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Union College

Coordinates: 42°49′02″N 73°55′47″W / 42.81733°N 73.92968°W / 42.81733; -73.92968
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This article is about the Union College in New York. For other institutions of this or a similar name, see Union College (disambiguation).
Union College
File:Union subpg logo.png
MottoSous les lois de Minèrve nous devenons tous frères (French: “We all become brothers under the laws of Minerva”)
TypePrivate
Established1795
Endowment$400 million
PresidentStephen C. Ainlay
Academic staff
209
Undergraduates2,200
Location
Schenectady
,
NY
,
USA
CampusUrban
MascotDutchmen/Dutchwomen
Websitewww.union.edu
The architectural centerpiece of the Union campus, the Nott Memorial, is named after the college's president from 1804-1866, Eliphalet Nott.

Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York. In 1795, Union became the first college chartered by the Regents of the State of New York.[1] Officially chartered in 1795, the college can trace its beginnings to 1779. Certain that Burgoyne's defeat at Saratoga two years before would mean a new nation, several hundred residents of northern New York began the first popular demand for higher education in America. Local academic and clerical activists persisted in these efforts for sixteen years until the Regents of the State of New York recognized the school with the state's first charter. For its initial seventy-five years, Union was regarded among the top handful of colleges in America. [2] Known as the "Mother of Fraternities", Union spawned the first three Greek letter societies in America.

Today, Union continues to be rated among elite liberal arts colleges in the United States.[3] Number 40 in the 2008 U.S. News & World Report ranking, Union offers many programs encompassing the liberal arts and sciences. Nearly fifty percent of its 2,200 students are enrolled in science or engineering. The current student body is almost evenly split between males and females. A founding member of NESCAC (before withdrawing in 1982), Union fields Division III teams in the majority of its sports. Ice hockey, Division I, is the exception.

Union also has a rich history of alumni in politics.[4] United States President Chester A. Arthur, seven cabinet secretaries, fifteen United States senators, ninety-one members of the House of Representatives, thirteen governors, fifty important diplomats, more than 200 judges, forty missionaries, sixteen generals, and ninety college presidents, including the first presidents of the University of Illinois, the University of Iowa, the University of Michigan, Vassar College, Smith College, Elmira College are all alumni of Union College. Fellow graduates William H. Seward, well-known for his once-controversial purchase of Alaska, and Robert Toombs, served simultaneously as Secretaries of State, Seward for the United States and Toombs the Confederate States of America, an unusual distinction in American history.[5] Portraits of both currently hang side-by-side in the President’s House.

Union University

Union College, Albany College of Pharmacy, Albany Law School, Albany Medical College, Dudley Observatory, Graduate College of Union University, together form Union University, a historic linkage dating back to 1873 for graduate programs. Each member institution has its own governing board, is fiscally independent and is responsible for its own programs. [6]

Athletics

Union is home to a large and respected athletics department ([1]). The school competes in the Liberty League for all sports except Ice Hockey where the Men's and Women's Teams are both members of ECAC Hockey at the Division I level. Football is usually quite strong and maintains a long standing rivalry with RPI. Each Season the two schools compete for the Dutchman's Shoes. Additionally, the Men's Ice Hockey also has a strong rivalry with RPI. Union is also home to strong Women's Lacrosse, Soccer and Softball teams which are usually nationally ranked. The school also offers a number of club sports ([2]) supported by Student Activities including, Ultimate, Rugby, Ice Hockey, Cycling, Kendo, Ballroom Dancing, Curling, and Bowling.

Greek life

Union College is referred to as the "Mother of Fraternities" because many fraternities, including the first three in America, as well as three other national fraternities, were founded there. More fraternities have been founded at Union than at any other college or university. The Union Triad is a name given to the first three Greek letter social fraternities with a continuing record founded in America. They were the Kappa Alpha Society (1825) (the oldest fraternity in the nation), the Sigma Phi Society(the first to start a second chapter at another college) (1827) and Delta Phi (1827). The Sigma Phi is the only one remaining on campus, making it the oldest fraternity chapter in the nation. Many students (approximately 33%) choose to be a part of the Greek life on campus. There are nine fraternities that are a part of the Inter-Fraternal Council on campus. These fraternities are Alpha Delta Phi (AD), Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi),Chi Psi, (XY), Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE), Phi Delta Theta (Phi Delt), Psi Upsilon (Psi U), Sigma Chi (Sig Chi), Sigma Phi (Sig Phi), and Theta Delta Chi (TDX).

There are also three sororities on campus that are a part of the Panhellenic Council, Delta Delta Delta (Tri Delt), Gamma Phi Beta (Gamma Phi), and Sigma Delta Tau (SDT). The Multicultural Greek Council is also the governing body of five other Greek institutions: Alpha Phi Alpha, Phi Iota Alpha, Omega Phi Beta, Iota Phi Theta, and Lambda Pi Chi (In order of establishment date at Union College). The College recently hired a new Director of Greek Life who will oversee all aspects of Greek life in an effort to improve and unite the system. In addition he will help develop a new Greek Scholarship to be awarded to a member of the Greek system who displays need, outstanding contributions to Greek Life, academics, and philanthropic endeavors.

Minerva House System

One unique and distinctive part of campus life at Union is the Minerva houses. In recent years many houses on campus were taken over by the College in order to create the Minerva House system ([3]) (named for the Roman goddess of wisdom who appears on the college's shield). Each incoming freshman is randomly placed in a Minerva House for their time at Union. Each Minerva House has a yearly entertainment budget, and can plan activities and events for its members (Students from any Minerva House can attend events at any other house as well). Upperclassmen also have the option of living in their Minerva. The seven Minerva Houses are Beuth House, Blue House, Breazzano House, Golub House, Green House, Sorum House, and Wold House.

Theme Houses

As of September 2008, Union College has thirteen theme houses which are residential institutions each built around a specific theme. The houses are expected to contribute to the campus and local communities in ways directly related to their theme. Theme House Consortium (THC) is the over seeing body of all themes. THC meets weekly to discuss issues and release funds.

Sustainability and the Environment

Union College is committed to decreasing the impact that the campus community has on the environment ([4]). A number of efforts are aimed at operating in a sustainable way, and the primary group that coordinates activities is U-Sustain ([5]). President Stephen Ainlay has signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment ([6]), which sets Union College on the path toward documenting our current carbon emissions, followed by subsequent targets to reduce our emissions toward the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality. As a first step, the Student Forum ([7]) and the College Administration has committed the funds to purchase a fraction of the electricity use from pollution-free sources. The College has an aggressive recycling program, they generate solar power from PV panels, and faculty and students are actively engaged in determining the carbon footprint of the college and how to reduce it. An innovative program by food service has increased local and organic dining options including Ozone Café and there is new organic kiosk in Reamer Center. Finally, students can opt for eco-friendly apartments at 712 Roger Hull Place.

The Environmental Science and Policy Program ([8]) is the largest interdepartmental program at Union. The ESP curriculum provides a solid grounding in modern environmental issues, including science, technology, public policy, and economics. The program is designed for students with an interest in understanding and solving environmental problems, and courses provide students the opportunity to explore areas of environmental policy, environmental science, and environmental engineering. The program builds a solid foundation that then allows student entry to diverse fields such as environmental science or environmental management in the public and private sectors, education, business, politics, and law. A unique aspect of the program is that the curriculum is designed around the intersection of Engineering with the Sciences and Social Sciences. This means that some of the courses taken by Environmental Science students are taught by engineers, so these students learn about Engineering Solutions. The integration of engineering into the courses and curriculum is unique in a small liberal arts setting.

Notable professors, alumni, and students

References

  1. ^ http://www.union.edu/About/history.php A Brief History of Union College
  2. ^ http://www.union.edu/About/history.php A Brief History of Union College
  3. ^ "America's Best Colleges: Union College". U.S.News & World Report. Archived from the original on 2008-06-04. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
  4. ^ http://www.union.edu/Library/about/speccoll_notables.htm Union Notables
  5. ^ http://www.union.edu/About/history.php A Brief History of Union College
  6. ^ University Union College's description of Union University

42°49′02″N 73°55′47″W / 42.81733°N 73.92968°W / 42.81733; -73.92968

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