Shorter University history

When it opened on September 15, 1886, the school was housed in the basement of Bethel A. M. E. Church on Ninth and Broadway in Little Rock, Arkansas and was named Bethel University.

In December 1892 the Annual Conference renamed the school to Shorter University in honor of Bishop James Alexander Shorter, organizer of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Arkansas.

At the end of a twenty-eight month transition, the college established itself at 604 Locust Street in North Little Rock in 1898 and terminated operations in Arkadelphia.

On August 14, 1903, the charter was amended to change the name of the institution to Shorter College, in that same year, the first building was erected and named Tyree Hall.

In 1973 Shorter College celebrated its 100th anniversary through special activities and traditions.

While President Griffin was in office, ground was broken for the S.S. Morris Student Center in November 1974.

The first phase of the plan was completed in January 1981; the second was included in a perpetual planning cycle essential to management by objectives; and the third was executed as, one by one, the various offices were adapted to management by objectives.

In 1984, Bishop H. Hartford Brookins was assigned to the Twelfth (12th) Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Doctor Williams was succeeded by Doctor W. Dean Goldsby who was appointed by the board to the seat of Interim President in June 1988 thereby vacating his previous position as Director for Student Services.

Shorter College had lost its accreditation in 1998, but with a watchful board and a few dedicated staff, the doors of the college were kept open.

Following Doctor Brown’s tenure, the Board of Trustees named Doctor Cora D. McHenry acting president of Shorter College in April 2001.

In October 2011, the university introduced a requirement that its employees sign a "Statement of Faith" and a "Personal Lifestyle Statement" in which they agree to adhere to the following principles:

With a Fall 2014 enrollment of over 400 students, Shorter College is the fastest growing campus is Central Arkansas.