Union County College (UCC) is an accredited, co-educational, two-year, public, community college located in Union County, New Jersey. As the first and oldest of New Jersey's 19 community colleges, Union County College has been serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College has four campuses situated in Cranford, Elizabeth, Plainfield and Scotch Plains. The College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The college offers more than 80 programs with degrees in Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Associate in Applied Science degree programs, and certificate programs provided by the Continuing Education program. It also offers distance education classes using the online Learning management system called Canvas from Instructure which allows students to gain credits toward degrees at their own convenience.
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History
Union County Junior College opened on October 16, 1933 in Roselle, New Jersey, with 243 evening students. With massive numbers of people out of work, there was strong pressure to educate people as a way to provide jobs; one account suggests that the official who "established Union County Junior College" was the Union county schools superintendent, Arthur L. Johnson, who was seeking ways for people to find employment and better themselves. According to one source, it was the oldest community college in New Jersey. Still, the college was "pitifully underfinanced" and rented space from a local high school. Its initial budget was $17,000 for the entire school. Its purpose at the time wasn't so much to teach undergraduates but to "provide jobs for unemployed teachers" during the Great Depression, according to historian Donald R. Raichle. An early administrator was Dean Hubert Banks Huntley. Raichle described the college's emerging mission was preparing "students in the first two years of college to make possible their later transfer to other colleges and universities. But funding problems became even more severe, and a lack of funds from the federal government in the middle 1930s forced a change back from public to independent status. Vocational training was emphasized; the curriculum catered to students who did not plan to further their education at four-year universities. The college was to have four distinct homes from its founding until 1983.
Twin challenges presented themselves in the next few decades: first, after World War II, returning soldiers bolstered by the GI bill swamped colleges and became a severe strain on resources in the late 1940s. In the 1960s, the college faced competing pressures from the "rapid proliferation of public community colleges in New Jersey." Career education became more varied, more sophisticated, more costly, according to Raichle.
By 1983, another major change happened. The college had grown to 6000 students. It merged with the Union County Technical Institute in Scotch Plains, and it once again became a public college with the official name of Union County College. The college's structure was established by state statute on August 17, 1982. Between its founding in 1933 and 2007, it taught 1,100,000 students, with large numbers of them advancing to four-year colleges and universities, and it has graduated more than 25,000 students as well. The merger was presided over by college alumnus Dr. Saul Orkin, who had been president since 1974; Dr. Orkin died the following year of a heart attack at age sixty.
In 1992, there were 4,000 full and part-time students in Elizabeth, and 6,500 students in Cranford and Plainfield. One report in the New York Times in 1997 noted that graduates from New Jersey schools often had relatively high default rates--high relative to other states and to the national average--nevertheless graduates of Union County college had a lower default rate (9%) than the national average of 10%. In comparison, three New Jersey schools had average default rates greater than 25% and were in danger of losing funding as a result. In the latter years of the first decade of the twenty-first century, an economic downturn caused admissions to swell, as students unable to afford pricier colleges descended on cost-effective alternatives such as community colleges; enrollment at Union County College was up 17% in 2010. And many students and families found that community colleges such as Union County college were attractive educational values.
Groups
Students
Enrollment
An estimate for all enrollment at all schools within Union County College, including diverse programs such as continuing education and others, was 37,000 in 2010. But of these, the undergraduate enrollment was approximately 13,000 (2009 data). Of undergraduates, comparable to national trends, there were more women (8388) than men (4813). There were slightly more part-time students (6413) than full-time students (6338). The student body is ethnically and racially diverse. Generally, most students who apply are accepted, although the college has been declining some applications recently because of space limitations; in recent years, the college accepts 86% of applicants; of these, about 36% choose to attend.
Student life
Since there are no dormitories, all students are commuters, unlike students who live in dormitories on campus. With the economic downturn of 2007-2010, students from wealthier towns who might normally go to "brand-name" colleges were attending Union County College, according to enrollment manager David Sheridan, who noted that community colleges have seen "big increases in enrollment" but found that many classes were "filled to capacity." The school works with students of varying capacities. For example, it accepted one student who had had learning issues in high school, and had a 1.9 grade point average, but with work and effort, and enrolling in extra courses during summers, he graduated with honors in biology in 2010 and has been accepted to Cornell University.
Traffic and parking
There is no full-time housing for the college so all students must commute to campus by bus, car, or sometimes by walking.
Parking spaces fill up quickly and between 9am and noon there are few spots available in the student parking lots.
However, there is overflow alternate parking at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church located at 250 Gallows Hill Road, Westfield, NJ 07090. The church lot can be accessed by exiting the Campus, turning right onto Gallows Hill Rd. and turning left approximately 200 feet from the College's main road into Holy Trinity's driveway.
Buses frequently stop at the Cranford campus and provide transportation to diverse points in Union county and elsewhere. Some nearby residents are irked when driveway access is blocked by student cars. The problem has officials whether the college could rent spaces at a parking facility and run a shuttle service between the garage and the school. To get a parking space for a semester, students are required to pay a fee.
Student parking at the Nomahegan parking lot will result in a ticket from the Union County Police beyond two hours as the park is reserved for recreation.
Clubs
Student-run clubs include:
Athletics
Union County College offers baseball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, volleyball, softball, cheerleading, men's and women's track, men's lacrosse and men's and women's golf. In September 2009, the men's soccer team won the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III National Championship by completing an eleven-game winning streak which included six straight playoff victories. After their victory, they were congratulated by college president Thomas Brown as well as two county Freeholders. Ten players of the 2009 national championship team belong to the Institute of Intensive English (IIE) Department. In 2009, the women's basketball team was undefeated and was ranked No. 8 nationally among Division 2 junior colleges. In October 1998, Union County Freeholders named Shane Walsh Field in memory of Shane Walsh, a player on the college's baseball team who died the preceding summer.
Academic honor societies
Honor societies include Phi Theta Kappa Iota Xi, Psi Beta, Mu Alpha Theta, Chi Alpha Epsilon Psi Chapter, Lambda Epsilon Chi, and Tau Alpha Pi. Phi Theta Kappa is the International Honor Society for two-year colleges. The Iota Xi Chapter has thus far been awarded Five Star Chapter recognition 29 years in a row.
Professors and faculty
The college hires numerous professors, teachers and educators for many positions. Professor Lawrence D. Hogan taught history at the college and wrote the "definitive book on black baseball" entitled Shades of Glory: The Negro Leagues and the Story of African-American Baseball, which received critical attention from The New York Times. During Black History month, Dr. Hogan partnered with former pitcher and first baseman, Robert Scott, to speak about the contribution of minorities to the sport. Biologist Thomas Ombrello led a nature walk around Fairview, and has taught biology and zoology at the college for 34 years.
Alumni
Many Union County alumni have become prominent. Alumnus Brian Sheekey was drafted to play baseball for the Detroit Tigers in 1972. Some have become philanthropists and donated substantial sums to the college. For example, coffee industry leader Edward Aborn, who helped develop instant coffee, donated to the college. Alexi Friedman was a specialist Navy fighter called a SEAL and pursued a degree in criminal justice at the college. The school is working to maintain ties with alumni; in 2011 it wanted to hear back from graduates regarding such questions as What are you doing now? and How did Union County College help you change your life? It maintains databases of alumni and wants to feature prominent alumni on its website.
Administration
- Personnel. Dr. Margaret McMenamin was invested as the President of the college on April 14, 2011. She succeeded departing president Thomas H. Brown. The college has hired professionals from business to staff important positions; in 2010, it hired telecommunications executive Ellen Dotto to be the Executive Director of College Relations. The school has a board of trustees. One former board member named Ethel Heim was notable for living to be 106 years old. The school notifies students about matters such as school closings, such as snow days, by posting information on its website as well as having a text-alert system.
- School calendar. Different schools host orientation programs and open houses throughout the year; for example, the Trinitas nursing school holds open houses including in October. The college hosts an orientation for students in January who are beginning classes in the spring semester. In May, the college hosts events to inform prospective students about matters such as course offerings and financial aid. The events are free of charge but students are urged to make appointments in advance and to bring in tax documents if contemplating applying for financial aid. Graduation is typically in the middle of May at the Cranford campus. The student with the highest grade-point average and earned the most credits at the college is awarded the Alumni Prize. Post-Day Awards are given to students, both full and part-time, who graduate and who exemplify the college's ideals of "scholarship, leadership, and service." The latter award is given to honor two students who, en route to their Union County College graduation fifty years ago, died in an automobile accident. While it is a two-year college and most students transfer to area colleges, the school does graduate some students in selected areas. In 2010, there were 900 graduates who specialized in more than 75 different academic disciplines.
Academics
Programs of study
The college awards degrees and certificates in numerous program areas.
Art
The Tomasulo Gallery has featured talented artists from New Jersey and elsewhere. In 2002, it displayed Nigerian-themed works by Morristown-based sculptor Bisa Washington entitled Down to the Bone. The college works with county officials to promote various arts programs such as the H.E.A.R.T. project (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) which gives grants to artists, historians, and local groups; the amount of funding in 2010 was $75,000. The county's Teen Arts Festival attracted almost 4,000 middle and high school students for a two-day interval of music and dance performance as well as art exhibitions and workshops. In 2006, it showcased seven photographers whose work focused on New Jersey areas such as Asbury Park and Newark Airport and was curated by Mary Birmingham.
Theater
Union County College had a professional theater company (The Theater Project), which has performed a wide variety of shows, including some of a political nature. For example, in 2008, it performed two plays relating to the presidency of George W. Bush described by the Suburban News as a "humorous" but "ultimately tragic commentary on political responsibility." In 2010, it did its first musical entitled Crowns with a four-weekend run from September through October in the Roy Smith theater on the Cranford campus. Theater groups sometimes get funding from county officials from grant programs; in 2010, the college received $2,100 to help pay for a dramatic performance of A Few Steps in a Stranger's Shoes which promotes understanding between students. Some productions attract reviews in the New York Times such as Rinne Groff's drama The Ruby Sunrise, which examined television's "allure and power." To celebrate the college's 75th anniversary, Jane Anderson's play about astronaut Christa McAuliffe in the Challenger explosion was performed in 2008.
Institute for Intensive English
The Institute for Intensive English provides a full-time program of intensive instruction in English for speakers of other languages. The purpose of the Institute is to enhance students' English language for work or academics. After placement testing, students enter one of six levels of instruction that matches their abilities. In Levels 1 to 4, students register for four courses to improve listening, speaking, reading and writing, and study skills. In Levels 5 and 6, students register for four courses: two core courses covering advanced structures, listening, conversation and study skills, an academic reading course, and an academic writing course. Students may enroll in an additional pronunciation and conversation elective. Upon completing each course, there is an exit test to assess proficiency. While enrolled in ESL courses, students may take some additional content area courses, depending on a student's level.
Nursing
The College offers a variety of options in nursing. The Trinitas School of Nursing and the Muhlenberg Harold B. and Dorothy A. Snyder Schools of Nursing are approved by the New Jersey State Board of Nursing and are fully accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission. Trinitas offers a generic program as well as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) to a registered nurse (RN) program. The LPN-to-RN Completion Program is designed for Licensed Practical Nurses who wish to return to school, but need to maintain their employment status. Classroom and clinical experiences are designed to meet the specific needs of the LPN. Trinitas had been using leased space in a converted warehouse in the Elizabethport section of the city of Elizabeth but after 1992 moved into a renovated utility building. There were 4000 full and part-time nursing students in Elizabeth in 1992. In one account, there were 2,000 nurses receiving further training at the Trinitas school in 2010. The Muhlenberg and Snyder program offers a day or evening track in nursing. Muhlenberg offers an Accelerated Program designed for individuals who have earned a BA or graduate degree in another discipline and wish to continue their studies in nursing. The nursing or clinical portion of the program can be completed in one year by attending from January to December as a full-time day student. Muhlenberg also offers an LPN-to-RN Career Ladder Program. After successful completion of an LPN transition course, the LPN program may be completed in two semesters.
Specialty programs
The college offers diverse specialty programs to meet the needs of many different publics. Here are a few selected programs:
- Sign language and Deaf Studies. Union County College offers two program tracks for students to choose from: the Associate of Art Degree or Certificate of Completion.
- Pharmacy technician programs. The college has offered programs called a Certified Pharmacy Technician program for area teenagers. The thirty-hour program prepares them to work as pharmacy technicians and to pass the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam.
- Contractor training. One course deals with the safe removal of paint containing lead.
- Industry-business institute. The college works with area employers to find job opportunities for students and graduates.
- Environmental awareness. It promotes environmental awareness by hiring David G. Brown II to be part of the Green Workforce Service Program which works with labor unions and other institutions to find job opportunities in the green field. It is working with public organizations and other municipalities on solar panel projects.
- Retail Skills. The institute hired Henri Baptiste to be the Employer Outreach Coordinator at the Retail Skills Center in the Jersey Garden Mall in Elizabeth, and he will help coordinate job opportunities for college students in the city of Elizabeth. It helps people find work in the retail firms and at malls. The center in the Jersey Gardens site helps people learn the skills necessary to be successful salespersons, and includes sales training with help from Union County College instructors; the college does not own the Retail Skills Center but is one of its sponsors, according to the New York Times.
- Continuing education. It has numerous programs for persons interested in keeping up-to-date on new technologies such as computers. A line up of courses included such topics as: Microsoft Windows, Business Chinese I, Build Your Own PC, Microsoft Office:Word, Ecel, PowerPoint and Access, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Spanish for Managers, Spanish for Health Care Professionals, Smart Couples Finish Rich, Investing for Income, Investing for Safety, Investment Planning for College and Other Educational Purposes, and Tax-deferred and Tax-free Investing. The college helps job seekers improve computer and job search skills. Many programs for senior citizens are provided free of charge.
- Voice-over work. The college has a course on doing voice-over work:
- Testing assistance. It helps students prepare for the High School Proficiency Assessment or HSPA via the office of continuing education.
Facilities
The college has facilities on four different campuses: Cranford, Elizabeth, Scotch Plains, and Plainfield.
Libraries
The Union County College Libraries are the Kenneth Campbell MacKay Library at Cranford, the Elizabeth I. Kellogg Library at Elizabeth, and the Plainfield Campus Library. With over 125,000 volumes in the combined collections, the libraries also subscribe to approximately 300 print journals, magazines, and newspapers. Approximately 30,000 full-text periodicals are available to students and faculty and others from 50 online subscription databases.
- MacKay library on the Cranford Campus serves as the main library at the College, with more than 100,000 volumes and more than 300 journal and newspaper subscriptions. There is a 38-seat information commons, a 28-seat hands-on library instruction room and ten study rooms. A collection of award-winning children's books known as the Stock Collection is available for the children of students, staff, and faculty.
- The Kellogg Library is located on the first floor of the Elizabeth I. Kellogg Building.
- The Plainfield Campus Library is located on the lower level of Building #1 on the Plainfield campus. Both the Kellogg and Plainfield libraries have more than 10,000 volumes and approximately 75 periodical subscriptions available for students doing research. These collections are tailored to support the curriculum offered on each campus.
Academic Learning Centers
The ALC provide academic support to the student population through tutoring and computer assisted instruction at all three campus locations.
Sperry Observatory
The William Miller Sperry Observatory, also known simply as the Sperry Observatory, is an astronomical observatory owned by the college and jointly operated with Amateur Astronomers, Inc. on the Cranford campus. It was named after William Miller Sperry, a Cranford businessman and co-founder of the S&H Green Stamps Company. The building was dedicated on May 16, 1967 by William Sperry Beinecke. 2010, with tight budgets, the group which shares uses of the facility, called Amateur Astronomers Inc., had discussions with the college about how to share expenses and resources. There were negotiations between the private group and the school about budgeting; the school owns the observatory and paid most of its expenses; when budgets got tight during 2009 and 2010, there was considerable pressure to use the facility for other purposes such as classrooms. There were many discussions, but by May 2010, the group and the college came to a "win-win" agreement about how to work together. Their new agreement will be in effect until July 2012. Amateur Astronomers, Inc. meets in Nomahegan Hall each month and sponsors talks on celestial topics.
Sidney F. Lessner Building
The Trinitas nursing school had been using a leased warehouse space in the Elizabethport section of Elizabeth. But in 1992, the school paid $2 million for the seven-story Elizabethtown Gas Company building in the downtown section, and then spent another $11 million renovating it. The new facility has a 3,100-square-foot (290 m2) auditorium with a stage and theatrical lighting, a lounge, a library, exhibition rooms and galleries, and represented a major expansion of the college in the city of Elizabeth.
Elizabeth I. Kellogg building
The Kellogg building on the Elizabeth campus houses the second largest nursing school in the United States. It has six stories and cost $48 million to build, and serves 8,300 students, including 2,300 enrolled in the nursing program. The building houses the new "Trinitas nursing school, the college's Industry Business Institute, continuing education offerings, lecture hall, and a state-of-the-art information commons and library" according to the Suburban News. A ribbon cutting ceremony to mark its opening was held in September 2009. It has a state-of-the-art simulation learning center. To enhance learning, some mannequins can be hooked up to simulate a pregnant woman, complete with fetal monitoring and models that "actually breathe" with simulated heart and lung sounds.
Kellogg Greenhouse and Historic Tree Grove & Arboretum
Next to the campus pond at the Sperry Observatory sits the Historic Tree Grove & Arboretum. Each tred is a seed-grown or cutting-grown offspring of a noteworthy historical tree. There are over seventy-five trees in the grove including a Robin Hood English oak and a Martin Luther King Jr. sycamore. In the Kellogg Greenhouse and the nursery near it on campus, seedlings of these trees are grown and eventually moved from the nursery into the grove. The seedlings are available to schools and historic organizations.
Finances
Budgets
Source: Union County College budget.
The budget in 2010 was approximately $66 million based on a count of 9,782 state fundable full-time equivalent students for the 2010-2011 school year, according to one report. It was based on an estimate of $6 per credit hour as well as other possible course fees. In addition, the school gets sizeable sums from the state of New Jersey, including funds to educate "disadvantaged New Jersey residents who would not be able to attend college without financial assistance and special support services"; according to one estimate, the college received $570,310 from the NJ Educational Opportunity Fund in 2010.
Tuition and expenses
Textbooks can be expensive; however, Union County College has launched programs in conjunction with college bookstores to make textbook rentals a viable alternative. Typically, students can rent a textbook for a semester at reduced cost, paying by cash or credit card or with financial aid funds, and may even use highlighters on the pages, but at the end of the semester must return the book in good condition or else face a steep fine. The school can offer scholarships via a Foundation to selected students and raises money sometimes by promoting gala events.
The college in the wider world
Competitors
The college competes with other areas schools for students, including other state-supported schools such as Kean University, Montclair State College, and New Jersey Institute of Technology. In an indirect way, it competes with private colleges such as Fairleigh Dickinson University. It also competes with schools which it brings students to, such as four-year colleges such as Rutgers. Last, while the college draws students mostly from Union County and charges in-county residents less tuition, it is often compared with similar county colleges across New Jersey in terms of performance, costs, and efficiency (see also New Jersey County Colleges).
Relations
It is a vital part of Union county, being a major employer as well as an engine for jobs and training. It hosts numerous functions, including political events.
- Political events. The college was the venue in 2008 for Governor Corzine to make a speech about budget shortfalls, including proposed toll hikes to relieve the state's budgetary mess. Former president Bill Clinton spoke at a rally at the college to rally support for democratic candidate Linda Stender.
- Speakers. It hosts speakers on diverse topics including ghost investigator Craig McManus.
- Volunteer work. In some instances, students provide training and educational services to the community; for example, five students in 2010 instructed the public about first aid practices in Gillette. The college offers programs in continuing education, including an Encore Careers initiative to help workers 50 years and older find new opportunities.
- Interaction with county officials. The school is well-connected with county officials and cooperates closely on many initiatives together. It sponsored a mobile paper-shredding program so that residents and students and others could "eliminate clutter in their homes" as well as "fight identity theft"; the shredder pulled up on a Saturday in April and Freeholder Chairman Deborah P. Scanlon notified the media. The college hosts events such as county police and fire department Pipes and Drums bands. When arts exhibits by teens are displayed in the college, then they are also displayed in legislative offices and promoted with the help of the county's office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs as well as its parks departments. Freeholder Daniel P. Sullivan, who has been a public official since 1995, has helped implement initiatives for senior citizens, including free courses at Union County College through the Senior Scholars Program. In addition, some political initiatives are managed with the help of the college; Freeholder Alexander Mirabella worked with the college to promote a "green educational curriculum" as well as teacher training programs to help people adjust to the emerging green economy. It works with Union County government officials on initiatives such as the New Jersey Historic Preservation Conference, including a large meeting on the Elizabeth campus of the college to explore architectural preservation.
- Rehabilitation efforts. It has partnered with the United Way and the County of Union's Department of Human Services to help formerly incarcerated individuals gain access to services and improve their lives.
- Relief efforts. When trouble struck the island of Haiti, the college's Elizabeth branch opened up a resource center to help Haitian immigrants and to provide services.
- Academic competitions for area high schoolers. Events such as the Science Olympiad are held at the college as well as the Teen Arts Exhibit and bridge-building competitions for students from area high schools. A recent competition had students building bridges using tongue depressors and glue, with bridges spanning more than four feet. Reporter Leslie Murray described the event:
- Relations with towns. During the budget shortfalls of the economic downturn, there have been strains between the college and the town of Cranford. The main campus is a part of Cranford but is a nontaxable entity, and when budgets got tight, the municipality met with college officials to try to seek solutions to the shortfalls. Cranford's Carolyn Freundlich met with college officials to explore cost-saving strategies such as sharing services as well as using the college's substantial expertise in certain fields. The city of Elizabeth is trying to improve its downtown area to be more of an attraction for college students, but many students stay away over concerns about crime; there have been efforts by city officials to try to improve the Little Colombia district of Elizabeth, which is a two block area along Morris Avenue near the train station, to be more appealing to students, possibly by having later hours of operation and offering free wireless service.
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