Ulster County Community College (henceforth referred to as SUNY Ulster) is a two-year college of the State University of New York. The College offers more than 50 academic programs that prepare students for various career, academic and industry-specific credentialing opportunities.
SUNY Ulster also offers student support services including peer and professional tutoring in many disciplines, as well as career and transfer counseling, and a variety of opportunities including internships, arts programming, student clubs, athletics and study abroad.
Financial aid, including grants, scholarships, and student loans, is available to those who qualify.
Vision Statement
SUNY Ulster is committed to improving lives by fostering intellectual growth, cultural enrichment, and economic prosperity.
Mission Statement
SUNY Ulster is a comprehensive community college dedicated to providing high-quality and cost-effective learning experiences that meet the educational, professional, and individual goals of our students. Responsive to the broader economic and regional needs of our community, SUNY Ulster prepares students for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow in a diverse, every-changing and interconnected global community.
SUNY Ulster’s complete Mission, Values, Vision and Goals statements are available in the SUNY Ulster Board of Trustees Policy Manual here.
Institutional Learning Outcomes
SUNY Ulster has established a set of Institutional Learning Outcomes, which guide and inform all of its academic, student, administrative and community endeavors, services and responsibilities. The institution holds itself accountable to these outcomes, assesses its success in achieving them, and uses this information to continuously pursue growth and improvement.
When a student graduates from the College, he/she will be competent in the following learning and thinking skills:
- Communication and Expression. The student communicates clearly and can express himself/herself effectively; he/she can interpret the words and/or actions of others thoughtfully and logically. The student engages in conversation and discussion, paying attention to audience, situation, and cultural content. The means of communication and expression may be written or oral, verbal or non-verbal, informational or artistic.
- Informational Literacy. The student recognizes when information is needed and can locate, critically evaluate, synthesize, and communicate information in various formats. He/she uses appropriate resources and technologies and understands the social, legal, and ethical issues about access to information as well as its use.
- Quantitative and Technological Literacy. The student can use complex problem solving skills, technological skills, and mathematical reasoning to address problems. He/she is proficient with computers and the internet and has the ability to analyze and use numerical data.
- Creative, Critical, and Analytical Thinking. The student reaches decisions and conclusions based on appropriate materials and problem solving through analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of that information. He/she demonstrates intellectual curiosity and an aesthetic awareness.
- Community/Global Consciousness and Responsibility. The student demonstrates personal integrity and good interpersonal skills. He/she is aware of cultural diversity, the values of citizenship, ethics social justice, and environmental sustainability.
The College Seal
The College seal symbolically represents the historic area in which SUNY Ulster is located and the academic aspirations of the College. The date 1961 indicates the year in which the College came into being as a legal entity by virtue of a public referendum of the citizens of Ulster County. The open book is symbolic of the importance the College places on education. The ship represents Henry Hudson’s voyage on the Half Moon, which began the era of European settlement. The sheaf of wheat emphasizes the importance of agriculture in Ulster County. The Huguenot Cross recognizes the background of the early French settlers in Ulster County. The eleven stars represent the first eleven states of the Union, with the large star representing New York State, the eleventh state of the Union. Truth from learning - Wisdom from truth - is the College’s motto.
Historical Background
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, many citizens of Ulster County felt a need for the development of a community college, and with the overwhelming public support expressed in a November 1961 referendum, Ulster County Community College became a legal entity. The College’s Board of Trustees met for the first time on April 15, 1962. From that date, the development of the College moved forward rapidly.
Ulster County Community College began its first academic year in September 1963. Classes were held at a temporary campus in the historic Ulster Academy Building in Kingston, NY. Two years later, 48 students received their degrees at the College’s first graduation. In 1965 ground was broken for the College’s main campus at Stone Ridge, and in 1967 the first classes were held at the new permanent location. The College has conferred in excess of 20,000 degrees and has served over 400,000 students through its credit and noncredit offerings.
Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc.
Established in 1976, the Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 not for profit corporation operating under New York State law for the benefit of SUNY Ulster and its students. Through the support of friends and alumni of the College, businesses, civic organizations, and members of the campus community, the Foundation manages more than eight million dollars in assets that support student scholarships, technology, and a broad range of educational and cultural programming.
In collaboration with the College and under the auspices of the Foundation Board of Directors, the Foundation continues to expand its initiatives to raise funds in support of degree programs and workforce training through its professional education courses. More than three million dollars in scholarships has been given to more than 5,000 students since the Foundation’s inception, with more than 250 scholarships awarded each year. In addition to scholarships, the Foundation provides annual support to the College from other donor-established funds created to enhance programs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), the Arts, and SUNY Ulster’s Nursing Program. The Foundation also contributes to a full calendar of special events on the Stone Ridge campus open to the community.
Student Success
Graduates from SUNY Ulster’s Transfer Programs consistently succeed at four-year colleges and universities with a final performance level no different from, and in many cases higher than, students who began their education at the four-year schools.
According to the most recent Graduate Follow-Up Survey, 80 percent of respondents reported that they had transferred to another institution or were employed in a field related to their education.
Student Profile
SUNY Ulster students represent a diversity of backgrounds, goals, age, gender, culture, abilities and ethnicity. Student enrollment by demographic is available here.
Student Right-to-Know
In compliance with the Student Right-to-Know Act of 1990, SUNY Ulster makes the completion and transfer rates of a selected group of students available to all current and prospective students. Student consumer information, including the completion and transfer rates of first-time, full-time students can be accessed with the College’s Consumer Information here.
Accreditations
SUNY Ulster is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, 215: 662-5606; www.msache.org. The Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Commission on Recognition of Post-secondary Accreditation. Since SUNY Ulster is a unit of the State University of New York, the curricula have been approved by the SUNY Board of Trustees and are registered with the New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Education Building, Albany, NY 12234, 518: 474-3852; www.highered.nysed.gov. The College is authorized by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York to award certificates, diplomas, and degrees of Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Associate in Applied Science. Curricula are registered by the New York State Department of Education and are approved by the New York State Education Department for the training of veterans. The College is approved for holders of New York State scholarships, and the College’s Nursing Program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, Georgia 30326, telephone 404.975.5000, fax 404.975.5020, www.acenursing.org. In addition, the College’s Engineering Science Program is affiliated with the Two-Year Engineering Science Association (TYESA) and the Association of Engineering Colleges of New York State (AECNYS), and the Veterinary Technology Program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Nondiscrimination Notice
Pursuant to State University of New York policy, SUNY Ulster is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs and activities, without regard to an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the SUNY Ulster community, including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests, may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law, treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.
SUNY Ulster’s policy is in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination and harassment. These laws include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as Amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972, and the New York State Human Rights Law. These laws prohibit discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment and sexual violence.
Information about SUNY Ulster’s Nondiscrimination Policy, and contact information for inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and other laws, regulations and policies prohibiting discrimination is available here.
Inquiries may also be directed to the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
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