LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Orange County Community College upon
the occasion of celebrating its 60th Anniversary on June 9, 2010

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend those exemplary institutions of higher education within the
State of New York for their enduring commitment to the pursuit of
academic excellence; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
Orange County Community College upon the occasion of its 60th Anniver-
sary to be celebrated at its Founder's Day on Wednesday, June 9, 2010,
at Middletown Campus-Alumni Green, Middletown, New York; and
WHEREAS, Orange County Community College's mission is to enrich the
lives of its students through the highest-quality education possible;
intellectual rigor, personal commitment and enhanced citizenship distin-
guish a SUNY Orange education which will enhance students' economic
opportunities, deepen their appreciation of culture and of their place
in history while broadening their sense of responsibility in a democrat-
ic society; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 1950, Orange County Community College was the
first county-sponsored community college in the State University of New
York system; and
WHEREAS, Through the years, Orange County Community College has earned
its reputation as a pioneer and innovator in meeting the needs of its
students and the area it primarily serves; it was the first two-year
college in the nation to offer the associate degree nursing program and
studies in electron microscopy; and in 1982, the college was the first
community college to plan and co-sponsor with local chambers of commerce
a business institute; and
WHEREAS, Accredited by Middle States Association of Colleges and
Schools, academic credits can be earned through full- or part-time study
in the day, evening, or both; Orange County Community College offers
three degrees -- the Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Asso-
ciate in Applied Science; it also offers extensive technical programs in
career fields (with transfer options) and one-year certificates; and
WHEREAS, Public and private four-year colleges actively seek Orange
County Community College graduates for transfer into baccalaureate
programs as third-year students; in cooperation with other educational
agencies, the college also presents programs for academically gifted
high school seniors, for business and professional people, and by
special arrangement with nearby universities for graduate students; and
WHEREAS, More than 420,000 people have enrolled in a wide range of
credit and non-credit classes at the Middletown Campus, the Newburgh
Campus and satellite locations across Orange County; and
WHEREAS, Consistent with its mission to meet the higher education
needs of students, the college is noted for its commitment to ensuring
student success; with the support of its caring faculty and staff, each
of its students has the ability to achieve their academic and career
goals; advising, counseling, and career guidance and exploration are
available to all students as well as several co-curricular and leader-
ship opportunities that serve to complement the academic experience; and
WHEREAS, In addition to offering formal instruction to students in
both the day and evening, Orange County Community College engages in a
variety of other activities; it sponsors a series of cultural events,
lectures and artistic performances for students, staff and faculty, and
to which the public is invited; and

WHEREAS, Orange County Community College has touched the lives of
countless numbers of the county's 350,000 residents through its credit
programs, non-credit programming and cultural events; as the needs of
the community grow, the college continues to play a significant role in
the county's endeavor to face the challenges and to profit from the
opportunities that await it; and
WHEREAS, Under the able leadership of President William Richards,
Orange County Community College renews its promise to be a most rigorous
and caring academic institution, to provide visionary leadership, and to
create a symphony of opportunity for personal and professional growth;
it aspires to be the most efficient in shepherding public resources and
to be a strategic force in enhancing the quality of life in Orange Coun-
ty and beyond; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when insti-
tutions of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
the great State of New York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Orange County Community College upon the occasion of celebrating
its 60th Anniversary, fully confident that in its future, it will enjoy
the same success which has so characterized its past; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to William Richards, President, Orange County Community College.