Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC): A Comprehensive Profile

Located in the heart of New York City, the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) stands as a vibrant and accessible institution, embodying the dynamic spirit of its surroundings. BMCC’s main campus is in downtown Manhattan at 199 Chambers Street, with a satellite campus uptown at CUNY in The Heights on 5030 Broadway. Surrounded by Tribeca’s cultural hub, the energy of Wall Street, and the enduring promise of the Statue of Liberty, BMCC provides affordable, high-quality education, preparing students for real-world success.

Mission and History

The City University of New York (CUNY) defines its mission through two themes: academic excellence and providing access to higher education. BMCC was founded in 1963 and opened in 1964 as a small, primarily business-oriented, community college offering programs aimed at the midtown business community. During the next two decades, the mission of the College changed in response to the advent of the City University’s open admissions policy in 1970 and in response to the emergence of new technologies and changes in business and industry. Open admissions significantly extended higher educational opportunities to thousands of students, many of them non-traditional. After BMCC relocated in 1983 to its new building at 199 Chambers Street, the programs of the College became more diversified and reflected many of the emerging new technologies.

BMCC opened in 1964, initially focusing on business careers and liberal arts education for transfer students. By 1974, enrollment had grown significantly, necessitating a new campus downtown on Chambers Street. Construction was halted due to the 1976 fiscal crisis but resumed, and the college occupied its new home in 1983. The new campus is home to the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, which houses three theaters, including the largest theater in lower Manhattan. Athletic facilities include an intercollegiate-size swimming pool and a gymnasium, which can be divided into three regulation-size basketball courts.

In 1993, BMCC received a significant donation: a 15-story office building at 30 West Broadway from Miles and Shirley Fiterman. Damaged on 9/11 when World Trade 7 fell against it, the building was razed and replaced by the new Fiterman Hall, which opened in Fall 2012. The new Miles and Shirley Fiterman Hall, a 14-story building designed by the architectural firm of Pei Cobb Freed and Partners and built by Hunter Roberts Construction, increased BMCC’s classroom capacity by about a third.

Funds for the deconstruction and rebuilding of Fiterman Hall were made possible by a public/ private partnership involving Community Board 1 in Lower Manhattan, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, the Office of NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, The City University of New York and others.

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The Impact of 9/11

On the morning of September 11, 2001, BMCC's students, teachers, and staff members heard explosions coming from the direction of the World Trade Center, which was located just a few blocks away. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey used the gymnasium at BMCC's main building to triage survivors, and BMCC donated medical supplies from BMCC's Nursing Department to treat victims. The Port Authority set up generators at BMCC's main building, and the building became its command center.

Campus and Facilities

The campus, situated on 4.28 acres, became occupied in January 1983. The modern structure, spanning four blocks from Chambers Street to North Moore Street, is equivalent to the Empire State Building lying on its side (minus the tower). The College has 71 classrooms, eight seminar rooms, numerous laboratories, and three lecture halls.

BMCC offers convenient campuses in vibrant locations that enhance the college experience. The main campus is located in downtown Manhattan at 199 Chambers Street, with a satellite campus uptown at CUNY in The Heights on 5030 Broadway. Home of the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, BMCC also provides state-of-the-art facilities with modern classrooms, specialized labs, a competitive-size swimming pool and student-centric spaces.

The campus library, named after the African American labor leader and social activist A. Philip Randolph (1889-1979), contains about 90,000 volumes of books, over 150 print magazines, over 139,000 electronic journals, magazines and newspapers, over 1 million e-books, and 175 databases.

BMCC also boasts an intercollegiate-size swimming pool and a gymnasium that can be divided into three regulation basketball courts.

Other Features of BMCC:

A day-care center
A state-of-the-art conference center
An art gallery
A Media Center containing HDTV television and audio studios, multi-media labs and networked post-production facilities
A comprehensive college bookstore
A performing arts center featuring three theatres
Three dining facilities
Production facilities for television programs
Human Patient Simulation Lab

The Western side of the main campus building is located at the Hudson River.

The Media Center

Since its inception, the BMCC Media Center has been among the finest and most technically current in the country. Its mission is to serve the students, faculty, and staff of BMCC-and the community at large-by providing high-quality media production and distribution services.

This multi-million dollar resource supports the academic and professional training programs of the College. The Center provides a full inventory of audio-visual support equipment for your use in conference rooms and lecture halls as well as teleconferencing, media production, and duplication services.

The campus is wired for closed circuit television distribution and operates specialized lab facilities for multimedia development, graphic design, and broadcast quality video editing. The Media Center has 2 HD TV studios, 2 AVID, Graphics, Protool Digital Media Labs and Audio Studio for students majoring in Video Arts and Technology (VAT).

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The BMCC Media Center produces original video and television programming for the College, the University and outside clients. The Center’s staff is comprised of accomplished media and educational professionals who are dedicated to bringing to the students, faculty, and community a high level of media services in support of the mission of the College and the University.

Off-Site Programs

The purpose of BMCC’s Off-Site Programs is to bring the College to the community. BMCC wants to expand possibilities and serve the needs of students who want access to higher education. The Off-Site Programs provide students with more options and greater convenience by offering classes at a variety of locations throughout the city during day, evening and weekend hours. Off-site classes are offered at six locations: Inwood/Washington Heights, Harlem (7th Avenue and 125th Street) State Office Building, Brooklyn College, Lehman College, John Jay College, and St. John’s University-Manhattan Campus. Students can take one course or a full schedule of classes at our off-site locations. This is an ideal opportunity for busy people juggling work and family responsibilities. BMCC also maintains an administrative presence at all sites.

Academics and Programs

BMCC stands out with over 60 academic programs, offering unparalleled pathways to professional-technical degrees, continuing education, and seamless transfers to prestigious senior colleges. BMCC now offers a wide range of degree programs, including:

Accounting
Accounting for Forensic Accounting
Art Foundations
Animation and Motion Graphics
Biotechnology Science
Business Administration
Business Management
Childhood and Bilingual Childhood Education
Children and Youth Studies
Communication Studies
Community Health Education
Computer Information Systems
Computer Network Technology
Computer Science
Criminal Justice
Critical Thinking and Justice
Data Science
Digital Marketing
Early Childhood Education
Economics
Engineering Science
Ethnic Studies
Financial Management
Gender and Women’s Studies
Geographic Information Science
Gerontology
Health Information Technology
History
Human Services
Liberal Arts
Linguistics
Literacy Studies
Mathematics
Mathematics and Science for Secondary Education
Modern Languages
Multimedia Programming and Design
Music
Nursing
Paramedic
Political Science
Psychology
Public and Nonprofit Administration
Public Health
Respiratory Therapy
School Health Education
Science
Science for Forensics
Science for Health
Secondary Education in Social Studies
Small Business Entrepreneurship
Sociology
Theatre
Urban Studies
Video Arts and Technology
Writing and Literature

The College also offers certificate programs in:

Accounting Certificate Program
Cybersecurity Certificate Program
Health Informatics
Practical Nursing Certificate Program
Spanish Translation for the Health, Legal, and Business Professions, as well as many non-degree programs offered through Adult and Continuing Education.

BMCC offers top-tier associate degrees in STEM, business, criminal justice, and nursing, plus flexible scheduling options-day, evening, weekend, online, and hybrid.

Our commitment to academic excellence is upheld by our faculty who are not just educators but pioneers in their fields.

Accreditation Issues

In 1974, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools determined that BMCC's physical facilities were "so inadequate as to defy description", and it said it would suspend BMCC's accreditation unless improvements were made quickly. The City University of New York's central administration evaluated BMCC the same year, and it found that student grades were inflated to such an extent that they were essentially meaningless.

Student Support and Services

BMCC welcomes everyone from recent high school graduates to seasoned professionals, all seeking intellectual growth in a supportive learning community. Our success programs and robust services, including academic advisement, financial aid, child care, tutoring, and counseling, empower students to reach their goals.

Athletics

College teams of the BMCC participate as a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). The Panthers are a member of the community college section of the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC). BMCC offers a large state-of-the-art recreation facility including a regulation basketball court, swimming pool, and weight room. There are active teams in many sports such as handball, bowling, baseball, soccer, and basketball. Sports teams compete in both the CUNY athletic system and the local NJCAA collegiate sports system. The women's basketball team has won numerous championships including the CUNY basketball championship and the regional Division III championships including placing third nationally in 2000 with a 21-3 regular season record. The chess team has won national awards.

Admissions and Costs

BMCC has an acceptance rate of 84%.

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College is $4,800, which is $−3,453 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($8,253).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $5,418. In 2023, 81% of undergraduate students attending CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 5% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

In 2021 the default rate for borrower's at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 1,077 total borrowers.

Student Body

CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College had a total enrollment of 18,225 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College is 11,871 students and the part-time enrollment is 6,354. This means that 65.1% of students enrolled at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 44.1% Hispanic or Latino, 24.8% Black or African American, 11.7% Asian, 9.95% White, 2.57% Two or More Races, 0.225% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.154% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly Hispanic or Latino Female (26.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Male (20.2%) and Black or African American Female (13.7%).

Outcomes

In 2023, 3,407 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College. 62.9% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 37.1% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was hispanic or latino (1,410 degrees), 1.68 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (840 degrees).

In 2023, 12% of students graduating from CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 24% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 28% within 200%.

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (42.9% graduation rate).

Administration and Faculty

Our dedicated administration lead with passion and purpose to empower students, faculty, and staff to achieve their highest potential. They guide campus operations, develop strategic initiatives, and enhance student services to ensure BMCC remains at the forefront of educational excellence.

CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College employs 164 Associate professors, 151 Professors.

Anthony E. is the President of BMCC. Martin B. Dworkis was BMCC's first president.

Financial Overview

CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College has an endowment valued at nearly $5.21M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. In 2023, CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College had a total salary expenditure of 397M.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

BMCC has been the starting point for many successful individuals, including:

Saul Rogovin: Former Major League Baseball pitcher.
Michael K. Williams: Actor known for his roles in "The Wire" and "Boardwalk Empire".
Gabourey Sidibe: Academy Award-nominated actress.
Adam Saleh: YouTuber, vlogger, and actor.
Brenda Howard: Bisexual rights activist known as "The Mother of Pride".
Darlene Mealy: New York City Council Member.

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