Bethany University

File:Bethany Globe1.jpg

Bethany University was the oldest of several Assemblies of God institutions of higher education. It was founded in 1919 as Glad Tidings Bible Institute at 1280 Webster Street, San Francisco, to be the training school for an inner-city ministry conducted by Robert and Mary Craig. It moved to Scotts Valley in 1950, and in 1955 became Bethany Bible College and in 2005 to Bethany University.{{cite book |title=Santa Cruz County Place Names |first=Donald Thomas |last=Clark |publisher=Kestral Press |year=2008 }}

Enrollment during the 2010–11 academic year was down to approximately 400 students, a decrease from over 500 in previous years.[http://www.bethany.edu/about/facts.php Bethany University | About Bethany – Facts] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513052411/http://www.bethany.edu/about/facts.php |date=May 13, 2008 }} The university also reduced the number of its faculty to 22 full-time and 50 adjunct faculty in its final years. On June 13, 2011, the university announced that it would close effective immediately for reasons of finances and low enrollment.{{cite news|last=McCord|first=Shanna|title=Bethany University to close, president says|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18264135|accessdate=June 14, 2011|newspaper=San Jose Mercury News |date=June 13, 2011}}{{cite news |first=David |last=Louie |url=http://abc7news.com/archive/8192990/ |title=92-year-old Bethany University shutting down |publisher=KGO-TV |date=June 15, 2011 |accessdate=July 9, 2017 }}

Not long after the closure announcement, a San Francisco-based Christian institution, Olivet University, announced that it would lease the Bethany campus and hold its classes there, with the intent of acquiring both the Bethany campus and the nearby former headquarters complex of Borland Software for its worldwide headquarters, but those deals fell through by May 2012; Olivet vacated the Bethany campus at that time and remains based in San Francisco. The Bethany campus buildings and grounds were put up for sale by the regional leadership of the Assemblies of God denomination.{{cite news|last=White|first=Kimberly|title=Olivet University to take over Bethany campus, begin teaching classes in September|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_18743087?source=pkg|accessdate=June 13, 2012|newspaper=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=August 23, 2011}}{{cite news|last=White|first=Kimberly|title=Olivet heads back to San Francisco; lease ends at Scotts Valley campus|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_20744213/olivet-heads-back-san-francisco-lease-ends-at?source=pkg|accessdate=June 13, 2012|newspaper=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=May 30, 2012}} It has been rebuilt as the site of 1440 Multiversity, a health and wellness retreat and education center run by the 1440 Foundation, which was started by Joanie and Scott Kriens.{{cite news |first=Kara |last=Guzman |url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/NE/20160203/NEWS/160209885 |title=New Scotts Valley retreat center takes shape on former Bethany University campus |newspaper=Santa Cruz Sentinel |date=February 3, 2016 |accessdate=July 9, 2017 }}{{cite news |first=Gary |last=Singh |title=Silicon Alleys: New Universe |newspaper=Metro Silicon Valley |date=July 5, 2017 |page=42 }}{{cite web |author=Kimley Horn |url=http://www.scottsvalley.org/downloads/planning/1440Initial_Study_July_2014.pdf |title=1440 Center: Initial Study |via=City of Scotts Valley |date=July 2014 |accessdate=July 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220092321/http://scottsvalley.org/downloads/planning/1440Initial_Study_July_2014.pdf |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |url-status=dead }}

The university offered a number of undergraduate programs in Addiction Studies, Biblical and Theological Studies, Business Administration, Child Development, Church Leadership, Communication, English, Liberal Arts, Liberal Studies, Music, Organizational Management, Psychology, Social Science, Sports Management, Teacher Preparation, and Youth Ministries Leadership,{{cite web|work=Bethany University|url=http://www.bethany.edu/academics/undergraduate/index.php|title=Undergraduate Degree Programs|accessdate=June 17, 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609043057/http://www.bethany.edu/academics/undergraduate/index.php|archivedate=June 9, 2011}} and five graduate degrees, Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, Master of Arts in Business Administration, Master of Arts in Education, Master of Science in Psychology, and Master of Arts in Teaching.{{cite web|work=Bethany University|url=http://www.bethany.edu/academics/graduate/index.php|title=Graduate Degree Programs|accessdate=June 17, 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612044232/http://www.bethany.edu/academics/graduate/index.php|archivedate=June 12, 2011}} Bethany University was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) through August 11, 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.wascsenior.org/files/CLOSED-MERGED-TERMINATED%20Institutions%20Aug%202011_0.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2011-09-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330015801/http://www.wascsenior.org/files/CLOSED-MERGED-TERMINATED%20Institutions%20Aug%202011_0.pdf |archivedate=2012-03-30 }}

File:Craig Chapel at Bethany University.jpg

• Robert Craig, 1919–1941
• J. Narver Gortner, 1941–1947
• W. T. Gaston, 1947–1948
• Otis W. Keyes, 1948–1950
• W. T. Gaston, 1950–1952
• T. A. Kessell, 1952–1955
• Leland R. Keyes, 1955–1959
• Cordas C. Burnett, 1959–1972
• Elmer Kirsch, 1972–1973
• C. M. Ward, 1973–1978
• Richard Foth, 1978–1992
• Tommy L. Duncan, 1992–1997
• Everett Wilson, 1997–2003
• Maximo Rossi, Jr., 2003–2009
• Lewis Shelton, 2009–2011

File:Cordas C. Burnett Hall.jpg

Cordas C. Burnett Hall was a three-story men's dormitory on the northeast side of the Bethany University campus, named in honor of the previous college president. The southwest side of each floor housed a common area for students to gather and watch television. The hall had a communal "gang" shower area. The dormitory contained rooms which housed four students which shared a communal desk located in the center of the room.

Swanson Hall was one of the main women's dormitories on the Bethany campus. Swanson was divided into four halls: Circus Hall, Unity Hall, Victory Hall, and Miracle Hall. The dormitory was located in the center of the campus.

Two women's dormitories were located on "The Hill": Gerhart Hall and Harp Hall. Each had two floors and contained four suites with five rooms.

The Bethany athletic teams were called the Bruins. The university was a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac) from 1996–97 to 2010–11 (when the school closed).

Bethany competed in eight intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports included basketball, cross country and soccer; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, soccer, softball and volleyball.

• Ron Anderson, singer on The Lawrence Welk Show
• Marcie Dodd, actress
• Jake McCalmon, Politician
• Jon Pritikin, motivational speaker
• Tyler Merritt, author, comedian, activist

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.bethany.edu Official website]
• [http://www.buathletics.com/ Official athletics website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110310093052/http://www.buathletics.com/ |date=March 10, 2011 }}
• [https://localwiki.org/santacruz/Bethany_University Bethany University] page on [https://localwiki.org/santacruz/ Santa Cruz Local Wiki]

{{Assemblies of God Colleges and Universities}}

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Category:Universities and colleges in Santa Cruz County, California

Category:Pentecostalism in California

Category:Universities and colleges affiliated with the Assemblies of God

Category:Universities and colleges established in 1919

Category:Schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Category:Educational institutions disestablished in 2011

Category:Defunct private universities and colleges in California

Category:1919 establishments in California