Southwest Baptist University is an institution of higher education offering courses that lead to both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Students may choose from a variety of programs of study as they pursue a liberal arts based, career-oriented education. The University is comprised of five colleges: the Geneva Casebolt College of Arts and Social Sciences, the College of Natural and Applied Sciences, the College of Health Professions, the College of Professional Programs, the Robert W. Plaster College of Business. Areas of certification and professional areas of study are also offered.
Mission of the University
(Adopted by the Board of Trustees, May 1997)
Southwest Baptist University is a Christ-centered, caring academic community preparing students to be servant leaders in a global society.
Vision Statement
(Adopted by the Board of Trustees, October 2023)
By its sesquicentennial in 2028, Southwest Baptist University will be a regional institution of choice, known for its transformational student outcomes, excellent return on financial investment, and its vibrant campus culture.
Statement of Faith
(Adopted by the Board of Trustees, 2020)
The University has adopted the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as its statement of faith. This information can be found on the university webpage at https://www.sbuniv.edu/about/mission-values.php.
Core Values
(Adopted by the Board of Trustees, October 2019)
In fulfilling the University’s mission and vision through its strategic planning process, Southwest Baptist University is committed to upholding the following core values grounded in Scripture, guided particularly by I Corinthians 13, to prepare servant-leaders for a global society:
Christian Distinctiveness (1 Peter 2:9)
Southwest Baptist University is Christ-centered. From its inception, and continuing today, the University is a distinctively Christian and Baptist institution supporting a Christian worldview. Led by the Spirit, following the example of Jesus Christ, the University family seeks to demonstrate commitment to love, mercy, and grace.
Baptist Heritage (1 Kings 8:57; 2 Timothy 1:14)
Southwest Baptist University’s academic foundations are built on historical Baptist traditions beginning with the Southwest Missouri Baptist Association and continuing today with the Missouri Baptist Convention. This heritage acknowledges God as the ultimate source of all knowledge and truth. It is committed to scholarly endeavor, under God, seeking a proper balance between academic freedom and academic responsibility.
Compassion and Care for SBU Family (Romans 12:9-10)
Southwest Baptist University is a caring community. Scripture teaches that all individuals are worthy in the eyes of God. Therefore, we will honor and serve one another in love.
Academic Excellence (Romans 12:2; Colossians 3:23)
Southwest Baptist University is an academic community. The University pursues excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. Students are prepared to meet the challenges of a global society through the integration of faith, Christian liberal arts, research, and professional studies. The University recognizes that academic excellence is achieved through continuously striving for improvement.
Social and Spiritual Development (Colossians 2:6-7)
Southwest Baptist University encourages the social and spiritual development of the University family. Students, faculty, and staff are provided intentional opportunities to grow spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally through exposure and response to the needs of the larger community.
Personal Wellness (Genesis 1:27; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Southwest Baptist University recognizes the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the University will offer opportunities for education and activities which promote personal wellness.
History of the University
The University first opened its doors in 1878 in Lebanon, MO, as Southwest Baptist College. In 1879 the college was chartered by the state of Missouri and moved to Bolivar. Early writings recount a legacy of sacrificial giving and extraordinary efforts by Baptists in southwest Missouri to establish and maintain the college. The founders, James R. Maupin and Abner S. Ingman, faced many difficulties as they rode horseback seeking funds, students, and an ideal college site.
The college faced many hardships in its early years and actually closed from 1908 to 1913 to regain financial solvency and to recover from a devastating fire that destroyed the college’s only building. The efforts and prayers of area supporters and Missouri Baptists brought results, and the college reopened in 1913 as a two-year junior college.
The University has maintained its strong Baptist heritage through its affiliation with the Missouri Baptist Convention, which provides some financial support for the University and elects the 25-member Board of Trustees which governs the institution.
The Missouri Baptist Convention approved plans in 1964 for the college to become a senior liberal arts college. The first baccalaureate degrees were awarded in 1967. Bolivar citizens donated a 102-acre farm on the southern edge of the city that allowed the college to expand physically beyond the small 10-acre campus located near downtown as part of its growing academic expansion.
Another milestone occurred in 1981 when the college name was changed to Southwest Baptist University. In 1995 the University entered a joint nursing education agreement with St. John’s Regional Medical Center (now Mercy Hospital) in Springfield, MO, to form St. John’s School of Nursing (now College of Health Professions) of Southwest Baptist University and in 2003 this program was elevated to College status.
Today, SBU is a thriving higher education institution with more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The 158-acre main campus is located in the southern portion of Bolivar, a community of about 10,000 residents that serves as the county seat of Polk County. There are 38 buildings on the main campus. The University also operates campuses in Mountain View, Salem, and Springfield, MO.
The Southwest Commitment
(Adopted b 1979)
For more than a century Southwest Baptist University has been a community of trustees, faculty, staff, and students united in an experience of learning and living. At this time, we affirm our heritage and commit ourselves anew to Christian higher education.
Undergirding the following commitments is our belief that there is only one God, who is creator and redeemer, and that the world is sustained and ruled by Him. We believe that God, the source of all truth, has given us His inspired word, the Bible, as the perfect treasure of divine instruction, the sole authority for our faith and practice. We believe that the revelation of God through the life and teachings of Christ challenges us to become Christlike in all our endeavors.
- We pledge a continuing commitment to a liberal arts program from a Christian perspective, believing that each student needs a broad base of knowledge upon which to build larger concepts, including a Christian value system.
- We pledge to communicate appreciation for our cultural heritage, providing experiences that develop aesthetic sensitivities and skills.
- We pledge to continue professional and pre-professional programs, including those for both church-related and secular vocations.
- We pledge ourselves to academic excellence as a goal. We believe that we have the responsibility for developing scholarly competence and participating in professional activities.
- We pledge to worship God as an expression of personal reverence and public witness to the world because we believe that both private and corporate worship are essential experiences for maturing Christians.
- We pledge to encourage spiritual growth through personal Bible study and through local church and college ministries.
- We pledge to share our faith. We believe that each Christian during and after college years is charged with making disciples.
- We pledge to support mission outreach in the local churches and throughout the world.
- We pledge to practice and teach stewardship of time, talent and material resources.
- We pledge to promote the development of individual responsibility to equip one for making academic, social, financial and spiritual decisions.
- We pledge to be a caring people, a community in which students form lasting friendships and learn principles upon which to build Christian homes, because we believe in the dignity and worth of the individual.
- We pledge to emphasize physical and emotional well-being. We regard a balanced diet, exercise, personal cleanliness, recreation, and rest to be important to physical and emotional health.
- We pledge to train our students in community leadership.
- We pledge through prayer to seek God’s guidance and strength to fulfill these commitments.
Because we are not only a Christian university, but also a Baptist university, we pledge to continue our support of the Southern Baptist Convention and Missouri Baptist Convention programs and Baptist principles.
Principles and Expectations
(Adopted February 1994)
As a distinctively Christian and Baptist institution, Southwest Baptist University believes it should demonstrate how the life-values commanded in Scripture can be integrated with academic instruction. These values include a sensitivity to the needs of the larger community; a commitment to justice, mercy, and personal integrity; a desire for moral growth; and a sense of mutual accountability. The moral values of the University are expressed as ethical standards and are guided by an understanding of Scripture and a commitment to its authority regarding all areas of Christian faith, learning, and living.
Because of the prevailing moral confusion in our society, the University must speak clearly about Christian ethical standards. Five statements of ethical standards have been adopted by the Board of Trustees for the University family, which is composed of students, faculty, staff, administrators, and trustees. These standards concern Academic Integrity, Christian Lifestyle, Sexual Conduct, Marriage and Family Responsibility, and Respect for People and Property.
These statements of ethical standards guide the University in its obligations to students and others in the University family who are involved in an honest pursuit of the truth by requiring integrity in academic pursuits, by encouraging a Christian approach to sexuality, by supporting a stable family life, and by modeling responsible Christian interpersonal relationships. The University is committed to providing education and counsel to those of its community; to extending Christian love to those involved in strife, marital discord, or the struggle for proper sexual expression; and to demonstrating the acceptance of the forgiveness for human failure, which is available through Jesus Christ.
Statement on Academic Integrity
Principle: Truthfulness, diligence and commitment are part of the very nature of God. God’s plan for believers is that their nature will become like His. Because of this, our lives should demonstrate these qualities. Scripture commends personal integrity and condemns that which undermines it.
Expectation: Academic integrity is based on truthfulness and is the responsibility both of faculty and students. Faculty members are responsible for maintaining integrity in their academic pursuits. Faculty members also have the responsibility for setting and clarifying academic requirements for the work of students. Academic integrity is a personal responsibility of students to represent as their own work in reports, papers, or examinations only what they are entitled to present honestly. Academic integrity also includes the collective responsibility of faculty members and students to ensure that all uphold the spirit and letter of this principle. Conduct which violates academic integrity includes cheating in any form on examinations and presentations of the ideas or writings of others without proper credit.
Statement on Christian Lifestyle
Principle: Scripture teaches that believers are set apart to God’s purpose through sanctification, but will sin. Scripture also demands that believers demonstrate a lifestyle that is distinctively different from that of non-believers.
Expectation: A Christian lifestyle is expected of all members of the University family. It consists of demonstrating those attitudes produced by the gift of the Spirit, practicing truthfulness in all relationships or activities, and exhibiting our dedication to Christ through our commitment to excellence in daily work or academic activities. A Christian lifestyle avoids such specific sins as greed; jealousy; pride; lust; bitterness; uncontrolled anger; prejudice based on race, sex, or socioeconomic status; use of alcohol as an intoxicant; substance abuse; stealing; profanity; dishonesty; occult practices; illegal activities; use of pornography; and sexual sins, such as pre-marital sex, adultery, and homosexual behavior.
Statement on Sexual Standards
Principle: Scripture teaches that heterosexual union is the only acceptable expression of sexuality and must be reserved for marriage and insists on sexual abstinence for those who are unmarried.
Expectation: All members of the University family should abstain from unbiblical sexual practices and from behavior which may lead to a violation of God’s standards on sexual activities.
Statement on Marriage and Family
Principle: God’s ideal for marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. Scripture views marriage as a witness to the permanent relationship between Christ and His Church and the family as God’s first institution.
Expectation: The University has a concern over the increasing pressure being placed by external and internal forces on the institution of marriage. It recognizes the struggle of those within the University family who strive to keep their marriages stable under these pressures. Nevertheless, members of the University community should not enter into divorce except under the most severe circumstances and then only after pursuing all possible options, including counseling, and after considering the impact of divorce on their families, their personal lives, and their professional responsibilities at SBU.
Statement on Respect for People and Property
Principle: Scripture teaches that all people, regardless of their socioeconomic, physical, mental or spiritual condition, are individuals of worth in the eyes of God. Scripture also teaches that ownership of property is to be respected. It exhorts Christians to look out for the welfare of other people, to be good stewards of the possessions God has given, and to be honest with one another.
Expectation: The University expects behavior from all members of the University family that demonstrates the highest standard of respect for people and property and that exemplifies the Christian commitment to loving one another. Certain behaviors are not acceptable according to this ethical standard. These include sexual harassment, disrupting the rights of others to pursue appropriate University activities, depriving individuals of the use of their property or depriving the University of the use of its property.
University Buildings and Facilities
- Art and Doris Allen Walk of Life, named in honor of Art Allen, trustee, and his wife Doris, major contributors to its construction, was completed in the fall of 2000. It provides a beautiful landscaped walkway from the Awad Memorial Garden to Ingman Avenue. It also offers a fitting memorial to SBU students who have died since 1994.
- M. Michael Awad Memorial Garden, named in honor of M. Michael Awad, who served SBU as Provost from 1993 until his death on March 11, 1999, was completed in the fall of 2000. It consists of a fountain and several planters and provides a beautiful setting on the west side of the Sells Administrative Center.
- John A. Bryant Tennis Center, named in honor of John A. Bryant, longtime SBU tennis coach, was completed in the fall of 2000. It provides the SBU tennis teams, faculty, staff and students as well as the Bolivar community six excellent, lighted, tennis courts.
- The Merrill Burnidge Memorial Forum is an open-air plaza adjacent to Goodson Student Union, Mellers Dining Commons and Mabee Chapel on the Shoffner Campus.
- Geneva Casebolt Music Center houses the Area of Music. The center contains studios, practice rooms, classrooms and the 300-seat Jane A. Meyer Recital Hall.
- The John D. Clement Memorial Amphitheater and Prayer Garden was completed in 1988. The amphitheater is used for outdoor concerts and dramas. The small garden area is for private meditation.
- Colvin Center for Instructional Technology, located in Jester Center, includes the main office for the Center for Teaching & Learning. The center was named in honor of Marie Colvin, a longtime supporter of the University.
- The David and Betty Cribbs Athletic Practice Facility was completed in 2016 and offers an indoor practice field and batting cages for the University athletic programs. The facility was named in honor of longtime University donors David and Betty Cribbs of Bolivar, MO.
- The Warren B. Davis Family Physical Therapy Center was dedicated in 2011 and is named in honor of former local businessman and current entrepreneur Warren B. Davis. The center currently houses the Division of Physical Therapy, and its faculty practice clinic.
- The SBU baseball team has one of the finest home fields in the area, as the result of a gift from James W. Dodson. Dodson Field, situated on the south side of the Shoffner Campus, has a grass infield, spacious dugouts and major league dimensions. Adjacent to Dodson Field is the Virginia R. Heer Facility, which provides rest rooms, concessions and dressing rooms for the baseball, softball, soccer and intramural participants.
- Founders Hall on the University’s Mountain View campus was dedicated in 1998 and houses three classrooms and a science lab.
- The Felix Goodson Student Union houses the Campus Store, Deli-Craft, Craft Coffee, student lounge, and game room, as well as the 250-seat Grant Davis Theater and White Chapel, which is the conference room for the University Ministries and Missions Center and is used for a variety of meetings including Bible studies and Mission team training events. Offices for Student Life, Residence Life, Missions and ministry programs, Student Government Association, student publications, intramurals, Habitat for Humanity, and Welcome Week are an integral part of this building.
- The Myrtle Glass Learning Center on the University’s Mountain View campus was opened in 2003 and was renovated in 2017. It houses faculty and administrative offices, classrooms, the library, and a computer lab. The campus offers bachelor’s degrees in business administration, criminal justice, elementary education, psychology, as well as associate degrees in business administration, general studies and health science. Master’s degrees in education also can be pursued through the Mountain View campus.
- The University’s Salem campus operates out of the Gott Center for Christian Higher Education, which opened in 2001 and is named in honor of longtime University donors Wayne and Betty Gott of Salem, MO. The campus offers associate, bachelors and master’s degrees in subjects ranging from business administration, elementary education, criminal justice and social sciences such as psychology. The basement of the Gott Center houses the Dr. Tracy and Debbie Dobbs Nursing Program, which offers an associate’s degree in nursing and features a learning resource center and simulation lab with observation room.
- The Wayne and Betty Gott Educational Center was renovated and reopened in 1998. It includes state-of-the-art classrooms and teaching laboratories for the Divisions of Education and Behavioral Sciences. The center is named in honor of longtime University donors Wayne and Betty Gott of Salem, MO.
- Hammons Center for Facilities Excellence, named in honor of Dwain and Donna Hammons, business leaders from Stockton, MO and major contributors to its construction, was completed in the spring of 2000. It houses the SBU Physical Plant staff and equipment.
- The Wayne and Diana Hutchins Center for Nursing Education was purchased in 2015 and renovations were completed in 2016. It is a state-of-the-art training facility on the Springfield campus featuring a learning resource center, simulation lab, nursing stations, task training rooms and a 50-seat classroom. The center is primarily used by the Mercy College of Health Professions and is named in honor of longtime University donors Wayne and Diana Hutchins of Springfield, MO.
- The Jester Learning and Performance Center, named in honor of Bill and Nancy Jester, business leaders from Springfield, MO, and major contributors to its construction, was completed in 2001. It houses the Area of Art, the Area of Language and Communication, the 299-seat Davis-Newport Theater, the Driskill Art Gallery, and the BSN classrooms, learning resource center and simulation labs. The Harriett K. Hutchens Library is located on the first floor of the east side of the building (completed in 1996). Mrs. Hutchens was a Springfield, MO businesswoman, a community leader, and an active member of the South Haven Baptist Church in Springfield.
- The Keathley Lifewalk is a 15-foot wide walkway that connects Mabee Chapel, the Randolph Meditation Chapel and the Jim Mellers Center.
- The Killian Health Center, which is now located in the Jane and Ken Meyer Wellness and Sports Center, is named in honor of Bob Killian, trustee, and his wife Betty. The Killian Health Center is where you will find the University nurse serving the health needs of the University family.
- Mabee Chapel was completed in the spring of 1979 and completely renovated in 2011. It is located on the north side of the Burnidge Memorial Forum. The chapel seats 1,300 people in Pike Auditorium, which has a complete professional stage for dramatic and musical productions. The chapel houses the offices for the Ed & Theo Clark University Success Center, the Gordon & Judy Dutile Honors Program, Career Services, and Special Services.
- McClelland Dining Facility, named in honor of Dr. and Mrs. R.S. McClelland, includes an 84-seat executive dining area and a large 200-seat dining room. Both campus and community events are held in this facility.
- Jim Mellers Center was completed in 1984 and named in honor of Jim Mellers of Springfield, MO. The building houses the Courts Redford Division of Christian Ministry.
- The Jane and Ken Meyer Wellness and Sports Center houses the state-of-the art Intramural and Wellness Center and the University’s Sports Arena. The intramural and wellness center houses intramural basketball courts, racquetball courts, a rock climbing wall, weight rooms, an aerobics room, an indoor walking/jogging track, health and physical education classrooms, faculty and athletic offices, and the recently renovated natatorium, an Olympic-size swimming pool originally built in 1985. The sports arena features seating for 2,800, the Athletic Training Room, the John Q. Hammons Court, named in honor of Springfield, MO businessman John Q. Hammons.
- Plaster Athletic Center, named in honor of Robert W. Plaster, a Lebanon, MO, businessman and major contributor toward its construction, was completed in 2001. The facility houses locker rooms, a squad meeting room for the football program, and offices for the athletic administration and football coaching staff. The weight room for the University athletic programs is located here.
- Plaster Stadium, named in honor of Robert W. Plaster, a Lebanon, MO, businessman, was completed in 1985. The stadium is the home of the University’s football program and the site of other major outdoor functions.
- The Randolph Meditation Chapel, built in 1988 and renovated in 2019, will seat 50 to 75 people. It is open 24 hours a day for individual meditation and serves as a center for small group activities.
- Residence facilities for women are Beasley Hall, Leslie Hall, Woody Hall, and Plaster Lodge, named in honor of Robert W. Plaster. Residence facilities for men are Gott Hall, Landen Hall, Meyer Hall, and Memorial Hall. Nichols Commons connects Woody and Gott Halls. Campus apartment-style facilities are Casebolt Apartments for upper-class women, and Roseman Apartments for upper-class men.
- Sells Administrative Center, completed in 1989, is named in honor of Dr. James L. Sells, former Chancellor of Southwest Baptist University, who served the University from 1966 to 1992.
- Stewart Track, named in honor of former athletic director Orlin B. Stewart, who taught and coached at Southwest Baptist for 38 years, was completed in 1988 and rebuilt in 2013. The eight-lane, 400-meter track is constructed of polyurethane and used for both intercollegiate track meets and student and community personal fitness.
- The Gene Taylor National Free Enterprise Center was completed in 1981 and renovated and expanded in 2016. The building was named in honor of former Missouri Congressman Gene Taylor. This facility houses a Free Enterprise Center, the Robert W. Plaster College of Business, the Area of Computing, the Area of History and Political Science, several faculty offices, computer labs, electronic classrooms, a student lounge, study areas, team presentation rooms, seminar rooms, and an auditorium.
- The Judy Taylor Physical Therapy Garden was named in honor of Judy Taylor, First Lady of SBU (1996-2016). The garden serves as a tribute as well as to meet the needs of SBU Physical Therapy students, who benefit from having a place to practice true-to-life therapy experiences on varying outdoor surfaces.
- The Wheeler Science Center is named in honor of Clarence and Edna Wheeler and houses classrooms, laboratories and offices for mathematics and science programs as well as the Office of University Effectiveness.
Information & Technology Services (ITS)
Information technology services provide support for students who need assistance logging into their accounts, connecting to campus devices, printing, or have questions about other campus software/hardware.
ITS Mission & Vision Statement
Information and Technology Services provides leadership in the effective use of information and technology resources as it serves the vision of the university. Information and Technology Services’ vision is to integrate information technology throughout the academic community, to enhance learning, teaching, access to higher education, productivity, and communication.
Contact Information
Help Desk: (417) 328-1702, helpdesk@SBUniv.edu and located in Wheeler 135 You can open a ticket, check the status of a ticket, search FAQs and more at our service portal here: https://sbu.sysaidit.com.
Computing Resources
There are a number of computer labs located on the Bolivar campus. Three of those labs are available full-time for student use. The other labs are available for classroom and instructional use or are software-specific labs related to a specific degree program i.e.: Art, Accounting, Business, Computer Science, Communications, Education, Music, Physiology, Physics and Physical Therapy. Each of the University’s campus sites has a computer lab available for their students.
SBU MyBearcat Portal
The SBU MyBearcat Portal serves as the University’s internal communication tool with faculty/staff/students. MyBearcat Portal provides single sign-on access to our learning management system (LMS), Self-Service (grades, registration, financial information/financial aid), and Office 365 (Email, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.). MyBearcat also provides access to university event calendars, university announcements and prayer requests. All students receive an account to access the portal upon admission to the university.
ITS Policies
Please be familiar with the following Information Technology Policies:
Cybersecurity
All SBU technology users (students, faculty, staff, contractors etc.) are responsible for adhering to cybersecurity best practices. This includes never transmitting or storing unencrypted personally identifiable information like social security numbers, health information etc. through SBU systems or email. Never store passwords in plain text or in a browser, use a password manager instead. Never respond to requests for sensitive information. ITS will never ask you for your password or ask you to confirm your account by clicking a link. If you notice spam, phishing attempts, strange messages or activity, please report it to Information Technology immediately. We are happy to assist, even if it is nothing to worry about it, we would rather be safe than sorry! SBU provides OneDrive for students to use during their as a student for file storage. Please ensure that prior to graduation any data you with to keep that is stored in Teams, OneDrive, email, or other SBU systems is backed up to your personal storage accounts (outside of SBU systems and email).
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