Slippery Rock University
Introduction '''Slippery Rock University''', formally '''Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania''' ('''The Rock''' or '''SRU'''), is a public university in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. SRU is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). The university has been coeducational since its founding in 1889.SRU is fully accredited by the Middle State Commission on Higher Learning.As of fall 2023, SRU's total enrollment was 8,362, including 6,815 undergraduates and 1,547 graduate students. There were also more than 950 employees including 496 full-time faculty and a 20:1 faculty-to-student ratio.
Academics SRU offers more than 150 undergraduate majors and 40 graduate degree programs and certificates across the following five colleges:* College of Business* College of Education* College of Engineering and Science* College of Health Professions* College of Liberal ArtsSRU offers 51 programs that hold national accreditations and 92% of faculty members holding a Ph.D. or other terminal degree.
History Slippery Rock University was founded in 1889 under the name '''Slippery Rock State Normal School''' as a teacher training school. James E. Morrow was the first president. The school was purchased by the Commonwealth in 1926 and became a four-year college. '''Slippery Rock State College''' was established in 1960 and issued undergraduate and graduate degrees within the liberal arts and other professions. , Slippery Rock University has 8,243 enrolled students as well as 172 majors, 45 minors and 44 graduate programs, including certificates.
Administration In 2012, Cheryl Joy Norton was appointed as the university's first female president. Norton announced she would retire effective June 30, 2017.William J. Behre became the university's president in 2018.Behre would go on to serve the university for roughly 4 years before announcing his retirement on February 15, 2022.Effective on July 1, 2023, Karen Riley was appointed president of Slippery Rock University.
Athletics Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania competes in the NCAA Division II and is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).Slippery Rock University's official mascot is Rocky the Lion.===Varsity sports==='''Men's teams''':Baseball, basketball,cross country,football,soccer,indoor track & field, andoutdoor track & field. '''Women's teams''':Basketball,cross country,field hockey,lacrosse,soccer,softball,tennis,indoor track & field,outdoor track & field, andVolleyball.The announcement of Slippery Rock's football scores is a tradition at University of Michigan Football games, started in 1959 by Michigan Stadium's public address announcer Steve Filipiak. The tradition spread to other stadiums as well - during a 1970 game at the University of Texas, the announcer failed to read Slippery Rock’s score, which resulted in the crowd demanding to know said score. Slippery Rock was so popular with U of M fans that on September 29, 1979, they played in-state rival Shippensburg at Michigan Stadium, in front of 61,143 fans, a record for a Division II football game (Shippensburg won, 45–14). Slippery Rock played a second game at "The Big House" in 1981, attracting 36,719 fans in a 14–13 loss to Wayne State University. Slippery Rock made a third trip to "The Big House" on October 18, 2014, losing to Mercyhurst University, 45–23; a crowd of 15,121 braved a chilly wind to witness the contest.===Discontinued Sports===The varsity wrestling program was competed in from 1958-59 to 2005-06 academic years at the university. ===Club sports===In 1995, the women's water polo team won the intercollegiate national championship conducted by USA Water Polo.In 1987, the women's judo team, a varsity sport team at the time, won the intercollegiate national championship conducted by the National Collegiate Judo Association.Slippery Rock ice hockey joined other colleges and universities in the region to form the College Hockey Mid-America (CHMA) in 2006.In 2020, the university suspended the hockey program for the indefinite future.
Student life ===Aebersold Student Recreation Center===The Aebersold Student Recreation Center is an  on-campus student recreation center.===Fraternities and sororities===There are several on campus. ===Student media===SRU has a student newspaper called ''The Rocket'', the radio station 88.1 WSRU-FM, and the literary magazine ''SLAB''.
Notable alumni *Matt Adams – baseball player*Janet Anderson – golfer*Cheryl Bailey – commissioner of National Women's Soccer League*Francis V. Barnes – Secretary of Education for the Pennsylvania Department of Education from 2004 to 2005*David Batra – comedian and actor*Stephen Bolles – lawyer and politician*Myron Brown – basketball player*Todd Tamanend Clark (1983) – poet and composer *Victoria Clarke – communications consultant and former United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs*Shardea Arias de la Cru - Paralympic administrator  *Matthew Driscoll ('92) – basketball coach*Stanley Dziedzic ('72) – wrestler*Michael J. Estocin – Medal of Honor recipient*Brandon Fusco – football player*Wes Hills – football player*Greg Hopkins – football player*Donnie Iris – musician*Charles William Kerr – pastor*Jodi Kest – basketball coach*Matt Kinsinger – football player*Gary L. Lancaster – judge*Marcus Martin – football player*Brian Minto – boxer*Greg Paterra – football player*Sarah Patterson – gymnastics coach*Lawrence Reed – president of the Foundation for Economic Education*M. Richard Rose (1955-2021) – former President of Alfred University and the Rochester Institute of Technology*Robert J. Stevens – chairman, president, and chief executive officer of the Lockheed Martin Corporation*C. Vivian Stringer – basketball coach*John Stuper – baseball player and college baseball coach*Lou Trivino – baseball player*Royce Waltman – basketball coach*Richard Schweiker – politician
References
External links * Official website* Official athletics website