Slippery Rock University

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Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Seal.png
Other name
The Rock
Former names
Slippery Rock Normal School (1889–1927)
Slippery Rock State Teachers College (1927–1960)
Slippery Rock State College (1960–1983) [1]
Type Public university
Established1889;136 years ago (1889)
Academic affiliations
 PASSHE
President Karen Riley
Administrative staff
560
Students8,625 (fall 2025) [2]
Undergraduates 7,088 (fall 2025) [2]
Postgraduates 1,537 (fall 2025) [2]
Location
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
,
U.S.
CampusRural, 660 acres
Colors    
Sporting affiliations
 NCAA Division II
PSAC
MascotRocky – The Pride of the Rock [3]
Website sru.edu
Slippery rock univ logo.png
Slippery Rock University

Slippery Rock University, formally Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (The Rock or SRU), is a public university in the Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania area of the United States. SRU is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). The university has been coeducational since its founding in 1889. [4] SRU is fully accredited by the Middle State Commission on Higher Learning. [5]

Contents

As of fall 2025, SRU's total enrollment was 8,625, including 7,088 undergraduates and 1,537 graduate students. [2] There were also more than 946 employees, including 386 full-time faculty and a 21:1 student-to-faculty ratio. [6]

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. [7] From 1960 to 1971, enrollment rose from 1,314 to 6,020 students, before eclipsing 7,000 in 1988 and 8,000 in 2005. [8]

"Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania" became the school's current and formal name on July 1, 1983, when Act 188 went into effect to establish Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education, and converted 12 state-owned colleges into universities. [9]

In November of 2025, the university’s College of Business was renamed The Haverlack College of Business after Elliott Haverlack, a graduate of the class of 1980. [10] This came after a historic $5 million gift from Haverlack to the university.

Campus

The majority of the campus, including the census-designated place, is in Slippery Rock Township. [11] A portion of the university property to the west is in Slippery Rock Borough. [12]

Academics

The campus of Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock University aerial.jpg
The campus of Slippery Rock University

SRU offers more than 150 undergraduate majors and 40 graduate degree programs and certificates across the following five colleges: [13]

SRU offers 51 programs that hold national accreditations and 92% of faculty members holding a Ph.D. or other terminal degree. [14]

SRU was ranked by U.S. News & World Report on its list of "Best Regional Universities - North" and "Top Public Schools – Regional Universities (North)." [15] SRU has earned a spot on the U.S. News' Best Regional Universities 17 straight years. The Princeton Review also recognized SRU on its "Best Mid-Atlantic" list. [16]

Administration

Karen Riley took office in 2023. [17] William J. Behre served from 2018 to 2022. [18] Cheryl Joy Norton, the university's first female president, was in office from 2012 to 2017. [19] [20] [21] The university’s first president, then known as the principal, was James E. Morrow who served from 1889-1890 [22] .

SRU is governed by a 20-member Board of Governors, a 12-member Council of Trustees, and the president with their cabinet providing advice and counsel on matters of policy, procedure, and strategic planning. [23]  

Athletics

SRU's athletics logo Sru athletics logo.png
SRU's athletics logo

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. [24]

Varsity sports

Men's teams: Baseball, basketball, cross country, football, soccer, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field

Women's teams: Basketball, cross country, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, and volleyball

In December 2025, the university announced that women's flag football and wrestling will begin competing as varsity sports for the start of the 2027-28 academic year. [25] Wrestling was reinstated after the program was discontinued in 2006. [26]

The announcement of Slippery Rock's football scores is a tradition at Michigan football games, started in 1959 by Michigan Stadium's public address announcer Steve Filipiak. [27] 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. [28]

Club sports

In 1995, the women's water polo team won the intercollegiate national championship conducted by USA Water Polo. [29]

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. [30]

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, before returning in 2025. [31]

Slippery Rock men's rugby won the 2024 7s rugby National Championship at the Collegiate Rugby Championship in Washington, D.C. on April 27, 2024.

Student life

Clubs and organizations

SRU offers 160 clubs and organizations for its student body, featuring on-and-off campus outings and events and allowing students to make connections with one another through shared interests and experiences. [32]

Aebersold Student Recreation Center

The Aebersold Student Recreation Center is an 82,000-square-foot (7,600 m2) on-campus student recreation center. [33]

Student media

SRU has a student newspaper called The Rocket , the radio station 88.1 WSRU-FM, and the literary magazine SLAB.

Demographics

Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023 [34]
Race and ethnicityTotal
White 84%
 
Hispanic 4%
 
International student 3%
 
Two or more races 3%
 
American Indian/Alaska Native 1%
 
Black 1%
 
Unknown1%
 
Economic diversity
Low-income [a] 29%
 
Affluent [b] 71%
 

Notable alumni

Notes

  1. ↑ The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.
  2. ↑ The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.

References

  1. ↑ "HISTORY AND TRADITIONS". sru.edu. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Record-breaking retention, increased students highlight Fall 2025 enrollment data". sru.edu. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  3. ↑ "Rocky, The Pride of The Rock". sru.edu. sru.edu. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  4. ↑ "History and Traditions". sru.edu. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  5. ↑ "Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania". Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  6. ↑ "Fast Facts". sru.edu. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  7. ↑ "History". Slippery Rock University.
  8. ↑ "History and Traditions". sru.edu. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  9. ↑ "About the State System | PA State System of Higher Ed". passhe.oudeve.com. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  10. ↑ "SRU announces historic gift naming the Haverlack College of Business" . Retrieved 2024-12-23.
  11. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Slippery Rock township, PA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved 2024-10-18.
    "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Slippery Rock University CDP, PA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved 2024-10-18. Slippery Rock Univ
  12. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Slippery Rock borough, PA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved 2024-10-18. Slippery Rock Univ
  13. ↑ "Colleges & Departments". sru.edu. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  14. ↑ "Admissions". sru.edu. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  15. ↑ "U.S. News names SRU a 'Top Public' and 'Best Value' school in 2026 rankings". sru.edu. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  16. ↑ "SRU named a 2026 'Best Mid-Atlantic' college by the Princeton Review". sru.edu. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  17. ↑ "Karen Riley named president of Slippery Rock University". sru.edu. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  18. ↑ "SRU President William Behre announces retirement". sru.edu. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  19. ↑ "Welcome!". Sru.edu. 2012-04-05. Retrieved 2012-10-02.
  20. ↑ "Dr. Cheryl Norton named as first female president of SRU – News – The Rocket – Slippery Rock University". Theonlinerocket.com. 2012-04-05. Archived from the original on 2012-08-09. Retrieved 2012-10-02.
  21. ↑ Nuzum, Lydia (9 December 2016). "Slippery Rock's president announces retirement". Pittsburgh Business Times. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  22. ↑ "History and Traditions". www.sru.edu. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  23. ↑ "Executive Leadership and Organization". www.sru.edu. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  24. ↑ "Rocky, The Pride of The Rock". sru.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  25. ↑ "SRU expands athletics with men's wrestling, women's flag football" . Retrieved 2025-12-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ↑ "SRU announces return of men's wrestling". Slippery Rock University Athletics. 2025-11-10. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  27. ↑ "Slippery Rock University Athletics – Tradition". Rockathletics.com. Retrieved 2012-10-02.
  28. ↑ "Slippery Rock University Football - College Football's Biggest Little Team". butlerhistorical.org. Archived from the original on August 31, 2018.
  29. ↑ "National Women's Collegiate Champs". waterpoloplanet.com. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  30. ↑ "Collegiate tournament results". Archived from the original on 2009-09-09. Retrieved 2009-09-05.
  31. ↑ Major, Ed II (December 21, 2020). "Slippery Rock suspends men's hockey, future of program uncertain". Pittsburgh Hockey Digest. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  32. ↑ "Clubs and Organizations". www.sru.edu. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  33. ↑ "Aebersold Student Recreation Center". sru.edu. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
  34. ↑ "College Scorecard: Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania". College Scorecard. United States Department of Education . Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  35. ↑ Sybert, Steve (29 April 1992). "Campus life lures Stuper to Yale". The Pittsburgh Press . p. 76. Retrieved 27 September 2022.

41°03′43″N80°02′35″W / 41.062°N 80.043°W / 41.062; -80.043

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