The College of New Jersey
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- For information on the institution known as the "College of New Jersey" until 1896, see Princeton University.
Template:Infobox University2 The College of New Jersey, commonly called TCNJ, is a four-year public institution located in Ewing Township, New Jersey, a northern suburb of Trenton. It is ranked as the top public college in New Jersey, and repeatedly ranks high in national surveys comparing institutions of higher learning. The College of New Jersey has a 4 credit system where students take 4 classes a semester. The College of New Jersey maintains a liberal arts curriculum with a combination of core classes and general education.
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About The College of New Jersey
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Schools
More than fifty liberal arts and professional programs are now offered through The College's seven schools: Art, Music and Media; Business; Culture and Society; Education; Engineering; Nursing; and Science.
History
The College of New Jersey was established in 1855 by the New Jersey state legislature as the New Jersey State Normal School. Rodman McCamley Price, Governor of New Jersey, promoted the idea of a training institute for New Jersey's teachers and mobilized support among influential state leaders. Thus, the New Jersey State Normal School became the first teacher training institution in New Jersey, and the ninth in the United States.
For the first seventy-three years, the school was located in Trenton on Clinton Avenue. Beginning in 1925, the institution offered its first four-year baccalaureate degrees, and engaged on a transitional program of expansion. In 1928, a suburban tract of 210 acres (0.8 km²) was purchased in Ewing Township, New Jersey and preparations were underway to relocate the College.
Programs in graduate study were instituted in 1947, followed by 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 comprehensive institution by expanding its degree programs into a variety of fields aside from the education of teachers. By 1972, seventy percent of entering students were selecting non-education majors.
In 1996, the College of New Jersey adopted it current name, and in doing so raised a heated debate with Princeton University which was known as the College of New Jersey from its founding in 1746 until 1896. The administration at Princeton University sought injunctive and legal action to protect its claim on the name, but the action was subsequently dismissed.
Names over the years
- 1855 — New Jersey State Normal School
- 1908 — New Jersey State Normal School in Trenton
- 1929 — New Jersey State Teachers College and State Normal School at Trenton
- 1937 — New Jersey State Teachers College at Trenton
- 1958 — Trenton State College
- 1996 — The College of New Jersey
Athletics
The College of New Jersey is affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association and participates in athletics events as a Division III school. It is a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The mascot of the College of New Jersey is the Lion. TCNJ athletics is a source of pride for the school, as the Lions have racked up more 1st and 2nd place finishes in Division III championship games than any other school. Especially of note is the women's lacrosse and field hockey programs. Both are coached by Sharon Pfluger (who graduated from the school in 1982). The women's lacrosse team has played in the championship game an astounding 16 out of 20 possible times, winning 11 (although the 1992 title was later vacated), and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament 21 consecutive times (through 2005). In fact, from 1991 to 1996 the team went 93-1, going five straight seasons without a loss and even longer without a loss at home. The women's field hockey team is equally as impressive, having won 9 Division III crowns. The school's main athletic rival is Rowan University; nowhere is the hatred more evident than the annual Friday night football game. Rowan holds a 29-15-2 edge in the series, however, much to the dismay of the Blue and Gold. Home games are held at Lions Stadium, one of the premier athletic facilities in Division III. It holds 6,000 spectators and features a state-of-the-art AstroTurf playing surface. Lions Stadium has hosted multiple NCAA Tournaments and championship games, as well as the annual New Jersey Special Olympics.
Academics
The College of New Jersey offers a variety of degrees in over 50 liberal arts and professional programs, leading to one of the following undergraduate (baccalaureate) degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, and Bachelor of Science. It also offers graduate programs leading to the following degrees: Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Education, Master of Science, and Master of Science in Nursing.
The College of New Jersey offers programs in the following Majors: Accounting, Art, Art History, Art Teacher Preparation, Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Communications, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Criminology & Justice Studies, Digital Art, Early Childhood Education, Education of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Elementary Education, Engineering Management, English, English Teacher Preparation, Finance, General Business, Graphic Design, History, History Teacher Preparation, Interactive Multimedia, International Business, International Studies, Journalism, Management, Marketing, Mathematics & Statistics, Mechanical Engineering, Music Performance, Music Education, Nursing, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Sociology and Pre-Social Work, Spanish, Spanish Teaching, and Women's & Gender Studies.
Notable Alumni
- Christopher Smith (B.S., 1975) — United States Congressman
- Jim Florio (B.A., 1962) — Governor of New Jersey, 1990 to 1994
External links
- http://www.tcnj.edu/ – Official Website
- http://www.tcnjathletics.com/ – Home of TCNJ Athletics