Secular Student Alliance

Secular Student Alliance

Abbreviation	SSA
Motto	Empowering Students for a Secular Future
Formation	November 21, 2001
Type	non-profit
Legal status	corporation
Purpose	scientific rationality, secularism, and human-based ethics
Headquarters	Columbus, Ohio
Region served	United States
Official language	English
Key people	August E. Brunsman IV, Executive Director Alex DiBranco, Chair of the Board of Directors
Staff	12[1]
Website	http://www.secularstudents.org/

The Secular Student Alliance (SSA) is an educational nonprofit organization whose purpose is to educate high school and college students about the value of scientific reason and the intellectual basis of secularism in its atheistic and humanistic manifestations. The SSA also offers these students and their organizations a variety of resources, including leadership training and support, guest speakers, discounted literature and conference tickets, and online articles and opinions.

History

In 1999, the students on the Executive Council of the Campus Freethought Alliance, along with some other students, faculty advisors, and off-campus supporters, decided that a national student organization needed autonomy (the Campus Freethought Alliance was governed by the Council for Secular Humanism).^[2] Therefore, in April 2000, a majority of the members of the Campus Freethought Alliance Executive Council decided to become independent from the Council for Secular Humanism.^[2] The Secular Student Alliance was thus founded in May 2000 by eight student leaders from the grassroots secular movement.^[2] It was organized under the nonprofit corporation laws^[3] of the State of Ohio on November 21, 2001.^[4] The corporation's principal office is located in Columbus, Ohio.^[5]

The SSA is an independent, democratically structured organization in the U.S. that promotes freethinking high school and college students. The SSA was formed "to organize, unite, educate and serve students and student communities that promote the ideals of scientific and critical inquiry, democracy, secularism, and human based ethics".^[6]

In January 2012, the SSA had over 312 affiliates in North America and abroad, including groups in Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia.^[7]

In June 2013 the SSA announced that with the Freedom from Religion Foundation, it will work on educating students on their rights and will assist with rectifying violations.^[8][9]

The SSA is a founding member of the Secular Coalition for America.

Membership growth

The SSA has experienced increasing membership growth since its founding.^[10] As of February 2013, the SSA's Board of Directors has ten members.^[11] The number of SSA community college and university campus affiliates has expanded considerably in recent years:^[12][13]

• 2007 - 80 groups
• 2008 - 100 groups
• 2009 - 159 groups
• 2010 - 219 groups
• 2011 - 240 groups^[14]
• 2012 - 413 groups^[15]
• 2013 - 407 groups^[16]

Events

Executive director August Brunsman at SSACon 2015

On August 7, 2009, the SSA organized a trip to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. 304 students, atheists, and scientists attended, in order to familiarize themselves with the museum.^[6] One notable name in attendance was PZ Myers, who also came to experience the museum.^[17]

Since 2009, the SSA has held their Annual Leadership Conference over the Summer which aims to train student leaders and group members in leadership skills and grassroots organizing.^[18] In 2013, the conference was split into two locations (East and West).

Conferences

The SSA holds an annual leadership conference.^[19]

Year	Location	Theme
2000	University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minnesota)[20]
2001	Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)	Kicking Ass for the New Enlightenment[21]
2002	Chicago, Illinois	Education Against Indoctrination[22]
2004	Washington, D.C.[23]
2005	Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)	Connecting the Secular Movement with Other Communities[24]
2006	Kansas City, Missouri	We're Not in Kansas Anymore[25]
2007	Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts)	Harvard Humanist Chaplaincy 30th Anniversary Gala/Symposium[26]
2008	Washington, D.C.	World Humanist Congress[27]
2009	Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)	Freethinking Friends & Secular Cephalopods [28]
2010	Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)[29]
2011	Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)[30]
2012	Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)	Contrary to Popular Belief[31]
2013	Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio) and University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nevada)	Contrary to Popular Belief[32]
2014	Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio) and University of Arizona (Phoenix, Arizona)	Contrary to Popular Belief[33]
2015	Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)	Contrary to Popular Belief[34]

See also

• Equal Access Act
• List of secularist organizations

References

1. "Atheist Teen's Court Victory a Sign of Growing Secular Student Influence". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
2. "A Brief History of the Secular Student Alliance | Secular Student Alliance". Secularstudents.org. Retrieved 2015-07-13.
3. Chapter 1702: Nonprofit Corporation Law, Ohio Revised Code.
4. The "Articles of Incorporation" of the Secular Student Alliance were filed on November 21, 2001.
5. The SSA's principal office is located in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. "Corporation Details", Ohio Secretary of State. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
6. Powell, Devin (2009-08-09). "Creation Museum: Is This How World Began? 300 Skeptics Converge on Christian Museum in Kentucky". ABC News/Inside Science News Service. Retrieved 2009-10-20.
7. Galef, Jesse (2012-01-12). "Atheist Teen's Court Victory a Sign of Growing Secular Student Influence". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
8. "In Response to Mounting Violations, National Orgs Vow to Protect Atheist Students' Rights" (Press release). Secular Student Alliance. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
9. "In Response to Mounting Violations, National Orgs Vow to Protect Atheist Students’ Rights" (Press release). Freedom from Religion Foundation. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
10. Niose, David (2012-07-17). Nonbeliever Nation: The Rise of Secular Americans. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 023033895X. "Founded in 2000, the SSA had less than fifty campus affiliates in early 2007, but by 2011 it had over 340".
11. SSA Board of Directors. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
12. Urbina, Ian (2009-12-01). "Approaching Holidays Prompt Atheist Campaign". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-09-26.
13. Galef, Jesse (2010-09-06). "Fall Brings Record Numbers of Atheist, Agnostic Student Organizations on Campus". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2011-02-08.
14. Winerip, Michael (2011-04-03). "Teenagers Speak Up for Lack of Faith". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
15. "There are currently 413 affiliate groups (counting university, college, and high school)". Student Secular Alliance. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
16. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
17. McLendon, Ryan (2009-09-30). "Beyond Belief: Atheist community thrives in Cincinnati’s backyard". CityBeat. Retrieved 2009-10-20.
18. "Leadership Events". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
19. "Past Secular Student Alliance Conferences". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
20. "Con 2000 Write-Up". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
21. "2001 Conference Write-Up". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
22. "2002 Conference Write-Up". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
23. "2004 Conference Write-Up". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
24. Crary, Duncan (2005-08-17). "2005 Secular student conference a success". Humanist Network News. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
25. "SSA/AAI 2006 Joint Conference: Most Spiffy!". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
26. "2007 Conference: Recommendations to Students". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
27. "Secular Student Alliance Conference - June 2008". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
28. "The Secular Student Alliance 2009 Conference: Freethinking Friends & Secular Cephalopods". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
29. "Secular Student Alliance 2010 Annual Conference - July 23-25, Columbus OH". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
30. "Annual Conference 2011". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
31. "SSA Conference 2012". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
32. "2013 Conference". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
33. "2014 Conference". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
34. "2015 Conference". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2013-10-02.

Further reading

• Hibbard, Laura (July 17, 2012). "Teacher Allegedly Brags To JT Eberhard Of Secular Student Alliance That Atheist Student Group Was Blocked (PHOTO)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
• Supiano, Beckie (February 27, 2011). "A Group for Secular Students Finds Its Way on a Christian Campus". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
• Black, Nathan (September 21, 2009). "US sees increase in secular student groups". Christian Today. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
• Abbamonte, Angela (September 18, 2009). "Atheists groups double in size on college campuses". The Huntsville Times. Retrieved 2009-10-06. The number of atheist or agnostic student groups on U.S. campuses has more than doubled in the past two years - from 80 to 162 - according to the Secular Student Alliance (SSA), the national organization for the secular student movement.
• Brunsman, August E (December 28, 2005). "A Brief History of the Secular Student Alliance". Secular Student Alliance. Retrieved 2012-08-13.

External links

• Secular Student Alliance website