Established on September 20, 2011, with Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s approval of A Master Plan Amendment, The New Community College at CUNY is the University’s first new community college in more than 40 years. The second community college in Manhattan was inspired by Chancellor Matthew Goldstein’s interest in improving graduation rates for CUNY’s diverse urban students with a wide range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds. “There is no more urgent task in higher education than to find ways to help more community college students succeed,” the Chancellor has said.
The New Community College at CUNY officially opened its doors in midtown Manhattan overlooking Bryant Park on August 20, 2012, after four years of planning in consultation with experts from around the country and hundreds of faculty and staff across the University. At the college’s inaugural Convocation, CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein awarded Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg the prestigious Chancellor’s Medal from The City University of New York for his support and commitment to the development of this innovative new college. In accepting the medal the Mayor commented, “I think this school has the potential to be a game-changing model for community colleges across the country.”
The New Community College enrolled its inaugural class of 300 students in the fall of 2012. As an open-admissions institution, The New Community College will accept applicants who have a high school diploma or a GED. Enrollment will grow to approximately 5,000 when the college moves to its permanent home at 59th Street and 10th Avenue.
The New Community College connects field experiences with classroom learning in a structured and supportive environment. All students begin in the Summer Bridge Program and engage in a city-centered first-year experience before starting their major coursework in one of six degree programs. Teams of faculty, staff and peer mentors create a rich classroom environment, and an integrated advisement program will help students stay on the path to graduation.
