The College of New Jersey
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- For dates before 1896, see Princeton University
| The College of New Jersey | |
|---|---|
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| Established | 1855 |
| Type | Public |
| Endowment | $12.4 million[1] |
| President | R. Barbara Gitenstein |
| Faculty | 733[2] |
| Students | 6,964 [2] |
| Undergraduates | 6,205 [2] |
| Postgraduates | 759 [2] |
| Location |  Ewing, NJ, USA |
| Campus | Suburban, 289 acres (1.2 km²)[3] |
| Colors | TCNJ Blue and TCNJ Gold [4] |
| Nickname | Lions |
| Mascot | Roscoe the Lion |
| Athletics | NCAA Division III |
| Website | www.tcnj.edu |
The College of New Jersey, abbreviated TCNJ, formerly Trenton State College, is a public, coeducational university[5] located in Ewing Township, New Jersey, a northern suburb of Trenton.
Established in 1855 by an act of the New Jersey Legislature, the institution was the first normal school in the state of New Jersey and the fifth in the United States[6]. Originally located in Trenton proper, the college was moved to its present location in adjacent Ewing Township during the early to mid-1930s. Since its inception, TCNJ has undergone several name changes, the most recent being the controversial[7] 1996 change to its current name, from Trenton State College.
US News and World Reports ranks The College of New Jersey as the top master's degree level public university in the Northern United States[8], while Barron's Educational Series Profiles of American Colleges lists the college among its 75 "Most Competitive" institutions[9][10]. The college is also notable for its quality of life; it currently ranks 9th in The Princeton Review's "Happiest Students" list[11], and features a first-year retention rate of 95%[12]. In 2009, The Princeton Review ranked TCNJ's library as 4th best college library in the nation.[13]
TCNJ is organized into seven schools, all of which offer four-year bachelor's degree programs, and several of which offer master's degree programs. A great deal of emphasis is placed on liberal arts education via the college's general education requirements[14].
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[edit] History
The College of New Jersey was established on February 9, 1855 by an act of the New Jersey Legislature mandating the creation of a state normal school, making the New Jersey State Normal School the first teacher training institution in New Jersey and the ninth in the United States. Prior to this, then-Governor Rodman McCamley Price had actively promoted the notion of founding a training institute for New Jersey's teachers, and helped to mobilize support among influential state leaders:
| “ | I recommend the establishment of a school for the education of teachers, similar to the schools established in many of the states, which are deemed to exert a most useful and beneficial influence in the cause of education in public estimation. | ” |
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—Rodman McCamley Price, statement, January 1855, [15] |
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For the first 73 years, the school was located in Trenton on Clinton Avenue. Beginning in 1925, the institution offered its first four-year baccalaureate degrees, and engaged on a transitional program of expansion. In 1928, a suburban tract of 210 acres (0.8 km²) was purchased in Ewing Township, New Jersey and preparations were underway to relocate the College. The first building erected on the new campus was Green Hall, built in traditional Georgian colonial style. The majority of buildings now on campus reflect Green Hall's architecture.
Programs in graduate study were instituted in 1947, followed by accreditation from various national associations in the 1950s. The enactment of the Higher Education Act of 1966 paved the way for TCNJ to become a comprehensive institution by expanding its degree programs into a variety of fields aside from the education of teachers. By 1972, 70 percent of entering students were selecting non-education majors[16]. At this time, the college was known as Trenton State College.
In 1996, in a move spearheaded by Harold Eickhoff, The College of New Jersey adopted its current name in order to become more academically competitive on a national level. Alumni were unhappy with the change as they were proud being graduates of Trenton State College.[17] Some critics say that the College wanted to disassociate itself with the city of Trenton, which at the time had garnered a reputation for high crime and poverty.[18] This name change raised a heated debate with Princeton University which was known as the College of New Jersey from its founding in 1746 until 1896. Rutgers known as "The State University of New Jersey" unofficially sided with Princeton its fellow colonial school in the name dispute. Princeton University felt The College of New Jersey was attempting to associate itself with its history and reputation, and the name change would falsely indicate association between the two schools. In response, the administration at Princeton University sought legal action to protect its claim on the name, but the action was subsequently dismissed.[19]
[edit] Names over the years
- 1855 — New Jersey State Normal School
- 1908 — New Jersey State Normal School in Trenton
- 1929 — New Jersey State Teachers College and State Normal School at Trenton
- 1937 — New Jersey State Teachers College at Trenton
- 1958 — Trenton State College
- 1996 — The College of New Jersey
When the name-change from Trenton State College to The College of New Jersey took place, workers misspelled the new name on the sign at the rear gate of the College. The new sign read "The College of New Jeresy". This was quickly corrected, but not before a photo of the incorrect sign was published on the cover of the Trentonian (a local daily newspaper).[20]
[edit] Academics
More than 50 liberal arts and professional programs are offered through the College's seven schools: Arts and Communication; Business; Culture and Society; Education; Engineering; Nursing, Health & Exercise Science; and Science.
The College of New Jersey offers degrees in over 50 liberal arts and professional programs, leading to one of the following undergraduate (baccalaureate) degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, and Bachelor of Science. It also offers graduate programs leading to the following degrees: Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Education, Master of Science, and Master of Science in Nursing. TCNJ also offers a 7 year combined B.S./M.D. (Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Medicine) program for graduating high school students in conjunction with University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. This program offers guaranteed admission to UMDNJ upon completion of three years of undergraduate study at TCNJ and the maintenance of a minimum GPA (currently set at 3.5).
These programs are organized into one of seven schools:
- School of Arts and Communication
- School of Business
- School of Culture and Society
- School of Education
- School of Engineering
- School of Nursing, Health & Exercise Science
- School of Science
Since the 1990s, incoming students are required to participate in the TCNJ First Year Experience, a large component of the liberal arts curriculum at TCNJ.
Faculty at TCNJ have also put on a number of successful programs that have had an impact on the scholarly and New Jersey communities. In 2005, English professors David Blake and Michael Robertson hosted a symposium celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass. English Professor Lincoln Konkle hosted an International Thornton Wilder Conference at TCNJ in 2008.
[edit] Global Programs
The College of New Jersey offers graduate programs in Education at a number of international locations. Currently students can complete a State of New Jersey Teacher Certification and earn a Master of Education degree while studying in Bangkok, Thailand, Majorca, Spain, or Johannesburg, South Africa.
[edit] Campus Life
[edit] Residence halls
First-year students almost exclusively live in the Travers/Wolfe towers, or Cromwell Hall. Second-year students live in New Residence, Allen Hall, Brewster Hall, Ely Hall, Norsworthy Hall, Centennial Hall, Eickhoff Hall and Townhouses West and upperclassmen typically live in Townhouses South, East, or West, or in one of the two newly constructed aparement complex; Phelps Hall and Hausdoerffer Hall. Upperclassmen may also live in one of the College Houses that surrounds the college campus. Decker Hall, traditionally a sophomore dorm, is currently not housing students due to on-going renovations during the '09-'10 school year. While first-year and second-year students are guaranteed on-campus housing; a lottery system provides housing to juniors and seniors. As a result, the percentage of resident students dwindles from 95 percent of first-year students to 50 percent of upperclassmen living on campus. TCNJ has made moves to rectify this, most notably by attempting to build additional on-campus "apartments" across from the main commuter parking lots. Construction on these facilities, however, was halted after significant water damage was reported. In February 2007, a protracted legal battle over the faulty apartments was fought between TCNJ and the contractors responsible for constructing the apartments. In the 2007-2008 academic year, deconstruction of the buildings and foundations was completed by a new contractor, and work began on rebuilding the complex. The apartments are expected to be completed for the fall 2009 semester.[21][22]
[edit] Student life
Nearby metropolitan areas such as Philadelphia and New York City are an hour or less away by train. Surveys of the student population indicate, however, that 80% of residential students remain on-campus for at least 3 weekends per month.[23] TCNJ also has over 180 student organizations managed by the Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development. The Signal has been the college's newspaper since 1885. The Lion's Eye is the literary magazine on campus, distributed each semester and funded by the Student Activity Fee. Lions Television (LTV), founded in the spring of 2008, is TCNJ's first television network.
Campus attempts at providing non-alcohol-related social events for students are numerous, including both on and off-campus activities such as musical and comedic performances. The College Union Board (CUB) sponsors visits by celebrities as well as movie showings, all of which are funded by the Student Finance Board.
[edit] Brower Student Center
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The Brower Student Center (BSC) is the student center on the campus. The BSC was originally built in 1976 and has continued to serve the students through the present day. The Brower Student Center seeks to provide on-campus activities for all the students of TCNJ as well as maintain partnerships within the community that accentuate the student and community experience.
The building is home to all of the student organizations on campus, as well as the dining facilities that are run by Sodexo Incorporated and a campus bookstore.
The building was named after former president Clayton R. Brower who served as president at the time that TCNJ was referred to as Trenton State College.
[edit] Athletics
The College of New Jersey is affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association and participates in athletics events as a Division III school. It is a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The mascot is Roscoe the Lion.
TCNJ's varsity teams are the top combined first- and second-place finishers of all 424 Division-III schools in the nation over more than 25 years.[24]
The main athletic facility, Lions Stadium, holds 6,000 spectators and features an AstroTurf playing surface. Recent reports have indicated that the turf contained higher-than-acceptable levels of lead and was subsequently removed. There was some speculation that the field would not be replaced in time for the 2008 commencement ceremony, but although the field was replaced on time, general commencement was canceled due to rain. The stadium has hosted multiple NCAA Tournaments and championship games, as well as the annual New Jersey Special Olympics and the annual USSBA Central Jersey Regional marching band competition.
The women's lacrosse team has played in the championship game 16 out of 20 possible times, winning 11 (though the 1992 title was later vacated) and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament 21 consecutive times through 2005, highlighted by a 93-1 record from 1991 to 1996. The women's field hockey team has won 9 Division III crowns.
The TCNJ wrestling team host the NCAA Championships regularly and has placed in the top 20 nationally for 30 consecutive years, including 5 National Championships, 5 Runner-up finishes, and numerous finishes in the top 5.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Holly Black (B.A., 1994) — Author of The Spiderwick Chronicles series, Valiant : A Modern Tale of Faerie, Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale and Ironside (April 24, 2007).
- Sheila Callaghan (B.A., 1995) — Award-winning playwright.
- Jim Florio (B.A., 1962) — Governor of New Jersey, 1990 to 1994.
- Greg Grant former NBA player
- Tom McCarthy (1990) — Radio Play-by-play voice of the Philadelphia Phillies.[25]
- Tom Scharpling — producer and radio host.
- Christopher Smith (B.S., 1975) — United States Congressman representing New Jersey's 4th congressional district.
- Eric Gehring (B.A., 1995) — Education Director for the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation.
- Ty Treadway — One Life to Live soap star and host of Soap Talk on Soapnet cable channel.
- Madaline A. Williams (1894–1968), first African American woman elected to the New Jersey Legislature.
- Derick Grant (B.A., 2005) — Globetrotters Player.[26]
- The Right Reverend Geralyn Wolf (M.A., 1971) — Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island.
- Gene Hart — Hockey Hall of Fame Announcer. Original "Voice of the Philadelphia Flyers".
[edit] Notable Faculty
- Alan Dawley — History (deceased)
- Reed Gusciora — Political Science
- Christopher Klim — Journalism, Author
- Xinru Liu — History
- Jess Row — English
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ As of June 30, 2009. "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2009 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2008 to FY 2009" (PDF). 2009 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments. National Association of College and University Business Officers. http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/research/2009_NCSE_Public_Tables_Endowment_Market_Values.pdf. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Fact Book 2007: Quick Facts" (DOC). The College of New Jersey. 2007-10-01. http://ir.intrasun.tcnj.edu/factbook/QuickFacts07.doc. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
- ^ "TCNJ At A Glance". The College of New Jersey. http://www.tcnj.edu/~pa/about/glance.html. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
- ^ "TCNJ Official Colors". The College of New Jersey. November 2003. http://www.tcnj.edu/~pa/sg/offical_colors.html. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
- ^ "America's Best Colleges 2008: College of New Jersey: At a glance". US News and World Report. 2008. http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/ewing-nj/college-of-new-jersey-2642. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
- ^ Jarrold 1955: 1-6
- ^ Stout, David (Jun. 28, 1996). "Trenton State Gets New Name and a Battle". The New York Times, p.B8.
- ^ USNews.com: America's Best Colleges 2008: Universities-Master's (North): Top Schools
- ^ "The College of New Jersey Ranked with Nation's Elite". The College of New Jersey. 2004-09-13. http://www.tcnj.edu/~pa/news/2004/Barrons2005Rankings.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
- ^ "Barron’s, Again, Ranks TCNJ with Nation’s Top Schools". The College of New Jersey. 2006-08-09. http://www.tcnj.edu/~pa/news/2006/BarronsRanking2007.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
- ^ "Quality of Life: Happiest Students". The Princeton Review. 2008. http://www.princetonreview.com/college/research/rankings/rankingDetailspr07.asp?categoryID=6&topicID=43. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
- ^ [http://www.tcnj.edu/~pa/news/2007/USNews2008.htm "TCNJ Tops U.S. News List of Best Colleges For 16th Consecutive Year"]. The College of New Jersey. 2007-08-17. http://www.tcnj.edu/~pa/news/2007/USNews2008.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
- ^ http://www.princetonreview.com/college/college-rankings.aspx
- ^ "Liberal Learning :: The College of New Jersey". The College of New Jersey. 2008-06-18. http://www.tcnj.edu/~liberal/. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
- ^ Jarrold 1955: 6
- ^ http://www.campusexplorer.com/colleges/C8FC0CD9/New-Jersey/Trenton/The-College-of-New-Jersey/
- ^ Princeton Fights a Switch.
- ^ "T.C.N.J. Offended Trenton By Changing Its Name". The New York Times. 2002-10-13. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/13/nyregion/l-tcnj-offended-trenton-by-changing-its-name-364576.html. Retrieved 2009-05-21.
- ^ What's in a Name?
- ^ [1] "Always Check Your Work" photo.
- ^ http://www.tcnj.edu/~reslife/
- ^ http://www.petersons.com/collegeprofiles/Profile.aspx?inunid=8998&sponsor=1
- ^ TCNJ's Office of Residential and Community Development implemented the EBI/ACUHO-I targeted national benchmarking survey in the spring of 2003 (on file).
- ^ TCNJ Athletics Championship Records.
- ^ Tom McCarthy, WFAN. Accessed August 26, 2007.
- ^ [2].
[edit] References
- Jarrold, Rachel M.; Fromm, Glenn (1955). Time the Great Teacher. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
[edit] External links
[edit] Maps
Coordinates: 40°16′16″N 74°46′58″W / 40.271223°N 74.782894°W
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