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ACCESS Summary

Overall Score: .71

Campus History:

Winston-Salem State University is a historically black learning institution founded in 1892 as Slater Industrial Academy . It was the first historically black institution in the nation to offer a degree in teaching at the elementary level. The name was changed to Winston-Salem State University in 1925, and since then the program has expanded to offer 40 undergraduate majors and a variety of pre-professional programs. Over the years, WSSU has earned quite a reputation, even being ranked the #1 public comprehensive liberal arts college/university in the South for the past four years* by U.S. News & World Report. WSSU has a college of arts and sciences, with programs including art, biology, computer science, gerontology, mass communications, music business, psychology, and social work. Hands-on experience in a major is encouraged and facilitated by WSSU. For example, mass communications majors can work for the News Argus, the student newspaper, or WSNC-FM 90.5, the university’s educational radio station. Also integral parts of WSSU are the school of business and economics, the school of education, and the school of health sciences. WSSU’s colors are red and white, and the athletic conference in which the WSSU Rams compete is the CIAA.

Student and Faculty Population:

Winston-Salem State University's 5,567 undergraduates and graduate students study in 47 programs all emphasizing familiarization with and innovation in the latest technology, and more generally preparing students for a lifetime of experience in today's world, such as health sciences, information technology, financial services and teacher education. The universities 200 faculty guide students to achieve these goals, the basis of the university's motto ”Enter to learn, depart to serve”.

Weather and Topography:

Winston-Salem State University is located in the town of Winston-Salem, in Forsyth County, North Carolina. Winston-Salem's Piedmont-crowning elevation stands at 968 feet (295 meters). The weather is usually around 30 or 40 degrees Fahrenheit during the day in the winter months, but can venture into the teens at night. During the summer months, the temperatures are typically in the 80’s or 90’s during the day, but near the 60’s at night. Rain is never very frequent, but ice storms are a concern during the colder seasons.

Disability Services on Campus:

Winston-Salem State University's Disability Services department is committed to ensuring that no student is denied an equal opportunity to learn in the University's academic environment because of a disability. They provide a wide range of support services to student with disabilities that cannot be treated effectively so that they can productively integrate into the academic community.