Seton Hall University
Motto	Hazard Zet Forward
Established	1856
Type	Private, Catholic, Sea-grant
Endowment	$221 Million[1]
President	Msgr. Robert Sheeran
Staff	860
Undergraduates	5,245
Postgraduates	4,500
Location	South Orange, New Jersey, United States
Campus	58 acres (230,000 m²)
Sports	Seton Hall Pirates 17 varsity teams
Colors	Blue and Grey
Website	www.shu.edu

Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university located 14 miles from Manhattan in historic South Orange, New Jersey. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States.^[2] It is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the State of New Jersey. The University is known for its basketball team, its radio station, and its programs in business, law, education, nursing, and diplomacy.

The University has an undergraduate enrollment of about 5,200 students and a graduate enrollment of about 4,500. Its School of Law, which is ranked as one of the top law schools in the nation,^[3] has an enrollment of about 1,200 students. The Seton Hall College of Medicine and Dentistry was acquired by the state in 1965, and is now the New Jersey Medical School, part of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

History

Like many of America's Catholic universities, Seton Hall arose out of the Plenary Council of American Bishops, held in Baltimore in 1844, with the goal of bringing Catholicism to higher education in order to help propagate the faith.

Founder Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley.

The university was founded on September 1,1856 by Archdiocese of Newark Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley, a cousin of President Theodore Roosevelt. Bishop Bayley named the institution after his aunt, Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton, who was the first American-born Catholic saint.

From the time of the council, Seton Hall had been charged with providing quality higher education in the Catholic tradition to the residents of the Archdiocese of Newark, but has since expanded to become a nationally renowned university, with students from all 50 states and many foreign countries

This school, originally located in Madison, New Jersey, opened on September 1, 1856. Reverend Bernard J. McQuaid served as the first college president (1856-1857, 1859-1868) and directed a staff of four diocesan clergy including Reverend Alfred Young, vice-president; Reverend Daniel Fisher (the second college president, 1857-1859) and five lay instructors. Initially, Seton Hall had only five students - Leo G. Thebaud, Louis and Alfred Boisaubin, Peter Meehan and John Moore. By the end of the first year, the student body had grown fivefold to 54.

During the 19th century, in spite of setbacks, lean times and the American Civil War, the College continued to expand. Seton Hall opened a military science department (forerunner to the ROTC program) during the summer of 1893, but this program was ultimately disbanded during the Spanish-American War. Perhaps one of the most pivotal events in the history of Seton Hall came in 1897 when Seton Hall’s preparatory (high school) and college (undergraduate) divisions were permanently separated.^[4]

By 1937, Seton Hall established a University College. This marked the first matriculation of women at Seton Hall. Seton Hall became fully coeducational in 1968.

President's Hall is one of the university's oldest buildings.

In 1948, Seton Hall was given a license by the FCC for WSOU-FM. Today, the station is one of the leading college radio stations in the country.

The College was organized into a university in 1950 following an unprecedented growth in enrollment. The College of Arts and Sciences and the schools of business, nursing and education comprised the University; the School of Law opened its doors in 1951, with Miriam Rooney as the first woman dean of law in the United States.

The state of New Jersey had no facilities for medical and dental education until 1954 when the Seton Hall College of Medicine and Dentistry was established under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Newark. The College was incorporated on August 6, 1954, as a legal entity separate from Seton Hall University, but with an interlocking Board of Trustees. In September 1955 remodeling construction was begun in two buildings of the Jersey City Medical Center to house the clinical and teaching facilities of the College. The first class of 80 students was admitted to the four-year MD program in September 1956. From the first graduating class in 1960 through 1964, the College awarded the MD degree to a total of 348 individuals. There were 36 dental graduates in the first class of 1960. By 1963, the total reached 139. The College expanded its program in 1961 when the Graduate School of Biomedical Science was chartered by the State Board of Education. The first candidates for the M.S. and Ph.D. degree entered in 1962.

As the medical college expanded, the Archdiocese was concerned about its ability to properly cover the costs of operating the college. On July 28, 1964, a committee appointed by New Jersey governor Richard J. Hughes recommended that the State purchase the assets of the SHCMD for $4 million and continue its operation under state control. The action was consummated on May 3, 1965, and the institution's name was officially changed to the New Jersey College of Medicine and Dentistry (NJCMD). The college continues today as the New Jersey Medical School, part of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

Statue of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

The next two decades saw the construction and modernization of a large number of facilities and the construction of the library, science building, residence halls and the University center. Many new programs and majors were inaugurated, as were important social outreach efforts. New ties were established with the private and industrial sectors, and a growing partnership developed with federal and state governments in creating programs for the economically and educationally disadvantaged.

The 1970s and 1980s continued to be a time of growth and renewal. New business and nursing classroom buildings and an art center were opened. In 1984, the Immaculate Conception Seminary returned to Seton Hall, its original home until 1926, when it moved to Darlington (a section of Mahwah). The Recreation Center was dedicated in 1987. With the construction of four new residence halls between 1986 to 1988, and the purchase of an off-campus apartment building in 1990, the University made significant changes to account for a larger number of student residents. Seton Hall is recognized as a residential campus, providing living space for approximately 2100 students.

The physical development of the campus continued in the 1990s. The $20 million Walsh Library opened in 1994, and its first-class study and research resources marked the beginning of a technological transformation of Seton Hall. Kozlowski Hall, the University's newest academic center dedicated in 1997, is a clear example of Seton Hall's continued commitment to undergraduate education and the expanding role of information technology in higher education. The building was named after Seton Hall graduate Dennis Kozlowski, who is notorious for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from Tyco. On July 18 2005, Kozlowski's name was removed from the building at his request, and it was subsequently renamed Jubilee Hall.^[5] All classrooms in this six-story, 126,000 square foot (12,000 m²) building are wired for network and Internet connections, and many of the lecture halls are equipped with distance-learning technology. Its recreation center was originally named after Robert Brennan, but he was found guilty of securities fraud in 1994. It has since been renamed for long-time athletic director Richie Regan. A new School of Law building and parking garage were also constructed in the 1990s. Seton Hall continues to be a leader in technology in education, as well as in distance learning, with its renowned Seton World Wide program. In 1998, all incoming full-time, first-year students were issued laptop computers as part of the University's innovative and nationally recognized mobile computing program.

Ever Forward Campaign

Immaculate Conception Chapel was built during the American Civil War.

The Seton Hall alumni and community, on the 150th anniversary (1856-2006) of the university’s founding have initiated the ‘’Ever Forward Campaign’’ to raise a total of $150 million.^[6] The campaign is one of the most prestigious building campaigns in the University’s long history. The raised funds are intended to go to a variety of areas throughout the university but most significantly to the building and reconstruction of campus facilities and historic sites. There is expected to be a significant improvement to academic and community areas.

Among the notable objectives of the campaign, there will be a new site and complex for the University’s Whitehead School of Diplomacy. The University Center is also being planned to be rebuilt in a neo-gothic style to match other university buildings. Most recently, the rebuilding of the University’s Science and Technology Center has already taken place as of 2005. It is expect to be completed in the summer of 2007.

In Fall 2007, the university opened a new 35 million dollar Science and Technology Center.

Presently, with help of over 21,000 donors, the University has raised a total of $125 million, which 83% of its intended goal. ^[7]

Boland Hall Fire

Main article: Boland Hall Fire

On January 19, 2000, three students died and 54 were injured in a dormitory fire.^[8] The fire prompted calls for increased fire safety measures at colleges across the country. In 2003, two people who were freshman at the university during the time of the fire were charged with murder and arson for allegedly starting the fire. ^[9] Joseph T. LePore and Sean Ryan, both 26, pleaded guilty and were sentenced to five years in prison. ^[10].

Traditions

• University Seal – The University seal as it is today is symbolic of hundreds of years of history. The seal combines attributes from the Bayley Coat of Arms and the Seton family crest. The Seton crest dates back as early as 1216 and symbolizes Scottish nobility. Renowned crest-maker, William F. J. Ryan designed the current form of the Seton Hall crest which is notable for its three crescents and three torteau.^[11] The motto on the seal Hazard Zet Forward (Hazard Zit Forward on some versions) is a combination of Norman French and archaic English meaning at whatever risk, yet go forward.^[12] Part custom and part superstition, students avoid stepping on an engraving of the seal in the middle of the university green. It is said that students who step on the seal will not graduate.

• Alma Mater – The lyrics were written by Charles A. Byrne (SH '37) To Alma Mater all be loyal, keep her name in purest light. Never waver from her precepts, guard her banner blue and white. O sing her praise to highest skies and be ye faithful in her eyes, for she will foster all your dreams, her name is Seton Hall. When on life's hard stones you stumble, pray to God to be your guide. Think of Seton Hall your mother, then forge on in steady stride. O sing her praise to highest skies, and be ye faithful in her eyes, for she will foster all your dreams, her name is Seton Hall.^[13]

• Campus Fires - Throughout its history, there has been a bizarre series of fires that plagued Seton Hall’s campus. The first of these fires occurred in 1867 which destroyed the college’s first building. Two decades later in 1886 (March 9), another fire destroyed the university’s main building.^[14] The administration, however, rallied quickly each time to allow for studies to continue in the following academic years. In the 20th century, another campus fire burned down a classroom as well as several dormitory buildings in 1909. The most recent of these Seton Hall fires was in 2000, which claimed the lives of three students. The university’s strange history of campus fires has made fire safety an especially important part of campus life.

Schools and colleges

A panoramic view of the west end of the South Orange campus from the University Center.
From left to right: Walsh Library, Mooney Hall, Presidents Hall, Jubilee Hall, the University Green and the University Center.

Campuses

Seton Hall School of Law in Newark, NJ

Main Campus -- 400 South Orange Ave., South Orange, NJ

• College of Arts and Sciences [1]
• Stillman School of Business [2]
• College of Education and Human Services [3]
• Whitehead School of Diplomacy [4]
• School of Graduate Medical Education [5]
• College of Nursing [6]
• Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology [7]

Newark Campus -- One Newark Center, Newark, NJ

• School of Law [8]

On-Line Campus

• SetonWorldWide: The Online Campus [9]

School of Law

Main article: Seton Hall University School of Law

The Seton Hall University School of Law founded in 1951 is located at the Newark Campus. It is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) since 1951 and is also a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). Seton Hall is one of three law schools in the state of New Jersey.

In 2007 and 2008, the U.S. News and World Report ranked the school 70th among the top 100 law schools in the nation. Its Health Law program, which also offers an L.L.M. degree, is ranked 4th in the nation.^[15] The school was also ranked as having one of the highest rates of employment at graduation placing 19th with 92.1% (and 97% after nine months).^[16]

Whitehead School

Main article: John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations

The Whitehead School was founded in 1997 in alliance with the United Nations Association of the United States of America. It has since become the fastest growing division of the University. A partial explanation for its internationally renown diplomacy program^[17] is its notable faculty consisting of US ambassadors, world-famous lecturers, and student body made up individuals from across the nation and world.

Athletics

The school's sports teams are called the Pirates. They participate in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big East Conference. The college established its first basketball squad in 1903. Seton Hall cancelled football (which was played in Division III) in 1982.

Seton Hall is best known for its men's basketball program, which won the NIT tournament in 1953, and lost in the finals of the 1989 NCAA tournament to Michigan 80-79 in overtime, but the game result was marred by a "phantom foul" call. Most recently, they were in the 2006 NCAA tournament (or Big Dance), but the 10th seed Pirates were eliminated in a crushing 86-66 first round loss to the 7th seed Wichita State Shockers of the Missouri Valley Conference. Following this season-ending loss, Seton Hall fired head coach Louis Orr, a move that had been rumored all year. After contacting several head coaches to replace Orr, Seton Hall hired head coach Bobby Gonzalez away from Manhattan College. ^[18]

Seton Hall and Rutgers University have a spirited rivalry in sports that the two offer.

All Seton Hall sports have their home field on the South Orange campus, except for Men's Basketball, who will now play at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.^[19]

Student Media

The school's principal newspaper is The Setonian. The paper has national news, school news, editorials, letters, a "life" section (entitled "Pirate's Life"), and an athletics section. The staff consists mostly of undergraduates and publishes weekly on Thursday.

Other newspapers have also sprung up over time on campus. The Stillman Exchange is the Stillman Business school's own newspaper. Its stories cover a wide scope, including ethical issues, business and athletics. The Whitehead Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations is a bi-annually published journal that is composed of writings by international leaders in government, the private sector, academia, and nongovernmental organizations. A more recent addition to Seton Hall's growing number of publications is the Liberty Bell. Currently the only political newspaper on campus, the Liberty Bell is published by the Seton Hall University Students for Individual Liberty and features news and op-ed articles about issues dealing with individual liberty.

The Rampage is an unofficial paper that is popular among students on campus. Known for humorously questioning the integrity of The Setonian, the Rampage has grown into an underground phenomenon. The members of the staff are kept relatively secret as to protect their identities. They also maintain a website.

WSOU is a non-commercial, college radio station, located at 89.5 MHz FM. The station broadcasts from the campus of Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. It is a student run station with General Manager Mark Maben at helm as a full time faculty member. WSOU currently broadcasts in HD-RADIO. In 2007, the Princeton Review rated WSOU as the 8th best college radio station in the nation. ^[20]

Greek life

There are currently twenty-five recognized fraternity and sorority chapters at Seton Hall. Approximately ten percent of the student body is a member of a Greek-letter organization.

• Fraternities: Alpha Phi Delta, Alpha Kappa Psi, Lambda Theta Phi, Lambda Upsilon Lambda, Phi Beta Sigma, Phi Kappa Sigma, Phi Kappa Theta, Pi Kappa Phi, Psi Sigma Phi, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Pi, Zeta Beta Tau, Zeta Psi

• Sororities: Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Phi, Alpha Sigma Tau, Chi Upsilon Sigma, Delta Phi Epsilon, Lambda Psi Delta, Lambda Tau Omega, Lambda Theta Alpha, Mu Sigma Upsilon, Omega Phi Beta, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta

In the Fall os 2005, a group of students purporting to be an unrecognized chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon recently made headlines when it was discovered that a pledge had been kidnapped and beaten for alerting university administration of the group's existence. [10]

People

Notable Alumni

For a comprehensive list of alumni, see the list of notable Seton Hall University alumni.

alumnus Anthony Principi

Besides numerous members of the United States Congress and the New Jersey State Legislature, two former Governors of New Jersey, Donald DiFrancesco and John O. Bennett are alumni. Other notable alumni in government include from United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi and United States Attorney Christopher J. Christie.

Seton Hall graduates have also served as the head of major business and institutions such as Tyco, American International Group, and the Archdiocese of Newark. Many alumni have become prominent players in professional sports such as two-time Gold Medalist sprinter Andy Stanfield and numerous players of the National Basketball Association like Andre Barrett, Adrian Griffin, Eddie Griffin and Samuel Dalembert. Major League Baseball player alumni include Mo Vaughn, Craig Biggio, John Valentin and Matt Morris. Other highlights include a Medal of Honor recipient, a two-time Emmy-winning journalist, Chuck Connors and Max Weinberg.

Notable Faculty

• Samuel Alito, current United States Supreme Court Justice
  

  

  former Prof. Samuel Alito^[21]
• Clay Constantinou, U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg and former dean of the Whitehead School of Diplomacy
• Will Durant, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient
• Patrick E. Hobbs, seventh Dean of Seton Hall University School of Law
• Andrew Napolitano, former judge and current correspondent for Fox News Channel
• Peter W. Rodino, former chairman of House Judiciary Committee and chair of impeachment hearings for President Richard Nixon.
• Eliakim P. Scammon, brigadier general during the American Civil War
• Sister Rose Thering, missionary whose life’s work was documented in an Academy Award-nominated film Sister Rose’s Passion
• Stanley Jaki, historian and philosopher of science.

Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

• By its 150th anniversary, Seton Hall had about 91,106 graduates worldwide.
• In the HBO series, The Sopranos, Tony Soprano attended Seton Hall for a semester and a half before dropping out. ^[22]
• In the 1994 movie Clerks, Dante Hicks girlfriend, Vernonica, briefly mentioned transferring from Seton Hall to a local school to be with Dante.

Notes and references

External links

• Official university site
• Official athletics site
• Official alumni site
• Setonian (newspaper)
• 89.5FM WSOU - Seton Hall's Pirate Radio
• The Rampage - Independent Newspaper
• Seton Hall Model United Nations Conference
• Seton Hall University School of Graduate Medical Education

• Maps and aerial photos for 40°′″N 74°′″W / 40.743144, -74.246635Coordinates: 40°′″N 74°′″W / 40.743144, -74.246635
  • Maps from WikiMapia, Google Maps, Live Search Maps, Yahoo! Maps, or MapQuest
  • Topographic maps from TopoZone or TerraServer-USA

Donate to Wikimedia