FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY

Fayetteville State University is a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina and the second-oldest state-assisted institution of higher education in the state. Founded in 1867 as the Howard School by seven African American men, it became a normal school in 1877 and remains one of the oldest teacher education institutions in the South. In the past 141 years, FSU has grown from a one-building school to a Comprehensive Level I institution housed in 38 modern or newly renovated buildings on a beautifully landscaped 92-acre urban campus.

Today, FSU is one of the fastest-growing universities in North Carolina. In the past decade, student enrollment at FSU has increased to 6,301 students, while average SAT scores for entering freshmen classes have improved. FSU is a historically black institution that serves a multi-ethnic student body that is 72.7 percent African American, 16.7 percent white, 4.2 percent Hispanic, 1.2 percent Asian American, and 1.1 percent Native American.

In the past decade, FSU has also added new undergraduate and master's degree programs, bringing the total number of undergraduate programs to 45 and the total number of master's degree programs to 23 offered through its College of Arts and Humanities, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Business and Economics, and School of Education. In 1994, Fayetteville State began its first doctoral program, in educational leadership. The university is now one of seven University of North Carolina institutions authorized to grant doctoral degrees. New cutting-edge programs in biotechnology, fire science, forensic-science, four-year nursing, and others have been developed, and the C.I.A. has identified FSU as a “Center of Excellence” to partner with in offering a new degree in International Relations.

FSU is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and its teacher education programs are fully accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The School of Business and Economics is accredited accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Of the 235 full-time faculty providing instruction to a multi-ethnic student body, more than 81 percent hold doctoral degrees or first professional degrees in their fields.

FSU's progress in expanding facilities to meet growing enrollment and program needs includes $46 million in capital improvement projects underway through the Higher Education Improvement Bond program. Among the improvements are a new 260-bed residence hall, as well as renovation of and a major addition to Lyons Science Building, renovation of Seabrook Auditorium, and conversions of use and/or modernizations of Lilly Gymnasium, Taylor Gymnasium, Cook Dining Hall, Knuckles Science Annex, Spaulding Infirmary, Taylor Social Science Building, Chesnutt Library, W. R. Collins Building, the Continuing Education Building, and other improvements to include fire safety upgrades in all residence halls and campus technology infrastructure.

FSU's community and public service activities include over 35 public education outreach centers, programs, and performing groups. Every year FSU scholarship students provide approximately 50,000 hours of community service as tutors for public school children or to area nonprofit agencies. Faculty, likewise devote thousands of hours to community service projects in area public schools, churches, and with nonprofit agencies.