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History of Hostos Community College
Hostos Community College was created by an act of the Board of
Higher Education on April 22, 1968, in
response to the demands of Puerto Rican and other
Hispanic leaders who urged the establishment of a college to
meet the needs of the South Bronx. In
September 1970, Hostos admitted a
charter class of 623 students at the site of a former tire
factory at 475 Grand Concourse. Enrollment grew rapidly to more
than 2,000 students by June of 1974. In
addition, the State Legislature acted to ease an
increasing space shortage by passing a special bill to acquire
the “500 Building” across the Grand Concourse
from the original site. In the
same year, Hostos was granted full and unconditional
accreditation following a highly favorable evaluation by the
Middle States Association.
The fiscal crisis of the mid-1970’s resulted in an effort to
merge Hostos with another institution as a cost-saving measure.
This effort was rebuffed by strong college
and community opposition, which led
the State Legislature to include a guarantee of Hostos’
existence in the Landes Higher Education Act,
passed on June 9, 1976. To meet growing
interest in the College, the campus
now has six buildings, three of which have been specially
designed to meet the institution’s
need. Hostos takes pride in its well-equipped
science, math, writing, and computer labs;
its excellent physical education
facilities; and its state-of-the-art
theatres.
Faculty and Students
As of the Fall 2002, 50.3 percent of the
full-time faculty hold doctorates and 45.5 percent have master's
degrees. The student population is diverse with nearly all
cultures represented, the majority identifying themselves as
being of Dominican, Puerto Rican, or of Central or South
American descent. Financial assistance is provided to all
eligible students, and nearly 90 percent receive some form of
Federal or State aid.
Accreditation and Affiliations
Hostos Community College is accredited by the
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the
Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York.
The College offers career programs
accredited by the New York State Education
Department, the Joint Review Committee on Education in
Radiologic Technology, and the American Dental
Association. The Allied Health programs are
accredited by the appropriate agencies, including the
American Dental Association and the
New York Department of Health.
In addition, Hostos Community College is a
member of the American Association of Community and Junior
Colleges, the American Council on Education, the Hispanic
Association of Colleges and Universities, the American Education
Research Association, the National Association for Bilingual
Education, and other professional and learned organizations
devoted to the advancement of education.
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