State University of New York at New Paltz
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
|
| Established | 1828 |
|---|---|
| Type | Public |
| President | Steven Poskanzer |
| Faculty | 294 |
| Students | 8,000 |
| Undergraduates | 6,000 |
| Postgraduates | 1,600 |
| Location | New Paltz, New York, USA () |
| Address | 1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY 12561 |
| Telephone | (845) 257-2121 |
| Campus | small town |
| Colors | blue and orange |
| Mascot | Hawks |
| Website | http://www.newpaltz.edu |
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. 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. It has been called the State University of New York at New Paltz since 1994. The University claims to be among the few US instituitions that have an undergraduate acceptance rate below 50%. The large number of applications are claimed due to the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley area, a larger female to male student ratio and New Paltz being considered politically liberal .
Contents |
[edit] History
The State University of New York at New Paltz is an exciting blend of tradition and vision. At its educational core is the ever- present belief in the importance of a liberal arts education. This served as the guiding principle at the time the university was founded, in 1828, and continues to aid in the preparation of students for transition into the global community today.
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.
[edit] Recent controversies
Since it became SUNY at New Paltz, the school has had a fair share of controversy attached to it.
[edit] Sexually explicit conferences on campus
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.
Political conservatives were outraged that a public university had hosted such events, and governor George Pataki and SUNY chancellor John Ryan expressed their displeasure. The controversy escalated when the Theatre Arts Department staged The Vagina Monologues shortly afterwards (although the play has been widely staged, including at some nearby Catholic colleges). 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.[1]
[edit] Same-sex marriage
While not directly related to the campus, the university community did play a supporting role in the 2004 same-sex weddings performed in the village. The officiant, Mayor Jason West's Green Party ticket had won election the year before largely with the help of the student population's vote, and since the village hall where the weddings took place is located across the street from campus many students turned up in support of West and the married couples. Some professors even canceled classes to allow students to attend events.
[edit] Proposed student militia
In 2006 several students heavily involved in New Paltz Student Government had proposed the formation of a militia. While they described its function primarily as a "defense organization", they also invoked students' right to keep and bear arms on campus.
Later, they clarified that they meant to be a watchdog organization over the campus police, whom they said were frequently violating students' rights, and that they would be as likely to carry camcorders as firearms. The police chief, Ray Bryant, suggested many students were just upset at stricter enforcement of marijuana laws.[2]. (The campus has long had a very active NORML/SSDP chapter).
Talk of the militia became less serious when the National Rifle Association backed away from supporting the students, and one, Justin Holmes, later described it as more of a "thought experiment" than a serious proposal. This was after appearing in an interview on the Fox and Friends program on Fox News.
[edit] Current Student Leader Controversy
Currently New Paltz is embroiled in a controversy involving Student Government President Justin Holmes, Student Body Vice-President R.J. Partington III, and former New Paltz Student, current President of the SUNY Student Assembly and member of the SUNY Board of Trustees Dan Curtis. The three students were charged with harassment by the University's Director of Residence Life, Corinna Caracci. The three students were also charged with 'Failing to Comply with an Official Request' to leave their offices in the school's Student Union Building to proceed through a security check, and Holmes was arrested for posession of a stolen sleeping bag.
Holmes, Partington, and Curtis have been suspended from the University for a year following a hearing on the Harassment case. Partington and Holmes intend to sue the school, claiming a bias and a lack of due process during their hearing. [3]
[edit] 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. The interim Student Body President is Jessica Coleman. The current head of Faculty Governance on campus is John Vanderlippe.
[edit] Famous alumni
SUNY at New Paltz boasts numerous talented alumni, including Congressman Maurice Hinchey, actors John Turturro, Aida Turturro, Michael Badalucco & Joan Chen, photographer Helen K. Garber, New York Post columnist Andrea Peyser, Fabrizio Moretti from the Strokes, rock musician Andy Shernoff, and New York Assemblyman Kevin Cahill.
[edit] External links
- SUNY New Paltz Official Website
- Wikipaltz - Unofficial student and alumni maintained wiki
| State University of New York Athletic Conference |
|---|
| Buffalo State • Morrisville State† • SUNY Brockport • SUNY Cortland • SUNY Fredonia • SUNY Geneseo • SUNY Institute of Technology • SUNY New Paltz • SUNY Oneonta • SUNY Oswego • SUNY Plattsburgh • SUNY Potsdam † beginning mid-2006 as provisional member |
