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 more than 56,000
students
and nearly 10,500 faculty and staff on its three campuses in New
Brunswick,
Newark, and Camden, 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
oldest 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
(now
Douglass Residential College) was founded in 1918, and to adult learners
when
University College was established in 1934. After World War II,
enrollment
exploded as Rutgers, still a private institution, 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 61 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 28 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.