The History of Troy University
Troy University’s tradition of teaching excellence dates to its founding on February 26, 1887, when an act of the Alabama Legislature established Troy State Normal School as an institution to train teachers for Alabama’s schools. Joseph Macon Dill was the institution’s first president. In 1893, the school was renamed Troy State Normal College.
The Normal College offered extension courses for teachers and granted teaching certificates until 1929, when the State Board of Education changed the charter of the institution and renamed it Troy State Teacher’s College. That same year, the college moved to its present site and the first two buildings were dedicated: Shackelford Hall, named for Edward Madison Shackelford, president of the school from 1899-1936, and Bibb Graves Hall, named for David Bibb Graves, Alabama’s “education governor.” Governor Bibb Graves is also remembered for commissioning the Olmsted Brothers architectural firm of Brookline, Massachusetts, to design the campus landscape plan. The building has since been renamed to honor the memory of Civil Rights icon and longtime Georgia Congressman John Robert Lewis, a Pike County native.
Like many American universities, Troy State Teacher’s College enjoyed one of its most prosperous periods of growth in the years following World War II when returning veterans took advantage of the VA Educational Benefits. The enrollment of the College more than doubled and this growth led to the introduction of degree programs in disciplines other than education, most notably in business. In 1957, the State Board of Education recognized this expanded role and dropped “Teacher’s” from Troy State College’s name.
The decade of the 1950s also marked the University’s long relationship with the United States Military, as extension courses were offered on nearby bases, first at then-Fort Rucker, near Dothan, and later at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. A separate Troy State College teaching center was established at Fort Rucker in 1961, which evolved into the present-day Dothan Campus. A similar center, begun at Maxwell Air Force Base in 1965, led to the creation of the present-day Montgomery Campus. These programs were the forerunners of the modern TROY Service Centers division of Troy University, which operates all TROY teaching sites outside Alabama. In 1973, the University opened sites at military bases in Florida. Today, TROY Service Centers operate some 20 sites in seven U.S. states, at locations in Japan and South Korea, and partnerships with universities in Vietnam and Malaysia.
In 1967, Gov. Lurleen B. Wallace appointed eight members to the newly established Troy State College Board of Trustees, removing the institution from the control of the State Board of Education. One of the first acts of the new board was to recommend the change of the name to Troy State University. The new name became official on Dec. 14, 1967.
In 1975, the Phenix City Campus was opened as a branch of the main campus.
In 1982, the Troy State University System was formed, as the campuses in Dothan and Montgomery were granted independent accreditation status. In April of 2004 the Board of Trustees voted to drop "State" from the University's name to better reflect the institution's worldwide mission. Starting August 2005, all TROY campuses were again unified under one accreditation.
ViewHistorical Timeline
Tobacco Policy
Introduction
Troy University is committed to providing a healthy and safe environment for all students, faculty and staff. The University's Board of Trustees demonstrated this commitment with the approval of a resolution designating Troy University as a tobacco-free institution.
This policy, whichwent into effect on August 13, 2012, prohibits smoking and the use of all tobacco products within all University buildings, parking lots, structures, walkways, indoor and outdoor athletic facilities, University vehicles, worksites and grounds and any vehicles on campus regardless of ownership. The health care and health education programs of the University perform an important function by demonstrating and promoting healthy lifestyles through activities such as curtailment of the use of tobacco products.
Definitions
Smoking" means inhaling, exhaling, burning or carrying any lighted or heated cigar, cigarette or pipe.
"Tobacco Products" such as all forms of tobacco, including but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, pipes, water pipes (hookah), electronic cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products (e.g. chewing tobacco and snuff).
"Members of the University Community" include its faculty, staff, students, volunteers, vendors, customers and visitors.
Policy
This policy applies to all Troy University employees, students, contractors, vendors, recruits and visitors.
The use of all tobacco products is prohibited on all property that is owned, operated, leased, occupied or controlled by the University. "Property" for the purposes of this paragraph includes buildings and structures, grounds, parking lots, non-public walkways, sidewalks and vehicles, as well as personal vehicles in these areas. These same policies apply for all TROY campuses and locations.
Troy University will provide a variety of wellness initiatives to assist students, faculty and staff to achieve nicotine independence and smoking cessation.
Implementation
Authority for enforcement of this policy is vested in the Deans of Colleges, Department Chairs, Supervisors or the Dean of Students and Athletic Director or their designee, in conjunction with the Senior Director of Human Resources.
Compliance
Violation of this policy may result in corrective action under the Student Code of Conduct, Human Resources Policies and Procedures or other applicable University Regulations or Policies. Visitors refusing to comply may be asked to leave campus.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AT TROY UNIVERSITY
Troy University (TROY) maintains an effective and continuous approach to evaluating its success with respect to student achievement based on its mission to provide a variety of educational programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels for a diverse student body. This includes consideration of enrollment and graduation rate information, degree completion and student retention of the student body at TROY.
- Credit Hours and Course Enrollment Report
- Graduation Reports
- Fast Facts
- Current Strategic Plan
TROY is consistent in the evaluation of its data in all areas and uses that information to develop opportunities for improvement. Student achievement at TROY is thriving. Through continuous review of student achievement data, TROY develops and refines programs in an effort to attract, retain and graduate more students.
Based on a review and analyzation of national retention and graduation data, Troy University has established goals in these areas. The goal for retention is to increase from a baseline of 73% by 1% each year to reach the national average of 76% by year 2025. The goal for graduation is to increase from a baseline of 42.8% by 1.5% year over year to reach the national average of 49% by year 2025.
