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 transforms 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 prepare students for the challenges and opportunities in a diverse, ever-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 Goals
SUNY Ulster will:
- Provide superb learning experiences to maximize student success through educational programs, campus facilities, and support services.
- Ensure a cycle of continuous institutional reflection, innovation, and renewal in order to respond and adapt to the changing needs of the College, students, employers and the external community.
- Engage and sustain active, intentional outreach to maximize equity and accessibility across the institution.
- Demonstrate uniform accountability by ensuring institutional controls to determine the allocation of resources.
- Commit to environmental sustainability through the conscientious use of resources.
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.
The Ulster Community College Foundation, Inc. was formed in 1976 and incorporated in 1996 to raise community awareness and funding to assist SUNY Ulster in areas of promise and opportunity for our students. The Foundation is the bridge between SUNY Ulster students, their education, and our community. The Foundation and our donors provide over $400,000 annually in scholarships that include a broad spectrum of academic criteria. Since inception, more than 7,000 students have received more than $5,300,000 in scholarships. The Foundation also provides funding for cultural events, funding for technology, and support for academic program enhancements. SUNY Ulster students and alumni are encouraged to visit our website www.sunyulster.edu/foundation and join our alumni community of Facebook.
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 Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) , www.msche.org. MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary 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’s Office of Higher Education 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, http://www.regents.nysed.gov/. Curricula are approved by the New York State Bureau of Veterans’ Education, https://veterans.ny.gov/content/bureau-veterans-education for the training of veterans, and the College is approved for holders of New York State scholarships https://www.suny.edu/smarttrack/types-of-financial-aid/scholarships/.The College’s Nursing Program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), , www.acenursing.org, and the Veterinary Technology Program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), https://www.avma.org. In addition, the College’s Engineering Science Program is affiliated with the Two-Year Engineering Science Association (TYESA), https://www.tyesa.org/..
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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