The College of Staten Island: Opportunity and Challenge in New York City
The College of Staten Island (CSI) is a public university located in Staten Island, New York, United States. As part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system, CSI offers a wide range of programs in the liberal arts, sciences, engineering, and professional studies, leading to PhD degrees, master's degrees, bachelor's, and associate degrees. The College of Staten Island embodies the motto "Opportunity and Challenge" and stands as a testament to accessible, high-quality public education within the vibrant landscape of New York City.
Overview
Established in 1956, The College of Staten Island is a public university under the City University of New York. CSI's campus is located at 2800 Victory Boulevard Staten Island. The College of Staten Island (CSI) is a public university in Staten Island, New York, United States. It is the largest campus by physical size in New York City. CSI's location is 40°38′35″N 74°04′37″W.
History and Formation
The College of Staten Island is the product of a merger in 1976 of Staten Island Community College (SICC), founded in 1956, and Richmond College, founded in 1965. Richmond College had been threatened with closure because of New York City's financial crisis, while SICC, because of its status as a community college, received state support.
Before the relocation to Willowbrook, the college had a split campus, located at the former Staten Island Community College (in Sunnyside, on Todt Hill; the campus now houses the Michael J. Petrides School) and Richmond College (in St. George). The College of Staten Island has been located on the grounds of the former Willowbrook State School since 1993.
Presidential Leadership
Walter L. Willig served as the inaugural president of Staten Island Community College (SICC) from 1955 to 1968. Herbert Schueler was the first president of Richmond College from 1966 to 1973. William M. Birenbaum served as president of SICC until the merger of SICC and Richmond College in 1976, which resulted in the formation of the College of Staten Island. Tomás D. Morales, William J. Fritz, and Timothy G. Lynch have also served as presidents of the College of Staten Island.
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Academic Profile
The College of Staten Island offers programs in the liberal arts, sciences, engineering, and professional studies lead to PhD degrees, master's degrees, bachelor's and associate degrees. The bachelor's program includes selective membership in CUNY's Macaulay Honors College. The master's degree is awarded in 21 professional and liberal arts, sciences and engineering fields of study. A clinical doctorate is awarded by the departments of nursing and physical therapy.
The College of Staten Island is ranked No. #98 in Regional Universities North in the 2026 edition of Best Colleges. It's also ranked No. #33 in Top Public Schools. The student-faculty ratio at CUNY-College of Staten Island is 18:1, and it utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. CUNY-College of Staten Island has a test-optional admissions policy.
Rankings and Recognition
U.S. News & World Report has ranked The College of Staten Island between 146th and 187th in their Best Regional Universities in the North category, and tied for 118th in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs that do not offer a doctorate, yet the college is unranked nationally. For 2018, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings has placed The College of Staten Island between 601st and 800th in their US University Rankings category, while Forbes ranks the college 451st nationally, 152nd in their Public Colleges category, and 164th in the Northeast. Furthermore, Forbes ranks the college 111th in their America's Best Value Colleges.
Campus and Resources
CSI's campus spans 204 acres. The College of Staten Island has been located on the grounds of the former Willowbrook State School since 1993. It is the largest campus by physical size in New York City.
Library and Special Collections
The CSI Library supports the research needs of its students, faculty, and staff by collecting, preserving, and providing access to scholarly resources in a variety of formats. The Archives & Special Collections at the CSI Library collects, preserves, and provides access to primary and secondary materials that document the history of both Staten Island and the College of Staten Island.
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Athletics
The College of Staten Island athletic teams are known as the Dolphins. The university was a provisional member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II, but joined the East Coast Conference (ECC) in the 2020-21 academic year. The university previously competed at the Division III level as a member of the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) from 1979-80 to 2019-20.
The college began the transition to Division II during the 2019-20 season playing a mixed schedule of Division II and Division III teams, the college. During the following two years of provisional status the Dolphins will compete in the conference and are eligible for conference awards but will not be eligible for ECC and NCAA championships until completing the transition process for the 2022-23 academic year. The men's and women's swimming and diving teams have competed in the Northeast-10 Conference since the 2023-24 season, formerly competing in the Metropolitan Swimming Conference (METS) as the ECC doesn't sponsor the sport. The college competes in 16 sports. The 'College of Staten Island Baseball Complex' is primarily used for baseball and was the home of Staten Island Yankees before they moved to Richmond County Bank Ballpark in 2001.
Notable People
Patricia J. Brooks, Charles Liu, Richard R. Barbuti, Sara M. Cohen, and Muriel A. Howard are notable people who are associated with The College of Staten Island. Charles Liu is a professor of Astrophysics, former director of the Verrazano School and of the William E.
CUNY Affiliation
The City University of New York (CUNY), of which the College of Staten Island is a part, traces its beginning to 1847 and a public referendum that provided tuition-free higher education for residents of New York City. The municipal college system grew rapidly and its various colleges were consolidated as The City University of New York by an act of the New York State Legislature in 1961. CUNY comprises 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, a graduate school, a law school, and a medical school. CUNY is governed by the Board of Trustees composed of 17 members, ten of whom are appointed by the Governor of New York State, and five by the Mayor of New York City. The chairperson of the University Faculty Senate serves ex officio, without vote; the chairperson of the University Student Senate serves ex officio, with vote. The individual colleges of CUNY have considerable latitude in governing their own affairs through various bodies representing faculty, students, and administrators.
Financial Information
CUNY-College of Staten Island has a total undergraduate enrollment of 10,049 (fall 2024), its setting is urban, and the campus size is 204 acres. The school's in-state tuition and fees are $7,489; out-of-state tuition and fees are $19,159. Seventy percent of first-year students receive need-based financial aid, and the average net price for federal loan recipients is $6,007. The four-year graduation rate is 29%. Six years after graduation, the median salary for graduates is $36,931.
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