Southern Connecticut State University Southern Connecticut State University ( alternately SCSU or Southern ) is one of four state universities in Connecticut , and is located in the West Rock neighborhood of New Haven , Connecticut . Founded in 1893 , it is the third - oldest campus in the Connecticut State University System . SCSU is part of the Connecticut State University System . Its sister schools are Central Connecticut State University , Eastern Connecticut State University , and Western Connecticut State University . The state universities are governed by the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education . History . Life began for Southern Connecticut State University on September 11 , 1893 , when three teachers and 84 students met at the old Skinner School in New Haven to create a two - year teacher training school , New Haven State Normal School . By 1937 , Southern had grown into a four - year college with the power to grant bachelor ' s degrees . Ten years later , Southern teamed up with Yale University ' s Department of Education to offer a master of science degree . In 1954 , the State Board of Education authorized the institution — then known as New Haven State Teachers College — to assume complete responsibility for this graduate program . In 1959 , six years after the institution had moved to its present location on Crescent Street , state legislation expanded Southern ' s offerings to include liberal arts programs leading to bachelor ' s degrees in the arts and sciences . At the same time , New Haven State Teachers College became Southern Connecticut State College . For the next 24 years , Southern grew , modernized , and diversified , expanding its undergraduate and graduate programs and opening up entirely new fields of study and research . But March 1983 brought even greater changes : Southern Connecticut State College was rechristened Southern Connecticut State University , and made part of the Connecticut State University System , along with Central Connecticut State University in New Britain , Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic , and Western Connecticut State University in Danbury . Present . Southern hosts lectures , workshops in literature and dance , art exhibits , performances by professional and student artists , conferences , and institutes on a variety of topics . Figures that have given lectures on Southern ' s campus include astronaut Mark Kelly , husband of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords , comedian and educator Bill Cosby , and writer Jeffrey Zaslow , a co - author of the The Last Lecture and columnist for the Wall Street Journal before his death . Campus . Southern has one campus in New Haven , bordering parts of Hamden , Connecticut . Fitch Street separates the academic and residential parts of campus . Founders Gate , between Lyman Center and Engleman Hall , is a physical link to Southern ' s early Howe Street campus . The gate was restored and moved to the Crescent Street campus , and dedicated during Homecoming in 1987 . Recent construction . During the summer of 2013 two new construction projects broke ground on the campus . The renovation of the old Buley Library building began , and a new Academic Science building started in what was the parking lot in front of Jennings Hall . Both projects are on track to be completed in 2015 . Buildings . Residence halls . Freshman and sophomore traditional residence halls : Upperclassmen halls : Academic programs . Teacher education . In keeping with its origins as a teachers ' college , Southern Connecticut State University remains a center for teacher education . It produces more teachers , principals , and school superintendents than any other Connecticut institution . Southern is the only school in Connecticut to offer a master ' s degree concentration in autism spectrum disorders . The university received approval for its first doctoral program , an Ed . D . in Educational Leadership . Nursing . NCLEX passing rates for Southern students hover between 90 and 100 percent in the past three decades . Student activities . Athletics . SCSU ' s sports teams are nicknamed The Owls . There have been 10 NCAA National Championship Teams at Southern , as well as 75 NCAA Individual Champions in the sports of Track and Field , Swimming and Gymnastics . Soccer . SCSU ' s men ' s soccer team won titles in 1987 , 1990 , 1992 , 1995 , 1998 , 1999 . The six titles are the most for any Division II men ' s soccer team in the country . The program has appeared in 32 NCAA Division II Tournaments , 17 NCAA Final Four appearances , and has produced 52 All - Americans , 15 Senior Bowl Players , 4 National Player of the Year Award Winners , and 1 Golden Boot Award ( Top Goalkeeper in any NCAA Division ) winner . Basketball . On March 24 , 2007 , the women ' s basketball team won the NCAA Division II championships . In a 61 – 45 victory , SCSU beat the previously undefeated Florida Gulf Coast . Gymnastics . The street circle in front of the Moore Fieldhouse is named in honor of former Olympian Abie Grossfeld , former head gymnastics coach at the university . Swimming . The swimming and diving team scored their highest at the NCAA championship meet in March for the years 2007 and 2008 . Football . SCSU ' s football program has produced coaches and players who went on to the National Football League . Media . WSIN1590 AM radio station . WSIN1590 AM is formerly known as WOWL and WSCB . A student - run radio station , WSIN can be streamed online from its website . WSIN stands for " Southern Independent Network . " Shows are broadcast live from the Michael J . Adanti Student Center . All SCSU students are allowed to sign - up for a time slot to broadcast over the airwaves . Diverse news , music , and talk shows compose SCSU ' s current programming . In 2007 a group of students from WSIN traveled to the NCAA DII Championchips to broadcast the games when the Women ' s Basketball team was in the final rounds of the tournament . " Southern News " student newspaper . The " Southern News " is a weekly newspaper covering news , opinions , arts , entertainment and sports . The publication consists of 14 paid staff members . The Southern prints work from staff members , journalism students , and non - journalism majors .