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Southwest Baptist University

Former name	Southwest Baptist College (1878–1981)
Type	Private university
Established	1878; 146 years ago (1878)
Religious affiliation	Missouri Baptist Convention IABCU
Academic affiliation	CCCU CGE
President	Richard J. Melson, PhD
Provost	Troy Bethards (Interim)
Students	2,168
Location	Bolivar, Missouri, United States 37°36′07″N 93°24′33″W / 37.60186°N 93.40911°W / 37.60186; -93.40911
Campus	152 acres (61.5 ha)
Colors	Purple and White
Nickname	Bearcats
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division II –GLVC
Website	www.sbuniv.edu

Southwest Baptist University (SBU) is a private Baptist university in Bolivar, Missouri. It is affiliated with the Missouri Baptist Convention, which is part of the Southern Baptist Convention. In 2023, it had a total enrollment of 2,168 students enrolled.

History

Abner S. Ingman and James R. Maupin founded Southwest Baptist College in 1878 in Lebanon, Missouri. The Lebanon campus originally had an enrollment of 60 students and six faculty. The college lasted one year before the city decided it no longer wanted it. When news got out that the college would be moving, the communities of Aurora, Monett, and Bolivar in southwest Missouri attempted to attract the college. In 1879, the state of Missouri chartered the school and it moved to Bolivar, Missouri. The college went through many financial difficulties in the early part of the twentieth century.

On June 1, 1910, at 11:00 am., the fire that would destroy the campus started. The fire broke out under suspect circumstances, leading some to believe arson was the cause. Bolivar citizen firefighters tried to put out the fire, but the water supply ran dry and at 2:00 pm the fire engulfed the whole campus. Losses were estimated at $20,000. The college was rebuilt, and reopened in 1913.

Southwest Baptist University was granted an exception to Title IX in 2015, allowing the school to legally discriminate against LGBT students for religious reasons.

In November 2021 its accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission, placed it on probation for being in noncompliance on criteria related to governance, academic freedom, and effective leadership. In November 2023, the Higher Learning Commission removed the university from.

Campus history

When it reopened in 1913 as a junior college, Southwest Baptist College consisted of four buildings, two of which still stand on the Stufflebaum campus. Among the buildings still standing from the original Stufflebam campus are Casebolt Apartments (formerly Casebolt Science Building) and Memorial Hall.

On March 26, 1962, a fire destroyed Pike Auditorium. Students and townspeople saved eight pianos and almost all of the sports equipment from the locker rooms of the multipurpose building at that time. Pike Auditorium was the only building destroyed by the fire. The fire became a turning point in the history of Southwest Baptist. The newly elected president, Robert E. Craig, used the event to stimulate the buying of 102 acres (41.3 ha) of farmland south of Bolivar. This farmland expanded into the Shoffner Campus on which Southwest Baptist University resides today.

The Shoffner campus, located approximately a quarter-mile south of Stufflebaum campus, was first used in 1962 with the opening of Beasley Hall. Within ten years, Landen Hall (formerly New Men's Dorm), Leslie Hall, the Goodson Student Union, and the Wayne and Betty Gott Educational Center (formerly the campus library) were opened. In 1977, Mellers Dining Commons was opened, adjoining the Goodson Student Union.

In 1981, the Gene Taylor National Free Enterprise Center was opened to facilitate the College of Business and Computer Science. This was the same year in which Southwest Baptist College became Southwest Baptist University. In 1989, the Sells Administrative Building was completed to accommodate the growing administrative department of Southwest Baptist University.

In 1992, the Wheeler Science Center opened, giving the science department a facility capable of housing hundreds of students. The school of Physical Therapy was located in this building until it moved to a nearby, offsite location.

In 1995, SBU agreed with St. John's School of Nursing, a traditionally Catholic institution, to form St. John's School of Nursing of Southwest Baptist University located in Springfield, Missouri. It has since been renamed the Mercy College of Nursing and Health Sciences of Southwest Baptist University.

The Wayne and Betty Gott Educational Center was renovated in 1998 to accommodate classroom needs. The campus library moved to what is now the Jester Learning and Performance Center, and was renamed the Harriet K. Hutchens Library, which opened in 1996. The rest of the Jester Learning and Performance Center was completed in 2001. It currently houses the Davis-Newport Theater, the Department of Language and Literature, the Department of Art and the Bob R. Derryberry School of Communication Arts.

The most recent addition to the Shoffner campus is the Jane and Ken Meyer Wellness and Sports Center. It opened to students in January 2005. This facility houses an indoor track, intramural gym, fitness center, pool, café, racquetball courts, rock wall, and Hammons Court, the home of Bearcat Basketball.

Presidents

Presidents listed in chronological order.

1. James R. Maupin (1878–1884)
2. Abner S. Ingman (1884–1886)
3. Julius M. Leavitt (1886–1889)
4. W. H. Burnham (1889–1892)
5. Robert E. L. Burks (1892–1895)
6. Asa Bush (1895–1897)
7. James R. Rice (1897–1899)
8. Ernest W. Dow (1903–1905)
9. Joseph Rucker (1905–1908)
10. J. E. Austin (1908–1913)
11. Charles W. Fisher (1913–1915)
12. B. W. Wiseman (1915–1916)
13. John C. Pike (1916–1928)
14. John W. Jent (1928–1930)
15. Courts Redford (1930–1943)
16. Samuel H. Jones (1943–1948)
17. John W. Dowdy (1949–1960)
18. Robert E. Craig (1961–1967)
19. James L. Sells (1968–1979)
20. Harlan E. Spurgeon (1979–1983)
21. Charles L. Chaney (1983–1986)
22. J. Edwin Hewlett Jr. (1989–1990)
23. Wayne Gott (Interim) (1991–1992)
24. Roy Blunt (1993–1996)
25. C. Pat Taylor (1996–2018)
26. Eric A. Turner (2018–2020)
27. Brad Johnson (Interim) (2020-2021)
28. Richard J. Melson (2021–Present)

Academics

Southwest Baptist University Colleges include:

• Robert W. Plaster College of Business
• College of Professional Programs
• College of Health Professions
• Geneva Casebolt College of Arts & Sciences

Buildings

• Casebolt Music Center and Casebolt Apartments – named after Geneva Casebolt, a benefactor who gave a large endowment for the buildings.
• Davis Family Physical Therapy Center – houses the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
• Felix Goodson Student Union – named after a former dean of students.
• Gene Taylor National Free Enterprise Center – named in honor of former Missouri Congressman Gene Taylor.
• Hammons Center for Facilities Excellence – named after Dwain Hammons and his wife, Donna, who gifted SBU with the property this building is located.
• Harriett K. Hutchens Library – named in honor of Harriett K. Hutchens, who gave a generous donation.
• Jane and Ken Meyer Wellness and Sports Center/ Meyer Hall – named in honor of the Meyers who were benefactors for this and other projects.
• Jester Learning and Performance Center – named in honor of Bill Jester who stepped in after the project had to be reorganized after the passing of Sam Walton.
• Jim Mellers Center – named in honor of donor in 1980s who owned a photography shop and later received a patent for a photography related idea.
• Killian Health Center – named in honor of Bob and Betty Killian, owners of Killian Construction Company.
• Mabee Chapel – named after the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation.
• Marietta Mellers Dining Commons – named in honor of the wife of Jim Mellers.
• McClelland Dining Facility – capable of hosting banquets and conferences.
• Plaster Athletic Center/ Plaster Stadium/ Plaster Hall – named in honor of benefactor Robert W. Plaster.
• Randolph Meditation Chapel – open 24 hours a day.
• Jim Sells Administrative Center – named in honor of Jim Sells who served as president for 11 years (1968–1979) and as Chancellor (1979-1992).
• Wayne and Betty Gott Educational Center/ Gott Hall – Wayne and Betty Gott are two of the largest donors to SBU.
• Wheeler Science Center – named in honor of Clarence Wheeler who gave a large donation for the building and scholarships.
• Beasley Hall – named in honor of Titus Beasley who gave the lead gift for this hall.
• Landen Hall – named in honor of Edward and Daisy Landen for "devotion to their church, the Southern Baptist Convention and to Christian higher education"
• Leslie Hall
• Memorial Hall – named in honor of the ten students from SBU who served in World War II.
• Roseman Apartments – named in honor of the Roseman family who previously owned the complex.
• Woody Hall – named in honor of Jessie Lee Woody, a donor towards the project.

Athletics

Southwest Baptist University athletic teams compete in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). SBU previously competed in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) until in the spring of 2019 and will begin regular season competition for all sports in the GLVC beginning in the 2019–20 season. The university currently fields 18 NCAA Division II varsity sports. SBU was also one of the first schools to establish a varsity collegiate esports team and is a charter member of the Collegiate Esports Association (CESPA). SBU added a Cheer and STUNT team beginning in the 2018–19 season.

Notable alumni

• Buddy Baker, film composer, best known for his long relationship and extensive work with the Walt Disney Company.
• Roy Blunt, Republican senator for the State of Missouri (former president of university)
• Ben M. Bogard, founder of the American Baptist Association
• Rod Jetton, former Speaker and Republican member of the Missouri House of Representatives
• Darrin Patrick, former pastor of The Journey church and former teaching pastor at Seacoast Church
• Shane Schoeller, Republican member of the Missouri House of Representatives and Republican candidate in the Missouri secretary of state election, 2012

References

1. ^ "Enrollment Report for Missouri Public and Comprehensive Independent Institutions". Missouri Department of Higher Education. December 1, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
2. "History of Southwest Baptist University | SBU Legacy and Heritage". www.sbuniv.edu. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
3. Hamlett, Mayme (1984). To Noonday Bright: A History of Southwest Baptist University . Bolivar, MO: Southwest Baptist University. (p. 78)
4. "Worst List: The Absolute Worst Campuses for LGBTQ Youth". Campus Pride. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
5. Redden, Elizabeth (10 November 2021). "Accreditor places Southwest Baptist on probation". www.insidehighered.com. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
6. Kaylor, Brian (9 November 2021). "SBU Placed on Probation by Accrediting Body". Word&Way.
7. "Southwest Baptist University". www.hlcommission.org. Higher Learning Commission. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
8. "Public Disclosure: Southwest Baptist University status changed from "Accredited – Probation" to "Accredited" Effective: November 2, 2023" (PDF). Higher Learning Commission. November 9, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
9. Hamlett, Mayme (1984). To Noonday Bright: A History of Southwest Baptist University. Bolivar, MO: Southwest Baptist University. (p. 274)
10. Hamlett, Mayme (1984). To Noonday Bright: A History of Southwest Baptist University. Bolivar, MO: Southwest Baptist University. (p. 275)
11. C. Taylor, Personal Communication, January 10, 2008.
12. "College of Nursing and Health Sciences | Southwest Baptist University". www.sbuniv.edu. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
13. (portrait list of presidents on display at Harriett K. Hutchens Library in the Jester Learning and Performance Center, Shoffner campus, Bolivar, MO.)
14. "Academic Colleges | Southwest Baptist University". www.sbuniv.edu. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
15. "Great Lakes Valley Conference Admits Southwest Baptist University as Full-Time Member". Southwest Baptist University. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
16. "SBU Launches Varsity eSports Program for Fall 2016". Southwest Baptist University. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
17. "Southwest Baptist University Adding STUNT As a Sport in 2018-19". Southwest Baptist University. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
18. "Benjamin Marcus Bogard (1868–1951)". encyclopediaofarkansas.net. Retrieved August 4, 2013.

External links

• Official website
• Southwest Baptist Athletics website
• Southwest Baptist University at College Navigator, a tool from the National Center for Education Statistics

• Southwest Baptist University
• Universities and colleges affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention
• Private universities and colleges in Missouri
• Universities and colleges established in 1878
• Buildings and structures in Polk County, Missouri
• Universities and colleges in Springfield, Missouri
• Buildings and structures in Howell County, Missouri
• Buildings and structures in Dent County, Missouri
• Education in Howell County, Missouri
• Education in Polk County, Missouri
• Education in Dent County, Missouri
• Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
• 1878 establishments in Missouri