Sierra Nevada University
{{Short description|Defunct University near Lake Tahoe in Nevada, U.S.}}
{{Infobox university
| name = Sierra Nevada University
| image = Sierra Nevada University seal.png
| former_name = Sierra Nevada College 1969-2020
| motto = Wisdom, Responsibility, Freedom
| established = 1969
| closed = 2022
| type = Private university
| city = Incline Village
| state = Nevada
| country = United States
| coor = {{Coord|39.2444|-119.9388|display=title|region:US-NV_type:edu}}
| campus = Mountain Community
| administrative_staff = 24 full time faculty,
50 part time faculty
| colors = Royal Blue and White{{cite web |title=SNU Brand Book 2020 |url=https://www.sierranevada.edu/SNUbrand/brand-assets/SNU%20Brand%20Book%202020.pdf |publisher=Sierra Nevada University |access-date=27 October 2023}}
{{color box|#00549F}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}}
| sporting_affiliations = NAIA
| nickname = Eagles
| mascot = Eli (an American Eagle)
| logo = SNU-Two-Line-Gotham-2020.png
| website = {{URL|http://www.sierranevada.edu/}}
}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}File:Prim Library.jpg
Sierra Nevada University (SNU) was a private university in Incline Village, Nevada, in the Sierras. It was governed by a seven-member board of trustees who were locally elected.https://www.sierracollege.edu/about-sierra-college/planning-and-governance/governance/ In 2022, it was announced that the school would no longer be independent and would be merged into the University of Nevada, Reno system.
History
Founded in 1969, Sierra Nevada College was accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Prior to 2020, the institution was known as Sierra Nevada College.{{cite web|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/announcing_sierra_nevada_university_sierra_nevada_college_updates_its_name_to_reflect_half_a_century_of_growth/prweb16862470.htm|title=Announcing Sierra Nevada University|accessdate=February 14, 2020}} In the summer of 2019, Dr. Ed Zschau became the interim president of Sierra Nevada University and, among other initiatives, spearheaded the change in the institution's name.{{cite web|url=https://www.ktvn.com/clip/14967283/face-the-state-ed-zschau|title=Face the State - KTVN Reno|accessdate=February 14, 2020}} It was announced in July 2021 that the Sierra Nevada University is being merged into the University of Nevada, Reno over a period of years. Certain programs, courses and professors of Sierra Nevada University would be kept by the University of Nevada Reno.[https://www.highereddive.com/news/how-many-colleges-and-universities-have-closed-since-2016/539379/ Higher Ed Dive: September 16, 2021: How many colleges and universities have closed since 2016] On July 21, 2022, the university formally ceased operations and became the Wayne L. Prim Campus at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe.
Academics
The Departments of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Business, and Science and Technology offered traditional majors as well as Interdisciplinary Studies programs. The Business department at SNU also offered Ski Business and Resort Management as a four-year degree. The teacher education program lead to Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Arts in Administration and Masters in Education degrees as well as to teacher licensure in Nevada. The college also operated two low-residency, Masters of Fine Arts programs. Creative Writing and Interdisciplinary Arts MFA's used a low-residency format and individual mentoring to prepare artists and writers for professional and artistic success.
The MFA-IA program focused on site-specific and community practice, with a large part of each residency taking place off site at partner locations such as the Sagehen Creek Field Station.{{cite web|url=http://site.sierranevada.edu/mfa-interdisciplinary-arts/|title=MFA-IA Website|accessdate=August 19, 2016}}{{cite news|url=http://site.sierranevada.edu/mfa-interdisciplinary-arts/places/|title=MFA-IA Website|newspaper=Sierra Nevada College Low-Residency Mfa in Interdisciplinary Arts [Mfa-Ia] |accessdate=August 19, 2016}}
SNU, in collaboration with UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC), housed the Tahoe Center for Environmental Sciences, a facility conducting research on Lake Tahoe.
From 2016 to 2019, as part of an initiative to expand access to four-year degrees, SNU also operated extension centers on community college campuses. There were SNU Extension centers on the campus of Lake Tahoe Community College in South Lake Tahoe, Truckee Meadows Community College's Dandini Campus in Reno, Nevada. Each Extension Center offered degrees specific to demand on the campus where they are located, and included B.A. in Psychology, B.A. or B.S. in General Studies, a B.S. in Business Administration (B.S.B.A) in Entrepreneurship or Global Business Management.{{cite news|url=https://www.sierranevada.edu/academics/campuses/extension-centers/extension-center-majors/|title=Extension Center Majors|newspaper=Sierra Nevada College |accessdate=May 31, 2019}}
=Summer visiting artist workshops=
Sierra Nevada University hosted an extensive program of Summer Visiting Artist Workshops which featured well-known artists from multiple disciplines. Artists such as printmaker Sean Starwars, and visual artist and experimental filmmaker Tim Guthrie were regular workshop leaders.{{cite news|author=Fine Arts Department at Sierra Nevada University|url=http://www.sierranevada.edu/academics/summer-art-workshops-2/|title=Summer Workshop Schedule 2016|newspaper=Sierra Nevada University|accessdate=August 19, 2016}}
Athletics
The Sierra Nevada athletic teams were called the Eagles. The university was a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the California Pacific Conference (CalPac) from 2015 to 2016 (when the school joined the NAIA) to 2021–22.
Sierra Nevada competed in 13 intercollegiate athletic teams: Men's sports included alpine skiing, cross country, freeskiing, golf, lacrosse, snowboarding and soccer; while women's sports included alpine skiing, cross country, freeskiing, golf, snowboarding and soccer.
=Skiing=
The Eagles won many United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association national championships in both men's and women's events.{{cite news|url=http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/news/sports/403120301/|title=Eagles win 14th National title in a row|date=March 11, 2004|work=Tahoe Daily Tribune|accessdate=August 19, 2016}}
Notable faculty, past and present
- Laura McCullough – poet (Masters in Fine Arts Program)
- Suzanne Roberts – American poet, travel writer, and photographer (Creative Writing Faculty – Distinguished Writer-in-Residence 2011–2012)
- Carolee Schneeman – Experimental filmmaker (Visiting professor, 1994) {{cite web|title=artist's website|url=http://www.caroleeschneemann.com/teaching.html|accessdate=August 19, 2016}}
- Brian Turner – poet (Program Chair - Masters in Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program)
- Patricia Smith – poet (Creative Writing Faculty)
- Gayle Brandeis – author (Creative Writing Faculty - Distinguished Visiting Professor/Writer in Residence 2014–2015)
Notable alumni
- Matea Ferk (born 1987) – Croatia Ski Team, Women's Alpine Skiing, 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics.{{cite web|title=Matea Ferk|url=https://www.olympic.org/matea-ferk|accessdate=October 29, 2017}}
- Philip "P.K." O'Neill (born 1951) – Republican member of the Nevada Assembly.{{cite web|title=Assemblyman Philip P.K. O'Neill|url=https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Legislator/A/Assembly/Current/40|website=Nevada Legislature|accessdate=February 6, 2016}}
- Tea Palic (born 1991) – Croatia Ski Team, Women's Alpine Skiing, 2010 Winter Olympics.{{cite web|title=Tea PALIC - Olympic Alpine Skiing {{!}} Croatia|url=https://www.olympic.org/tea-palic|website=International Olympic Committee|accessdate=2017-10-29|language=en|date=26 June 2016}}{{cite web|title=PALIC Tea - Biographie|url=https://data.fis-ski.com/dynamic/athlete-biography.html?sector=AL&competitorid=127535&type=result|website=data.fis-ski.com|accessdate=2017-10-29|language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.sierranevada.edu/}}
- [http://www.sierranevada.edu/athletics/ Official athletics website]
{{California Pacific Conference navbox}}
{{NevadaUC}}
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Category:1969 establishments in Nevada
Category:Buildings and structures in Washoe County, Nevada
Category:Education in Washoe County, Nevada
Category:Liberal arts colleges in Nevada
Category:Private universities and colleges in Nevada
Category:Universities and colleges established in 1969
Category:Defunct private universities and colleges in Nevada