabama's fastest growing universities for the past several years.[4] The university has come under great criticism; as of 2014 the university maintains a 14% graduation rate, and was named the 8th most dangerous college in the country by Business Insider. Despite these criticisms, The University South Alabama has an annual economic impact of US$2 billion.In addition, South Alabama owned hospitals treat over 250,000 patients annually. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in ten colleges and schools. Several programs offer masters level degrees in addition to undergraduate degrees. Doctoral level degrees are offered in several areas, including Business Administration, Nursing, Medicine, Basic Medical Sciences, Instructional Design, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Audiology, Marine Science, Psychology, Physical Therapy, and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree offered in collaboration with Auburn University. The university will add doctoral programs in Business and Engineering beginning in 2013, with the business doctorate being the state's first doctorate in business administration. The psychology doctoral program was initiated in 2009 and is one of a handful of such programs nationwide that offers a Combined degree, emphasizing both Clinical Psychology and Counseling Psychology. Significant research is done by faculty members in the above fields. In all, undergraduate students at South Alabama can choose from more than 50 bachelor’s degree and certificate programs while there are more than 40 master’s degree programs. As of 2011, USA ranks as the 22nd best public university in the southern United States, and 52nd overall (in the South). It has an acceptance rate of 86.5%. The student-faculty ratio at USA is 22:1, and the school has 41.5 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. USA students are 57% female and 43% male. Colleges Shelby Hall - College of Engineering The University of South Alabama has ten colleges: Pat Covey College of Allied Health Professions College of Arts and Sciences Mitchell College of Business College of Education College of Engineering College of Medicine Doctor of Pharmacy Program (Collaborative program with Auburn University) College of Nursing School of Computing School of Continuing Education and Special Programs Administration The University is governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by and including the governor of Alabama. The Board appoints a president of the University. Since the founding of the University, there have been two presidents: Frederick Palmer Whiddon (served 1963–1998) and V. Gordon Moulton (served 1998-2013). John W. Smith, the current Vice President for Student Affairs, served as an interim president until the arrival of Tony G. Waldrop in 2014. Research USA has several research centers and institutes: Center for Design & Performance Improvement, Center for Real Estate and Economic Development, Center for Archaeological Studies, Center for Forensics and Information Technology Security, Center for Lung Biology, South Alabama Research and Inservice Center, and USA Mitchell Cancer Institute (USAMCI). The USAMCI is the first academic cancer research institute in the upper Gulf Coast region. It was initiated in 2000, and is funded through philanthropic gifts; support from the state of Alabama; the city of Mobile, and Mobile county; federal appropriations; competitive contracts and grants; tobacco settlement funds; and the USA Foundation. The USAMCI is the largest single research endeavor in the history of the University of South Alabama, with a total investment of over $125 million. It currently provides over 55,000 patient treatment contacts annually. In addition to improving cancer care, the Institute stimulates the growth of a strong regional economy built on biomedicine and biotechnology. Together with the entire USA Health System, USAMCI focuses on discovery and development of new and more effective treatments for cancer.