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120-835: The conference was first formed on September 19, 1978, as the Trans America Athletic Conference , at the Dallas–Fort Worth Regional Airport Marina Hotel. Its charter members were Oklahoma City University , Pan American University (later renamed University of Texas-Pan American ), Northeast Louisiana University (now known as the University of Louisiana at Monroe ), Houston Baptist University (now Houston Christian University ), Hardin-Simmons University , Centenary College of Louisiana , Samford University , and Mercer University , all of whom were previously D-I independents. None of

240-457: A 3.25 GPA or higher. This award marked the 4th straight year for Belmont, who joined the OVC only 4 years prior. On November 19, 2007, The Commission on Presidential Debates chose Belmont University from sixteen finalists to host one of three Presidential election debates on October 7, 2008. The debate at Belmont was a "town hall" style debate with questions fielded from the audience. In 2019,

360-448: A Christian affinity while acknowledging the diversity of both the faculty and the student body. The head of the TBC would continue to be an ex officio board member. The TBC rejected this plan. In November 2005, TBC said it wanted to shift its financial support to two other institutions, Union University and Carson-Newman College . Belmont would replace the three percent of its budget that

480-493: A Christian identity but no longer a specifically Baptist one. Belmont University became a catalyst for anti-discrimination protests in December 2010, when women's soccer coach Lisa Howe allegedly lost her job at the university on December 2 after announcing that she was having three children with her same-sex partner. Howe's dismissal sparked protests from students and local and national gay-rights advocates. These events led to

600-577: A birthing Sim Woman, an orthopedics lab, and many classrooms of various sizes. Belmont houses the Curb Event Center, a 5000-seat multi-purpose arena, which is used for basketball games, concerts, and other events like the 2006, 2007 and 2008 CMT Awards, and the 2008 Presidential Debate. The facility is connected to the Beaman Student Life Center and Maddox Grand Atrium—collectively, a $ 52 million development. In 2015,

720-707: A cappella groups compete in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) regularly. The Beltones have advanced to ICCA finals three times and placed 4th at the event in 2014. The Pitchmen qualified for ICCA finals in 2020 but the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2023, The Pitchmen won 1st place at the ICCA Finals, taking home their first championship. In 2020, The A Cappella Archive ranked The Beltones at #8 amongst all ICCA-competing groups since 1996. Belmont

840-529: A citywide anti-discrimination ordinance being passed by the Nashville City Council in January 2011. On January 26, 2011, President Bob Fisher announced that Belmont has added sexual orientation to the university's non-discrimination policies. Belmont is a Christian university that was widely regarded for its progressive ideals until the controversy broke out over Howe's departure. The college

960-568: A football-sponsoring school, as a new member for the 2022–23 season. In May 2022, local media in Charlotte, North Carolina , also reported that Queens University of Charlotte would start a transition from the Division II South Atlantic Conference as a new ASUN member, also effective on July 1 of that year. The ASUN officially announced this move on May 10. The ASUN also expanded its associate membership in

1080-495: A long-standing Christian institution, Belmont's policy intention was to hire faculty and staff who support the Christian institution's mission, vision, and values; however, due to the nature of merging institutions, the university announced special consideration will be given to current Watkins employees regardless of their position of faith. In May 2021, Belmont sold the former Watkins College campus for $ 22.5 million, funds which

1200-502: A national Christian women's organization. OCU also has numerous chapters of professional and academic honor fraternities such as Phi Alpha Delta , a professional law fraternity; Sigma Tau Delta , the international English honor society; and the original chapter of Beta Beta Beta , the national biological honor society. More than 78 percent of OCU faculty members hold terminal degrees in their fields. All classes are taught by professors, and not graduate assistants. Student to faculty ratio

1320-712: A new Division I multisport conference. The timeline below was released with the announcement of this merger and expansion plan: The ASUN had planned on expanding to 20 members and then splitting the conference similar to how the Original Big East Conference was split in 2013 into the American Athletic Conference and the New Big East Conference . The new ASUN Conference governed by the CCSA would have made up of

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1440-693: A new residence hall. Robert Harlan Henry , chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit , became the university's 17th president in July 2010, succeeding Tom McDaniel. During Henry's tenure, the university has moved the OCU School of Law to an historic location in downtown Oklahoma City, renovated several academic facilities, and launched a Physician Assistant program. The 18th president of Oklahoma City University

1560-643: A partnership with The Oklahoma Scholar-Leadership Enrichment Program (OSLEP), an intercollegiate, interdisciplinary program; a Center for Interpersonal Studies through Film and Literature; and numerous study abroad programs. The Oklahoma City (OCU) athletic teams are called the Stars (formerly known the Methodists prior to 1921, as the Goldbugs prior to 1944, and the Chiefs from 1944 until 1999. ). The university

1680-478: A partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to elevate the academics and the quality of education. The Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel was dedicated in 1968 as part of a plan to expand OCU's spiritual life. In the mid-1970s, after nearly 25 years of steady growth, the university again fell on hard times. In 1976 United Methodist Bishop Paul Milhouse discussed the school's issues to

1800-630: A popular activity, with over 35 different sports available in league and tournament play and both coed and single-gender teams. Students have access to a full-size exercise facility, the Aduddell Center, located next to Centennial Hall. The university's large numbers of international students add to a culture of diversity. The Office of Multicultural Affairs maintains organizations such as the Black Student Association, Hispanic Student Association, Native American Society, and

1920-474: A project by local developer Anton H. Classen , who sought to begin a Methodist university in conjunction with other development projects. Construction began in 1902 and the school opened in 1904, three years before statehood, with an enrollment of 100 students. Anton Classen was heavily involved with development of early Oklahoma City and advanced the idea of a Methodist university in Oklahoma and helped spark

2040-585: A radio station. The WDAA program on April 18, 1922, marked the first time a music program was broadcast in Nashville. The broadcast could be heard 150 to 200 miles (320 km) from the school. DeWitt later became WSM (AM) radio station's chief engineer, 1932–1942, and president, 1947–1968. In 1951, the Tennessee Baptist Convention bought Ward–Belmont College , the finishing school operated in Nashville by Ward–Belmont, Inc., which

2160-576: A reasonable walk of the university are commercial areas 12South and Hillsboro Village. In June 2006, Belmont opened the $ 18 million Gordon E. Inman Center that houses the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences and Nursing. The building has three stories of classroom space that contain learning labs equipped with Sim Man mannequins that respond to the actions of the nursing students. There are classrooms for adult and pediatric occupational therapy, maternity and neonatal care complete with Sim Man babies and

2280-500: Is 13:1 and the average class size is 16 for freshmen and 12 for upperclassmen. Notable faculty have included: 35°29′41″N 97°32′29″W  /  35.49472°N 97.54139°W  / 35.49472; -97.54139 Belmont University Belmont University is a private Christian university in Nashville, Tennessee . Descended from Belmont Women's College , founded in 1890 by schoolteachers Ida Hood and Susan Heron,

2400-565: Is Service Corps, which focuses on volunteer work inside the music industry and is open only to students enrolled in the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. Belmont's Greek community consists of five sororities and four fraternities. The sororities are Alpha Gamma Delta , Alpha Kappa Alpha , Alpha Sigma Tau , Delta Sigma Theta , Kappa Alpha Theta , and Phi Mu . The fraternities include Phi Kappa Tau , Alpha Phi Alpha , Phi Mu Alpha , and Phi Beta Sigma . In

2520-624: Is a coed dorm for upperclassman and freshmen overflow, featuring suite style rooms. There is one apartment complex on campus available to upperclass students only. Cokesbury Court offers residential hall-type living in separate apartment units. In addition to on-campus residences there are a wide variety of off-campus options nearby ranging from boarding houses and flats in the Asia District , Gatewood neighborhood, and on 39th Street , to apartment complexes and rental bungalows in Uptown and

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2640-899: Is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) for most of its sports since the 1986–87 academic year. The Stars previously competed at the NCAA Division I ranks, primarily competing in the Midwestern City Conference (MCC; now known as the Horizon League) from 1979–80 to 1984–85; and in the D-I Trans America Athletic Conference (TAAC; now known as

2760-563: Is a partial list of the last 13 champions. For the full history, see ASUN women's basketball tournament . Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City University ( OCU ) is a private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church and located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma . The university offers undergraduate bachelor's degrees , graduate master's degrees and doctoral degrees , and

2880-529: Is classified as a Master's college and university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education . OCU is the only Oklahoma institution listed in the top tier of the master level university category by U.S. News & World Report magazine's "America's Best Colleges" issue. It is currently ranked 23rd among Master's Universities in the West region. OCU is accredited by

3000-448: Is home to three fraternities and four sororities including Alpha Chi Omega , Alpha Phi , Gamma Phi Beta , Phi Mu sororities; Kappa Sigma , Lambda Chi Alpha , Phi Gamma Delta fraternities. OCU is also home to many other non-traditional Greek organizations such as two National Interfraternity Music Council organizations, Sigma Alpha Iota and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia ; One local Christian fraternity, Delta Alpha Chi; and Kappa Phi,

3120-513: Is home to two Greek-lettered music fraternities, Sigma Alpha Iota and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia , as well as a chapter for the national theatre fraternity, Alpha Psi Omega . Belmont operates one student newspaper called The Vision , published monthly. Belmont is a member of the NCAA Division I and is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference in all of Belmont's sports except men's soccer, which its previous conference,

3240-567: Is organized into eight colleges and schools and one Methodist seminary. More than 70 undergraduate majors are offered, as well as 20 graduate degrees, including a JD , MBA , MFA , and PhD in Nursing. An Adult Studies Program for working adults offers a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree. The university has approximately 3,000 students, including 1,200 graduate students. The official school and athletic colors are blue and white. Oklahoma City University began as Epworth University,

3360-666: Is owned by Belmont University but maintained by the Belmont Mansion Association, a non-profit group. The mansion is open for tours. It features Victorian art and furnishings. The water tower , gardens, with surviving gazebos and outdoor statuary from the Acklen era, are part of the college campus. In 1991, the school became Belmont University. The university was awarded the Japanese Foreign Minister 's Commendation for their contributions to

3480-601: Is required to add football or change its current football standing. At a press conference on February 23, 2021, the ASUN announced that it had entered into a separate football partnership with the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), which had previously announced the relaunch of its football league at the FCS level in fall 2021 with the arrival of four new FCS member schools. The three incoming ASUN members joined

3600-592: Is the CEO of Curb Records. He was a producer, songwriter, and company executive and one of the most successful record men of the sixties and seventies. He is the department's namesake. The former dean of the CEMB, Jim Van Hook, is a legendary Nashville label head, especially as part of the Christian music industry . One of the hallmarks of the program is its internship program, which sends hundreds of students annually out into

3720-504: Is used by students. Ocean Way Nashville, purchased by Belmont in 2001, has recorded thousands of tracks including the score for The Last of Us , a top-selling game that won Best Audio in the global GANG (Game Audio Network Guild) Awards. Belmont is located in an urban setting near Nashville's Midtown district, with the campus sandwiched by the Hillsboro-West End, Music Row, Edgehill, and Belmont-Hillsboro neighborhoods. Within

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3840-602: The COVID-19 pandemic and the quickly changing landscape in conference realignment, the creation of a new multisport conference would not be possible at the time of the release or with the aforementioned timeline. This comes after the news that NJIT would be leaving the ASUN for the America East Conference in 2021, weakening the ASUN 7 and lowering the chances that a new conference would be created with only six members. Arguably its biggest move in recent years

3960-637: The Great Depression . Dr. Cluster Smith became president of Oklahoma City University after the Great Depression. When the United States entered World War II, the school faced new challenges, including mounting debt and a need for new facilities. Enrollment dipped during the war, as men left campus to enlist in the military. By 1942, the student body was 75 percent female. This created a shortage of players and funds causing many of

4080-844: The Higher Learning Commission . In addition the nursing program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission , the music program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music , the Montessori education program accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, and the law school is accredited by the American Bar Association . OCU offers more than 70 undergraduate majors; 20 graduate degrees, including

4200-755: The MBA , the J.D. , the MFA , two PhD programs in nursing, and the Adult Studies Program for working adults to earn a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree. The school also offers numerous pre-professional degrees, one such degree track is the Oxford Plan; successful participants qualify for preferred admission to the School of Law and participants with an LSAT score of 155 or higher and an undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or higher are guaranteed admission to

4320-1480: The NCAA Division I Baseball Championship tournament before moving to the NAIA the next year. In 2012, Kevin Patrick Hardy (Class of 2013), became OCU's first national champion in wrestling, capturing the national title at 165 pounds. Opportunities for cultural enrichment and entertainment on the OCU campus include concerts, play performances, operas, films, sporting events, and seminars by world-renowned speakers and business leaders. Guest speakers at OCU have included Archbishop Desmond Tutu , Nobel prize winner Elie Wiesel , author Kurt Vonnegut , playwright Edward Albee , researcher Jane Goodall , Rabbi Harold Kushner , Sister Helen Prejean , educator and author Jonathan Kozol , Poets Laureate Ted Kooser and Billy Collins , civil rights attorney Morris Dees , journalists Helen Thomas and George Will , U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor , environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and politician Karen Hughes . A Wellness Program and Outdoor Adventures Program provide numerous opportunities for student activity such as pilates , yoga , traditional aerobics classes and self-defense, as well as hiking , bicycling , camping , horseback riding and sailing . A resource center and gear checkout are provided on campus. Intramural sports are

4440-692: The Southern Conference in 1992. In the midst of this, the conference began to relentlessly pursue expansion throughout the 1990s to offset these losses, adding Florida International University in 1990, Southeastern Louisiana University and the College of Charleston in 1991, the University of Central Florida in 1992, Florida Atlantic University in 1993, Campbell University in 1994, Jacksonville State University in 1995, Troy State University in 1997, and Jacksonville University in 1998. Of these 9 schools, though, only 2 ended up staying with

4560-650: The Southland Conference . Additionally, it saw the arrival of Nicholls State University , who originally planned to join the TAAC as a full member. However, due to an oversight by the NCAA, adding in a new program who had not competed in Division I for at least five years would result in the offending conference forfeiting their automatic bid to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament . To get around this,

4680-532: The Sun Belt Conference (SBC), which added that sport. Charleston, Stephen F. Austin, and UNC Wilmington all left the ASUN after a single season and Mercer also moved beach volleyball to the SBC. Also, departing full member Jacksonville State moved beach volleyball to its future home of C-USA a year before its all-sports move to that league. Also for 2022–23, Mercer moved men's lacrosse into the ASUN after

4800-478: The United Athletic Conference , the football merger between the Western Athletic Conference and the ASUN in 2023) governed by the original ASUN Conference would have included Bellarmine University , Liberty University , University of North Alabama , and ten other undisclosed schools that would have joined through expansion. On November 16, 2020, The ASUN Conference announced that, due to

4920-544: The University of Texas at San Antonio in 1986. However, near the end of the decade, the conference was hit with 5 departures over 4 consecutive years, beginning with Houston Baptist transitioning to the NAIA in 1989. This was followed by Hardin-Simmons dropping to NCAA Division III in 1990, UTSA and Arkansas–Little Rock leaving for the Southland and Sun Belt conferences in 1991, respectively, and Georgia Southern leaving for

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5040-524: The Western Athletic Conference (WAC), to allow the three teams to join the WAC as football affiliates for 2021, branding it interchangeably as the "ASUN–WAC Challenge" and "WAC–ASUN Challenge"; the two leagues will receive a combined bid to the FCS playoffs. As soon as it was announced, however, the football league was thrown into jeopardy, as Jacksonville State announced it would be leaving once again in 2023 for Conference USA (C-USA), an FBS conference. Liberty

5160-683: The '90s, such as FIU, Florida Atlantic, and Troy to the Sun Belt, Georgia State to the Colonial Athletic Association , and UCF to Conference USA , but it also saw the departure of Samford to the Ohio Valley Conference , leaving Mercer as the only remaining charter member. The start of the 2010s gave the A-Sun a bit of a reprieve from conference realignment, losing only Campbell and Belmont in 2011 and 2012 to

5280-405: The 2000s, adding Gardner–Webb University in 2002, Lipscomb University in 2003, East Tennessee State University , Kennesaw State University , and the University of North Florida in 2005, and Florida Gulf Coast University & the University of South Carolina Upstate in 2007. It also lost its fair share of members as well—largely some of the aforementioned members that had been added during

5400-475: The 2018 season forward, but the two leagues continued in a cross-scheduling agreement until the SoCon dropped women's lacrosse after the 2021 season. Still more recently, on September 13, 2016, the ASUN and Big South announced a football partnership that allows any ASUN members with scholarship football programs to become Big South football members, provided they are located within the general geographic footprint of

5520-495: The 2020s. The conference started the decade with five associate members—Coastal Carolina in both beach volleyball and women's lacrosse, Mercer in beach volleyball only, and Akron, Kent State, and Howard in women's lacrosse. All of the women's lacrosse associates left by the 2021–22 school year. Akron and Kent State left after the 2020 season when their full-time home of the Mid-American Conference began sponsoring

5640-522: The ASUN 7 including all of the members that would have been in the ASUN Conference for at least 8 years to meet the requirements for a new multisport conference. The members would have included Florida Gulf Coast University , Jacksonville University , Kennesaw State University , Lipscomb University , New Jersey Institute of Technology , University of North Florida , and Stetson University . The United Athletic Conference (not to be confused with

5760-584: The ASUN sponsors championship competition in 10 men's and 12 women's NCAA sanctioned sports. In 2008, the ASUN, in an agreement with the Southern Conference (SoCon), Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), and Big South Conference, formed the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA) for schools sponsoring men's and women's swimming and diving within the associated conferences. For the past several years,

5880-569: The ASUN's Commissioner has served as the president of what was initially a swimming & diving-only conference. In 2014 the CCSA expanded to include several other schools from other conferences, and the following year the conference added beach volleyball (women-only at the NCAA level) as a sponsored sport, changing its name to the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association . Currently the conference has 17 member schools, with five men's swimming and diving teams, nine women's swimming & diving teams, and six beach volleyball teams. A more recent change to

6000-426: The ASUN, and Abilene Christian , Southern Utah , Stephen F. Austin , Tarleton , and Utah Tech from the WAC. UTRGV would become the 10th member upon its planned addition of football in 2025. The new football conference also reportedly plans to move "from what is currently known as FCS football to what is currently known as FBS football at the earliest practicable date." On December 20, the two conferences confirmed

6120-415: The ASUN, and full SoCon member Mercer became an ASUN men's lacrosse affiliate. Lindenwood, which started a transition from D-II to D-I in 2022 as a new member of the Ohio Valley Conference , became an affiliate in both men's and women's lacrosse (neither of which is sponsored by the OVC). Also in 2022–23, the ASUN lost all four of its beach volleyball affiliates (Charleston, Mercer, Stephen F. Austin, UNCW) to

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6240-406: The ASUN, as a home for that sport (the CCSA's scope would later expand to include beach volleyball). Two associate members came from the American Athletic Conference , which dropped men's swimming as a sponsored sport after the 2022–23 season. The initial membership for that sport is: ( Catholic ) ( Churches of Christ ) ( PCUSA ) School names and nicknames listed here reflect those used during

6360-417: The Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment), Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Building, Dulaney-Browne Library, McDaniel University Center, Meinders School of Business and Henry K. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. The 38 million dollar state-of-the-art 113,000 sq ft (10,500 m ) Wanda L. Bass Music Center was opened in April 2006. OCU opened a 52,000 sq ft (4,800 m ) addition to

6480-499: The Annual Conference of Oklahoma United Methodist churches in Tulsa . After requesting that people direct their prayers and pledges to the university, by 1980 the Methodist Church had raised more than $ 3 million. Jerald Walker, an OCU alumnus, became president in 1979 and continued the university's growth stemming from the financial support from the Church. During his tenure as president facilities were improved, new academic programs were started and enrollment increased again. In 1981 it

6600-415: The Asian American Student Association. The office also maintains international student associations such as the Indian Student Association, Korean Student Association, and Chinese Student Association. The student body is represented by the Student Government Association, or SGA (formerly Student Senate). The OCU SGA consists of the Executive Branch, which includes the president and his staff and manages SGA;

6720-577: The Atlantic Sun Conference) during the 1978–79 school year. Its women's wrestling team competed in the Women's College Wrestling Association (WCWA). OCU competes in 18 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, track & field and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, stunt, track & field and volleyball; and co-ed sports include competitive cheer, competitive dance and rowing. Former sports included women's wrestling. Under president Tom McDaniel

6840-411: The Big South and OVC, respectively, and only adding recent D-I upgrader Northern Kentucky University in 2012. 2014 saw the departure of its final charter member, Mercer, to the Southern Conference in 2014; however, the Bears continued to compete in the ASUN as an affiliate for beach volleyball and added men's lacrosse to its ASUN membership in 2022. The ASUN continued to expand and contract slowly through

6960-411: The Big South for the ASUN. More recently, Bellarmine University joined from the Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference and NJIT left for the America East Conference in 2020–21. On July 1, 2024, the University of West Georgia joined from the Division II Gulf South Conference. On January 22, 2020, it was announced that the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association and the ASUN would merge to create

7080-440: The British Broadcasting Corp. In the 2024 U.S. News & World Report college rankings, Belmont was tied for 236 out of 394 in the category of National Universities. Belmont's Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business (CEMB) consists of current/former authors , performers , expert witnesses (for industry lawsuits), artist managers, lawyers , record label executives, songwriters , and others. Mike Curb

7200-429: The Chiefs to the Stars and the university expanded student life, including the Distinguished Speakers Series. Tom McDaniel became president in 2001 and altered the look of the OCU campus from an influx of donations. New additions to the campus included The Ann Lacy Visitor and Admissions Center, the Norick Art Center, the Edith Kinney Gaylord Center, the Wanda L. Bass School of Music Center, Meinders School of Business, and

7320-420: The Kramer School of Nursing in January 2011. The university purchased the historic Central High School building in downtown Oklahoma City in 2012 where the School of Law is now located. The Kerr-McGee Centennial Plaza on the southeast corner of the campus was constructed in 2004 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of OCU. The plaza features bronze statues honoring OCU's three Miss America pageant winners. In

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7440-471: The Massey Business School. In 2018, Damon Hininger, CEO of CoreCivic, joined the Belmont University Board of Trustees. Shortly after students and alumni began a petition asking for his removal. Hininger is not the first board member with ties to CoreCivic. The current board includes Andrea Overby (donor to CoreCivic PAC in 2018 and wife of Charles Overby, former CCA board member) as well as John Ferguson (former CCA president). As of April 2021, Damon Hininger

7560-537: The Methodist community. The 104-acre (0.42 km ) campus lies in the Uptown area of central Oklahoma City north of downtown and immediately west of the Asia District , just a few miles due west of the Oklahoma State Capitol building on NW 23rd Street. Prominent campus buildings include the Gold Star Memorial Building (School of Religion, Honors College, School of Theater ), Clara Jones Administration Building, Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel, Sarkeys Science and Mathematics Center, Edith Kinney Gaylord Center (housing

7680-485: The Nashville, New York, and Los Angeles music industries to intern for record labels, management companies, publishing companies, booking agencies, publicists, recording studios , law firms, and other businesses. Besides having three professional-quality recording studios on campus, Belmont owns the Belmont Studios (including Ocean Way Nashville ), part of which is operated for-profit (used by such artists as Dave Matthews , Sheryl Crow , and Bob Seger ), and part of which

7800-431: The O'More College of Architecture, Art and Design will house architecture, art, fashion, interior design and design communications. Two years later, Belmont University announced that they would merge with Watkins College of Art, Design & Film , located in Nashville. Belmont and Watkins planned to evaluate employment needs based on the number of students transferring, existing capacities, and related considerations. As

7920-414: The Ohio Valley, does not sponsor. On September 28, 2021, Belmont announced that it would become a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, beginning in the Fall of 2022. Until July 1, 2012, Belmont had been a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference , a non- football conference. The men's soccer team was most recently an independent before joining the Horizon League effective with the 2014 season. In

8040-426: The Plaza District. A number of students live in the two fraternity houses located just off-campus. OCU maintains a full-time on-campus police force to ensure a safe campus. In addition to normal duties and patrols, OCUPD are available to escort any student after dark. In addition, emergency call stations are strategically scattered throughout the campus providing immediate access to campus security. The university

8160-410: The School of Law. In 2009 OCU launched its first doctoral programs in the university's history. OCU offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice and the PhD in Nursing through the Kramer School of Nursing. OCU also provides opportunities for further education with service learning components across the curriculum; a University Honors Program; OCULEADS, a freshman scholarship and leadership development program;

8280-558: The SoCon shut down its men's lacrosse league, and new D-I member Lindenwood became an associate in both men's and women's lacrosse. On October 14, 2022, Conference USA and Kennesaw State jointly announced that KSU would start a transition to FBS after the 2022 football season and join C-USA in 2024. ESPN reported on December 9, 2022, that the ASUN and WAC had agreed to form a new football-only conference that plans to start play in 2024. The initial membership would consist of Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, and North Alabama from

8400-451: The Student Government Association Office in the Union. The Oklahoma City University Film Institute offers the campus and Oklahoma City community the opportunity to view eight to ten classic international films per year. Written materials on the theme and films is available at each screening and the screenings are followed by a discussion of the film. The film series has been presented each year since 1982. OCU maintains several traditions,

8520-534: The Student Senate, which allots monies to student organizations and hears legislation; the Student Activities Committee, which oversees Homecoming and special events; the Judicial Branch, which deal with student disciplinary issues. The elections for SGA are held in April with special elections for freshman in the fall. Oklahoma City University has nearly 60 active student organizations. Focuses of these organizations range from ethnic to political, religious to special interests. Organizations often have office space inside

8640-502: The TAAC announced that Nicholls State would compete as a provisional member, ineligible for the men's basketball tournament until it completed its D-I transition in 1985. However, it, along with Northwestern State, left the conference in 1984 to join the Gulf Star Conference instead. The remainder of the 1980s saw mostly growth for the conference, adding Georgia State University in 1983, Stetson University in 1985, and

8760-411: The Tennessee Baptist Convention in 2007, with the announcement that it would be a Christian university without any denominational affiliations. Under its terms, the TBC and Belmont would disaffiliate amicably, with Belmont agreeing to pay $ 1 million to the convention immediately and $ 250,000 annually for the next forty years, for a total cost of $ 11 million. The university has stated its intent to maintain

8880-555: The athletic programs, such as the football team, to end operations. After the war,m enrollment increased dramatically and the university began a period of rapid development through the remainder of the 1940s. In the 1950s, OCU received accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools . The university then took control of the Oklahoma City College of Law and began

9000-840: The conference for longer than 15 years. The turn of the millennium saw another charter member in Centenary depart in 1999 for the Mid-Continent Conference (now the Summit League ); the league was able to offset this with the addition of Belmont University in 2001. Around this same time, the conference sought to rebrand itself, changing its name from the Trans America Athletic Conference to the Atlantic Sun Conference . The newly rebranded A-Sun continued to expand into

9120-485: The decision to recognize the student group in a joint statement. In February 2018, Belmont University took ownership of the O'More College of Design . On March 6, 2019, Belmont University announced that its current College of Visual and Performing Arts will be separated into two distinct colleges with defined areas of focus: the College of Music and Performing Arts will include all music, theatre and dance programs while

9240-557: The eight charter members remain in the conference today. Almost immediately after its formation, the conference experienced a shake-up in its membership. Oklahoma City departed to become a charter member of the Midwestern City Conference (known today as the Horizon League ), while UTPA returned to D-I independent status—both had only played a single season in the infant league. The TAAC was quick to replace

9360-645: The first decade of the 21st century, OCU completed more than $ 100 million in new campus construction. Housing options on the campus of Oklahoma City University include dormitories, the Greek system for men, and on-campus apartments. Oklahoma United Methodist Hall (formerly Centennial Hall) is a coed facility for freshmen and upper-class students, and includes an underground parking structure. Banning Hall provides coed housing for freshmen and upper-class honors students. Walker Hall , OCU's only high-rise dorm at seven stories, offers coed housing for freshmen. Draper Hall

9480-584: The football merger, announcing that the new football league would start play in 2023 under the tentative name of ASUN–WAC Football Conference. This was followed in April 2023 by the new league rebranding itself as the United Athletic Conference (UAC). The UAC is playing a six-game schedule, and initially planned to start full round-robin conference play in 2024, although this is likely to change with two schools joining by 2025. Neither conference's announcement mentioned any plans to move to FBS. On September 1, 2023, it

9600-562: The founding of the Belmont Women's College in 1890 by Susan Ledley Heron and Ida Emily Hood, on the site of the Belmont Mansion , built by Joseph Acklen and Adelicia (Hayes) Acklen . Upon the retirement of Heron and Hood, Belmont Women's College merged with Ward Seminary in 1913 and was known as Ward—Belmont College , which included both a junior college and college-prep (or high) school for women. The Belmont Mansion

9720-451: The four incoming WAC members in a round-robin schedule branded as the "ASUN–WAC Challenge". Both conferences proposed an amendment to NCAA bylaws that would allow the alliance to receive an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. The alliance had seven members, one more than the six normally required for an automatic bid, but were not in the same league for an adequate period to meet the current NCAA "continuity" requirement. The two leagues' proposal

9840-628: The ideas of the Methodist Church to establish a Methodist university in Oklahoma. Construction began in 1902 and classes started in 1904 with enrollment growing by almost 100 students during that first year. Epworth closed in 1911 after the school ran into financial difficulties. The church then formed Methodist University of Oklahoma in Guthrie, Oklahoma , which also absorbed a Methodist college in Texas, Fort Worth University . Eventually,

9960-493: The institution was incorporated in 1951 as Belmont College . With expansion of programs, it became Belmont University in 1991. Belmont's current enrollment consists of approximately 8,900 students representing every state and 28 nations. Although the university cut its ties with the Tennessee Baptist Convention in 2007, it continues to emphasize a Christian identity. The university originated with

10080-402: The largest being Homecoming in the fall. Homecoming, which is a week-long celebration, includes philanthropy events, concerts, floats and sporting events. The Campus is the official student newspaper of Oklahoma City University. It is updated at MediaOCU.com. It has served the students since 1907, and has won numerous state and national awards. It is produced by Student Publications, a part of

10200-656: The mid-1990s, Belmont changed its nickname to the " Bruins ", replacing the earlier mascot of Rebels due to its association with the Confederacy . Bruin is Middle English forbear from the Dutch fable "History of Reynard the Fox", translated by William Caxton. In 2011 Belmont student-athletes won the Atlantic Sun Conference Academic Trophy for the eighth time in ten years with 76.32 percent of

10320-677: The mid-2010s, losing only Northern Kentucky and East Tennessee State (along with Mercer), and only adding the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2015. This slow pace didn't stay for long, however. The second half of the decade saw the conference rebranding a second time, to simply the ASUN Conference Two years later, the University of North Alabama arrived from the Division II Gulf South Conference , and Liberty University left

10440-486: The most successful basketball program to no longer compete at the Division I level. Its basketball tradition spans the glory days of legendary coaches Abe Lemons , Paul Hansen, and Doyle Parrack . OCU has been ranked in the top 10 in the NACDA Director's Cup rankings consistently since 1997, including a top finish in 2001–02. In 1984–85 OCU won the Midwestern City Conference baseball championship and made into

10560-613: The new ASUN lacrosse league and Jacksonville remaining in SoCon men's lacrosse. Air Force moved from SoCon men's lacrosse; men's lacrosse independent Utah joined; and all three Horizon League members with men's lacrosse programs also joined, with Detroit Mercy moving from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Cleveland State and Robert Morris moving from independent status. The SoCon maintained its automatic NCAA tournament berth by adding another lacrosse independent, Hampton. The ASUN men's lacrosse league

10680-493: The new beach volleyball league of the Sun Belt Conference . As noted previously, the ASUN added men's and women's swimming & diving in 2023–24. Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the league which are played by ASUN schools: In addition to the aforementioned sports: Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the league which are played by ASUN schools: In addition to the aforementioned sports: The Jesse C. Fletcher and Sherman Day Trophies are awarded each year to

10800-621: The number of athletic teams doubled to 22. OCU is represented by "Starsky" the Ram; "Starsky" is inspired by the celestial lore surrounding the creation of OCU. OCU teams have won 73 National Championships since 1988 A member of the NCAA until after the 1984–85 season, OCU made the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship tournament 11 times and the National Invitation Tournament twice as an independent, making OCU

10920-438: The outgoing members with Northwestern State University and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock , along with Georgia Southern University in 1980, but this instability would prove to be a trend through the coming years—over the next 20 years, the conference would accept 16 new members, with many of these leaving after only playing a handful of seasons. 1982 saw the departure of another charter member, Northeast Louisiana, to

11040-504: The promotion of mutual understanding between Japan and the US on December 1, 2020. The first radio station in Nashville went on air in May 1922 when Boy Scout John "Jack" DeWitt Jr., a 16-year-old high school student, installed a twenty-watt transmitter at Belmont. The station, WDAA, was born when Dr. C. E. Crosland, Associate President, realized the potential advertising value to the college of

11160-508: The return of former women's lacrosse associates Coastal Carolina and Delaware State for that sport. ASUN beach volleyball added Charleston, Stephen F. Austin, and UNC Wilmington. The largest change in associate membership involved the relaunch of ASUN men's lacrosse. Full member Bellarmine was joined by five new associates—Air Force, Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Robert Morris, and Utah. The ASUN lost five beach volleyball members for 2022–23. The conference's four associates in that sport left for

11280-408: The roster of ASUN sports took place after the 2013–14 school year. Under a cooperative agreement between the ASUN and SoCon, the two leagues agreed to split lacrosse sponsorship. The SoCon took over the ASUN men's lacrosse league, while women's lacrosse sponsorship remained with the ASUN. The full alliance in women's lacrosse amicably ended after the 2017 season, with the SoCon sponsoring that sport from

11400-456: The same time, Coastal Carolina left ASUN beach volleyball for the newly formed Conference USA beach volleyball league. With the demise of SoCon women's lacrosse after the 2021 season, Coastal Carolina and Delaware State returned to the ASUN in that sport after respectively spending one and four seasons in the SoCon. The SoCon dropped men's lacrosse after the 2022 season due to further conference realignment. Jacksonville returned men's lacrosse to

11520-436: The school's mass communications department. The Scarab is a student anthology of writing and art, including non-fiction, fiction, poetry, and photography, published by OCU's chapter of the international English honor society Sigma Tau Delta and winner of the society's 2003–2004 award for Literary Arts Journal of the year. All students may also submit research to the undergraduate research journal Stellar. The university

11640-537: The school's trustees developed a plan to close the school in Guthrie and reopen in Oklahoma City . The school opened in Oklahoma City as Oklahoma City College in 1919, bolstered by funding from Methodist congregations. The college experienced rapid growth and changed its name to Oklahoma City University in 1924. Despite the success and growth of the university in the 1920s, OCU again fell on hard times during

11760-467: The schools' time in the TAAC/ASUN. One school has changed both its name and nickname and three others have changed only their nicknames. Five former full members are now associates: Full members  Full members (non-football)  Assoc. members (football only)  Assoc. members (other sports)  Other conference  Other conference  As of the 2023–24 school year,

11880-586: The sport. Coastal Carolina also left after the 2020 season for the SoCon. Howard moved several sports not sponsored by its full-time home of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference to the Northeast Conference , with women's lacrosse moving after the 2021 season. Coastal Carolina moved beach volleyball to C-USA after the 2020–21 school year. However, the 2021–22 school year saw the arrival of eight new associates, as well as

12000-436: The spring of 2017, approximately 17% of full-time undergraduate students at Belmont were members of fraternities and sororities. Belmont has a large music program, and a variety of musical ensembles exist on the campus. There are currently 15 vocal ensembles and 23 instrumental ensembles. In addition, there are three student-run a cappella groups: The Beltones (mixed ensemble), Prismatics (mixed), and Pitchmen (TTBB). All three

12120-569: The student-athletes achieving at least a 3.0 grade-point average. In 2012 Belmont student-athletes won the Ohio Valley Conference Institutional Academic Achievement Award for the first time after joining the conference the previous year. In 2015, Belmont received the OVC's Institutional Academic Achievement Award, presented each year to the member institution with the greatest percentage of its eligible student-athletes that earn

12240-509: The terms of this agreement; although the school's home state of Alabama had no schools in either conference at the time it was announced as a future ASUN member, three of its neighboring states were home to six of the ASUN's eight members at that time. When the ASUN announced the July 2021 entry of Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, and Jacksonville State, it also stated that it would launch a scholarship FCS football league, but did not specify when football competition will begin. No current member

12360-443: The top men's and women's program in the conference. The Bill Bibb Trophy, combining the men's and women's results for the best overall program, was first awarded in 2006–07. East Tennessee State won this overall trophy seven of the nine years it has been awarded; Florida Gulf Coast won in 2012–13, 2014–15 and 2015–16. This is a partial list of the last 10 champions. For the full history, see ASUN men's basketball tournament . This

12480-521: The two conferences fully merged their football leagues in 2023 as the United Athletic Conference. Shortly after the addition of football was announced, the ASUN announced that it would reinstate men's lacrosse in the 2022 season, with the lacrosse partnership with the SoCon retained for the time being. The two full ASUN members with men's lacrosse programs, Bellarmine and Jacksonville, separated for that sport, with Bellarmine joining

12600-517: The two conferences. At the time of announcement, the only ASUN member with a scholarship football program, Kennesaw State, was already a Big South football member. Should any ASUN member add scholarship football, or any non-scholarship football program of an ASUN school (at the time of announcement, Jacksonville and Stetson) upgrade to scholarship football, that team will automatically join Big South football. North Alabama joined Big South football under

12720-495: The university extends to the early 1980s. In 1983, notable Tennessee businessman Jack C. Massey , provided a portion of the initial funding to begin Corrections Corporation of America, along with Thomas Beasley. Discussed as early as 1966, Belmont's Massey Graduate School of Business was founded shortly after in 1986. Beasley has also funded major programs at the school, including a free enterprise institute at

12840-522: The university opened its R. Milton and Denice Johnson Center, home to Belmont's Curb College, Department of Media Studies, Motion Pictures and Harrington Place Dining. Belmont has over 190 student organizations. These include the Student Government Association (SGA), The Student Activities Programming Board (SAPB), Greek organizations, as well as other special interest organizations. The largest student organization on campus

12960-494: The university states will underwrite scholarships for students of the visual arts. In July 2020, a group of Belmont University students and alumni began to draw attention to the university's longstanding relationship with CoreCivic (formerly the Corrections Corporation of America ), asking the school to divest from any financial ties to CoreCivic and for-profit prisons. The relationship between CoreCivic and

13080-743: Was Martha Burger, who served from 2018 to 2021. She was succeeded on by Kenneth R. Evans, who had previously served as president of Lamar University . On December 19, 1978, part of the university campus was listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places . The district comprises the Administration Building, the Fine Arts Building, and the Goldstar Building. It was nominated for its statewide significance in education and in

13200-474: Was also invited to C-USA for 2023, but had already competed as an FBS independent for some time and was not included in the ASUN's new football league. With the WAC also losing Sam Houston , another football-sponsoring school, to C-USA, the two conferences announced they would be renewing their alliance for the 2022 season. On September 17, 2021, the ASUN announced Austin Peay State University ,

13320-518: Was announced that the ASUN would undergo another rebranding to reinstate the use of the name Atlantic Sun. The conference still uses "ASUN" as its official abbreviation. The ASUN added men's and women's swimming & diving for the 2023–24 season, taking most of its initial membership from the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association , which had been founded as a partnership of several all-sports conferences, including

13440-458: Was announced that the university was out of debt and turned a surplus for the first time since 1975. The university added the School of Religion and the nursing program during the 1980s. In the 1990s, the university upgraded and renovated campus facilities. Stephen Jennings became president in 1998 and began focusing on the university's centennial celebration and position the university for the future. Under Jennings, OCU team names were changed from

13560-477: Was criticized for not allowing a group with a mission to support gay students and explore the intersection of Christianity and homosexuality called Bridge Builders to officially form as a student group. At a news conference, Fisher stated that they had resubmitted the application. On February 27, 2011, Belmont University officially recognized the gay student organization for the first time. Belmont Provost Thomas Burns and Bridge Builders President Robbie Maris announced

13680-557: Was facing severe financial difficulties. The convention established the co-educational Belmont College in March 1951, selecting R. Kelly White as president. In 1959, Herbert Gabhart succeeded White and Belmont was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools . Enrollment rose from 365 students to 2,000, and the college launched a music business program. He was succeeded by Bill Troutt in 1982, who, at 32,

13800-514: Was funded by the TBC. However, on April 7, 2006, TBC sought to oust the existing board and replace it with one consisting entirely of Southern Baptists and amenable to ongoing TBC control. After settlement talks failed, the Tennessee Baptist Convention Executive Board filed a lawsuit on September 29, 2006, against Belmont seeking the return of approximately $ 58 million. Belmont severed its ties with

13920-477: Was initially to be administered through the CCSA while operating under the ASUN name as part of the ASUN's intended plan to split into two conferences. This arrangement was scrapped along with the planned conference split once NJIT left for the America East; the men's lacrosse league is now directly administered by the ASUN. The ASUN added two new beach volleyball members, Charleston and UNCW, in July 2021. At

14040-619: Was no longer a member of the board, having completed his allowed number of terms. Belmont University offers bachelor's degrees in over 130 academic majors in twelve colleges with 29 master's and eight doctoral programs. Belmont and HCA created a health sciences consortium with local universities to alleviate the shortage of nurses and health care professionals in the local community, and provides students with shared office space and mentoring from faculty, local entrepreneurs, and attorneys. Journalism students have gained work experience at The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Daily Show, CBS Evening News, and

14160-588: Was successful, resulting in an automatic qualifier from the seven-team Challenge, colloquially dubbed "AQ7". With the 2022 arrival of Austin Peay providing the ASUN its sixth scholarship FCS program, the ASUN will start its football league in the 2022 season. However, because the ASUN and WAC were each left with only five playoff-eligible football members for 2022 after Jacksonville State (ASUN) and Sam Houston (WAC) started FBS transitions in that season, both leagues renewed their football partnership for 2022. As noted earlier,

14280-542: Was the announcement that the conference would be adding the University of Central Arkansas , Eastern Kentucky University , and former member Jacksonville State University , as incoming members on January 29, 2021, with the intent of sponsoring football in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in 2022. However, with these three schools joining in 2021, the league partnered with another conference beginning to sponsor football also in 2022,

14400-438: Was the youngest college president in the nation. In 1991, it changed its name to Belmont University. In 2005 Belmont's board of trustees sought to remove Belmont University from the control of the Tennessee Baptist Convention while remaining in a "fraternal relationship" with it. Advocates of this plan presented a blueprint for change in which all board members would be Christians, but only 60 percent would be Baptists to affirm

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