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The College

Paul Smiths College is named for an entrepreneur whose famous resort on Lower St. Regis Lake was synonymous with Adirondack hospitality. Many of the rich and famous of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries gathered at the resort to enjoy the mountain wilderness and the comfortable accommodations provided by Paul Smith and his wife, Lydia. Vast land holdings acquired over the years were passed on to Smiths son Phelps, who, upon his death in 1937, bequeathed the bulk of the estate to the establishment of a college in his fathers name. Paul Smiths College was chartered as a college of the arts and sciences; in the tradition of Paul Smith, who believed in learning by doing, the school provides students with the opportunity to gain practical experience in a chosen field, while obtaining the academic background necessary for a well-rounded education. The immense expanse of woodlands, lakes, and streams surrounding the campus offers vast research opportunities to students of forestry, ecology, and environmental studies. Such a hands-on approach is shared by other programs as well. Students of hotel, resort, and culinary management, for example, train in the student-operated St. Regis Caf, a bistro-style experience, as well as the Ganzi Training Restaurant, a fine-dining operation; both facilities are located on campus. This experiential approach has attracted students from across the country and throughout the world to Paul Smiths.

Student activities are an important part of life at Paul Smiths. Popular organizations include the Forestry Club, Ski and Snowboard Club, Fish and Game Club, Wildlife Society, Junior American Culinary Federation, B-GLAD, and Koinonia.

For those interested in athletics, Paul Smiths has a swimming pool, basketball courts, a fitness center with cardio machines and weights, a rock-climbing wall, a dance room, and a multiple-use court for badminton, volleyball, and other indoor sports. Outside, the College has tennis, volleyball, and basketball courts, a horseshoe pit, and miles of wooded trails for the cross-country runner or mountain-biking enthusiast. Canoes, snowshoes, and cross-country skis are all available free of charge. Paul Smiths participates at the intercollegiate level in mens and womens basketball, cross-country running, cross-country skiing, soccer, and woodsmens competitions and in womens volleyball; the College recently joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Cross-country snowshoeing, mens rugby, and woodsmens competitions are offered as club sports.

Paul Smiths College of Arts and Sciences is approved and chartered by the Regents of the University of the State of New York and the Commissioner of Education of New York State. The College is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Individual majors at Paul Smiths are accredited additionally by the Society of American Foresters (forest recreation and forest technician); the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (surveying technology); and the American Culinary Federation Educational Institute Accrediting Commission (culinary arts).

Location

The Colleges more than 14,000-acre campus is on the shore of the Lower St. Regis Lake in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York State. Students have access to 23 miles of navigable water for boating and fishing, while nearby forests and mountains provide opportunities for hiking, climbing, and more. The campus is located 22miles from Lake Placid, site of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics. Students frequently go to the resort community to shop, dine, and watch athletes train in luge, bobsled, ski jumping, and other winter sports. Whiteface Mountain, Mount Pisgah, and Titus Mountain provide skiing venues for the beginner as well as the expert.

Majors and Degrees

Paul Smiths College awards Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Professional Studies (B.P.S.), Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), Associate in Arts (A.A.), and Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees. Bachelors degree programs of study include biology (general and environmental science); business and entrepreneurial studies; culinary arts and service management; fisheries and wildlife sciences; forestry (ecological forest management, forest biology, industrial forest operations, recreation resource management, vegetation management); hotel, resort, and tourism management; natural resources management and policy; nature and culture; and recreation, adventure travel, and ecotourism.

Associate degree programs of study include culinary arts, culinary arts baking track, forest recreation, forest technician studies, hotel and restaurant management, liberal arts, surveying technology, and urban tree management. Paul Smiths also offers certificate programs in baking and geographic information systems (GIS).

Academic Programs

The real value of a Paul Smiths College education comes from the emphasis on not just learning something from a book, but actually doing it. Paul Smiths College provides a dynamic educational environment that encourages students to be actively engaged in their own learning experiences through the integration of traditional and experiential learning. This approach, when coupled with its setting in the world-renowned Adirondack Park, leads to discovery, discipline, and creativity. In addition, the Colleges commitment to sustainable development fosters a sense of environmental stewardship and hospitality among the students.

The College runs on a two-semester schedule (fall and spring). The number of credit hours required for graduation is dependent on the field of study chosen. Students must complete general education core requirements as well as courses specific to their program.

The role of general education requirements at Paul Smiths College goes beyond just the acquisition of skills and knowledge. General education helps students to appreciate multiple perspectives that come from interacting with people outside their disciplines. By expecting students to collaborate productively with a diverse group of people, general education strengthens interpersonal skills useful in the workplace and the community and in life. Through reinforcement across the more focused curriculum, general education enriches students with the practical skills needed by every adult: analytical skills, effective communication, practical intelligence, ethical judgment, and social responsibility.

Off-Campus Programs

Cooperative work experiences are encouraged for all students and are required in the following programs: baking, business and entrepreneurial studies, culinary arts, hotel and restaurant management, recreation, surveying technology, and urban tree management. Students in these programs have the opportunity to practice what they have learned at locations throughout the country as well as internationally.

Academic Facilities

Thousands of acres of College-owned lands and waterways in the Adirondack Mountains provide natural laboratories for students in the forestry and environmental programs. The College also manages International Paper John Dillon Park, a 200-acre park designed for people with disabilities. The Colleges more traditional classroom buildings include state-of-the-art smart classrooms and computer labs as well as laboratories for biology, chemistry, culinary arts, GIS, and mechanical drawing. They also feature the student-operated A.P. Smiths Bakery, student-run St. Regis Caf, and Ganzi Restaurant Training Center, a kitchen and dining room modeled after the famed Palm steakhouses. The Forestry Divisions resources are augmented by a permanent Lane sawmill complex, a mechanical skidder, and a sugar bush. The Joan Weill Adirondack Library houses 50,000 volumes, 700 periodicals, access to more than 17,000 online periodicals, two computer labs, more than 600 data ports, fifty computer stations, Wi-Fi access, audiovisual equipment, and eight study rooms. The Weill Student Center accommodates the Lakeside Dining Hall, Student Health Center, Packbasket campus store, St. Regis Caf, student mailboxes, recreation and programming rooms, Wi-Fi access, and outdoor deck seating providing beautiful lake views. Paul Smiths also provides 24-hour computer access, 24-hour campus security, a Career Center, personal counseling, and campus ministry.

Costs

In 200809, yearly tuition is approximately $18,460, and room and board are approximately $8340. Summer sessions are required for some programs. Additional fees to cover lab charges, student activities, and other costs vary from $510 to $1620 per year, depending on the program. The cost of books and supplies is estimated at $1000 per year.

Financial Aid

Federal programs available at the College include the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), SMART Grant, Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), Federal Stafford Student Loan, Federal Perkins Loan, and Federal Work-Study programs. The Federal Work-Study awards provide work for more than 80percent of the student body, and more than 98percent of the students receive some form of financial aid. The Financial Aid Office encourages students to apply for aid with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March. State programs processed through the College include the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) Program, and Rhode Island Educational Assistance Program. Merit Scholarships are awarded based on SAT/ACT scores and high school GPA.

Faculty

Paul Smiths College faculty is composed of 57 full-time and 26 part-time members. Most faculty members live near the campus and participate in all phases of academic life. The student-faculty ratio is approximately 14:1, and the average class size is 15.

Student Government

The Student Government represents the needs of the student body and acts as a liaison with faculty and staff members. It oversees all active campus clubs and organizations, handles student appeals, and holds weekly meetings with food service, maintenance, campus safety, student activities, and other departments on campus that directly impact student life.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements vary by program. Each candidate is evaluated individually based on the requirements of the program applied for. Assuming all course prerequisites have been fulfilled, admissions decisions are based on academic performance, overall GPA, rigor of course work, and test scores.

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