Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

Last updated

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Cheyney University shield.png
Former names
African Institute
Institute for Colored Youth
Cheyney State Normal School
Cheyney Training School for Teachers
Cheyney State Teachers College
Cheyney State College
MottoToday's Leaders, Tomorrow's Leaders
Type Public historically black university
Established1837;187 years ago (1837)
Parent institution
 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
Academic affiliations
 Space-grant
Chancellor Christopher M. Fiorentino
President Aaron A. Walton [1]
Provost Tara E. Kent
Undergraduates 697 (Fall 2022) [2]

627 (2020–21) [3]

618 (2019–20) [4]
Location
Cheyney
,
Pennsylvania
,
United States
Campus275 acres (1.11 km2)
Colors   Blue & white
Nickname Wolves
Sporting affiliations
 NCAA Division III - Independent
Website cheyney.edu

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is a public historically black university in Cheyney, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1837 as the Institute for Colored Youth, [5] it is the oldest of all historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States. It is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The university offers bachelor's degrees [6] and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. [7]

Contents

History

Built on land donated by the prominent Cheyney family, the university was founded as the African Institute in February 1837 and renamed the Institute for Colored Youth (ICY) in April 1837. The African Institute was founded by Richard Humphreys, a Quaker philanthropist who bequeathed $10,000 (equivalent to $305,200in 2023), one-tenth of his estate, to design and establish a school to educate people of African descent and prepare them as teachers.

Melrose Cottage, built in 1805 Melrose PA.JPG
Melrose Cottage, built in 1805

Born on a plantation on Tortola, an island in the British West Indies, Humphreys came to Philadelphia in 1764. Many Quakers were abolitionists, and he became concerned about the struggles of free people of color to make a living and gain education in a discriminatory society. News of a race riot against free African-Americans in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1829 inspired Humphreys to bequeath money in his will for higher education for free blacks. He charged thirteen fellow Quakers to design an institution "to instruct the descendants of the African Race in school learning, in the various branches of the mechanic Arts, trades and Agriculture, in order to prepare and fit and qualify them to act as teachers ..."

Library 1909 Cheyney Library.JPG
Library

Founded as the African Institute, the school was soon renamed the Institute for Colored Youth. In its early years, it provided training in trades and agriculture, as those were the predominant skills needed in the general economy. In 1902, the institute was relocated to George Cheyney's farm, a 275-acre property 25 miles (40 km) west of Philadelphia. [8] The name "Cheyney" became associated with the school in 1913. The school's official name changed several times during the 20th century. In 1983, Cheyney was taken into the State System of Higher Education as Cheyney University of Pennsylvania.

The university has traditionally offered opportunities to many students from Philadelphia's inner city schools. [8] Its alumni have close ties in the city and state. It became part of a 1980 civil rights lawsuit against the state government; it alleged that the state had unlawfully underfunded the historically black university. The suit was settled 19 years later in 1999. This was five years after the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights began investigating states "that once practiced segregation in higher education and were never officially found to have eliminated it." [9] In the settlement, the state agreed to provide $35 million to Cheyney over a five-year period, particularly for construction of needed buildings and academic development. By comparison, the university had an annual budget of about $23 million at the time. [9]

In November 2015, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education placed Cheyney University on probation. Three years later, the commission placed the university on "show cause" status which required the university to show cause by November 21, 2019, for showing compliance with the commission's standards or accreditation would not be renewed. [10] The accreditation concerns were driven by the university's financial woes, a concern the university sought to address in part with increased fundraising. [11]

On November 21, 2019, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education reaffirmed Cheyney's accreditation as "...the institution is now in compliance with Standard VI (Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement) and Requirement of Affiliation 11." [12] Four years later, in 2023, the commission again placed Cheyney on probation and warned that accreditation was in jeopardy because of insufficient evidence that it was complying with a number of standards. [13] The warning was lifted the following year. [14]

Presidents

Principals

Campus

The university is partially in Thornbury Township, Chester County, [23] and partially in Thornbury Township, Delaware County. [24]

Humphreys Hall Humphrey's Hall, Institute for Colored Youths.jpg
Humphreys Hall
Biddle Hall Cheyney BiddleHall 20140406 190737.jpg
Biddle Hall

Athletics

Marilyn Stephens was named head coach of the women's basketball program in 2009, while her brother coached the men's basketball team Marilyn Stephens-Franklyn.jpg
Marilyn Stephens was named head coach of the women's basketball program in 2009, while her brother coached the men's basketball team

Cheyney University has one of the most storied basketball programs in NCAA Division II history. The men's basketball program is 7th all-time in NCAA win percentage, including 16 PSAC conference championships, four Final Fours, and one National Championship (1978). The women's basketball team in 1982 competed in the championship game of the inaugural NCAA Division I tournament despite being a Division II school.

In 2009, Cheyney University hired the first ever NCAA men's and women's basketball coaches who are brother and sister. The men's coach was Dominique Stephens, a North Carolina Central University graduate and member of the NCAA Division II Basketball Championship team, and the women's coach was Marilyn Stephens, the Temple University Hall of Famer.

During the 2007–2008 through 2010–2011 academic years, the university violated NCAA rules in the certification of initial, transfer and continuing eligibility involving all sports programs. During the four-year period, numerous student-athletes competed while ineligible due to improper certification. In amateurism certification alone, 109 student-athletes practiced, competed and received travel expenses and/or athletically related financial aid before the university received their amateurism certification status from the NCAA Eligibility Center. The committee also concluded that a former compliance director failed to monitor when she did not follow proper procedures in the certification of student-athletes’ eligibility. The entire athletics program was on probation until August 2019. [25] [26] In spring 2018, the team withdrew from Division II and played the following season as an independent, citing financial problems. [27]

Student life

All nine National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organizations are present on Cheyney University's campus.

Notable alumni

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delaware County, Pennsylvania</span> County in Pennsylvania, United States

Delaware County, colloquially referred to as Delco, is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. With a population of 576,830 as of the 2020 census, it is the fifth-most populous county in Pennsylvania and the third-smallest in area. The county was created on September 26, 1789, from part of Chester County and named for the Delaware River. The county is part of the Southeast Pennsylvania region of the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thornbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania</span> Township in Pennsylvania, United States

Thornbury Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,017 at the 2010 census. It is adjacent to, and was once joined with, Thornbury Township, Delaware County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of the Sciences</span> Private university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US (1821–2022)

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, previously Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (PCPS), was a private university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On June 1, 2022, it officially merged into Saint Joseph's University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messiah University</span> Private university near Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, US

Messiah University is a private interdenominational evangelical Christian university in Upper Allen Township, Pennsylvania, near Mechanicsburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Community College of Philadelphia</span> Public college of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US

The Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) is a public community college with campuses throughout Philadelphia. The college was founded in 1965 and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. It offers over 100 associate degree and certificate programs through its four locations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of the Arts (Philadelphia)</span> Art school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US

University of the Arts (UArts) was a private arts university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its campus made up part of the Avenue of the Arts cultural district in Center City, Philadelphia. On May 31, 2024, university administrators suddenly announced that the university would close on June 7, 2024, although its precarious financial situation had been known for some time. It was accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)</span> Historically black university near Oxford, Pennsylvania, US

Lincoln University (LU) is a public state-related historically black university (HBCU) near Oxford, Pennsylvania. Founded as the private Ashmun Institute in 1854, it has been a public institution since 1972 and is the second HBCU in the state, after Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. Lincoln is also recognized as the first college-degree granting HBCU in the country. Its main campus is located on 422 acres (170.8 ha) near the town of Oxford in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. The university has a second location in the University City area of Philadelphia. Lincoln University provides undergraduate and graduate coursework to approximately 2,000 students. It is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrisburg University of Science and Technology</span> Private university in Pennsylvania, United States

Harrisburg University of Science & Technology, commonly referred to as Harrisburg University (HU), is a private STEM-focused university in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with an additional location in Philadelphia. Founded in 2001 as Harrisburg Polytechnic Institute, it offers STEM-focused degree and certificate programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coppin State University</span> Public historically black university in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.

Coppin State University (Coppin) is a public historically black university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It is part of the University System of Maryland and a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern University (United States)</span> Private Christian university in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Eastern University (EU) is a private Christian university in the St. Davids, Pennsylvania area, with additional locations in Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs. Eastern University is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA and has an interdenominational student body, faculty and administration.

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) is an American state agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that oversees 10 state-owned universities. Collectively, it is the largest provider of higher education in the commonwealth. All of the schools are primarily NCAA Division II members and affiliated with the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania</span> Public university in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, US

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is a public university in the Shippensburg, Pennsylvania area. It is part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fanny Jackson Coppin</span> American educator (1837–1913)

Fanny Jackson Coppin was an American educator, missionary and lifelong advocate for female higher education. One of the first Black alumnae of Oberlin College, she served as principal of the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia and became the first African American school superintendent in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rowan College of South Jersey</span> Public college in Sewell, New Jersey, US

Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) is a public community college with two campuses in the South Jersey region of New Jersey. The first, Gloucester Main Campus, is in Sewell. The second, Cumberland Branch Campus, is in both Vineland and Millville. The college was established in 1966 as Gloucester County College (GCC). In 2014, the college changed its name to Rowan College of Gloucester County when Rowan University and Gloucester County College entered into a partnership. The college then expanded in 2019, combining Rowan College at Gloucester County (RCGC) and Cumberland County College to become Rowan College of South Jersey.

Clarks Summit University was a private Baptist Bible college in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania that offered associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees as well as a high-school dual enrollment option. Besides offering degrees on campus, it also offered undergraduate and graduate degrees online.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosemont College</span> Catholic college in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, US

Rosemont College is a private Catholic university in Rosemont, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1921 as a women's college by the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus, the undergraduate program opened to male students beginning in fall 2009. The university is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Rosemont also offers a range of master's degrees through its school of graduate studies and school of professional studies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slippery Rock University</span> Public university in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, US

Slippery Rock University, formally Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, is a public university in the Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania area. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania</span> Public university in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania is a campus of Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania and it is located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). The campus is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education with some degree programs accredited by specialized accreditors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Chester University</span> Public university in West Chester, Pennsylvania, US

West Chester University is a public research university in and around West Chester, Pennsylvania. The university is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". With 17,275 undergraduate and graduate students as of 2022, WCU is the largest of the 10 state-owned universities belonging to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and the sixth largest university in Pennsylvania. It also maintains a Center City Philadelphia satellite campus on Market Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheyney Wolves</span> Athletic teams representing Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

The Cheyney Wolves are the athletic sports teams for Cheyney University. They compete as an independent and formerly played in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Women's sports include basketball, cheerleading and volleyball. Basketball is the only men's sport the university currently offers as of 2019.

References

  1. ↑ Snyder, Susan (May 23, 2017). "State system appoints board member as new interim president for Cheyney". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  2. ↑ "College Navigator - Cheyney University of Pennsylvania". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences (IES). Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  3. ↑ "2020 Enrollment Census Preliminary" (PDF). Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  4. ↑ Murphy, Jan (October 8, 2019). "State universities' enrollment shows decline for the ninth consecutive year; Cheyney's is on the rise". PENNLive.com. PA Media Group. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Collection: William Morris Maier papers | Archives & Manuscripts".
  6. ↑ Williams, Juan; Dwayne Ashley; Shawn Rhea (2004). I'll Find a Way or Make One: A Tribute to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. HarperCollins. p. 453. ISBN   978-0-06-009456-0.
  7. ↑ "Cheyney University of Pennsylvania". Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  8. 1 2 Susan Snyder (September 23, 2013). "Cheyney coalition threatens to revive federal suit for fair funding". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  9. 1 2 Patrick Healy (May 19, 1999). "Pennsylvania to Spend $35-Million on Cheyney U. as Part of Federal Anti-Bias Pact". The Chronicle of Higher Education . Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Notification of Non-Compliance Action". CHEYNEY UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  11. ↑ Snyder, Susan (August 16, 2019). "Cheyney balances budget and raises $4.4 million, both key to keeping it afloat". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Cheyney University of Pennsylvania – Statement of Accreditation Status". Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  13. ↑ Snyder, Susan (November 28, 2023). "After a seeming comeback, Cheyney University lands back on probation". Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  14. ↑ Jackson, Johnny (July 2, 2024). "Cheyney University Comes Off Probation". Diverse: Issues In Higher Education . Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  15. ↑ The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education (October 2014). "Frank Pogue to Lead Cheyney University of Pennsylvania".
  16. ↑ Jan Murphy (October 28, 2014). "Salaries on the rise for presidents, chancellors at the 14 state universities". The Patriot-News (of Harrisburg) – Pennlive.com.
  17. ↑ Susan Snyder (July 5, 2014). "Cheyney president out, acting president to step in Monday". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014.
  18. ↑ Cheyney University Administration, Cheyney University Timeline, 2015
  19. ↑ "Hill, Leslie Pinckney (1880–1960) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed". www.blackpast.org. June 29, 2008. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  20. ↑ Rex, Kyle (November 20, 2012). "Hugh Mason Browne (1851–1923)". BlackPast.org . Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  21. 1 2 Glennon, Patrick (August 25, 2017). "The Philly Origins of Cheyney University". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  22. ↑ Suggs, Ernie (April 11, 2016). "AJC Sepia HBCU of the Week: Cheyney University of Pennsylvania - A History". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . ISSN   1539-7459 . Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  23. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Chester County, PA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. p. 29 (PDF p. 30/60). Retrieved August 14, 2022. Cheyney University
    "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Thornbury township, PA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved August 14, 2022. Cheyney University
  24. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Delaware County, PA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. p. 8 (PDF p. 9/28). Retrieved August 14, 2022. Cheyney University
    "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Thornbury township, PA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved August 14, 2022. Cheyney University
  25. ↑ "Cheyney penalized after committing eligibility certification violations". August 21, 2014.
  26. ↑ National Collegiate Athletic Association#Division II institutions on probation
  27. ↑ "Cheyney University drops NCAA Division II status in restructuring of its athletic department". March 21, 2018.

Further reading

39°55′55″N75°31′44″W / 39.932°N 75.529°W / 39.932; -75.529

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.