College of New Jersey: 150 years of educational excellence, The

Mercer Business, Feb 01, 2005 by Meluso, Mary

The College of New Jersey's academic tradition began in 1855, when it was established by the state Legislature as the New Jersey State Normal School. It was the first teacher-training school in New Jersey and the ninth in the nation. Governor Rodman Price, who was sometimes called the founder of the New Jersey Normal School, promoted the idea of a training institute for New Jersey's teachers, and mobilized the support of influential state leaders

Originally located on Clinton Avenue in Trenton, the Normal School flourished in the latter 1800s by expanding both its academic offerings and physical facilities. In 1925, the first four-year baccalaureate degree program was established. This change marked the beginning of TCNJ's transition from a normal school to a teacher's college, and was accompanied by a change in physical surroundings. In 1928, a beautiful 210acre tract of land in Ewing Township was purchased as a new site for The College.

Graduate study was instituted at The College in 1947, and accreditation from various national associations was forthcoming in the 1950s. The enactment of the Higher Education Act of 1966 paved the way for TCNJ to become a multi-purpose institution by expanding its degree programs into a variety of fields other than education.

In the 1970s, a period of declining enrollments nationwide, The College decided to raise its already high standards by increasing selectivity. Since then, the academic profile of entering classes has continued to rise and, as a result, The College has become one of the most competitive schools in the nation.

In addition to expanding academically, the school was growing physically. By the mid 1980s, construction had been completed on a new 250-bed residence hall, new athletic and playing fields, and a new swimming pool. To recapture the Georgian Colonial architectural design of TCNJ's buildings in the 1930s, The College refaced the contemporary buildings erected between 1955 and 1975.

The restructuring of The College's programmatic mission began in 1985, when Governor Thomas Kean challenged state colleges "to join this nation's very best state colleges." He promised that if colleges would prepare plans for distinctive futures, and if consultants external to New Jersey supported those plans, he would do his best to fund their implementation. In 1986, The College was granted $2.8 million to increase its minority enrollment, to strengthen its academic programs and to attract potential students who typically leave the area for higher learning. As a result, The College began a major revision of its core curriculum, including unique humanities courses focusing on issues surrounding race, gender, class, ethnicity, morals and ethics.

While building a new academic structure, The College also revised the standards for accessing faculty performance. In 1995, The College adopted a 'teaching first" policy central to TCNJ's commitment to a high quality education.

In 1996, the institution changed its name to The College of New Jersey, in order to better reflect its broadened academic mission and service to the state of New Jersey.

Throughout the 1990s, The College of New Jersey constructed several state-of-the-art buildings, beginning with a new music building in 1993. Loser Hall became home to the Nursing Department and Admissions in 1997. The grand building also serves as a reception area for guests. The Business Department moved into its new building in 1999 and, in 2000, a new Biology building was erected. Also in 2000, construction began on a new Social Sciences complex.

The College approved both a new mission and academic structure in 2000. A charge to embrace diversity and the transformative power of education, the mission of The College is to be a national exemplar among educational institutions. To put the mission into motion, TCNJ instituted a new academic structure that offers quality education as well as several community-service initiatives. More than 50 liberal arts and professional programs are now offered through The College's seven schools: Art, Media and Music, Business, Education, Engineering, Culture and Society, Nursing and Science.

Today, TCNJ provides high-achieving students with a challenging undergraduate education and a rewarding residential experience, small classes and a prestigious faculty. TCNJ has been saluted nationally for its excellence in Money magazine, U.S. News and World Report, The Fiske Guide to Colleges, Barron's Profiles of American Colleges, and Peterson's Competitive Colleges.