General Catalog 2007-2009
Institutional Overview, Heritage,
Mission, and
Goals
Overview
York College of Pennsylvania is a private-sector, independent institution of higher education, which focuses on offering baccalaureate degree programs in the arts and sciences, as well as professional programs. Students may also enroll in programs leading to the associate degree and the master’s degree in selected professional fields.
The College draws its 4,600 full-time undergraduate and 1,000 part-time and graduate students from some 30 states and 15 foreign countries. Typically, 45% of York’s freshmen hail from Pennsylvania, 20% from Maryland, 15% from each of the states of New Jersey and New York, and strong contingents from Virginia, Delaware, Connecticut, and other states.
The College occupies a 155-acre, park-like, suburban campus, in the rolling hills of the south central part of the state. York is an economically vibrant area, with a solid industrial base as well as productive service and agricultural centers. Close to the heart of “Pennsylvania Dutch” country and the spectacular Susquehanna River recreation area, York is one hour from Baltimore, two hours from Philadelphia or Washington, D.C., and four hours from New York City, Pittsburgh, or Richmond. Nearly half of its undergraduate students reside in college housing; others commute from their homes or live in rental housing in the vicinity of the campus.
York College envisions itself as a center of affordable academic excellence, and has consistently received favorable regional and national recognition for its success in offering a program of high quality at a tuition rate substantially lower than institutions of similar type, scope, and distinction. York’s effective control of tuition costs stems from its dedication to efficiency and from the long-term, generous support of the College by its friends in the York community and its alumni. This support has provided both superior physical facilities and permanent endowment resources sufficient to fund institutional scholarships and financial aid for needy students. York uses this fiscal strength in turn to provide a kind of “scholarship” to each of its students, in the form of relatively modest charges for tuition and campus housing.
York College is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and has specialized accreditation for its business, engineering, nursing, allied health, and recreation programs. Certification programs in education have been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Heritage
York College of Pennsylvania traces its institutional lineage to the York County Academy, which received its charter from the General Assembly of Pennsylvania on September 20, 1787, for the purpose of offering courses of instruction in “the learned and foreign languages, English, mathematics, and other useful branches of literature.” The Reverends John Andrews and John Campbell of St. John’s Episcopal Church played leading roles in the Academy’s establishment and the early years of its operation. For well over a century the York County Academy functioned as a center of classical studies and the fine arts, educating thousands of persons who became leaders in local and national affairs as well as in the professions of education, medicine, and law.
In 1929, the Academy merged with the York Collegiate Institute, a non-denominational sister institution which had been founded in 1873 by Samuel Small, a prominent businessman and philanthropist. In 1941, the trustees accepted the recommendation of the Institute’s President, Dr. Lester F. Johnson, that the charter be amended to provide for a two-year program at the junior college level. The new institution adopted the name York Junior College and appointed Dr. Johnson as its first president.
In the 1950s, the Junior College outgrew its physical facilities in the center of downtown York, and its academic capabilities advanced beyond the boundaries of a two-year program. Through the generosity of the trustees and other community leaders, a 57-acre site for a new campus was acquired and fund raising began to construct an entirely new and larger complex of campus buildings. In October of 1965, the new campus was dedicated, with words of commendation from then-Governor Scranton that the splendid new buildings testified to “private support and self-help at the local level.” The new facilities, along with yet another successful capital campaign, also made feasible the extension of the curriculum to a full bachelor’s degree program in 1968, leading once again to a change in the institution’s name, this time to York College of Pennsylvania.
In the last thirty-nine years the College has continued its advancement as a center for learning, scholarship, public service, and cultural affairs. Curricular resources have grown notably, providing increasingly diverse and sophisticated educational offerings that compare favorably with those of many universities. Campus acreage and facilities have expanded dramatically. Total enrollment now exceeds 5,000, with students coming from a widening geographic sphere. Yet, the full-time undergraduate enrollment of about 4,600 students, the emphasis on teaching excellence, and the increasingly high proportion of students residing on campus permit the preservation of the personal collegiate atmosphere that has characterized the York educational experience for more than two hundred years.
Mission of the College
To make available, at the baccalaureate and associate degree levels, high-quality academic programs, which include general education components appropriate for the program’s degree level and which cover a broad range of majors in professional and career fields as well as the arts and sciences;
To offer carefully selected master’s degree programs, which reflect the enrollment emphases of the undergraduate curriculum and the professional development needs of the region;
To create a teaching and learning environment characterized by individual attention to students, high quality classroom instruction, thoughtful application of relevant technology, encouragement of life-long learning, attention to critical thinking skills, and strict adherence to principles of academic honesty;
To provide York College’s educational programs with a superior degree of efficiency, in order to maintain the lowest feasible costs for students;
To attract applications from students from a variety of social, economic and geographic backgrounds, playing a special role in addressing the higher education aspirations of the people of York County;
To enroll principally students whose academic preparation places them in the broad middle to above average range of applicants for their intended degree programs, while remaining open to accepting some students who have demonstrated the capacity and motivation to succeed, even though they have not yet fully achieved their academic potential;
To provide educational opportunities for traditional-age, adult, full-time, and part-time students;
To facilitate the holistic development of students who devote full-time to their collegiate experience through their active participation in campus life;
To build and sustain a stimulating campus community that engages student interest and involvement in cultural, spiritual, sports, and recreational programs;
To provide appropriate enrichment activities for part-time and adult learners; and
To place at the service of the community to the extent feasible the College’s human and cultural resources and educational facilities.
Goals of the College
Outcomes Assessment
General education curricula, majors, and minors will reflect the institution’s mission and each will be defined in terms of intended learning outcomes; on-going monitoring of educational results shall be conducted, with the information obtained used to improve and revise relevant academic programs.
Other functional areas of College operations—library/learning resources, student affairs, business affairs, plant operations, athletics, fund-raising, alumni affairs, career services, admissions, and public relations—will also be directed to attain outcomes defined in relation to institutional mission and goals, and will be monitored and improved in response to the results attained.
Academic Programs
The College will develop new programs consistent with the College’s mission, regional economic development needs, and student interests, within the limits of available resources. While the principal program emphasis is on campus-based credit courses, the College seeks to be responsive to requests for academic experiences to be held off-campus, as faculty resources are available through the relevant academic departments.
Academic requirements are the same for all matriculated day and evening students, in their respective degree programs. All programs, including those offered off-campus or in conjunction with other institutions, maintain academic integrity consistent with the College’s standards.
Faculty
York College is a student-centered, teaching institution. Accordingly, most of a faculty member's time should be allocated to class preparation and instruction, the evaluation of student work and academic advising. The College encourages the scholarly development of faculty members, providing support for research and the preparation of publications. Every faculty member has the responsibility to advocate to students, colleagues, and the public the importance of intellectual curiosity and accomplishment. All full-time faculty members should be doctorally qualified or hold the relevant terminal degree in their fields. Faculty members are also encouraged to engage in activities which serve the needs of the community.
The College employs as adjunct (part-time) faculty
members persons who possess the master's degree or equivalent academic
credentials and who demonstrate the teaching skills required for full-time
faculty members. The College provides opportunities for adjunct instructors
to develop further as teachers and encourages their participation in
appropriate departmental activities and the campus community.
Admissions
The College Admissions Office admits an entering class of full-time bachelor's degree students with a combined average SAT score of approximately 1100, drawn principally from the upper two-fifths of the relevant secondary school graduation classes. The Admissions Office seeks especially students who have demonstrated ongoing participation and leadership in projects and organizations within the school and community. The Admissions Office is, however, sensitive to the adverse effect that cultural and socio-economic disadvantages have had on some applicants. It conducts special outreach programs and application follow-up steps for such applicants and places appropriately greater weight on demonstrated eagerness for self-improvement, school/community activities, and letters of recommendation.
Associate, master's degree and adult learner programs
admit students who are prepared to benefit from the curricular program in
which they seek to enroll.
Campus Life and Diversity
The College strives to foster a campus climate that sets a positive tone for learning and for healthy interaction, formally and informally, among College community members. In all aspects of academic and student life, College personnel strive to create an environment in which all persons interact harmoniously, demonstrating respect for the rights of others and commitment to academic freedom and freedom of conscience.
The College assists students who commit full time to higher education to develop intellectually, physically, socially, spiritually, culturally and professionally and, to that end, provides a comprehensive program of extracurricular activities. Part-time learners are provided with appropriate enrichment opportunities.
The academic affairs and student affairs components of the College collaborate to foster student participation in activities that support appreciation of diversity, growth in cultural understanding, improvement of skills for constructive human interaction, and commitment to personal fitness.
Structure and Governance
The Board of Trustees acts on broad policy matters and has final authority to define the College's mission and educational role. The President serves as chief executive officer and is responsible to the Board for the operation of the College. Line authority passes from the President to the administration and faculty. The College believes in involving trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, and students, both formally and informally, in shared governance processes.
A concerted effort is made to maintain an efficient administrative structure which facilitates responsiveness to the needs of the College and the people it serves. Cooperation among departments and the sharing of resources are emphasized in order to minimize bureaucratic barriers and duplication of effort. All employees are encouraged to work as a team to create a friendly, service-oriented ambiance on campus.
Facilities
The College prides itself on the attractiveness of its physical environment, providing well-maintained, accessible buildings as well as facilities needed for athletics and fitness. The goal is to have facilities which are proportionate to enrollment and adequately support the requirements of educational and co-curricular programs.
Financial Goals
The College is managed to ensure sufficient funds to
operate as a comprehensive regional college and adequate quasi-endowment
and plant fund reserves to provide financial aid to students and meet
capital needs for facilities renewal and expansion. The College observes
prudent budgeting, with a sensitivity to students’ and
families’ ability to afford private higher education of high quality.
Alumni
The College strives to cultivate strong, mutually beneficial, and lifelong relationships with its alumni. The College sponsors alumni programming and seeks from its alumni guidance, involvement and financial support.
Community Relations
The College endeavors to foster positive interaction with the surrounding community, while addressing York County’s higher education needs. The College provides physical facilities, educational and training programs, consulting services, as well as cultural and social activities to the community. Volunteer community service by faculty members, students, administrators, and staff is promoted throughout the campus.
The college participates actively in neighborhood
improvement organizations and initiatives that are focused on areas
contiguous to the campus.
York College of Pennsylvania’s address is in its name—York, Pennsylvania, a city of 50,000 situated in the heart of the Middle Atlantic population corridor. The campus is located on Country Club Road, two miles south of the city center’s Continental Square. The greater York area includes a total of more than 380,000 people.
York’s most exciting moment in history came during the American Revolution, when the British advance on Philadelphia caused the Continental Congress to relocate to York, making the town the capital of the nascent nation. During the winter of 1777-78, Congress convened in the York County Courthouse and adopted, among other important documents, the country’s first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, in which the official name, the United States of America, was used for the first time. Congress also proclaimed the nation’s first Thanksgiving holiday while in York, as a day of gratitude for the American victory at Saratoga.
Today, York is an economically diverse and dynamic area, with some of the country’s most fertile farmland as well as world-class enterprises, including manufacturing and headquarters facilities for several major companies, including York International, Harley-Davidson, Graham Packaging, and Dentsply International.
The campus is bordered by residential neighborhoods, a small shopping plaza, York Hospital, and a park. The campus complex includes:
Schmidt Library: In Schmidt Library, technology meets tradition. Information literacy, print and online collections, research, and instructional media are important daily priorities. Facilities and services include dynamic group study spaces, quiet study areas, laptop loans for use in the Library, comfortable lounge areas, wireless YCP network access throughout the building and in the outdoor courtyard, YCP archives, and special collections. The Schmidt Library Web provides important access for the YCP community on and off campus to books, periodicals, reference resources, subject specific research pages in the Library and scores of other academic and research libraries.
Melvin H. Campbell Hall: The facility contains lecture halls, science laboratories, a language laboratory, and general purpose classrooms. In 1999, a major renovation and expansion of chemistry laboratories created Campbell Hall’s Chemistry Wing. In 1995, the other classrooms, offices, and facilities in the building were completely renovated.
Appell Life-Sciences Building: Home of the Biological Sciences Department, the Life-Sciences Building contains ten laboratories, a theater, general purpose classrooms, faculty offices, and conference rooms.
Business Administration Center: Headquarters for the Department of Business Administration, the Center contains the main academic computer, microcomputer laboratories, classrooms, faculty offices, and the Glatfelter Telecommunications Center.
Information Technology: Information Technology provides state-of-the-art information systems to current faculty, students, and staff. All members of the York College community are assigned a network account that allows them to access file storage, networked programs, e-mail, the World Wide Web and printing. York College of Pennsylvania network services are provided by a variety of servers to desktop computers via campus-wide fiber optic network connecting all academic, administrative and residential buildings. In addition, 10 computer labs with 300 desktop computers running Windows provide access to over 450 software applications available on the servers.
McKay Hall: Acquired in 1996, and expanded in 1999, this 39,000-square-foot building provides specialized facilities for Nursing, Mechanical Engineering, and Sport Management. Located one block west of campus, McKay Hall includes faculty offices, general classroom space, a campus computer lab, and specialized laboratories for upper division nursing and engineering classes.
Evelyn and Earle Wolf Hall: Wolf Hall includes the latest technology for art, music and television. All instructional rooms are wired for television and computer applications. Its 60,000 square feet include music practice rooms; music and art studios for instruction; television control room, studios and edit suites; an advanced applications video, music and art computer facility; a 208-seat recital hall; the York College Art Galleries; and general purpose classrooms.
Grumbacher Sport and Fitness Center: This 165,000 square foot building includes a large field house as well as the Charles Wolf Gymnasium. It features a state-of-the-art fitness center, climbing wall, exercise rooms, natatorium, wrestling room, and other recreation facilities.
The Humanities Center: The Humanities Center is a newly remodeled building in the center of campus. It houses the Department of English and Humanities, the Department of History and Political Science, as well as general purpose classrooms, computer labs, and a café.
York College Theater: Completed during the 2007-08 academic year, the theater seats 750 and is well suited for dramatic productions, concerts, and lectures.
The Learning Resource Center: The Learning Resource Center is located in the lower level of the Humanities Center and offers tutorial assistance to students in writing and mathematics. In addition, the center coordinates supplemental instruction in certain disciplines as requested by classroom instructors, and offers a full range of study skills assistance for students. Students seeking assistance should contact the center to schedule an appointment with a member of the professional tutorial staff. Academic tutoring in other courses is also available, and students may contact the center for a list of qualified upperclassmen willing to work with students for a fee.
Bookstore: The bookstore, located in the Student Union building, offers an excellent variety of products that support academic work. In addition to being the source for all textbooks, providing both new and used books, the store provides a buy back system each semester to recycle unwanted books. The College logo is prominent throughout the store on clothing, glassware and academic supplies. The bookstore offers a variety of personal care items and services.
Robert V. Iosue Student Union: This facility contains the Johnson Dining Room which seats 600, Buechel Lounge, Alumni Hall, 1770s Room, the Spart’s Den, which regularly offers live entertainment, lounge areas, a snack bar, college bookstore and convenience mini-mart; MacDougal Lounge, conference rooms and offices for: Counseling Services, Career Services, Food Services, Student Senate, Campus Activities Board, Residence Life, WVYC-FM 99.7 Radio Station, Student Activities & Orientation, Student Newspaper, chaplains, Religious Activities, Math Cultural Affairs, and the Health Center.
Ray A. Miller Administration Building:
Located along Country Club Road, this office building
houses all of the operating support divisions of the College, including the
President’s Office, Admissions, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs,
Administrative Computer Center, Development and Business Affairs.
Brougher Chapel: This campus interfaith chapel serves as the center of worship for all faiths in the campus community. It is located on the northeastern corner of the campus near the president’s home and Springettsbury Avenue. In addition to the main worship area, it contains space for religious activities, meditation, counseling and appropriate events. The Catholic and Protestant Chaplain’s offices are located in the chapel as well.