The Early Years (1967-1973)

Compiled by Margaret Anderson, last updated July 28, 2008.

October 13, 1967 – Trustees approved the name of “South Central Community College” as the official name for the College, which has since been known simply as Tompkins Cortland Community College (early iterations had it hyphenated, Tompkins-Cortland Community College, but the hyphen is no longer present). Trustees also discussed temporary site possibilities: the former Groton School, the former GLF building in Ithaca and the DeWitt Junior High School in Ithaca. Nearly 30 applications were received for presidency of the college. [Cortland Standard, October 14, 1967.]

November 16 – Meeting of the Board of Trustees [Board of Trustees Minutes, November 16, 1967]. “Mr. Sprole moved that this Community College shall be officially called Tompkins-Cortland Community College (there’s the hyphen).” (Board of Trustees Minutes, November 16, 1967). Under the education law, Article 126, Section 6306 the TC3 Board established itself. [Committee Report, Problem Investigation Subcommittee, December 2, 1981). See also Box 58 (Board of Trustees) first folder.]

November 30, 1967 – “SCM Deeds Former Groton School Building to Community College,” Cortland Standard, Friday, December 1, 1967, last lines of article are missing). [Box 1a, Folder C.] “The Chairman of the board of Trustees of the college, Ronald Space of McLean, accepted SCM’s gift Thursday with the unanimous approval of the board.”

January 15, 1968 – The office for Tompkins-Cortland Community College opened in the old Groton High School. It “houses a lone secretary as the first employee.” – Sharon Van Epps. [Ithaca Journal, January 15, 1968].

April 20, 1968 – The First two students admitted: Deborah Moore of Dryden and LeRoy Washington of Homer. [“Tompkins-Cortland Community College Was an Idea That Grew,” Tuesday, September 3, 1968, Special Pullout Section, page 5.]

July 1968 – Middle States regional accrediting association visited, inspected and approved of what it saw at TCCC and granted the rating of “correspondent,” a second-step rank in the pursuit of the five-year full accrediting process.” [“Tompkins-Cortland Community College Was an Idea That Grew,” Tuesday, September 3, 1968, Special Pullout Section, page 5.]

September 4, 1968 – About 250 people attended the formal opening of the new Tompkins-Cortland Community College. State University Assistant Vice Chancellor Michael Reynolds addressed the school’s first class of 150 students. College Board of Trustees Chairman Ron Space and Groton Supervisor Claude Holden, Cortland Board of Supervisors Chairman Rodney Sellen and College President Hushang Bahar also addressed the group. Rev. Ronald S. Place of Groton Community Church and Commander Charles Olcott of the American Legion in Groton were also present. Provost Dale Corson represented Cornell and Acting President Richard C. Jones represented State University College at Cortland. (p. 3 Ithaca Journal, Wednesday, September 4, 1968) (Cortland Standard, Sept 5, 1968) “The ribbon was cut at the opening exercise of the Tompkins-Cortland College last Wednesday, September 4, 1968. Left to right in the picture is Brenda Davis, Ron Space, President Bahar and LeRoy Washington.” “IPI Greets TCCC Charter Students (The names of 140 students are listed). [Groton Journal Courier, Thursday, September 12, 1968].

September 5, 1968 – It is a Thursday. Classes began. [Faculty Meeting Minutes, August 29, 1968]. “The College’s first class of approximately 150 full-time day students will start classes Sept. 5 at 8 a.m. [“Ambitious, Energetic New Community College”, by Skip Chapman, Cortland Standard, Tuesday, July 30, 1968.]

December 13, 1968 – “College is now fully accredited for a period of six years by the State of New York Board of Regents and is continuing to enjoy its interim accreditation by the Middle States Association.” [Bahar memo, 12/ 13/68].

January, 1969 – First graduate – Cheryl Schutt. [Archivist Nancy Craft’s note indicates she transferred to and graduated from Cornell] [July 15, 2008 e-mail from Lauren Wright. “Cheryl Schutt was the first graduate. She graduated June 1, 1969, with an associate in arts. Her major was liberal arts.”]

August 11, 1969 – Board of Supervisors recommendation that Dryden #1 equaling the 220-acres Portzline property be approved as the site of the community college @ $70,000. Motion carried., [Tompkins County Board of Supervisors Resolution 169, page 210, Minutes]

*March 5, 1970 – It was announced at Curriculum Committee meeting that the BOCES Practical Nursing Program would be moving to TC3. Program will be picked up whole, adapted to credit, and started in September.

May 2, 1970 – Inauguration of President Hushang Bahar. A ball was held at Pace’s Restaurant where President Hushang Bahar crowned Queen Colleen Ensign of Marathon, Harold Higgins of Homer was King (Cortland Standard, May 4, 1970). “Misty Blues” provided music and the attendants were Kathy Hollister and Phil Munson. [TC3 Crucible, May 14, 1970.]

June 7, 1970. First Commencement.

August 20, 1970 – College trustees moved to meet “an acute need for student financial assistance” last night by organizing the Tompkins-Cortland Community College Foundation to act as custodian of charitable gifts and bequests to the College. Ithaca attorney and TC3 trustee Manley Thaler was elected president of the foundation at an organizational meeting of the College’s board of trustees. Elected to serve with Thaler were Dr. Robert Corey of Cortland, vice president, and TC3 President Hushang Bahar, secretary-treasurer. All nine members of the college board of trustees are directors of the foundation. [TC3 Foundation Set Up to Oversee Charitable Gifts, Bequests for Financial Assistance to Students” by Skip Chapman, Cortland Standard, August 21, 1970]

February 4, 1971 – “Bids were received and approval given to Hall and Stearns of Cortland to install a portion of an access road and do general grading on the new Campus site in Dryden.” [Memorandum from Hushang Bahar to Dennis Butts, TC3 Crucible editor.]

*August 17-20, 1971 – Several members of the board of trustees and professional staff of the College met in Hamilton (American Management Association) “in order to streamline the internal governance of the institution and put down concretely what Tompkins-Cortland Community College stood for.” (Memo to College Council from H. Bahar, May 31, 1972 on Proposed Governance Plan.) “The Committee will again meet at Hamilton on June 14, 15, and 16 [1972].” According to Hushang Bahar’s memo of August 13, 1971, the following were expected to be present: Franklin Bickford, Peter Blomerley, Susan Bravman, Joseph Cambridge, Dawn Cooper, Nancy Craft, Carl Haynes, Thomas Mecca, Thomas Murphy, Walter Poland, Charles Shafer, Helen Hoefer, Bert Morse and Ronald Space.

September 27, 1971 – Tompkins County Board of Representatives discussed buying 80 acres of the John Sisco property in Dryden, valued at $75,000. [Resolution 217, p. 179, Tompkins County Board of Representatives.]

October 18, 1971 – Bid documents for Caudill Rowlett Scott and Levatich Miller and Hoffman for the new building were approved. [Resolution 236, p. l 197, Tompkins County Board of Supervisors Minutes.]

January 3-5, 1972 – One week meeting at the Cornell Industrial and Labor Relations Conference Center win, which participants “tried to put together a package containing the Mission, Beliefs, and Governance Plan for this institution.” [Bahar memo, May 31, 1972].

March 18, 1972. LPN program expanded to two-year associate degree program. [See History Box 1, Folder 3 newsclip]

May 30, 1972 – Frank K. Taylor, chairman of the Cortland County Board of Supervisors and James R. Graves, chairman of the Tompkins County Board of Representatives, signed the construction contract for the Dryden campus. (from the Program for the Dedication of the Campus at Dryden, May 3, 1975)

June 18, 1972 – Groundbreaking for Dryden campus (Sunday 2 p.m.).

November 14, 1972. – “College Senate was established.” [See Box 15a , Board of Trustees approved the bylaws. First Minutes are from March 1972. [Some ambiguity here as to date Senate was established. “In January 1973 the College Senate was established. “Committee Report, Problem Investigation Subcommittee, December 2, 1981].

June 22, 1973 – “…We are now a fully accredited college.” [Bahar to College personnel re: Middle States phone call. Nancy Craft note)]

We will annouce new installments to the timeline on the TC3 home page.

Tompkins Cortland Community College

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		The Early Years (1967-1973) Compiled by Margaret Anderson, last updated July 28, 2008. October 13, 1967 – Trustees approved the name of “South Central Community College” as the official name for the College, which has since been known simply as Tompkins Cortland Community College (early iterations had it hyphenated, Tompkins-Cortland Community College, but the hyphen is no longer present). Trustees also discussed temporary site possibilities: the former Groton School, the former GLF building in Ithaca and the DeWitt Junior High School in Ithaca. Nearly 30 applications were received for presidency of the college. [Cortland Standard, October 14, 1967.] November 16 – Meeting of the Board of Trustees [Board of Trustees Minutes, November 16, 1967]. “Mr. Sprole moved that this Community College shall be officially called Tompkins-Cortland Community College (there’s the hyphen).” (Board of Trustees Minutes, November 16, 1967). Under the education law, Article 126, Section 6306 the TC3 Board established itself. [Committee Report, Problem Investigation Subcommittee, December 2, 1981). See also Box 58 (Board of Trustees) first folder.] November 30, 1967 – “SCM Deeds Former Groton School Building to Community College,” Cortland Standard, Friday, December 1, 1967, last lines of article are missing). [Box 1a, Folder C.] “The Chairman of the board of Trustees of the college, Ronald Space of McLean, accepted SCM’s gift Thursday with the unanimous approval of the board.” January 15, 1968 – The office for Tompkins-Cortland Community College opened in the old Groton High School. It “houses a lone secretary as the first employee.” – Sharon Van Epps. [Ithaca Journal, January 15, 1968]. April 20, 1968 – The First two students admitted: Deborah Moore of Dryden and LeRoy Washington of Homer. [“Tompkins-Cortland Community College Was an Idea That Grew,” Tuesday, September 3, 1968, Special Pullout Section, page 5.] July 1968 – Middle States regional accrediting association visited, inspected and approved of what it saw at TCCC and granted the rating of “correspondent,” a second-step rank in the pursuit of the five-year full accrediting process.” [“Tompkins-Cortland Community College Was an Idea That Grew,” Tuesday, September 3, 1968, Special Pullout Section, page 5.] September 4, 1968 – About 250 people attended the formal opening of the new Tompkins-Cortland Community College. State University Assistant Vice Chancellor Michael Reynolds addressed the school’s first class of 150 students. College Board of Trustees Chairman Ron Space and Groton Supervisor Claude Holden, Cortland Board of Supervisors Chairman Rodney Sellen and College President Hushang Bahar also addressed the group. Rev. Ronald S. Place of Groton Community Church and Commander Charles Olcott of the American Legion in Groton were also present. Provost Dale Corson represented Cornell and Acting President Richard C. Jones represented State University College at Cortland. (p. 3 Ithaca Journal, Wednesday, September 4, 1968) (Cortland Standard, Sept 5, 1968) “The ribbon was cut at the opening exercise of the Tompkins-Cortland College last Wednesday, September 4, 1968. Left to right in the picture is Brenda Davis, Ron Space, President Bahar and LeRoy Washington.” “IPI Greets TCCC Charter Students (The names of 140 students are listed). [Groton Journal Courier, Thursday, September 12, 1968]. September 5, 1968 – It is a Thursday. Classes began. [Faculty Meeting Minutes, August 29, 1968]. “The College’s first class of approximately 150 full-time day students will start classes Sept. 5 at 8 a.m. [“Ambitious, Energetic New Community College”, by Skip Chapman, Cortland Standard, Tuesday, July 30, 1968.] December 13, 1968 – “College is now fully accredited for a period of six years by the State of New York Board of Regents and is continuing to enjoy its interim accreditation by the Middle States Association.” [Bahar memo, 12/ 13/68]. January, 1969 – First graduate – Cheryl Schutt. [Archivist Nancy Craft’s note indicates she transferred to and graduated from Cornell] [July 15, 2008 e-mail from Lauren Wright. “Cheryl Schutt was the first graduate. She graduated June 1, 1969, with an associate in arts. Her major was liberal arts.”] August 11, 1969 – Board of Supervisors recommendation that Dryden #1 equaling the 220-acres Portzline property be approved as the site of the community college @ $70,000. Motion carried., [Tompkins County Board of Supervisors Resolution 169, page 210, Minutes] March 5, 1970 – It was announced at Curriculum Committee meeting that the BOCES Practical Nursing Program would be moving to TC3. Program will be picked up whole, adapted to credit, and started in September. May 2, 1970* – Inauguration of President Hushang Bahar. A ball was held at Pace’s Restaurant where President Hushang Bahar crowned Queen Colleen Ensign of Marathon, Harold Higgins of Homer was King (Cortland Standard, May 4, 1970). “Misty Blues” provided music and the attendants were Kathy Hollister and Phil Munson. [TC3 Crucible, May 14, 1970.] June 7, 1970. First Commencement. August 20, 1970 – College trustees moved to meet “an acute need for student financial assistance” last night by organizing the Tompkins-Cortland Community College Foundation to act as custodian of charitable gifts and bequests to the College. Ithaca attorney and TC3 trustee Manley Thaler was elected president of the foundation at an organizational meeting of the College’s board of trustees. Elected to serve with Thaler were Dr. Robert Corey of Cortland, vice president, and TC3 President Hushang Bahar, secretary-treasurer. All nine members of the college board of trustees are directors of the foundation. [TC3 Foundation Set Up to Oversee Charitable Gifts, Bequests for Financial Assistance to Students” by Skip Chapman, Cortland Standard, August 21, 1970] February 4, 1971 – “Bids were received and approval given to Hall and Stearns of Cortland to install a portion of an access road and do general grading on the new Campus site in Dryden.” [Memorandum from Hushang Bahar to Dennis Butts, TC3 Crucible editor.] August 17-20, 1971 – Several members of the board of trustees and professional staff of the College met in Hamilton (American Management Association) “in order to streamline the internal governance of the institution and put down concretely what Tompkins-Cortland Community College stood for.” (Memo to College Council from H. Bahar, May 31, 1972 on Proposed Governance Plan.) “The Committee will again meet at Hamilton on June 14, 15, and 16 [1972].” According to Hushang Bahar’s memo of August 13, 1971, the following were expected to be present: Franklin Bickford, Peter Blomerley, Susan Bravman, Joseph Cambridge, Dawn Cooper, Nancy Craft, Carl Haynes, Thomas Mecca, Thomas Murphy, Walter Poland, Charles Shafer, Helen Hoefer, Bert Morse and Ronald Space. September 27, 1971* – Tompkins County Board of Representatives discussed buying 80 acres of the John Sisco property in Dryden, valued at $75,000. [Resolution 217, p. 179, Tompkins County Board of Representatives.] October 18, 1971 – Bid documents for Caudill Rowlett Scott and Levatich Miller and Hoffman for the new building were approved. [Resolution 236, p. l 197, Tompkins County Board of Supervisors Minutes.] January 3-5, 1972 – One week meeting at the Cornell Industrial and Labor Relations Conference Center win, which participants “tried to put together a package containing the Mission, Beliefs, and Governance Plan for this institution.” [Bahar memo, May 31, 1972]. March 18, 1972. LPN program expanded to two-year associate degree program. [See History Box 1, Folder 3 newsclip] May 30, 1972 – Frank K. Taylor, chairman of the Cortland County Board of Supervisors and James R. Graves, chairman of the Tompkins County Board of Representatives, signed the construction contract for the Dryden campus. (from the Program for the Dedication of the Campus at Dryden, May 3, 1975) June 18, 1972 – Groundbreaking for Dryden campus (Sunday 2 p.m.). November 14, 1972. – “College Senate was established.” [See Box 15a , Board of Trustees approved the bylaws. First Minutes are from March 1972. [Some ambiguity here as to date Senate was established. “In January 1973 the College Senate was established. “Committee Report, Problem Investigation Subcommittee, December 2, 1981]. June 22, 1973 – “…We are now a fully accredited college.” [Bahar to College personnel re: Middle States phone call. Nancy Craft note)] We will annouce new installments to the timeline on the TC3 home page.
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