The State University of New York at New Paltz, known as SUNY New Paltz for short, is a public university in New Paltz, New York. It was founded in 1828 as the School for teaching of classics[1]. In 1885, the New Paltz Normal and Training School was established as a school to prepare teachers for the public schools of New York State. In the 1980s, it was called State University of New York College of Arts and Science New Paltz. It has been called the State University of New York at New Paltz since 1994.[2]
History
Old Main, at one time the only building on campus. Today it houses the School of Education.
In 1885, the academy offered their building if the State of New York would start a normal school. It was granted the ability to award baccalaureate degrees in 1942, when it was renamed the State Teachers College at New Paltz. A few years later, in 1947, a graduate program was established. When the State University of New York was established by legislative act in 1948, the Teachers College at New Paltz was one of 30 colleges associated under SUNY's umbrella. The school is well-known for many programs, including The Legislative Gazette, a journalism and political science internship in which students live/work in the state capitol and produce a weekly newspaper about state politics. The program launched in 1978—and was almost kicked out of Albany—but somehow survived and grew into an influential newspaper read by nearly everyone involved in New York state government.
There were several student-led protests in the late 1960s and early 1970s, primarily against the Vietnam War. In the spring of 1967, a sit in protesting against army recruiting on campus blocked the entrance to the Student Union for two days. While there were scores of demonstrators the first day, all but 13 dispersed before State Troopers arrived and bodily carried the demonstrators to a waiting school bus for a trip to court.
In the Fall of 1968, students rallied in support of Craig Pastor (now Craig DeYong) who had been arrested by New Paltz Village Police for desecration of the American flag which he was wearing as a super-hero cape in a student film directed by Edward Falco. College President John J. Neumaier posted bail. Pastor was released and charges were dropped. In the spring of 1970 there was a protest leading to the takeover of the Administration Building.
On December 29, 1991, the campus was the scene of a widely-reported PCB and dioxin incident that contaminated four dormitories (Bliss, Gage, Capen and Scudder residence halls), as well as the Coykendall Science Building and the Parker Theater. Under the direction of the county and state health departments, the university began a massive, thorough clean-up effort in the five buildings: Bliss, Gage and Scudder residence halls, Parker Theatre and Coykendall Science Building. As an additional precaution, 29 other buildings were thoroughly tested and, if necessary, cleaned. The clean-up process lasted until May 1995.[citation needed] Concerns about this incident have been covered in New York Times articles by Michael Winerip, as well as investigative reporting in Woodstock Times and Sierra magazine by Eric Francis.[citation needed]
In November 1997, two events on campus attracted nationwide media attention. The first, a feminist conference on sex and sexuality sponsored by the women's studies department entitled "Revolting Behavior: The Challenges of Women's Sexual Freedom", featured instructional workshops on sex toys and sadomasochism. The second, "Subject to Desire: Refiguring the Body", was sponsored by the Fine and Performing Arts Department. One presenter, performance artist Carolee Schneemann, had been known for a piece where she slowly unrolled a scroll from her vagina and read it to the audience.[citation needed]
Political conservatives were outraged that a public university had hosted such events, and Governor George Pataki and SUNY chancellor Robert King expressed their displeasure. The controversy escalated when the Theatre Arts Department staged The Vagina Monologues shortly afterwards. The college's then-president, Roger Bowen, defended freedom of expression on campus and refused to apologize, doing little to allay conservative ire. "The real issue," he said, "is whether some ideologues, however well-intentioned, have the right to dictate what we say and what we do on this campus." SUNY trustee Candace de Russy called for him to be dismissed.[3] Bowen later resigned.
In 2006, New Paltz became embroiled in a controversy involving three Student Government officers, who were suspended from the University for a year after an altercation with the Residence Life Director[4], although a video[5] showed some claims may have been erroneous.[6] Federal Judge Lawrence Kahn ordered Poskanzer and Rooney to reinstate Holmes and Partington on January 4, 2007,[7] but in February, 2008, Judge Kahn concluded dismissed their due process and retaliation claims.[citation needed]
Statistics
For 19 consecutive years (as of Fall 2009), New Paltz has received the most student applications among all of SUNY comprehensive colleges. This number continues to increase, as well.[8]
In 2006 New Paltz received 11,941 applications for the fall and accepted 4,141 (39%).The middle 50% of non-EOP incoming freshman had a high school GPA of 90.6 with an SAT of 1160.[9]
In 2008 New Paltz received 13,868 applications for the fall and accepted 35%. However, the yield rating was 24% unlike past years of 21% causing an unexpected 1,300 new students to join the New Paltz class body. The incoming freshman had a mean SAT score of 1160, and the mean of their high school GPAs was more than 90.[10]
In 2009, SUNY New Paltz received over 19,000 applications freshmen and transfer applications for the fall semester. 15,400 applications were freshmen alone. The school accepted 34% of freshmen and 36% of transfer students. The incoming freshmen class had a mean SAT score of 1172 and a high school GPA of 91. Also, 100% of New Paltz's accepted freshmen class continues to come from the top 2 of 5 SUNY Quality Groups.[8]
Campuses
The SUNY New Paltz campus consists of about 350 acres (1.4 km2) in the small town of New Paltz, New York. There are thirteen residence halls, centered mostly in two quads. The main campus has two dozen academic buildings, including the Haggerty Administration Building, a lecture hall, Old Main, Sojourner Truth Library, one main dining hall, a Student Union Building, and extensive gymnasium and sports areas.
SUNY New Paltz is undergoing extensive construction projects over the next 5 years, totaling nearly $300 million, including: --Student Union Building addition (complete in Spring 2010) --Old Main renovation (complete by Spring 2011) --Sojourner Truth Library renovation (begins 2011) --Construction of a new science building (begins soon) --Wooster Science Building renovation (begins soon) --Construction of Mohonk Walk (begins 2011) --Hasbrouck Quad Landscaping/Renovation (begins Spring/Summer 2010) --The Concourse Landscaping/Renovation (begins Spring/Summer 2010)[11]
Artist's rendering of the new Student Union Building addition at SUNY New Paltz
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Athletic and Wellness Center
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The Courtyard with the Fine Arts Building in the background
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Lenape Hall, the newest of the 13 residence halls at SUNY New Paltz
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There once was a satellite campus at Ashokan, New York, consisting of another 400 acres (1.6 km2), located near Woodstock, New York. In 2008 it was sold by Campus Auxiliary Services (CAS) to the Open Space Conservancy (OSC). Ashokan was made famous by the song Ashokan Farewell on the soundtrack of the PBS documentary, The Civil War by Ken Burns.
Demographics
New Paltz boasts a diverse student body composed of African Americans (7.5%), Latinos 10.1% and Asian/Pacific Islanders 4.3%. The majority of the student body feeds from Long Island (28.6%), New York City (23.5%) and the Hudson Valley Area (15.9%). Out of state students make up 6% of the total student body, while international students make up 1%. There is a 3:1 female to male ratio.
Rankings
In 2007, Newsweek magazine rated SUNY New Paltz as America's "Hottest Small State School" in an article "25 Hottest Universities".[12]
The college was also recently ranked 8th among the best public universities and 40th among public and private universities in the North that offer bachelor's and master's degree programs, according to the U.S. News & World Report's rankings for America's Best Colleges 2009.[13]
New Paltz was named one of the best 222 colleges in the northeast by the Princeton Review in 2006[citation needed].
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine ranked New Paltz as one of the 100 best values among public colleges and universities in the nation.[14]
The school was also ranked 7th Counterculture college by High Times Magazine because of its active NORML/SSDP chapter,[15] a designation which received mixed reviews from administrators and student leaders.[4]
Current Information
SUNY at New Paltz currently offers bachelor's and master's degrees, with over 100 undergraduate and 50 graduate degree programs. Currently, almost 8,000 students attend SUNY at New Paltz—over 6,200 undergraduates and over 1,600 graduate students. The College President is Steven Poskanzer, a scholar of higher education law, with a broad range of administrative experience at both public and private universities and colleges. The Student Body President is Benjamin Olsen. The head of Faculty Governance on campus is Simin Mozayeni.
Sports, clubs, and traditions
SUNY New Paltz has men's and women's intercollegiate sports. The mascot for the college's sports teams is the hawk.[16]
The student governance is operated by the Student Association, which funds most student activities through a mandatory fee. There are many clubs and fraternities and sororities. In addition, there is also an on-campus government, the Residence Hall Student Association (R.H.S.A.). The college has an auxiliary services corporation common to many state campuses in New York, called College Auxiliary Services, Inc. (CAS). This on-campus company operates the dining halls and bookstore, as well as being the source of discretionary funds for spending by the college president and the R.H.S.A.[17]
The college has a Foundation and an active Alumni Association.[18]
The college's official student newspaper is called The Oracle.
The college's radio station, WFNP, is known as 'The Edge'. It broadcasts part time at FM 88.7, and also streams on the Web at http://www.wfnp.org.
Alma mater
In a valley fair and beautiful
Guarded well by mount and hill
Beats a heart whose pulse is rich and full
Of life, and pow'r, and thrill.
We love thee, Alma Mater dear.
To thee our hearts are true.
And we'll sing with voices strong and clear
To the Orange and Blue.
New Paltz, forever our Alma Mater,
We raise our song to thee.
The hills re-echo with glad crescendo
Our praises full and free. [19]
Notable alumni
Principals residence, about 1909
SUNY New Paltz boasts numerous alumni including:
External links
References
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