State University of New York at Plattsburgh

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SUNY Plattsburgh


Motto	A Proud Past, A Strong Future
Established	1889
Type	Public
President	John Ettling [1]
Staff	270
Students	6214 ^[1]
Undergraduates	5567 ^[1]
Postgraduates	650 ^[1]
Location	Plattsburgh, New York, USA
Campus	Micropolis, 265 acres (1 km²) maintained
Colors	Red and White
Mascot	Cardinal Burghy
Athletics	18 varsity teams
Website	www.plattsburgh.edu

The State University of New York College at Plattsburgh (also known as SUNY Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh State, or Plattsburgh State University) is a selective, four-year, public liberal arts college in Plattsburgh, New York.

1 History
2 More information
3 Location
4 Notable professors, alumni and former students
5 Campus media
6 Trivia
7 References
8 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Founding of the Plattsburgh Normal School

After decades championing for the cause of a Normal School for Plattsburgh, influential businessmen and former state politician Smith M. Weed formally proposed a bill on January 12, 1888.^[2] With the strong backing of Assemblymen General Stephen Moffitt the Plattsburgh Normal School bill was passed by both houses of the New York State Legislature and signed into law by Governor David B. Hill in June 1889.^[3] The Board of Directors adopted official bi-laws for Plattsburgh Normal School on September 2, 1889.^[4]

[edit] The Opening of Normal Hall

Plattsburgh Normal and Training School, early-1910s

At a meeting held on June 28, 1889, it was decided that the location of the new normal school would be on land known as "the former athletic grounds", bounded on the north by Court Street, on the east by Wells Street, on the south by Brinkerhoff Street, and on the west by Beekman Street.^[5] However these original plans were dropped in favor of a larger plot created by combining land on each side of Court Street west of Beekman Street, so that "Court street, one of the finest residence street in the village, leads directly to the main entrance".^[6] This is the same location where Hawkins Hall now rests on the current campus of SUNY Plattsburgh. ^{modern map}

The impressive structure, known as "Normal Hall", was constructed by Brown Brothers of Mohawk, New York, who also built the Court House in downtown Plattsburgh.^[7] Normal Hall was used both for classes and as a dormitory.

Plattsburgh Normal School officially opened with its first day of classes on the morning of September 3, 1890.^[8] The school's first principal was Fox Holden, former Superintendent of the Plattsburgh Union Graded Schools.^[6] Holden served for only three years, from 1890 until the first graduating class in 1892.

[edit] The Fire of 1929

Class of 1895

1925 yearbook

On January 26, 1929, a great fire completely destroyed the Plattsburgh Normal School. The fire started in the boiler room on a cold Saturday morning. Aided by high winds, the entire structure was fully engulfed in flames within a half-hour. Six children were rescued from the school by faculty members.

Classes resumed the following Wednesday at City Hall in downtown.^[9] By June of 1930 plans were presented for a new structure to replace Normal Hall. The new building would be twice as long and boast three times the capacity of the original building. Among its many modern features was a 1,000 seat auditorium.

The new structure was completed in 1932 and was named Hawkins Hall in honor of George K. Hawkins, the principal of Plattsburgh Normal School from 1898 to 1933.^[2]

[edit] State University of New York

Plattsburgh Normal School was renamed SUNY Plattsburgh when it joined the State University of New York system with its establishment in 1948. When the school became part of the SUNY system, it changed from a two-year teacher's institution to a selective, four-year, public liberal arts college.

During the 1960s and 1970s SUNY Plattsburgh, as well as the whole State University of New York system, underwent rapid growth.^{[citation needed]} Many of the more modern buildings on campus were constructed during this time period, including the Angell College Center, Feinberg Library, and several high-rise dormitories.

[edit] More information

Amity Plaza in front of the Angell College Center, 2006

SUNY Plattsburgh offers degree programs, primarily at the Bachelor's level, in over 60 areas of study. Nestled within the Champlain Valley, in the shadow of the Adirondack Mountains, and along the western banks of Lake Champlain, the college is home to approximately 6,000 students and 300 faculty.

Plattsburgh maintains the original goals of the Plattsburgh Normal School in the form of a well-regarded education department and a nursing program. All degree programs are offered within three academic divisions: Arts and Science; Education, Health and Human Services (including the SUNY Plattsburgh Auditory Research Laboratories); the School of Business and Economics.

Amity Plaza, 1990

SUNY Plattsburgh is also notable for its pioneering environmental science program, its communications and media program, its national championship hockey team, and its large art museum.

Plattsburgh State was the first college in the SUNY system to offer an environmental science program; one of the best in North America, which is popular with the many students who choose to attend Plattsburgh for its close proximity to the Adirondack Mountains. The region provides further advantages for students enrolling in Plattsburgh's Bachelor's program in Expeditionary Studies.

The Men's Hockey and Women's Hockey teams are perennial powerhouses in the NCAA's division III. The men's team has won the national championship title several times, with the women's hockey team making it to the Frozen Four numerous times. The Plattsburgh State Art Museum is considered a "Museum Without Walls" and includes the Rockwell Kent Gallery (repository of the bulk of the work of American painter Rockwell Kent), a large open-air sculpture park, and a number of works by other well-known artists including Pablo Picasso and Auguste Rodin. The college also offers an extensive Canadian Studies program through the Center for the Study of Canada. About 1,200 students — approximately 20 percent of the undergraduate population—have taken required Canadian Studies courses, the highest percentage of any college in the United States.^[10]

[edit] Location

Plattsburgh State is within close proximity of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. The campus is less than a ninety minute drive from the city of Montreal, Canada.

A ferry to Grand Isle, Vermont is also a short 15-minute drive from the campus, making a trip to Burlington, Vermont an hour away from Plattsburgh. Many SUNY Plattsburgh students are avid skiers and snowboarders as evidenced from the popular Adirondack Experience Program or ADX. ADX often facilitates trips to Whiteface Mountain and Titus Mountain.

[edit] Notable professors, alumni and former students

Dave Annable, Actor. Reunion (2005), Brothers & Sisters (2006-present)- Former Student
Dawn Fratangelo, Reporter, NBC News-Alumna
Nancy Kress, science fiction writer, Hugo Award winner for Beggars in Spain^[11]-Alumna
Tim Robbins, Oscar-winning actor (The Shawshank Redemption, Mystic River)^[12]-Former Student
Anthony D. Weiner, U.S. Congressman New York 9th District^[13]-Alumnus

[edit] Campus media

Cardinal Points - Student-run newspaper.
Plattsburgh State Television - Student run television station.
WQKE 93.9FM - Student run radio station named The Quake focusing on underground music of all genres.

[edit] Trivia

Often mistaken for Hawkins Hall, the structure on the left side of the current SUNY Plattsburgh seal is the central tower of the original Normal Hall (1889-1929).
Peter Frampton's classic rock hit song Do You Feel Like We Do, from the best-selling album Frampton Comes Alive! was recorded live on the campus of SUNY Plattsburgh on November 22, 1975.^[14] This Student Association sponsored concert was held at Memorial Hall.
On July 10, 1976, the campus of SUNY Plattsburgh served as the official staging area for the United States Olympic Team before leaving for the 1976 Summer Olympics in nearby Montreal, Canada. President Gerald Ford visited the college campus to address the 425 Olympic athletes outside the Plattsburgh State Field House.^[15]^[16]
In 1904, Plattsburgh Normal College was shut out by Potsdam Normal College in a collegiate basketball game by a score of 123-0.^[17]
During the early 1990s, Playboy magazine ranked SUNY Plattsburgh as one of the top party schools in the nation.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c Fall 2006, "Building on our Success", Plattsburgh Magazine 7 (3): 16-18
^ "A Normal School At Plattsburgh", The Plattsburgh Sentinel, January 13, 1888, p. 1.
^ "Got It At Last! A State Normal School To Be Located At Plattsburgh", The Plattsburgh Sentinel, June 21, 1889, p. 1.
^ "The Normal School", The Plattsburgh Sentinel, September 6, 1889, p. 1.
^ "Plans For New Normal School Are Presented", The Plattsburgh Sentinel, June 24, 1930, p. 2.
^ ^a ^b "The State Normal School At Plattsburgh", The Plattsburgh Sentinel, August 1, 1890, pp. 1.
^ "A New Essex Co. Railroad", The Plattsburgh Sentinel, August 1, 1890, p. 8.
^ "Successful Opening of the New Normal School", The Plattsburgh Sentinel, September 5, 1890, p. 1.
^ "Plattsburgh State Normal School Destroyed By Fire Saturday", The Plattsburgh Sentinel, January 29, 1929, p. 3.
^ Zaidi, Noor. "Oh Canada! It's More Than Just Hockey And Beer." Columbia Spectator. December 3, 2004.
^ Nancy Kress' official homepage (accessed 10 Dec 2005)
^ Tim Robbins' New York Times biography (accessed 10 Dec 2005)
^ Anthony Weiner campaign blog (accessed 10 Dec 2005)
^ Crowe, Cameron (1976). Do You Feel Like We Do. In Frampton Comes Alive [CD liner notes]. Santa Monica: A&M Records.
^ Reinhold, Robert. "Ford Gives Olympic Athletes a Send-Off", The New York Times, July 11, 1976, p. 1.
^ "Ford speech in Plattsburgh" (Reprint), The Press Republican, December 28, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-01-02.
^ Conner, Floyd (October 1, 2001). Basketball's Most Wanted. Brassey's. ISBN 1-57488-361-5.

Skopp, Dr. Douglas Richard ^[3] (1989). Bright With Promise: From the Normal and Training School to SUNY Plattsburgh: 1889-1989; A Pictorial History. Norfolk, VA: Donning Press.

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 44°41′36″N, 73°27′59″W

State University of New York Athletic Conference
Buffalo State • Morrisville State^† • SUNY Brockport • SUNY Cortland • SUNY Fredonia • SUNY Geneseo • SUNY Institute of Technology • SUNY New Paltz • SUNY Oneonta • SUNY Oswego • SUNY Plattsburgh • SUNY Potsdam ^† beginning mid-2006 as provisional member