Rockland Community College
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Rockland Community College is a two-year college in the SUNY system, located in hamlet of Viola within the Village of Suffern from the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York. The college began in 1959 in the former county almshouse. The college offers 41 programs in the arts and sciences, technology, and health professions. The current enrollment is about 6,300 full and part-time students. The main campus is in Suffern, New York, but instructions are also offered in Haverstraw and Spring Valley extensions.
In 2009, Rockland Community College will celebrate the institution's Golden Anniversary.
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[edit] History
An institution called Rockland College, chartered by the state Board of Regents in 1878, thrived for sixteen years in Nyack, New York.
Rockland Junior College, federally funded, disbursed through New York State, and sponsored by Nyack High School was established in 1932 as one of several Depression-era two-year schools. New York University and Syracuse University accepted two years of credit from the college. Rockland Junior College shut down in 1935.
The driving force to build Rockland Community College came eighteen years later. An affordable, quality two year college in a convenient location would raise taxes by $4 a year.
Rockland County, one the state’s smallest geographically, outside of New York City, was growing exponentially in population and in demand for a skilled, educated work force.
Large local industries like Avon Products in Suffern and Lederle Laboratories in Pearl River required more skilled workers, and the growth of hospitals such as Nyack Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern warranted the creation of a nursing program.
Between 1956 and 1970, Rockland’s population was one of the fastest growing in the state, expected to double from 107,000 to 215,000 and the number of high school graduates was projected to rise from 700 to 2,463.
Some 69 percent of parents polled expressed interest in their children attending a community college in Rockland, and 183 high school juniors indicated a strong interest in and an ability to attend such an institution.
[edit] Almshouse
The Almshouse, built in 1837 and used for destitute residents set amid 26.5 acres of cabbage and tomato fields, apple orchards, a pumpkin patch in the eastern part of the Town of Ramapo, in the hamlet of Mechanicsville, afterwards renamed Viola.
The frame edifice was replaced in 1883 by the first of three sections—today’s north wing—constructed of brick from the thriving Haverstraw brickyards. The south section came later, followed by the connecting west wing to form the current "U".
The Almshouse was abandoned in 1957 for new quarters - Rockland County Infirmary and Home at Summit Park in Pomona.
The Almshouse itself had been condemned by the state as unfit for instructional purposes. After a thorough engineering study, the group concluded that the three-story building was salvageable and that with a few structural changes, it could be adapted for college
The building committee’s detailed plans won over state university officials.
[edit] Institution
The new institution was officially named Rockland Community College Classes started without blackboards or chalk, textbooks or a true library. Instructions, written by crayon were taught on tacked up large sheets of wrapping paper. Teachers’ had to compete with the noise of the Almshouse renovations.
By September 8, 1959 the first-floor renovations had progressed enough to allow faculty and staff to use large rooms at the front of the south wing, which had been used as the Almshouse director’s residence as administration offices A small room further down the south corridor became the library and bookstore.
The building’s face lift included more than a dozen classrooms, including a former chapel that served as the first classroom, used for engineering classes; an assembly hall in the connector wing formerly used as a recreation area for Almshouse residents; a chemistry/biology lab in an old basement kitchen; and a cafeteria and lounge, also in the basement. Later came a secretarial/business machines room - equipped with only a handful of manual typewriters—on the second floor, and a physics lab.
By the end of the first year, all three floors were in use.
[edit] Campus
Nestled on the crest of a sloping rise in a former farm community known as Mechanicsville, renamed Viola when a post office was established in 1882, the property included:
- A wooden barn which was renovated into a theater and assembly room in the second semester.
- Fields leased to local farmers that yielded tomatoes and cabbage. The college later acquired 150 acres (0.6 km²) of farmland—100 to the south from the Hurschle Brothers Farm, and 50 to the west from the Springsteen Farm—for its current 175-acre (0.7 km²) campus.
- A "potter’s field" cemetery, the burial grounds for many of the Almshouse residents. Shortly after the college was founded, the county deeded a tract of land in the northern section for establishing a veterans cemetery, which remains today.
- A small square building with barred windows that served as the first Rockland County jail, later the Ramapo town police headquarters, and still later a police radio station. It was converted into offices and men’s locker rooms for the physical education program in the second semester.
- A narrow, tree-lined country lane known as Almshouse Road, which became an interior access road when the current College Road was built.
Of course, the centerpiece of the complex was the three-story, colonial design Almshouse,
In front of the Almshouse, a wooden gazebo that still stands today.
[edit] Enrollments
1959 The first year three programs were in place for students transferring to four-year colleges after graduation: liberal arts and sciences, business administration, and business administration with accounting major. Completion of these led to the Associate in Arts degree.
139 students enrolled during the day: 87 men and 52 women, 119 full-time and 20 part-time. Students in the evening sessions, who earned part-time credit, outnumbered those in the day sessions for the first five years. In 1959, 162 students—94 men, 68 women—enrolled in the evening versus 139 during the day. By 1963, the numbers had grown to 783 evening and 674 day.
Most, but not all, lived in Rockland. Several came from northern New Jersey, which had no community college at that time.
[edit] Commencements
On June 11, 1961, the college’s first commencement exercises honored 39 graduates—22 men, 17 women—who had finished the journey begun by 139 full-time students two years before.
As college enrollment grew, so too did its graduate base. From 39 in 1961, the number rose to 60 in 1962 and 115 in 1963, including the first 24 from the school’s nurse education program.
[edit] The Barn
If the old Almshouse was the heart of the early campus, the Barn was assuredly its soul.
All manner of events took place under its sturdy wooden roof: school registration, physical education classes, sports team practices, large classes and final exams, dance classes, student-faculty talent shows, worship services, films, guest lecture series, concert series, even war protest rallies.
But the program most closely identified with the Barn was the College Barn Theater and its Drama Club student performers, the College Barn Players.
The Barn burned down in January 1979, but the student actors continued to perform, shifting to the Cultural Arts Center, built in 1983.
[edit] Sports
- Baseball games were played at the Village of Suffern ball field
- Basketball - The School used court time in gymnasiums at Suffern, Haverstraw, and Spring Valley high schools and a few junior highs.
- Bowling at Hi tor lanes in Haverstraw.
- Calisthenics, jogging, archery, soccer, and golf were held in the fields surrounding the small, peaked-roof building of the former Ramapo police station which housed the physical education office.
- Fencing, gymnastics and varsity wrestling practice were held at the Barn.
- Swimming and lifesaving were taught at the Bader’s Hotel outdoor pool in Spring Valley.
- Deer Kill Day Camp in Suffern was rented to teach lifetime skill sports like tennis, handball, and one wall paddleball as well as softball and basketball.
The Eugene Levy athletic facility, known as the “Fieldhouse” was not completed until 1972.
[edit] Early Event
The most popular dance was the holiday Snow Ball in December, held in Theills, New York at Letchworth Village’s cavernous Kirkbride Hall.
[edit] Facilities and Transportation
- 1959 - Almshouse – Daniel T Brucker Hall.
Daniel T Brucker Hall- Photo by Michael Bastianelli
- 1964 - Fall semester opening of the Academic I.
- 1972 - Academic II.
- 1972 - Physical Education Building.
- 1972 - The Student Union.
- 1972 - Utility Plant.
- 1973 - Amphitheater.
- 1973 - Library.
- The library's collection contains over 120,000 books, more than 23,000 current periodical titles, and approximately 3,000 audio-visual items, all in diverse formats and the college's rapidly growing electronic resources cover all the disciplines offered at Rockland Community College.
- 1974 - Eugene Levy Fieldhouse – Athletic facility. This two-acre, 90,000 sq ft (8,000 m²). indoor multi-purpose facility with synthetic athletic surface is considered the largest of its type in the northeast.
- Most Physical Education classes are held in the Eugene Levy Fieldhouse that includes a regulation basketball court, four indoor tennis courts, volleyball courts, indoor track and other teaching areas within the arena. Also within the complex is four squash courts (that are used for racquetball), an Olympic sized pool, two gyms for aerobic activities, a weight room and an athletic training room.
- The department also utilizes outdoor facilities that includes a lighted baseball stadium, 6 Outdoor Tennis Courts, two soccer fields anoval track and a softball field.
- Bowling is held at three different bowlings alleys namely New City Bowling Lanes, Pearl River Lanes and Haverstraw Lanes. Golf is held at Spook Rock Golf Course which is located just 5 minutes away from the college.
- The fieldhouse is also used as a community building for showcase trade shows, concerts, graduations, and sporting events.
- 1983 - Cultural Arts Center.
- 1993 - Vehicle Maintenance Facility.
- 2004 - Groundbreaking of 103,000 square feet (9,600 m²) Technology Center.
- 2006 - Student Union renovated.
- 2006 - Opening of Technology Center – Rockland’s first certified “Green Building” (eco-friendly).
- 2007 - Rockland County Department of Transportation increased and enhanced all bus service to the college. This is in addition to the free shuttle service between the main campus and the College extension centers in Spring Valley and Haverstraw in which the college received an award.
[edit] Mission Statement
Rockland Community College, an open admissions institution, provides an accessible, responsive, student-centered learning environment and a cultural resource for the community. Facilitating the achievement of educational, professional and personal goals, Rockland Community College offers quality higher education and lifelong learning in an atmosphere that embraces academic excellence, diversity, innovation and global awareness.
[edit] Degrees, Certificates, Program(s) and Course(s) offered
[edit] Associate of Arts: (AA)
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[edit] Associate of Science: (AS)
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[edit] Associate of Applied Science: (AAS)
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[edit] Certificates: (C)
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[edit] International Studies
More than 250 international students are enrolled at Rockland Community College yearly.
[edit] Liberal Studied B.A. Program
[edit] MTS/MGD Honors Programs
The Samuel Draper MTS (Mentored/Talented Students) and MgD (Management Development) programs are nationally acclaimed, rigorous academic programs for liberal arts and business students seeking to transfer to premier colleges. Because of these rigorous programs, RCC has been often referred to as 'Harvard on the Hudson.' Graduates transfer to such colleges as Harvard, Yale, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, New York University, and Smith College. The program was awarded a coveted FIPSE (Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education) grant from the United States Department of Education to serve as a model for community college honors programs throughout the country.
[edit] PACT Program
The PACT (Preparing Adults for career in teaching) program provide adult students with alternative and innovative pathways to high quality teacher preparation that focus on their recruitment, academic preparation, retention, transfer and entry into teaching careers. This program has several partner colleges that have transfer agreements with Rockland Community College as well as other local colleges. The program makes the transition into a teacher education program at a four-year college or university a smooth one.
[edit] Pre-Employment Police Basic Course
The course provides the opportunity to begin preparation for a career as a local police officer prior to being hired by a law enforcement agency. A Civil service exam which students will be required to pass in order to be hired by a law enforcement agency, will be given upon completion of the course work at RCC. A candidate from the civil service list who has completed the coursework is more likely to be chosen by an agency, as he or she will not need to attend a twenty-three week academy.
[edit] Children Programs
[edit] Academy for Gifted and Talented Children
The Academy for Gifted and Talented Children, teaches topics which range from art to encryption and shows that learning can be fun as well as challenging. Eligibility for children in grades 2 through 5 is based on their student's standardized test scores and who currently participate in gifted educational programs at their schools.
[edit] Full-Day Preschool to the Community
Campus Fun & Learn, which runs from the first day after Labor Day until the last week of June, is a quality full-day or part-time preschool program open to the community for children between the ages of three and five. The program includes art, music, language activities, and more, and helps prepare children for their future school experiences, as well as providing an opportunity for RCC students majoring in Education, Psychology and other programs gain experience and understanding in working with young children. RCC students who enroll their children qualify for scholarships and subsidies for child care tuition, making it very affordable.
[edit] Kid's Summer Camp
The Physical Education Department at Rockland Community College currently has three different summer camps namely, Sports Academy, Baseball Academy and Kids' College.
- Sports Academy offers instructional sports camp for girls and boys from grades 2 - 9 that offers the opportunity to learn, play and improve the sports they love while building camaraderie and enjoying the best summer of their life.
- Baseball Academy teaches the fundamentals necessary to become a better baseball player while providing an atmosphere of sportmanship and competitive spirit.
- Kids' College
- Performing Arts Camp - kids are immersed into Acting, Singing and Dancing culminating in a performance in our Cultural Arts Theater at the end of each session.
- Kids College Art Institute offers comprehensive instructions on how to improve basic drawing, sculpting and painting skills.
- Computer Camp hone skills and enrichment that gives kids a heads up in this age of technology.
[edit] Awards and Achievements
- 2007
- Regional Commuter Choice Outstanding Achievement Award for its free evening shuttle bus service launched in the Fall of 2006 between the main campus and the College extension centers in Spring Valley and Haverstraw recognizing the College for taking this significant step to help reduce traffic congestion and to improve the air quality in Rockland County.
- Tappan Zee Award (Project of the Year - The College’s Technology Center) from the American Society of Civil Engineers for setting the mark for excellence in the civil engineering profession.
- SUNY Administration Outstanding Student Affairs Program Award for the efforts on behalf of Student Health and Wellness by the college Prevention Resource Center.
- 2008
- The National League of Nursing Accreditation Commission re-accredited the Nursing Program for a full eight year term.
[edit] External links
- Rockland Community College - Main Campus
- RCC - Haverstraw Extension
- RCC - Spring Valley Extention
- The Early Years - History
- Wiley Austin Branton Sr. (1923–1988)
- Facts about RCC
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