About Hostos

EUGENIO MARÍA DE HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE: ITS MISSION

Named after the 19th-century Puerto Rican patriot and educator, the College was established in 1968, opening its doors to its first class of 623 students in 1970. The College has grown to about 5,100 students and occupies a six-building campus on 149th Street and Grand Concourse, one of the most accessible and convenient locations in the Bronx. One of six community colleges in the City University’s 23-campus integrated system, Hostos offers associate degree programs in the liberal arts and sciences and a variety of career-specific fields. There are programs for bilingual students and for students who are monolingual in English or Spanish.

The mission of Hostos Community College is to offer access to higher education leading to intellectual growth and socio-economic mobility through the development of linguistic, mathematical, technological, and critical thinking proficiencies needed for lifelong learning and for success in a variety of programs including careers, liberal arts, transfer, and those professional programs leading to licensure.

The College takes pride in its historical role in educating students from diverse ethnic, racial, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds, particularly Hispanics and African Americans. Key to its mission is the provision of transitional language instruction for all ESL learners along with Spanish/English bilingual education to foster a multicultural environment for all students.

COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMS
The Hostos & Columbia Global Scholars Program is an academically challenging honors program designed to prepare students with a strong interest in bilingualism for careers in international affairs and national security. Hostos graduates who are admitted into the Columbia University School of General Studies and School of International & Public Affairs will be eligible to continue in the program. Initially conceived by Congressman José E. Serrano, the Global Scholars Program is funded by grants from the United States Departments of State, Education, and Defense. Study Abroad Programs provide opportunities for CUNY students, faculty, staff, and public school teachers to increase their understanding of the history, culture, and language of other countries and communities throughout the world. Our partners in these programs include universities in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Spain, and Cuba. The Hostos-Lincoln Academy of Science, an early college secondary school on the Hostos campus, is a collaboration between the New York City Department of Education and The City University of New York. Using the College as a resource for classroom instruction, the Hostos-Lincoln Academy provides students with enrichment experiences that promote their success at the secondary level and college level.

ACCREDITATION AND AFFILIATIONS
Hostos Community College is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the Board of Regents 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.

THE FACULTY
Hostos Community College has a full-time faculty of 174, of whom 56.3 percent hold a doctorate or the University equivalent. Adjunct faculty number 157. Professional and full- and part-time support staff total 469.

SELECTED FACULTY AWARDS AND HONORS:

Bronislaw Czarnocha, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Mathematics Department - National Science Foundation Research in Mathematics

Isaac Goldemberg, M.A., Distinguished Professor, Humanities Department - Renowned poet, playwright, and fiction writer, recipient of multiple awards

Carl J. Grindley, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, English Department - National Endowment for the Humanities – Summer Stipends (2008) - Award for Dedicated Teaching and Promising Scholarship in the Field of Medieval Studies, 28th Annual Medieval and Renaissance Forum, Plymouth State University (2007)

Jerilyn Fisher, Ph.D., Professor, Language and Cognition Department, and Coordinator of Women´s Studies Option - Interviewed by ICCD for the joint ICCD-American Association of Women in Community College’s Outstanding Women Leadership Series (2007)

Debasish Roy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Natural Sciences Department - Reviewer for the British Journal of Cancer and International Journal of Cancer.

In addition, other faculty members from the Language and Cognition Department have been recognized by Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, including Associate Professor Robert Cohen, Assistant Professor Lewis Levine, Associate Professor Kim Sanabria, and Assistant Professor Minerva Santos.

THE STUDENTS
In fall 2007, Hostos enrolled 5,112 students; 43.5 percent of these students attended part time, making the number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) 3,447. Females account for 71 percent of the student body, and 97.6 percent are members of minority groups: 58.2 percent are Hispanic, 31.7 percent are African-American, 2.4 percent are White, 4.1 percent are Asian, and 3.7 percent are other. In terms of employment, 58 percent of our students work full-time or part-time while attending college, and 33 percent support children. As for national origin, 55.1 percent were born outside of the United States. They speak 75 different languages and come from 112 different countries. Over-all, 45 percent of Hostos students are the first in their family to attend college.

THE CAMPUS
Hostos currently occupies several facilities at 149th Street and the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. One of these buildings, at 475 Grand Concourse, houses the Hostos-Lincoln Academy High School and several chemistry and biology laboratories, as well as administrative offices and attendant class-rooms. Adjoining and integrated with the 475 Grand Concourse facility is the Shirley J. Hinds Allied Health and Science Complex. Dedicated in December 1990, this addition has received several architectural awards. The structure contains a modern library with an online bibliographic system, and state-of-the-art laboratories for the college's programs in Radiologic Technology, Chemistry, Biology, and Physics. The building at 500 Grand Concourse contains the Dental Hygiene Program and dental clinic, class-rooms, academic and administrative offices, and the administrative computing center. This facility is currently undergoing a phased renovation, which began in the summer of 2003.

THE FINANCES
Hostos Community College’s annual operating budget for 2008-2009 is nearly $40 million, funded through the State of New York, the City of New York, and tuition and fees. Tuition is $1,400 per semester for full-time students who are residents of New York State, and $190 per credit for non-residents. There is an additional technology fee of $100 for full-time students and $50 for part-time students.

THE COMMUNITY
Hostos Community College, in addition to offering degree programs, is determined to be a resource to the South Bronx and other communities served by the College by providing continuing education, cultural events, and expertise for the further development of the communities it serves. Some offerings are free; most are available at a reasonable cost.

The Hostos Community College Foundation promotes the goals of this institution by organizing support provided from the community and beyond. The Board of Directors encourages assistance through gifts, scholarships, subsidies, endowments, grants, bequests, and other funds.

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