The College of New Jersey
Encyclopedia
The College of New Jersey, abbreviated TCNJ, is a public
, coeducational university
located in Ewing Township, New Jersey
, a suburb of Trenton
.
Established in 1855 by an act of the New Jersey Legislature
, the institution was the first normal school
in the state of New Jersey and the fifth in the United States
. Originally located in Trenton proper, the college was moved to its present location in adjacent Ewing Township during the early to mid-1930s. Since its inception, TCNJ has undergone several name changes, the most recent being the 1996 change to its current name, from Trenton State College. The college is organized into seven schools, all of which offer four-year bachelor's degree
programs, and several of which offer master's degree
programs. A great deal of emphasis is placed on liberal arts
education via the college's general education requirements.
TCNJ has earned national recognition as a leading academic institution. According to U.S. News & World Report
’s latest annual rankings, TCNJ found a place near the top of the list in Best Regional Universities category for the northern region of the country. The 2011 edition ranks TCNJ as the number one public
and fourth overall school in the standings among both public and private institutions in its category. TCNJ is the only public school in the top 10. TCNJ has also earned recognition by the Princeton Review
for having a world-class library, an excellent quality of life and highly selective medical program; ranking it one of the country’s best institutions for undergraduate education. In 2011, TCNJ boasts the highest ranked undergraduate business program in New Jersey, according to Bloomberg Businessweek Survey of Best Undergraduate Business Schools.
mandating the creation of a state normal school, making the New Jersey State Normal School the first teacher training institution in New Jersey and the ninth in the United States. Prior to this, then-Governor
Rodman McCamley Price had actively promoted the notion of founding a training institute for New Jersey's teachers, and helped to mobilize support among influential state leaders:
For the first 73 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. The first building erected on the new campus was Green Hall, built in traditional Georgian colonial style. The majority of buildings now on campus reflect Green Hall's architecture. In 1996, in a move spearheaded by Harold Eickhoff, The College of New Jersey adopted its current name.
Programs in graduate study were instituted in 1947, followed by accreditation from various national associations 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, 70 percent of entering students were selecting non-education majors.
The College of New Jersey offers 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
. TCNJ also offers a 7 year combined B.S./M.D. (Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Medicine) program for graduating high school students in conjunction with University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
. Admission into this program is highly selective. This program offers guaranteed admission to UMDNJ upon completion of three years of undergraduate study at TCNJ and the maintenance of a minimum GPA (currently set at 3.5).
These programs are organized into one of seven schools:
Since the 1990s, incoming students are required to participate in the TCNJ First Year Experience, a large component of the liberal arts curriculum at TCNJ.
Faculty at TCNJ have also put on a number of successful programs that have had an impact on the scholarly and New Jersey communities. In 2005, English professors David Blake and Michael Robertson hosted a symposium celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Walt Whitman
's Leaves of Grass
. English Professor Lincoln Konkle hosted an International Thornton Wilder
Conference at TCNJ in 2008.
, Thailand
, Majorca, Spain
, or Johannesburg
, South Africa
.
In addition to this, all TCNJ students are encouraged to study abroad after completing a year's worth of credits from the school. The student must also be in good academic standing. The TCNJ Center for Global Engagement works together with TCNJ faculty to offer undergraduate students a wide variety of programs, from short-term, faculty-led study abroad programs to semester- and year-long programs in dozens of countries. Students in Spring 2011 are studying in over twenty countries on six continents.
A café serving Starbucks coffee
is located on the main level of the TCNJ library. Sandwiches, bagels, and other items are served in addition to beverages. Many students choose the café as a late-night study area. A similar café, known as the "Kineticart" is located in Armstrong Hall, the main engineering building. Breakfast foods and some lunch items are served here. It is located in the center of Armstrong Hall, and among the tables and chairs various engineering and science exhibits can be viewed.
The Brower Student Center is home to three different dining facilities. The "Fairgrounds" is located near one of the main entrances and is the smallest of the three. Because there are various couches and benches of the students center surrounding it, it does not have seating of its own. The Rathskellar or "Rat" is a restaurant and bar, where students can sit down to order meals from servers, including the famous "Kesselburger" (chili-cheese burger). Alcoholic beverages are served, and IDs are always checked. Also within the "Rat" is a stage where bands perform on various nights. Often there are special shows on the weekends, featuring different acts. On weekends there is also karaoke. The last dining facility is the student center food court and is colloquially referred to as "The Stud". Students can get food and other items at various stations, which they then bring to one of the registers to purchase. "The Stud" has the second largest quantity of seating out of the dining facilities (the first being Eickhoff) but during lunch it can get very full. Movies are also screened here on certain nights.
Nearby metropolitan areas such as Philadelphia and New York City
are an hour and a half or less away by train. Surveys of the student population indicate, however, that 80% of residential students remain on-campus for at least 3 weekends per month. TCNJ also has over 180 student organizations managed by the Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development. The Signal has been the college's newspaper since 1885 and wins awards almost annually. The Lion's Eye is the literary magazine on campus, distributed each semester and funded by the Student Activity Fee. Lions Television (LTV), founded in the spring of 2008, is TCNJ's first television network. And established in 2009, The Perspective is TCNJ's award-winning News Magazine.
Campus attempts at providing non-alcohol-related social events for students are numerous, including both on and off-campus activities such as musical and comedic performances. The College Union Board (CUB) sponsors visits by celebrities as well as movie showings, all of which are funded by the Student Finance Board. To help kick off each new fall semester, "LollaNoBooza" is held. This is a large carnival-like affair meant to be an alternative to a night of partying. In April 2011, TCNJ held its first Spring Carnival, called "Funival", which was put on by the Student Government, Student Finance Board, and College Union Board.
has a foot-hold at TCNJ, with roughly 13% of the student population belonging to a fraternity or sorority. The Greek organizations are governed by the Inter-Greek Council, whose purpose is to unite the members of the Greek community in spirit of mutual interest. It organizes and governs activities, highlights goals and opens lines of communication between the members of the organizations and the rest of the campus community. In order to join any Greek organization, students must have at least one semester's worth of TCNJ credits and be in good academic standing with a GPA of at least 2.75. The Inter-Greek Council recognizes 29 organizations; 16 sororities, 12 fraternities, and 1 coed organization.
The recognized Greek organizations at TCNJ are:
The building is home to all of the student organizations on campus, as well as the dining facilities that are run by Sodexo Incorporated and a campus bookstore. All recognized student organizations have an office or cubicle, or at least a meeting area. Most of these are located on the second level, but there are a handful located elsewhere. The student-run newspaper, for example, has both its business office and production room in the basement.
The building was named after former president Clayton R. Brower, who served as president during the time that TCNJ was referred to as Trenton State College. His wife, Hulianne Jerron Brower, was an active volunteer in the surrounding community.
and participates in athletics events as a Division III school. It is a member of the New Jersey Athletic Conference
and the Eastern College Athletic Conference
(ECAC). The mascot
is Roscoe the Lion
.
TCNJ's varsity teams are the top combined first- and second-place finishers of all 424 Division-III schools in the nation over more than 25 years.
The main athletic facility, Lions Stadium, holds 6,000 spectators and is home to the football
, field hockey
, lacrosse
, and intramural teams. The stadium opened in the fall of 1984 and featured the first North American installation of AstroTurf
's vertical-drainage system. This system prevents the "duck-pond effect" commonly seen with other artificial surfaces. In 2008, reports indicated that the turf contained higher-than-acceptable levels of lead and was subsequently removed. Now, the stadium is furnished with Tiger Turf, which is the first installation of the Trophy Turf in the United States. The stadium has hosted multiple NCAA tournaments and championship games, as well as the annual Special Olympics New Jersey
and the annual USSBA Central Jersey Regional marching band
competition.
The women's lacrosse team has played in the championship game 16 out of 20 possible times, winning 11 (though the 1992 title was later vacated) and qualifying for the NCAA tournament 21 consecutive times through 2005, highlighted by a 93-1 record from 1991 to 1996. The women's field hockey team has won 9 Division III crowns.
The TCNJ wrestling
team hosts the NCAA championships regularly and has placed in the top 20 nationally for 30 consecutive years, including 5 national championships (1979, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1987), 5 runner-up finishes, and numerous finishes in the top 5.
The TCNJ track and field
teams have also dominated the New Jersey Athletic Conference. Since the NJAC title was first contested in 1997, TCNJ has won the title — both indoor and outdoor — each year.
The David Sarnoff
museum, formerly located at Princeton Junction, is a new arrival to TCNJ. The collection detailing the life of NBC founder David Sarnoff
is now located in Roscoe L. West Hall.
Various art exhibits can be found in galleries at Holman Hall and the Art and IMM building. The exhibits feature the work of student artists, professional artists and local artists. The exhibits are updated regularly.
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
, coeducational university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
located in Ewing Township, New Jersey
Ewing Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 35,790 people, 13,171 households, and 7,980 families residing in the township. There were 13,926 housing units. The racial makeup of the township was 63.1% White, 27.6% African American, 0.3% Native American, 4.3% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 2.2%...
, a suburb of Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
.
Established in 1855 by an act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
, the institution was the first normal school
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
in the state of New Jersey and the fifth in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Originally located in Trenton proper, the college was moved to its present location in adjacent Ewing Township during the early to mid-1930s. Since its inception, TCNJ has undergone several name changes, the most recent being the 1996 change to its current name, from Trenton State College. The college is organized into seven schools, all of which offer four-year bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
programs, and several of which offer master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
programs. A great deal of emphasis is placed on liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
education via the college's general education requirements.
TCNJ has earned national recognition as a leading academic institution. According to U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
’s latest annual rankings, TCNJ found a place near the top of the list in Best Regional Universities category for the northern region of the country. The 2011 edition ranks TCNJ as the number one public
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
and fourth overall school in the standings among both public and private institutions in its category. TCNJ is the only public school in the top 10. TCNJ has also earned recognition by the Princeton Review
The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review is an American-based standardized test preparation and admissions consulting company. The Princeton Review operates in 41 states and 22 countries across the globe. It offers test preparation for standardized aptitude tests such as the SAT and advice regarding college...
for having a world-class library, an excellent quality of life and highly selective medical program; ranking it one of the country’s best institutions for undergraduate education. In 2011, TCNJ boasts the highest ranked undergraduate business program in New Jersey, according to Bloomberg Businessweek Survey of Best Undergraduate Business Schools.
History
The College of New Jersey was established on February 9, 1855 by an act of the New Jersey LegislatureNew Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
mandating the creation of a state normal school, making the New Jersey State Normal School the first teacher training institution in New Jersey and the ninth in the United States. Prior to this, then-Governor
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
Rodman McCamley Price had actively promoted the notion of founding a training institute for New Jersey's teachers, and helped to mobilize support among influential state leaders:
For the first 73 years, the school was located in Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
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
Ewing Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census, there were 35,790 people, 13,171 households, and 7,980 families residing in the township. There were 13,926 housing units. The racial makeup of the township was 63.1% White, 27.6% African American, 0.3% Native American, 4.3% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 2.2%...
and preparations were underway to relocate the College. The first building erected on the new campus was Green Hall, built in traditional Georgian colonial style. The majority of buildings now on campus reflect Green Hall's architecture. In 1996, in a move spearheaded by Harold Eickhoff, The College of New Jersey adopted its current name.
Programs in graduate study were instituted in 1947, followed by accreditation from various national associations 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, 70 percent of entering students were selecting non-education majors.
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
Academics
More than 50 liberal arts and professional programs are offered through the College's seven schools: Arts and Communication; Business; Culture and Society; Education; Engineering; Nursing, Health & Exercise Science; and Science.The College of New Jersey offers degrees in over 50 liberal arts and professional programs, leading to one of the following undergraduate (baccalaureate) degrees: Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
, Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree; the majority of work consists of prescribed music courses and study in applied music, usually requiring a...
, and Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
. It also offers graduate programs leading to the following degrees: Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, Master of Arts in Teaching
Master of Arts in Teaching
The Master of Arts in Teaching degree is generally a pre-service degree that usually requires a minimum of 30 semester hours beyond the Bachelor's degree. While the program often requires education classes in order to meet state licensure requirements, it emphasizes advanced course work in a...
, Master of Education
Master of Education
The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
, Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
, and Master of Science in Nursing
Master of Science in Nursing
A Master of Science in Nursing is an advanced-level postgraduate degree for registered nurses and is considered an entry-level degree for nurse educators and managers. The degree also may prepare a nurse to seek a career as a nurse administrator, health policy expert, or clinical nurse leader...
. TCNJ also offers a 7 year combined B.S./M.D. (Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Medicine) program for graduating high school students in conjunction with University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey is the state-run health sciences institution of New Jersey, United States. It has eight distinct academic units...
. Admission into this program is highly selective. This program offers guaranteed admission to UMDNJ upon completion of three years of undergraduate study at TCNJ and the maintenance of a minimum GPA (currently set at 3.5).
These programs are organized into one of seven schools:
- School of Arts and Communication
- School of Business
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences
- School of Education
- School of EngineeringTCNJ School of EngineeringThe School of Engineering is one of seven schools at The College of New Jersey , consisting of roughly 500 students centered in Armstrong Hall...
- School of Nursing, Health & Exercise Science
- School of Science
Since the 1990s, incoming students are required to participate in the TCNJ First Year Experience, a large component of the liberal arts curriculum at TCNJ.
Faculty at TCNJ have also put on a number of successful programs that have had an impact on the scholarly and New Jersey communities. In 2005, English professors David Blake and Michael Robertson hosted a symposium celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
Walter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse...
's Leaves of Grass
Leaves of Grass
Leaves of Grass is a poetry collection by the American poet Walt Whitman . Though the first edition was published in 1855, Whitman spent his entire life writing Leaves of Grass, revising it in several editions until his death...
. English Professor Lincoln Konkle hosted an International Thornton Wilder
Thornton Wilder
Thornton Niven Wilder was an American playwright and novelist. He received three Pulitzer Prizes, one for his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey and two for his plays Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth, and a National Book Award for his novel The Eighth Day.-Early years:Wilder was born in Madison,...
Conference at TCNJ in 2008.
Global programs
The College of New Jersey offers graduate programs in Education at a number of international locations. Currently students can complete a State of New Jersey Teacher Certification and earn a Master of Education degree while studying in BangkokBangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Majorca, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, or Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
In addition to this, all TCNJ students are encouraged to study abroad after completing a year's worth of credits from the school. The student must also be in good academic standing. The TCNJ Center for Global Engagement works together with TCNJ faculty to offer undergraduate students a wide variety of programs, from short-term, faculty-led study abroad programs to semester- and year-long programs in dozens of countries. Students in Spring 2011 are studying in over twenty countries on six continents.
Residence halls
First-year students at TCNJ are either given a room assignment in Travers/Wolfe Tower or Cromwell Hall. Second-year students live in New Residence, Allen Hall, Brewster Hall, Ely Hall, Norsworthy Hall, Centennial Hall, Eickhoff Hall and Decker Hall. There are currently plans to construct another building specifically for second-year housing. Upperclassmen typically live in Townhouses South, East or West, or in one of the two newly constructed apartment complexes; Phelps Hall and Hausdoerffer Hall. Upperclassmen may also live in one of the various College Houses that surrounds the campus. While first-year and second-year students are guaranteed on-campus housing; a lottery system provides housing to juniors and seniors. As a result, the percentage of resident students dwindles from 95 percent of first-year students to 50 percent of upperclassmen living on campus.Dining
There are currently seven dining facilities on the TCNJ campus as well as a convenience store and bookstore (where convenience store-like food and beverages are sold). Eickhoff hall houses the convenience store and the main dining hall, where students pay a door price and have access to buffet style food. There are several different sections within this dining hall, providing students with a variety of food and beverage choices. The late night dining hall is located between the Travers and Wolfe towers (freshman housing) and looks rather like a large diner. Flatscreen TVs are mounted among the couches and tables to provide entertainment while students eat.A café serving Starbucks coffee
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
is located on the main level of the TCNJ library. Sandwiches, bagels, and other items are served in addition to beverages. Many students choose the café as a late-night study area. A similar café, known as the "Kineticart" is located in Armstrong Hall, the main engineering building. Breakfast foods and some lunch items are served here. It is located in the center of Armstrong Hall, and among the tables and chairs various engineering and science exhibits can be viewed.
The Brower Student Center is home to three different dining facilities. The "Fairgrounds" is located near one of the main entrances and is the smallest of the three. Because there are various couches and benches of the students center surrounding it, it does not have seating of its own. The Rathskellar or "Rat" is a restaurant and bar, where students can sit down to order meals from servers, including the famous "Kesselburger" (chili-cheese burger). Alcoholic beverages are served, and IDs are always checked. Also within the "Rat" is a stage where bands perform on various nights. Often there are special shows on the weekends, featuring different acts. On weekends there is also karaoke. The last dining facility is the student center food court and is colloquially referred to as "The Stud". Students can get food and other items at various stations, which they then bring to one of the registers to purchase. "The Stud" has the second largest quantity of seating out of the dining facilities (the first being Eickhoff) but during lunch it can get very full. Movies are also screened here on certain nights.
Student life
Nearby metropolitan areas such as Philadelphia and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
are an hour and a half or less away by train. Surveys of the student population indicate, however, that 80% of residential students remain on-campus for at least 3 weekends per month. TCNJ also has over 180 student organizations managed by the Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development. The Signal has been the college's newspaper since 1885 and wins awards almost annually. The Lion's Eye is the literary magazine on campus, distributed each semester and funded by the Student Activity Fee. Lions Television (LTV), founded in the spring of 2008, is TCNJ's first television network. And established in 2009, The Perspective is TCNJ's award-winning News Magazine.
Campus attempts at providing non-alcohol-related social events for students are numerous, including both on and off-campus activities such as musical and comedic performances. The College Union Board (CUB) sponsors visits by celebrities as well as movie showings, all of which are funded by the Student Finance Board. To help kick off each new fall semester, "LollaNoBooza" is held. This is a large carnival-like affair meant to be an alternative to a night of partying. In April 2011, TCNJ held its first Spring Carnival, called "Funival", which was put on by the Student Government, Student Finance Board, and College Union Board.
Greek life
Greek lifeFraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
has a foot-hold at TCNJ, with roughly 13% of the student population belonging to a fraternity or sorority. The Greek organizations are governed by the Inter-Greek Council, whose purpose is to unite the members of the Greek community in spirit of mutual interest. It organizes and governs activities, highlights goals and opens lines of communication between the members of the organizations and the rest of the campus community. In order to join any Greek organization, students must have at least one semester's worth of TCNJ credits and be in good academic standing with a GPA of at least 2.75. The Inter-Greek Council recognizes 29 organizations; 16 sororities, 12 fraternities, and 1 coed organization.
The recognized Greek organizations at TCNJ are:
Brower Student Center
The Brower Student Center (BSC) is the student center on the campus. The BSC was originally built in 1976 and has continued to serve the students through the present day. The Brower Student Center seeks to provide on-campus activities for all the students of TCNJ as well as maintain partnerships within the community that accentuate the student and community experience. A game room is also located in the student center, complete with multiple pool tables, TVs with wiis connected, ping pong and other games.The building is home to all of the student organizations on campus, as well as the dining facilities that are run by Sodexo Incorporated and a campus bookstore. All recognized student organizations have an office or cubicle, or at least a meeting area. Most of these are located on the second level, but there are a handful located elsewhere. The student-run newspaper, for example, has both its business office and production room in the basement.
The building was named after former president Clayton R. Brower, who served as president during the time that TCNJ was referred to as Trenton State College. His wife, Hulianne Jerron Brower, was an active volunteer in the surrounding community.
Athletics
The College of New Jersey is affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic AssociationNational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
and participates in athletics events as a Division III school. It is a member of the New Jersey Athletic Conference
New Jersey Athletic Conference
The New Jersey Athletic Conference , formerly the New Jersey State Athletic Conference, is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Full members are located in New Jersey, track-only and football-only members are located in Connecticut and New York.-Member...
and the Eastern College Athletic Conference
Eastern College Athletic Conference
The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois...
(ECAC). The mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is Roscoe the Lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
.
TCNJ's varsity teams are the top combined first- and second-place finishers of all 424 Division-III schools in the nation over more than 25 years.
The main athletic facility, Lions Stadium, holds 6,000 spectators and is home to the football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
, field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
, lacrosse
College lacrosse
College lacrosse refers to lacrosse played by student athletes at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. In both countries, men's field lacrosse and women's lacrosse are played in both the varsity and club levels...
, and intramural teams. The stadium opened in the fall of 1984 and featured the first North American installation of AstroTurf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
's vertical-drainage system. This system prevents the "duck-pond effect" commonly seen with other artificial surfaces. In 2008, reports indicated that the turf contained higher-than-acceptable levels of lead and was subsequently removed. Now, the stadium is furnished with Tiger Turf, which is the first installation of the Trophy Turf in the United States. The stadium has hosted multiple NCAA tournaments and championship games, as well as the annual Special Olympics New Jersey
Special Olympics New Jersey
Special Olympics New Jersey is a not-for-profit, 5013 organization that provides sports training and athletic competition to children and adults with intellectual disabilities...
and the annual USSBA Central Jersey Regional marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
competition.
The women's lacrosse team has played in the championship game 16 out of 20 possible times, winning 11 (though the 1992 title was later vacated) and qualifying for the NCAA tournament 21 consecutive times through 2005, highlighted by a 93-1 record from 1991 to 1996. The women's field hockey team has won 9 Division III crowns.
The TCNJ wrestling
Collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the collegiate and university level in the United States. Collegiate wrestling emerged from the folk wrestling styles practised in the early history of the United States...
team hosts the NCAA championships regularly and has placed in the top 20 nationally for 30 consecutive years, including 5 national championships (1979, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1987), 5 runner-up finishes, and numerous finishes in the top 5.
The TCNJ track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
teams have also dominated the New Jersey Athletic Conference. Since the NJAC title was first contested in 1997, TCNJ has won the title — both indoor and outdoor — each year.
Museums and exhibits
The College of New Jersey is home to the KidsBridge Museum of Tolerance, located in Forcina Hall. This interactive museum teaches children to appreciate and tolerate racial and ethnic differences. While the museum does have employees of its own, many TCNJ students volunteer there.The David Sarnoff
David Sarnoff
David Sarnoff was an American businessman and pioneer of American commercial radio and television. He founded the National Broadcasting Company and throughout most of his career he led the Radio Corporation of America in various capacities from shortly after its founding in 1919 until his...
museum, formerly located at Princeton Junction, is a new arrival to TCNJ. The collection detailing the life of NBC founder David Sarnoff
David Sarnoff
David Sarnoff was an American businessman and pioneer of American commercial radio and television. He founded the National Broadcasting Company and throughout most of his career he led the Radio Corporation of America in various capacities from shortly after its founding in 1919 until his...
is now located in Roscoe L. West Hall.
Various art exhibits can be found in galleries at Holman Hall and the Art and IMM building. The exhibits feature the work of student artists, professional artists and local artists. The exhibits are updated regularly.
Publications
The Signal has been The College of New Jersey's student-run newspaper since 1855. It has won numerous awards, and has placed first many times in the General Excellence category (the highest category) for collegiate news publications at the New Jersey Press Association awards. The Seal is TCNJ's yearbook, which has been in publication since 1911. Both The Signal and The Seal are run almost entirely out of offices located in the Brower Student Center basement. TCNJ Magazine is another publication, covering both current campus life and alumni affairs. The Perspective, an openly left-leaning student news booklet, is the school's newest publication having been first published in 2010. The Perspective received funding from the Student Finance Board, but so far has no established publishing schedule (as opposed to other campus publications). On the literary side, The Lion's Eye and The Siren are both student-made magazines filled with poetry, prose and artwork by students.Notable alumni
- Holly BlackHolly BlackHolly Black née Riggenbach is an American writer and editor, best known for writing The Spiderwick Chronicles, a series of children's fantasy books she created with illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi.-Early life and education:...
(B.A., 1994), author of The Spiderwick ChroniclesThe Spiderwick ChroniclesThe Spiderwick Chronicles is a series of children's books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. They chronicle the adventures of the Grace children, twins Simon and Jared and their older sister Mallory, after they move into Spiderwick Estate and discover a world of fairies that they never knew...
series: Valiant : A Modern Tale of FaerieValiant : A Modern Tale of FaerieValiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie, is an 2005 urban fantasy novel by Holly Black. It is a companion to her earlier book Tithe : A Modern Faerie Tale, but can also be read as a stand-alone novel.-Plot Summary:...
; Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale; and Ironside: A Modern Faery's Tale, among others. - Lauren Breslin (B.A., 2008) — Arrested for sexual contact with a fourteen year old middle school student.
- Sheila CallaghanSheila CallaghanSheila Callaghan is a New York City-based playwright and screenwriter who emerged from the RAT movement of the 1990s. Her work is considered to be part of the downtown theater scene, and is known for its unusual use of language and narrative structure...
(B.A., 1995), award-winning playwright. - Jim FlorioJames FlorioJames Joseph "Jim" Florio is a Democratic politician who served as the 49th Governor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994, the first Italian American to hold the position...
(B.A., 1962), Governor of New JerseyGovernor of New JerseyThe Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
, 1990–1994. - Greg GrantGreg GrantGregory Alan 'Greg' Grant is a retired American professional basketball player.Growing up in a broken home, Grant worked in a fish market after high school...
, former NBA player. - Gerald LuongoGerald LuongoGerald J. Luongo is an American Republican Party politician, who served one term in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 to 2000, where he represented the 4th Legislative District.-Biography:...
(B.A., M.A.), one-term member of the New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General AssemblyThe New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
. - Tom McCarthyTom McCarthy (broadcaster)Tom McCarthy is an American sports broadcaster. He is the play-by-play announcer for Philadelphia Phillies television broadcasts...
(1990), radio play-by-play voice of the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. - Gene Hart (1952), Hockey Hall of Fame broadcaster and former play-by-play voice of the Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. - Tom ScharplingTom ScharplingTom Scharpling is an American radio host, comedian, television writer, producer and music video director. He is best known for hosting the weekly freeform radio call-in comedy program The Best Show on WFMU and for acting as a writer/executive producer for the TV show Monk.Scharpling is also noted...
, producer and radio host. - Christopher Smith (B.S., 1975), United States Congressman representing New Jersey's 4th congressional districtNew Jersey's 4th congressional districtNew Jersey's 4th Congressional District elects one member of congress by the first past the post method, it is currently represented by Republican Chris Smith. He has represented the district since 1981....
. - Ty TreadwayTy TreadwayTyrus Richard "Ty" Treadway is a game show host, actor and talk show host. Treadway had co-hosted Soap Talk with Lisa Rinna.-Biography:Ty was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey to Richard and Mary Lou Treadway...
, One Life to LiveOne Life to LiveOne Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
soap star and host of Soap Talk on Soapnet cable channel. - Madaline A. WilliamsMadaline A. WilliamsMadaline A. Williams was an American Democratic Party politician who was the first African American woman elected to the New Jersey Legislature.-Early life and career:...
(1894–1968), first African American woman elected to the New Jersey Legislature. - Geralyn WolfGeralyn WolfGeralyn Wolf is the twelfth diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Rhode Island in the Episcopal Church. Wolf was consecrated as bishop on 17 February 1996....
(M.A., 1971), Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode IslandEpiscopal Diocese of Rhode IslandThe Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the state of Rhode Island. It is one of seven New England dioceses that make up Province 1....
. - John E. Beake (1961), General Manager of the Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 1984-98. - Terry BradwayTerry BradwayRobert Terrence Bradway is the former General Manager of the New York Jets.Bradway worked in the personnel department for the Kansas City Chiefs prior to being hired as general manager of the Jets in 2001, and served in that capacity until his resignation in 2006. Bradway has remained with the...
(1975), General Manager of the New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 2001-2006. - Tom KraeutlerTom KraeutlerTom Kraeutler is a home improvement broadcast journalist and author.Kraeutler co-hosts the nationally syndicated “Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show” broadcast on more than 265 stations every weekend, with an audience of more than 4 million listeners. His home improvement tips are also...
, home improvement broadcast journalist and author.
See also
- TCNJ School of EngineeringTCNJ School of EngineeringThe School of Engineering is one of seven schools at The College of New Jersey , consisting of roughly 500 students centered in Armstrong Hall...
- List of American state universities