New York Chiropractic College

New York Chiropractic College or NYCC is one of 17 Chiropractic Colleges in the United States. The school was founded in New York City as Columbia Institute of Chiropractic by Dr. Frank Dean in 1919. In 1989 unable to expand in Long Island, NYCC purchases the former Eisenhower College campus in Seneca Falls, NY. After two years of renovations the college moved to the Seneca Falls campus in 1991.

NYCC, a mixed chiropractic institution, continues to expand and introduce new programs. In addition to a D.C. program, the college now offers programs in
 * Acupuncture and Oriental medicine (M.S.A.O.M. or M.S.A.)
 * Clinical nutrition (M.S.A.C.N.)
 * Diagnostic imaging (M.S.D.I.)
 * Anatomy (M.S.C.A.)

The college also runs 3 community clinics in Depew-NY, Seneca Falls-NY, and Levittown-NY. In addition, the school affiliates with the National Naval Academy in Bethesda-MD and the Veterans Hospital in Rochester-NY.

New York Chiropractic College
New York Chiropractic College (“the College” or “NYCC”) is a non-profit educational corporation which confers the Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree as well as Master of Science degrees in Acupuncture (MSA), Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MSAOM), Applied Clinical Nutrition (MSACN), Diagnostic Imaging (MSDI), and Clinical Anatomy (MSCA); and a Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) degree with a major in Life Sciences, available to students enrolled in the D.C., MSA, and MSAOM programs.

History
Founded in 1919 by Dr. Frank E. Dean, NYCC has emerged as one of the profession’s most prestigious educational institutions. Formerly known as Columbia Institute of Chiropractic, it is one of the oldest chiropractic colleges in the United States.

In 1954, the College merged with Columbia College of Chiropractic of Baltimore, Maryland. A decade later, a second merger took place with Atlantic States Chiropractic Institute of Brooklyn, New York. These mergers created a true union of the schools and alumni affiliation. In November of 1959, the Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Ernest G. Napolitano as President. Under Dr. Napolitano’s leadership, the College became one of the leading chiropractic institutions in the country. An extensive renovation program designed to provide laboratories, a library, classrooms, offices and a student study room was completed in 1961 at its Manhattan Campus. In the 1970s, the demand for chiropractors increased and greater numbers of students entered the profession. The Manhattan campus could not accommodate this demand. Therefore, in the late 1970s, the College relocated to Old Brookville, Long Island, and opened outpatient health centers in Greenvale and Levittown, Long Island.

The decade of the ‘80s was a period of substantial growth for NYCC, in both student body and services. Plans for further expansion of facilities were formulated, and in May 1989 the College acquired the former Eisenhower College campus in Seneca Falls, New York. The campus occupies a 286 acre (1.2 km²) tract and includes administrative, library, academic, clinical, research, and athletic facilities as well as residence halls.

In October 1989, Dr. Kenneth Padgett was appointed President of the College. Dr. Padgett’s broad experience in the chiropractic profession and familiarity with upstate New York prepared him well for the challenging tasks facing the College during this transition. In January 1991, the College opened a new outpatient health center in Syracuse, New York, to serve the needs of patients in the Syracuse area and offer another internship option to students. That year the Greenvale health center was closed. In September, a three-day inaugural celebration officially marked the opening of the Seneca Falls campus.

On February 1, 1992, the College opened the Ernest G. Napolitano Postgraduate Center. This 5,000 square-foot annex adjoins the Levittown Health Center, providing a home for NYCC’s active postgraduate and continuing education programs.

In 1994, the College opened a third outpatient health center in Cheektowaga, New York, near Buffalo. It also opened an additional academic building of 9,300 square feet on the Seneca Falls campus to provide more classroom and laboratory space. Today, this building serves as a research and video-teleconferencing center.

In 1998, the College opened a new academic building of 38,000 square feet on the Seneca Falls campus featuring lecture halls equipped with advanced instructional technology, as well as offices and faculty and student lounges.

In 1999, the College opened the 17,200 square foot Depew Chiropractic Health Center in Depew, New York (a suburb of Buffalo), and closed the Cheektowaga Health Center.

In 2000, Dr. Frank Nicchi, a 1978 alumnus and longtime faculty member, was appointed President of the College, succeeding Dr. Padgett. Under Dr. Nicchi’s leadership, the College worked to develop clinical educational programs that have solidified its vision and emphasis on academic excellence and successful integration of chiropractic into diverse healthcare settings. These efforts included an amendment to the Absolute Charter from the Board of Regents (which had been amended in 1989 to permit NYCC’s move from Long Island to Seneca Falls) to allow the College to offer new degrees in addition to the D.C. degree: the Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) and Master of Science (M.S.) degrees. Two new master’s degree programs – Acupuncture (MSA) and Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MSAOM) – were approved by the New York State Education Department and, together with the BPS degree, were offered for the first time in September 2003. In October of that year, the Master of Science in Diagnostic Imaging degree program was added.

In 2003, the Seneca Falls Health Center, a 19,400 square-foot multidisciplinary, integrated healthcare facility, was opened to the public. At the same time, the former health center on the Seneca Falls campus was designated as the Campus Health Center to serve as an internship site where student interns meet the healthcare needs of the campus community of students, staff, and faculty, as well as low-income community members. The Syracuse Health Center was closed in 2003.

In July 2006, NYCC’s School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine graduated its first class. In September of that year the NYCC School of Applied Clinical Nutrition was added, and in the Fall of 2007 a Master of Science in Clinical Anatomy program was approved for enrollment.

NYCC students currently benefit from state-of-the-art technology and equipment with respect to classroom environments; basic science, diagnosis, and technique laboratories; and X-ray, clinical, and research facilities at the Seneca Falls campus. In addition to its modern health centers in Depew, Long Island, and Seneca Falls, the College has successfully integrated chiropractic into diverse healthcare settings by creating educational and clinical programs at satellite locations such as the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.; the Veterans Administration health systems; Monroe Community Hospital and Hospice, and Lifetime Care/Hospice (both in Rochester, N.Y.); State University of New York (SUNY) health centers; and several other sites. These programs provide student interns with experiences at the finest clinical facilities available in chiropractic and acupuncture education. Video-teleconferencing offers real-time, interactive communication and instructional linkages between NYCC’s Seneca Falls, Depew, and Long Island campuses.

At the beginning of 2007, New York Chiropractic College received a number of awards that attest to its excellent reputation as a forward-thinking institution of higher education. First, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the College a federal research grant in the amount of $1,124,244. The funding comes under the auspices of the department’s Health Resources and Services Administration’s Chiropractic Demonstration Project Grant Program, and will be used for a three-year research project titled “Chiropractic Care vs. Active Exercise Therapy for Chronic Lower Back Pain,” to be conducted in conjunction with the Canandaigua Veterans Affairs Medical Center. In April, the College was awarded the Empire State Advantage (ESA) Excellence at Work Program’s “Empire State Gold” level of recognition. (The program is based on the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award criteria.) NYCC is among the first institutions of higher education in New York State to receive the prestigious Gold award and is, in fact, the only chiropractic college or school of acupuncture and Oriental medicine anywhere to have been so honored.

Facilities
The Seneca Falls campus consists of 286 acres (1.2 km²) and 17 buildings totaling 610,200 square feet (57,000 m²). The Kenneth W. Padgett Administration Building is the primary location of administrative, enrollment management, and institutional support services for the College. The offices of the President, Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services are located in this building, along with the offices of Accounting, Payroll, Purchasing, Accreditation, Institutional Quality Assessment, Bursar, Computer Services, Human Resources, Institutional Advancement, Enrollment Management (Admissions, Financial Aid, Registrar and Alumni Affairs), Facilities Management, and Campus Security. This building also houses student, faculty and staff dining facilities; mail and central-duplication services; the Delavan Theater; and the Arnold M. Goldschmidt Museum of Chiropractic History.

Three academic buildings at the Seneca Falls campus serve as major centers for NYCC’s instructional, research and student-life programs. These contain four amphitheater-style lecture halls and conventional classrooms equipped with multimedia instructional technology, plus laboratories for basic sciences, X-ray positioning and reading, diagnosis, technique and skill classes, and research programs and activities. Video-teleconferencing technology connects all New York Chiropractic College campuses in a synchronous learning environment. Also included in the academic building complex are the Campus Health Center, computer laboratories, the Career Development Center, and the offices of student activities and housing. In addition, these buildings contain faculty offices and the offices of the Dean of Chiropractic, the Dean of the School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, the Director of the School of Applied Clinical Nutrition, and the Academic Department Heads.

NYCC’s Research Center is located in the Academic II Building, where the College currently operates four designated research laboratories: the Pathophysiology/Biochemistry Laboratory, the Motor Systems Physiology (Biodynamics) Laboratory, the Autonomic Nervous System Physiology (Biodynamics) Laboratory, and the Foot Levelers Biomechanics Research Laboratory. These laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation to extend our knowledge in such areas as the physiology of spinal manipulation, etiology and pathogenesis of musculoskeletal pain disorders, and the effects of chiropractic treatments on gait, posture, and human performance. In addition, they offer a unique opportunity for students to integrate cutting-edge research into their clinical education. Also in this building is the interactive video-teleconferencing center, where advanced technology gives the College the capability to extend its classroom instruction electronically to and from the chiropractic health centers and the main campus.

Located on the upper two floors of the Library/Anatomy building, the Library contains over 15,000 print volumes, 3,500 media titles, and 200 journal titles. In addition, the Library participates in an interlibrary loan network and can also search computer databases in the health sciences. Special features include a collection of rare and out-of-print materials on chiropractic, and an extensive multimedia collection of study aids in chiropractic and human anatomy. Located on the ground floor are the anatomy laboratory and the prosection theater. The prosection theater is equipped with video cameras and monitors to preview specific gross anatomy sections. The Anatomy Center also includes cold storage and preparation rooms for cadavers, X-ray equipment, faculty offices, and conference areas. Also situated on the ground floor of this building is the College’s Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, where students can receive both academic counseling and tutorial services to assist with their learning activities. In addition, Counseling Services is located in this suite, and appointments for personal counseling can be made here.

The Athletic Center offers students, faculty and staff some of the finest recreational facilities in the area. These include a 32,000 square foot (3,000 m²) gymnasium, a fitness center equipped with both cardiovascular and free-weight equipment; racquetball/handball courts; a six-lane, 25-meter swimming pool; an aerobics room; and men’s and women’s locker rooms. The 286 acre (1.2 km²) campus also provides a variety of outdoor facilities including tennis, basketball and volleyball courts; two multipurpose athletic fields; and an executive nine-hole golf course and driving range. This facility is also open for membership to residents of the surrounding community.

NYCC’s residence halls provide students with a secure campus environment that offers a social, yet private residential campus life for unmarried and married students, and married students with dependent children. The campus has seven suite-style residence halls. All suites include single and double bedrooms, a living/study room, and either one or two bathrooms. Each building has a centralized kitchen, recreation room, washer/dryer facilities, and storage space.

New York Chiropractic College Health Centers
Each of the health centers of New York Chiropractic College is well-equipped with multiple examination and treatment rooms, X-ray facilities, rehabilitation equipment, an intern lounge with networked computers, a library, classrooms, and an interactive video-teleconferencing room. These facilities provide the clinical and educational environments in which student interns receive guided experiences to develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to become competent and confident practitioners.

Campus Health Center, Seneca Falls Campus

The Campus Health Center is located in the main Academic Building. In this health center, students learn to provide care and perform treatment in a practice setting by serving the healthcare needs of the entire campus community as well as low-income community residents. All chiropractic students in their seventh trimester apply classroom and textbook knowledge in the Campus Health Center as their first internship experience. All acupuncture and Oriental medicine students perform treatments in the Campus Health Center sometime during their internship portion of the program as one of their clinical rotation sites. A variety of unique clinical experiences are also provided at associated satellite locations.

Seneca Falls Health Center, Seneca Falls, New York

The Seneca Falls Health Center is located on the campus, across from the Athletic Center. It is an integrated health center that offers a variety of services – including chiropractic, allopathic medicine, acupuncture and Oriental medicine, and massage therapy – to the surrounding community. This health center serves as one of the sites for upper-trimester chiropractic interns and all MSA/MSAOM students, allowing them to work in a multidisciplinary health center that serves the public. In addition, unique clinical experiences are provided at associated satellite facilities.

Levittown, Long Island

The Levittown Health Center is situated in a suburban residential and business locale with convenient access from the New York City region and eastern Long Island. Chiropractic, acupuncture, and other health services are provided to the greater New York City region. Upper-trimester chiropractic interns in Levittown spend time here and at associated satellite locations to experience the practice of chiropractic in diverse treatment settings. The College’s Center for Postgraduate and Continuing Education is also at this facility. NYCC’s Downstate Admissions Coordinator’s office is located here to serve the needs of downstate New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Depew, New York

The Depew Health Center is situated on a busy county road in a suburb of Buffalo. It is a residential and business locale with convenient access from most areas of the Erie County region, including downtown Buffalo, its adjacent towns, and Niagara Falls. The facility hosts some postgraduate and alumni activities. This center offers a variety of services such as acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage therapy care to the greater Buffalo area. Upper-trimester chiropractic interns in Depew spend their time both here and at associated satellite locations, and experience the practice of chiropractic in diverse treatment settings. MSA/MSAOM students from the Buffalo area may fulfill a portion of their clinical observation and clinical internship hours in the Depew Health Center.

Accreditation
In 1979, the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) granted New York Chiropractic College accredited status and the Regents of the University of the State of New York awarded the College an Absolute Charter. The accreditation was renewed in 1999. The College is accredited through 2007 and has recently completed its accreditation site visit. Accreditation is an ongoing process, and re-evaluations for continuing status are conducted periodically.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education granted accredited status initially in 1985. Accreditation was renewed in 2005 for a 10-year period.

In 2002, the College’s Absolute Charter was amended to allow the College to offer new Master of Science and Bachelor of Professional Studies degrees.

In 2003, two new master’s degree programs were approved by the New York State Education Department and offered for the first time – one in Acupuncture (MSA) and the other in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MSAOM). The College is a candidate for accreditation with the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and a site visit is scheduled for the Fall of 2007.

In 2005, the New York State Education Department approved Master of Science program in Applied Clinical Nutrition.

Memberships
NYCC is a member of the following educational organizations: Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, American Public Health Association, American Society of Quality, Association of Chiropractic Colleges, Association of Governing Boards, Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, Council on Chiropractic Education, Empire State Advantage, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Higher Education, National Association of College and University Business Officers