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| Type | Publiccommunity college |
|---|---|
| Established | 1963; 62 years ago (1963) |
| President | Anthony E. Munroe[1] |
| Students | 26,831 |
| Location | ,, U.S. |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | www |
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TheBorough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) is apubliccommunity college inNew York City. Founded in 1963 as part of theCity University of New York (CUNY) system, BMCC grantsassociate degrees in a wide variety of vocational, business, health, science, engineering and continuing education fields.
BMCC's original campus was scattered all overmidtown Manhattan, utilizing office spaces, hotel conference rooms, and various spaces throughout Manhattan. In the mid-1970s, CUNY began scouting for suitable property on which to erect a new campus of its own. The current campus has been in use since 1983.
Martin B. Dworkis was BMCC's first president.[2] Classes were originally held in part of the ground floor, the entire second floor, and part of the third floor of an office building at 131 West 50th Street inmidtown Manhattan. BMCC renovated the office space into classrooms and administrative areas, and it created its own entrance at 134 West 51st Street.[3] Fred Kelly, a graphic designer living inKew Gardens, designed BMCC's official seal.[4] BMCC's first classes were held in fall 1964.[5] During its first school year, 42 percent of its students were African American.[6]
Plans were announced for BMCC to have its own buildings to hold its classes in 1968. In 1974, theMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools determined that BMCC's physical facilities were "so inadequate as to defy description", and it said it would suspend BMCC's accreditation unless improvements were made quickly. The City University of New York's central administration evaluated BMCC the same year, and it found that student grades were inflated to such an extent that they were essentially meaningless. There was a ground-breaking ceremony on a new building for BMCC the same year. Because of the1975 New York City fiscal crisis, however, construction was suspended the next year.[7] In 1977, BMCC's president, Edgar D. Draper, was fired after he improperly persuaded a college association evaluation team to alter its report to show the college administration more favorably.[8] By 1980, BMCC's passing rates on nursing certification exams had significantly improved, and BMCC no longer had a financial deficit.[7] BMCC's new campus building opened in January 1983.[9] A 15-story building at 30 West Broadway was donated to BMCC in 1993 by Miles and Shirley Fiterman; the building was subsequently named Fiterman Hall in their honor.[10]
On the morning ofSeptember 11, 2001, BMCC's students, teachers, and staff members heard explosions coming from the direction of theWorld Trade Center, which was located just a few blocks away.Port Authority of New York and New Jersey used the gymnasium at BMCC's main building totriage survivors, and BMCC donated medical supplies from BMCC's Nursing Department to treat victims. The Port Authority set up generators at BMCC's main building, and the building became its command center. That afternoon,7 World Trade Center, across the street from BMCC's Fiterman Hall, collapsed, and the building fell onto Fiterman Hall, rendering the hall uninhabitable.[11][12] BMCC's staff worked constantly to restore Fiterman Hall and, on October 1, the building reopened for classes.[13][14] The hall was eventually demolished and a new building opened in September 2012.[15]
BMCC has also recorded a large rise in remedial education,[16] lack of freshman retention,[17] and overcrowding. Due to its larger base of capital compared to most other two-year colleges, expansion of new campuses during the rebuilding of Fiterman Hall was possible. Several trailers are still used as classrooms to help expand capacity. Internal programs have also been created or expanded to help with academic advisement, provide online access for registration, transferring to other colleges, and job placement.
BMCC also has a diverse student base,[18] some of whom had immigrated to America shortly before enrolling.[19] Among other issues are improving the retention and graduation rate, as well as the increased financial and academic burdens of a remedial program.
Borough of Manhattan Community College's four main campuses are in theTribeca,Civic Center, andFinancial District neighborhood ofLower Manhattan. BMCC occasionally hosts theTribeca Film Festival's ceremonies and films.[20] The main campus on 4.28 acres is located in Chambers Street, North Moore Street and covers a four block radius. It houses a swimming pool and gymnasium as well as technical facilities, computer laboratories, and a media centre.
The original Fiterman Hall opened in 1959 and occupied a block bounded by Greenwich Street, Barclay Street, West Broadway, and Park Place.[21] It had been the original location of King's College, before it was renamedColumbia University and moved toMorningside Heights.[22][23] Fiterman Hall was donated to BMCC in 1993 by Miles and Shirley Fiterman, for whom the building was subsequently named.[10][24] The building had previously been used as a bank, and CUNY had wanted to rent the building from the Fitermans, but they decided to donate the building to CUNY instead. It was the largest gift of a building to a community college in the United States, and it was the largest donation ever to CUNY. The building was renamed Miles and Shirley Fiterman Hall.[25] In 2000, theDormitory Authority of the State of New York, which owned the building, began a massive renovation to better adapt the building for classroom use.[26]
During the September 11 attacks, the building's structure was heavily compromised by debris from the collapse of7 World Trade Center, and the renovation was never completed. The building became unsafe to occupy because of exposed asbestos and mold growth. Since traditional demolition would result in an unacceptable environmental impact, the building was scheduled for deconstruction and decontamination as a part of the Lower Manhattan redevelopment project.[27]
Fiterman Hall was to be replaced by a new building designed by the architectural firmPei Cobb Freed & Partners[28] after the deconstruction, and was scheduled to be completed by February 2007.[29][30] However, environmental impact concerns and funding issues caused numerous delays. At a press conference at BMCC on November 13, 2008, city and state officials announced a new agreement that revised demolition and reconstruction plans through a funding agreement among New York City, New York State, and the City University of New York. In addition, approximately $80 million from an insurance settlement would be applied to the project's budget.[31] Under the plan, the building was demolished and rebuilt in November 2009,[32] and the new Fiterman Hall was completed in September 2012.[15][26][33]
College teams of the BMCC participate as a member of theNational Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). The Panthers are a member of thecommunity college section of theCity University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC). Men's sports include baseball, basketball, soccer and swimming; while women's sports include basketball, soccer, swimming and volleyball.[citation needed]
BMCC offers a large state-of-the-art recreation facility including a regulation basketball court,swimming pool, and weight room. There are active teams in many sports such ashandball,bowling,baseball,soccer, andbasketball. Sports teams compete in both theCUNY athletic system and the localNJCAA collegiate sports system. The women's basketball team has won numerous championships including the CUNY basketball championship and the regionalDivision III championships including placing third nationally in 2000 with a 21–3regular season record.[34] The chess team has won national awards. One of the most successful programs at BMCC is the men's soccer team with 6 consecutive wins at CUNY soccer championships, 1 regionalDivision III championship, and placing third in the NJCAA national championship in 2005.
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