Summary
Concord University is a comprehensive, public, liberal arts institution located in Athens, West Virginia, United States, founded on February 28, 1872, when the West Virginia Legislature passed "an Act to locate a Branch State Normal School, in Concord Church, in the County of Mercer".
Founded by veterans of both the Union and the Confederacy, Concord is named for the ideal of "harmony and sweet fellowship".
It is known for its picturesque campus which has been dubbed "The Campus Beautiful". The University also operates a center and conducts classes in Beckley, Raleigh County, West Virginia.
Facilities
Concord University's campus features numerous buildings and facilities.
Other campuses
Concord University's main campus is located in Athens, West Virginia. However, the University also operates a center in Beckley, Raleigh County. The facility is located in the Erma Byrd Center (named after the deceased spouse of Robert Byrd), 300 University Drive in Beaver (Access via I-64, Exit 125B, Airport Road). The Center was designed to serve as a catalyst to attract business and industry to the area. The Beckley office coordinates classes at the Erma Byrd Center as well as at several other facilities in and surrounding Beckley.
Campus organizations
Concord sponsors nearly 200 on-campus organizations, including fraternities, sororities, religious and political organizations, an Art Society, chapters of Delta Zeta, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Phi Alpha Delta, Alpha Phi Omega, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Phi Sigma Phi, Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Tau Gamma, Sigma Tau Delta, Alpha Sigma Tau, College Republicans, Young Democrats, and a chapter of Amtgard known as the "Shire of Nowhere Mountains."
The Concord University Student Government Association (SGA) is responsible for many changes on campus, and is active in every aspect of Concord life. All organizations are required to send a representative to all SGA meetings. The Student Government at Concord University is especially influential compared to other SGAs in West Virginia, and is noted for its model judicial system wherein a student court, composed entirely of students, handles the majority of adjudications for most student offenses.
Residence life
There are five residence halls on campus. North (Female) and South (Male) Towers house the fraternities and sororities as well as Honors and several sports teams. Each floor has two lounges. There is one co-ed hall, Sarvay, which is also the oldest building on campus still standing. Sarvay is traditionally a female dorm but due to lack of housing, males live on the first floor. The other two halls are Wilson for females and Woodell, nicknamed "The Woo," for males. Housing is not divided by year. Several floors are set aside as "Substance free," and the rest allow smoking, and alcohol, if both residents are over 21.
Athletics
Concord University, known athletically as the Mountain Lions, is home to many intercollegiate and intramural athletics teams. The men's intercollegiate teams include: baseball, basketball, football, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis and track & field. The women's intercollegiate teams include basketball, cheerleading, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis and track & field. Concord University is a NCAA Division II school, and a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC), which will disband following the 2012-13 year. Concord will be among those to join the new Mountain East Conference. The Office of Student Affairs provides intramurals in many athletic activities, including flag football, volleyball, and basketball.[8]
Future
There are plans to add more graduate programs in addition to the Masters of Education.