City College of the City University of New York

The City College of New York

Latin: Collegii Urbis Nov Eborac
Motto	Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Motto in English	Look behind, look here, look ahead
Type	Public
Established	1847
Endowment	$264,608,948
President	Vincent Boudreau (Interim)
Provost	Mary Driscoll (Interim)
Academic staff	581 (full-time) 914 (part-time)
Administrative staff	401
Students	16,161
Undergraduates	13,113
Postgraduates	3,048
Location	New York City, New York, U.S. 40°49′10″N 73°57′00″W / 40.8194°N 73.9500°W / 40.8194; -73.9500Coordinates: 40°49′10″N 73°57′00″W / 40.8194°N 73.9500°W / 40.8194; -73.9500
Campus	Urban
Colors	Lavender      and Black
Athletics	NCAA Division III – CUNYAC (North)
Nickname	Beavers
Mascot	Beaver
Affiliations	CUNY APLU AASCU Urban 13/GCU
Website	www.ccny.cuny.edu

The City College of the City University of New York (more commonly referred to as the City College of New York, or simply City College, CCNY, or City) is a public senior college of the City University of New York (CUNY) in New York City. Located on a hill overlooking Harlem in Manhattan, City College's 35-acre (14 ha) Collegiate Gothic campus spans Convent Avenue from 130th to 141st Streets. It was initially designed by renowned architect George B. Post, and many of its buildings have achieved landmark status. Affectionately known as the "Harvard of the proletariat," the college has graduated more Nobel Prize winners than any other public university in the United States. Among these 10 alumni, the latest is a Bronx native, John O'Keefe (2014 Nobel Prize in Medicine).

Founded in 1847, City College was the first free public institution of higher education in the United States. It is the oldest of CUNY's 24 institutions of higher learning, and is considered its flagship college. Other primacies at City College that helped shape the culture of American higher education include the first student government in the nation (Academic Senate, 1867); the first national fraternity to accept members without regard to religion, race, color or creed (Delta Sigma Phi, 1899); the first degree-granting evening program (School of Education, 1907); and, with the objective of racially integrating the college dormitories, "the first general strike at a municipal institution of higher learning" led by students (1945).

The City College of New York was originally founded as the Free Academy of the City of New York in 1847 by wealthy businessman and president of the Board of Education Townsend Harris. A combination prep school and college, it would provide children of immigrants and the poor access to free higher education based on academic merit alone. The Free Academy was the first of what would become a system of municipally-supported colleges – the second, Hunter College, was founded as a women's institution in 1870; and the third, Brooklyn College, was established as a coeducational institution in 1930.