Secular Student Alliance

{{Infobox organization

|name = Secular Student Alliance

|image = Secular Student Alliance (logo).jpg

|image_border =

|size = 250px

|caption =

|map =

|msize =

|mcaption =

|abbreviation = SSA

|formation = November 21, 2001

|extinction =

|type = non-profit

|status =

|purpose = Secular humanism and Nontheism, as well as

[https://secularstudents.org/about-us/#mission scientific rationality, secularism, and human-based ethics]

|headquarters = Los Angeles, California

|location =

|region_served = United States

|membership =

|language =

|leader_title =

|leader_name =

|key_people = Kevin Bolling, Executive Director
Evan Clark, Chair of the Board of Directors

|main_organ =

|parent_organization =

|affiliations =

|num_staff = 4{{cite web

|url=https://secularstudents.org/about-us/#staff

|title=About Us – Secular Student Alliance

|access-date=May 21, 2018

}}

|num_volunteers =

|budget =

|website = {{Website|secularstudents.org}}

|remarks =

}}

The Secular Student Alliance (SSA) is an American educational nonprofit organization whose purpose is to educate high school and college students about the value of scientific reason and the intellectual basis of secularism in its atheistic and humanistic manifestations. The SSA also offers these students and their organizations a variety of resources, including leadership training and support, guest speakers, discounted literature and conference tickets, and online articles and opinions.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}} Starting in 2024, Secular Student Alliance partnered with The Satanic Temple, another organization promoting secular values among students, in supporting After School Satan clubs in public schools which also host religious student clubs.{{Cite press release |last=Bolling |first=Kevin |date=May 23, 2024 |title=Secular Student Alliance partners with The Satanic Temple for After School Satan Club |url=https://secularstudents.org/secular-student-alliance-partners-with-the-satanic-temple-for-after-school-satan-club/ |access-date=2024-11-03 |publisher=Secular Student Alliance}}

History

In 1999, the students on the Executive Council of the Campus Freethought Alliance, along with some other students, faculty advisers, and off-campus supporters, decided that a national student organization needed autonomy (the Campus Freethought Alliance was governed by the Council for Secular Humanism).{{cite web |url=https://secularstudents.org/history |title=A Brief History of the Secular Student Alliance | Secular Student Alliance |publisher=Secularstudents.org |access-date=July 13, 2015 |archive-date=November 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118024224/https://secularstudents.org/history |url-status=dead }} Therefore, in April 2000, a majority of the members of the Campus Freethought Alliance Executive Council decided to become independent from the Council for Secular Humanism. The Secular Student Alliance was thus founded in May 2000 by eight student leaders from the grassroots secular movement. It was organized under the nonprofit corporation laws[http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/1702 Chapter 1702: Nonprofit Corporation Law, Ohio Revised Code]. of Ohio on November 21, 2001.The "Articles of Incorporation" of the Secular Student Alliance were filed on [http://www2.sos.state.oh.us/reports/rwservlet?imgc&Din=200132502604 November 21, 2001]. The corporation's principal office is located in Columbus, Ohio.The SSA's principal office is located in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. [http://www2.sos.state.oh.us/pls/bsqry/f?p=100:7:602190836324672::NO:7:P7_CHARTER_NUM:1272988 "Corporation Details"], Ohio Secretary of State. Retrieved August 14, 2012.

The SSA is an independent, democratically structured organization in the U.S. that promotes freethinking high school and college students. The SSA was formed "to organize, unite, educate and serve students and student communities that promote the ideals of scientific and critical inquiry, democracy, secularism, and human based ethics".{{cite web

|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=8280168

|title=Creation Museum: Is This How World Began? 300 Skeptics Converge on Christian Museum in Kentucky

|date=August 9, 2009

|last=Powell

|first=Devin

|publisher=ABC News/Inside Science News Service

|access-date=October 20, 2009}}

In January 2012, the SSA had over 312 affiliates in North America and abroad, including groups in Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}{{cite web

|url=http://www.secularstudents.org/node/4199

|title=Atheist Teen's Court Victory a Sign of Growing Secular Student Influence

|access-date=January 30, 2012

|date=January 12, 2012

|last=Galef

|first=Jesse

|publisher=Secular Student Alliance

|archive-date=January 27, 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127184828/http://www.secularstudents.org/node/4199

|url-status=dead

}} In June 2013, the SSA announced that with the Freedom from Religion Foundation, it will work on educating students on their rights and will assist with rectifying violations.{{cite press release | url=http://www.secularstudents.org/nationalorgspartner | title=In Response to Mounting Violations, National Orgs Vow to Protect Atheist Students' Rights | publisher=Secular Student Alliance | date=June 27, 2013 | access-date=June 30, 2013}}{{cite press release | url=http://ffrf.org/news/news-releases/item/18037-in-response-to-mounting-violations-national-orgs-vow-to-protect-atheist-students%E2%80%99-rights | title=In Response to Mounting Violations, National Orgs Vow to Protect Atheist Students' Rights | publisher=Freedom from Religion Foundation | date=June 27, 2013 | access-date=June 30, 2013}} The SSA is a founding member of the Secular Coalition for America.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}

In October 2015, SSA tweeted that it "desperately" needed $100,000 by the end of the month. Executive director August Brunsman said fundraising had lagged.{{cite news|last1=Eberhard|first1=JT|title=Secular Student Alliance running a 'desperate' fundraiser|url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wwjtd/2015/10/secular-student-alliance-running-a-desperate-fundraiser/|access-date=31 May 2016|work=WWJTD|date=30 May 2016|quote='To come close to keeping pace with all of the secular students who benefit from our programs, we need to raise $100,000 by October 31st.'}} In October 2017, shortly after the hiring of new Executive Director Kevin Bolling, the organization relocated from Columbus, Ohio, to Los Angeles.{{cite web|last1=Mehta|first1=Hemant|author-link=Hemant Mehta|title=An Interview with Kevin Bolling, the Secular Student Alliance's New Director|url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2017/07/11/an-interview-with-kevin-bolling-the-secular-student-alliances-new-director/|website=The Friendly Atheist|access-date=7 October 2017}}

Membership growth

The SSA experienced increasing membership growth from its founding in 2000 until 2012.Niose, David (July 17, 2012). [http://thehumanist.org/july-august-2012/nonbeliever-nation-the-rise-of-secular-americans/ Nonbeliever Nation: The Rise of Secular Americans.] Palgrave Macmillan. {{ISBN|023033895X}}. "Founded in 2000, the SSA had less than fifty campus affiliates in early 2007, but by 2011 it had over 340". Since then, it has steadily contracted to 237 groups in 2025. As of May 2018, the SSA's Board of Directors has twelve members.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}} The number of SSA community college and university campus affiliates has expanded considerably in recent years:{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/us/02atheist.html|title=Approaching Holidays Prompt Atheist Campaign|author=Urbina, Ian|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 1, 2009|access-date=September 26, 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://www.secularstudents.org/recordnumbergroups2010|title=Fall Brings Record Numbers of Atheist, Agnostic Student Organizations on Campus|last=Galef|first=Jesse|publisher=Secular Student Alliance|date=September 6, 2010|access-date=February 8, 2011}}

2007 – 80 groups
2008 – 100 groups
2009 – 159 groups
2010 – 219 groups
2011 – 240 groupsWinerip, Michael (April 3, 2011). [https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/education/04winerip.html?pagewanted=all "Teenagers Speak Up for Lack of Faith"]. The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
2012 – 413 groups
2013 – 407 groups{{cite web |title=Campus Group List |url=http://www.secularstudents.org/affiliates |website=www.secularstudents.org |access-date=18 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060321234926/http://www.secularstudents.org/affiliates |archive-date=March 21, 2006 |language=en |date=2005-12-02}}
2018 – 276 groups{{cite web |url=https://secularstudents.org/find-a-chapter/ |title=Find a Chapter |website=secularstudents.org |access-date=May 21, 2018}}
2019 – 312 groups{{cite web |url=https://secularstudents.org/find-a-chapter/ |title=Find a Chapter |website=secularstudents.org |access-date=August 9, 2019}}
2025 – 237 groups{{Cite web |title=A National Network for Nonreligious Students |url=https://secularstudents.org/ |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=Secular Student Alliance |language=en-US}}

Events

File:August Brunsman SSACon 2015.jpg

On August 7, 2009, the SSA organized a trip to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. 304 students, atheists, and scientists attended, in order to familiarize themselves with the museum. One notable name in attendance was biologist and science blogger PZ Myers, who also came to experience the museum.{{cite news

|url=http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-18916-beyond-belief.html

|title=Beyond Belief: Atheist community thrives in Cincinnati's backyard

|last=McLendon

|first=Ryan

|date=September 30, 2009

|newspaper=CityBeat

|access-date=October 20, 2009}}

Since 2009, the SSA has held their Annual Leadership Conference over the Summer which aims to train student leaders and group members in leadership skills and grassroots organizing.{{Cite web|date=2019-07-08|title=Non-religious leaders hope to boost 2020 election voters at events like this one at USC|url=https://www.dailynews.com/the-higher-power-non-evanglicals-believe-in-is-political|access-date=2020-12-07|website=Daily News|language=en-US}} In 2013, the conference was split into two locations (East and West).

Conferences

The SSA holds an annual leadership conference.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Location

!Theme

2000

|University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

2001

|Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)

|Kicking Ass for the New Enlightenment

2002

|Chicago, Illinois

|Education Against Indoctrination

2004

|Washington, D.C.{{cite web |title=2004 Conference Write-Up |url=https://www.secularstudents.org/node/160 |access-date=October 2, 2013 |publisher=Secular Student Alliance}}

2005

|Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)

|Connecting the Secular Movement with Other Communities{{cite web |last=Crary |first=Duncan |date=August 17, 2005 |title=2005 Secular student conference a success |url=https://www.secularstudents.org/node/242 |access-date=October 2, 2013 |publisher=Humanist Network News}}

2006

|Kansas City, Missouri

|We're Not in Kansas Anymore{{cite web |title=SSA/AAI 2006 Joint Conference: Most Spiffy! |url=https://www.secularstudents.org/node/432 |access-date=October 2, 2013 |publisher=Secular Student Alliance}}

2007

|Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts)

|Harvard Humanist Chaplaincy 30th Anniversary Gala/Symposium

2008

|Washington, D.C.

|World Humanist Congress

2009

|Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)

|Freethinking Friends & Secular Cephalopods

2010

|Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)

2011