York College, of the City University of New York | |
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Motto | Sapere Aude, Incipe! |
Established | 1966 |
Type | Public |
President | Dr. Marcia V. Keizs |
Location | Jamaica, Queens, New York, USA |
Campus | Urban, 50 acres (20 ha) |
Newspaper | Pandora's Box |
Colors | White, Red & Black |
Mascot | Cardinal |
Affiliations | City University of New York |
Website | york.cuny.edu |
York College of The City University of New York is one of eleven senior colleges in the City University of New York (CUNY) system. It is located in Jamaica, Queens in New York City. Founded in 1966, York was the first senior college founded under the newly formed CUNY system, which united several previously independent public colleges into a single public university system in 1961.
Today, with an enrollment of more than 7,780 students, York serves as one of CUNY's leading liberal arts colleges, granting bachelor's degrees in more than 40 fields, including those in the Heath Professions, Nursing (BS) and a combined BS/MS degree in Occupational Therapy, among others. The York College Library subscribes to dozens of electronic resources, as well as print journals, to support the research needs of the faculty and students.
York College is the current home of the Queens High School for the Sciences
Marcia V. Keizs, a native of Jamaica, became York College's 6th president in February 2005.
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On October 24, 1966, CUNY voted to create a fifth senior college, designated as Alpha College, to serve the city’s growing student population. Its first president, former Queensborough Community College President, Dr. Dumont F. Kenny, quickly renamed the school York College. Kenny hoped to build a leafy, suburban liberal arts school near Fort Totten in Queens. These plans, however, quickly fell through.
York opened its doors in the fall of 1967 without plans for a permanent home. Its first classes took place in rooms rented from the Oakland Jewish Center in Bayside, Queens. An entering class of 371 students, largely white and American-born, and a full-time instructional staff of 50 occupied that site for the first academic year.
In May 1968, in response to pressure from local business, community, and religious leaders, the CUNY Board of Higher Education selected Jamaica as the future site of York’s permanent campus. While York waited for authorization to build the new campus, it relocated to rudimentary quarters throughout Queens. In 1971, when New York City Community College (originally New York City College of Technology) president Milton G. Bassin M.M.E, P.E. assumed the presidency at York, he found it housed in temporary classrooms on the campus of Queensborough Community College in Bayside. York stayed there for three years before moving to a renovated ex-Montgomery Ward’s department store and other buildings in Jamaica.
With the fiscal crisis of the mid-seventies, York’s future seemed uncertain. Jamaica residents, eager to have the college in the neighborhood, pressured the city to keep York’s doors open. In May 1978, the CUNY Board reaffirmed York’s permanence by authorizing construction of the new campus in Jamaica. At the same time, the College underwent expansive curricular development. While York maintained an emphasis on the liberal arts, it began to offer career-related majors in the health professions. The College also opened the Office of Continuing Education to give classes on practical subjects to Jamaica’s residents.
With approval from Governor Hugh Carey, construction on York’s permanent campus began in December 1980. In 1986, York held its first classes in the new Academic Core. At the time, student enrollment had grown to 4,276. In 1990, York opened the Performing Arts Center and the Health and Physical Education facilities, followed by the athletic fields a year later.
Marcia V. Keizs became the president of York College in 2005 and under her leadership the college has strengthened its academic quality through a variety of initiatives. With the construction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s regional headquarters on York’s campus, students may take advantage of collaborative internships, fellowships, and research with world-class scientists. The CUNY Aviation Institute was established in 2003 to prepare students for success in a rapidly changing industry.
In 2009 alone, York launched the Provost Distinguished Scholars Lecture Series, which attracts renowned writers, scholars, and scientists to speak to the York community. York also hired thirty-three new faculty members and reorganized its 18 academic departments into three schools, the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business and Information Systems and School of Health and Behavioral Sciences.
York today would be unrecognizable to an observer from 1967. The College has grown to more than 7,780 students from 120 countries speaking more than 83 languages. Despite a variety of new programs, including Nursing, Pharmaceutical Science and Journalism, many of York’s biggest changes are to come.
The College plans to build major additions to its campus, including a state-of-the-art Academic Village and a CUNY School of Pharmacy, to further improve the opportunities for students.
York College Presidents:
Dumont F. Kenny, PhD, 1966–1970
Milton G. Bassin, M.M.E., P.E., 1971–1991
Josephine D. Davis, Ed.D., 1991–1995
Charles C. Kidd, Sr., PhD, P.E., 1996–2002
Robert L. Hampton, PhD, 2003–2004
Marcia V. Keizs, Ed.D., 2005 – present.
The College is organized into three Schools: the School of Arts & Sciences, the School of Business & Information Systems, and the School of Health & Behavioral Sciences. Each of the Schools focuses on a set of related programs and departments, and gives expression to the College’s mission. The School of Arts & Sciences provides students with the opportunity to obtain an excellent education in the arts, humanities, mathematics, and the natural sciences. The School of Business & Information Systems introduces students to all of the fundamental business disciplines, then allows them a wide range of choices when selecting their major field of study. Finally, the School of Health & Behavioral Sciences provides a diverse student population with programs that have received national recognition and professional accreditation.
Through the three Schools, York College offers B.A. and B.S. degrees in over 44 different liberal arts, sciences, and professional majors, including English, History, Spanish, Music, Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, Journalism, Physician Assistant, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nursing, Aviation Management, and Communications Technology, as well as the combined B.S./M.S. in Occupational Therapy.
The College is distinguished not only for offering a variety of majors and minors in almost every discipline but also for bringing professional programs in business, accounting, information systems management, teacher education, generic nursing, social work and allied health sciences to traditionally underserved populations. York College also offers certificate programs in a variety of fields that include: mortgage finance; youth work; survey research; and Spanish for professional purposes. In addition to the CUNY Aviation Institute, York College is home to the Northeast Regional U.S. Food and Drug Administration Headquarters (FDA). The College’s approximately 7,100 students hail from more than 50 different countries of birth.
Approximately 40 percent of our students study part-time, and in Fall 2008 almost 700 new students were transfer students and over 1,000 were first-time freshmen. York College offers a variety of scholarships, both merit and retention, through the York College Foundation, Student Government Association and Auxiliary Enterprises, Inc.
With about 200 full-time faculty and some 250 part-time faculty, there is a student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1. Most full-time faculty hold terminal degrees in their disciplines and are also recipients of many national and regional awards, receiving grants from federal, state and local government agencies.
Faculty, students, and administrative staff participate in College governance, which is conducted according to procedures outlined in the bylaws of CUNY and in the York College Charter as approved by the Board of Trustees of CUNY. The York College Senate is the chief legislative body of the College. Reporting to the Senate are various standing college committees which oversee such matters as curriculum and academic standards.
York is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the Association of Colleges and Universities of the State of New York, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). All Education programs are registered by the New York State Department of Education and lead to New York State provisional certification after the written parts of the New York State Teacher Certification Examination are passed. York’s Occupational Therapy Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); York’s Physician Assistant Studies Program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.; York’s Social Work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; and the Nursing Program by the National League for Nursing. A degree in Accounting at York College includes all the educational requirements to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accounting.
Since 1971, York College has conferred more than 20,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees. York students progress toward graduation at different rates. Most students combine the role of student with that of employee and/or parent which may necessitate part-time enrollment or temporary leaves from their academic pursuits.
At the heart of the 50-acre (20 ha) York College campus is the Academic Core, which houses classrooms, lecture halls, laboratories, art studios, the library, computer facilities, academic and administrative offices, as well as dining facilities and a bookstore. On adjacent super blocks are located the 1,500 seat Performing Arts Center, the Health and Physical Education facility, which includes a gymnasium and swimming pool, Classroom and Science Buildings, Athletic Fields and parking facilities.
The CUNY Aviation Institute (AI) at York College was established in 2003 by a grant from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to promote high quality education and research for the aviation industry. The AI is headquartered in New York City and is located on the campus of York College.
In cooperation with local, national, and international partners the CUNY Aviation Institute develops teaching materials regarding airlines, airports, service providers, civil aviation authorities, and related industries. Furthermore, the CUNY Aviation Institute develops programs of study at all academic levels, including credit and non-credit courses.
The CUNY Aviation Institute also promotes research and academic exchange of ideas in the field of aviation and assists in the training of professional educators and researchers. CUNY Aviation Institute has a partnership network comprising the private sector, educational institutions, international organizations, trade associations, governments and other bodies with interest in aviation management.[1]
-Aviation Scholarship: York College is committed to providing ten $2000 awards, per academic year, to students pursuing their B.S. in Aviation Management.[2]
– Aviation Club: The York College Aviation Club was established in the spring of 2008 to promote aviation within the York College community of students, faculty, and staff. The Aviation Club unites, guides, and supports Aviation Management students.
– Women in Aviation: Women in Aviation, International is the fastest growing aviation organization dedicated to encouraging young people to consider aviation careers as well as providing networking opportunities for women and men through the aviation industry. Our members represent the broad scope of aviation – general, corporate, commercial and military. WAI members include aeronautical engineers, pilots, maintenance technicians, educators, air traffic controllers, avionics technicians, airport managers, business owners, dispatchers, artists, students, flight attendants and enthusiasts.
Honors Program – An academic program for advanced students with the goal of providing academic, cultural and social opportunities. The program is a member of the National Collegiate Honors Council and the Northeast Regional Honors Council. York College Honors Program Official Site
Nursing – A BS (Bachelor of Science) Nursing program accredited by the NLNAC (National League for Nursing). York College Nursing Program Official Site
Occupational Therapy (OT) – The only CUNY to offer a BS/MS Occupational Therapy program which is fully accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association. York College Occupational Therapy Program Official Site
Physician Assistant (PA) – It is the second CUNY to offer a BS Physician Assistant program (The first being City College of New York). As of March 2007, the York College PA Program is fully accredited by the ARC-PA (Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant). York College Physician Assistant Program Official Site
Aviation Management The B.S. in Aviation Management is an opportunity to prepare students comprehensively for management careers in the industry. The CUNY Aviation Institute is also located on the campus of York College. Students are offered a program of study that emphasizes business, policy and the operations of key areas within aviation, including security, aviation safety, and airport planning. Aviation students have the choice of gearing their studies toward preparation for work in for-profit arenas within aviation or for employment in the aviation public sector by selecting appropriate electives from political science, psychology, business and other areas. A major strength of the major is the integration of the liberal studies areas with a business curriculum.
York competes as an NCAA Division III member of the City University of New York Athletic Conference.
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