About the University
Rutgers,
The State University of New Jersey, is the premier public university of
New Jersey and one of the oldest and most highly regarded institutions
of higher education in the nation. With 50,000 students and more than 9,000
faculty and staff on its three campuses in Camden, Newark, and New
Brunswick, Rutgers is a vibrant academic community committed to the
highest standards of teaching, research, and service.
Colonial College Chartered
in 1766 as Queen's College, the nation's eighth institution of higher
learning, Rutgers is one of only nine colonial colleges established
before the American Revolution. Soon after opening in New Brunswick in
1771--with one instructor and a handful of students--the college was
caught up in the struggle for independence. During the war, classes
were suspended on several occasions as students, faculty, and alumni
joined the fight for freedom. That revolutionary legacy is preserved
today in the university's name; in 1825, Queen's College became Rutgers
College to honor trustee and Revolutionary War veteran Colonel Henry
Rutgers.
Land-Grant Institution By the mid-19th
century, the Industrial Revolution had brought sweeping change to
America--and to the liberal arts tradition in higher education. An act
of Congress established a system of state land-grant colleges to train
students in the mechanical arts and agriculture. In 1864, Rutgers
prevailed over Princeton to become the state's land-grant college, an
event that led to Rutgers' emergence as a modern institution of higher
learning. In 1880, the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station was
established to bring scientific rigor to farming practices. Over the
next several decades, Rutgers began offering graduate studies and
expanded its offerings in the sciences, including pharmaceutical (1892)
and engineering (1914) programs. In 1921, the College of Agriculture
(later Cook College and now the School of Environmental and Biological
Sciences) was founded.
New Jersey's State University In
1924, Rutgers College officially became Rutgers University, a
reflection of the institution's rapidly expanding number of schools and
academic programs. Early in the century, Rutgers had begun offering
educational opportunities to women when the New Jersey College for
Women (later Douglass College) was founded in 1918, and to adult
learners when University College was established in 1934. After World
War II, enrollment exploded as Rutgers admitted all qualified
candidates under the GI Bill. Rutgers was becoming an institution for
all people, and in 1945 and 1956, state legislative acts formally
designated Rutgers as The State University of New Jersey. A
flurry of expansion ensued. The University of Newark (now
Rutgers-Newark) joined Rutgers in 1946, followed by the College of
South Jersey (now Rutgers-Camden) in 1950. An ambitious building
program added libraries, classrooms, and student housing across the
three regional campuses. In 1969, Livingston College opened, providing
a coeducational residential experience with a special commitment to
diversity. Graduate education in the arts and sciences grew through the
establishment of the Graduate School-New Brunswick, the Graduate
School-Newark, and the Graduate School-Camden. Professional schools
were formed to serve students in the fields of business; communication,
information, and library studies; criminal justice; education; fine
arts; law; management and labor relations; nursing; planning and public
policy; psychology; public affairs and administration; and social work.
Meanwhile, as industry and government sought partners in solving
problems and advancing knowledge, the concept of the research
university emerged.
Major Public Research University In
1981, Rutgers adopted a blueprint for its transformation into a major
public research university. With increased support from state, federal,
and corporate partners, Rutgers' strength in research grew
dramatically. In 1989, in recognition of its enhanced stature, Rutgers
was invited to join the prestigious Association of American
Universities, an organization comprising the top 62 research
universities in North America. Today, professors and students work in
more than 180 specialized research centers, unraveling mysteries in
marine sciences, early childhood education, neuroscience, advanced
materials, climate change, nutrition, homeland security,
transportation, stem cells, and many other areas that can improve life
both in New Jersey and around the world. A 2007 major
reorganization of undergraduate education in New Brunswick
reinvigorated the undergraduate experience for both students and
faculty by combining the traditions and strengths of four undergraduate
liberal arts colleges--Douglass, Livingston, Rutgers, and
University--into a single School of Arts and Sciences.
With 27
schools and colleges, Rutgers offers over 100 undergraduate majors and
more than 100 graduate and professional degree programs. The university
graduates more than 10,000 students each year, and has more than
350,000 living alumni residing in all 50 states and on six continents.
Rutgers also sponsors community initiatives in all 21 New Jersey
counties. Universitywide, new degree programs, research endeavors, and
community outreach are in development to meet the demands of the 21st
century.
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