About the College

At the center of New York City on West 40th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, Stella and Charles Guttman Community College is the first new community college in the City University of New York in more than four decades. The second CUNY community college in Manhattan was inspired by former Chancellor Matthew Goldstein’s interest in improving graduation rates for CUNY’s racially and ethnically diverse urban students with a wide range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds. “There is no more urgent task in higher education than to find ways to help more community college students succeed,” the Chancellor said.

The New Community College at CUNY (as Guttman was originally known) officially opened its doors with its first 289 students on August 20, 2012, after four years of planning in consultation with experts from around the country and hundreds of faculty and staff across the University. It was approved by the CUNY Board of Trustees on February 28, 2011, by the New York State Board of Regents on June 21, 2011, and by New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s approval of a master plan amendment on September 20, 2011—the final act in the establishment of the new college. Guttman was initially accredited by the New York State Board of Regents in December 2012 for a five-year period and then accredited in June 2017 by action of the Middles States Commission (Middle States Commission of Higher Education). Guttman is one of twenty-five CUNY schools and colleges that comprise the nation’s leading public urban system. The University serves more than 275,000 degree-seeking students and almost as many adult continuing education and professional education students.

April 2013, The City University of New York received a $25 million gift from the Stella and Charles Guttman Foundation to support student retention and help increase graduation rates. In honor of the $15 million endowment gift ear-marked to the new college—the Foundation’s largest and the largest ever given to a New York State community college—the CUNY Board of Trustees passed a resolution in June 2013to rename The New Community College “Stella and Charles Guttman Community College.” The gift provides support in perpetuity for activities such as paid internships, community service and experiential learning opportunities, and student emergency funds.

Guttman’s notable features include the following:

A multi-step admissions process designed to help students determine if Guttman is the right fit to address their educational needs and career aspirations;
A mandatory summer bridge program that introduces students to the curricular model and the demands of college-level work and full-time attendance in the first year;
A first-year core curriculum that is centered on New York City and provides skills development in co-requisite workshops and contextualized, embedded skills development in credit-bearing coursework;
Learning communities led by instructional teams that include faculty from each first year course and the advisors for those students;
Structured advisement from professional staff scheduled each week; integrated academic and student services that build on strengths, have high expectations, and support student progress and timely degree attainment;
A limited number of programs of study with well-defined pathways to degree, transfer and/or careers: Business Administration (A.A.); Information Technology (A.A.S.); Liberal Arts & Sciences (A.A.)—Social Science & Humanities track and a Science track; Human Services (A.A.); and Urban Studies (A.A.).
A Center for College Effectiveness that fosters a culture of inquiry and continuous improvement by building bridges among data, dialogue, and decisions and by involving faculty and staff in planning and institutional assessment through the Systematic Approach to Guttman Effectiveness—the SAGE framework.

Mission

Guttman was created and developed with the following mission:

Stella and Charles Guttman Community College is an urban public institution that offers associate degree programs in an environment that nurtures student success. Based on extensive research, Guttman Community College integrates excellence in teaching, proactive and responsive student supports and external partnerships. Our primary objective is to increase the number of students, especially those not effectively served in higher education, who persist in their programs of study and attain a degree in a timely manner. We offer a clearly defined educational pathway including an integrated first-year curriculum that is inquiry-based and majors that prepare students for careers and baccalaureate study. Guttman programs are academically rigorous, multidisciplinary and experientially based.

Community is at the center of Guttman Community College’s mission, and students are at the center of the College. Guttman fosters an environment of cooperation and collaboration, where students, faculty and staff respect and appreciate each other’s perspectives, commonalities, differences and contributions. Students address compelling urban issues and move into the wider community through experiential learning and internships. Graduates will have the intellectual tools and confidence to be engaged citizens and responsible leaders.

College is a time and a place and an idea—an opportunity to cultivate the knowledge and experience required to meet intellectual, creative and professional goals. Guttman Community College supports students in developing the capacity to interpret and evaluate ideas they encounter both in and out of the classroom and to make informed judgments. Students will learn to express their ideas effectively and know that their voices are valued. They will graduate with a greater sense of responsibility for their academic success and personal growth, prepared to pursue additional studies, a career and lifelong learning.

Vision

Founded in the CUNY tradition of access to excellence, Stella and Charles Guttman Community College will support student achievement in a dynamic, inclusive and intellectually engaging environment. We will be recognized for the contributions of our students, faculty, staff and graduates to our communities and to a thriving, sustainable New York City.

Strategic Plan 2018–2022

Guttman developed its 2018 - 2022 Strategic Plan Goals, sub goals and actions with two overarching goals.

Overarching the College’s four major goals is our commitment to equity and effectiveness goals:

A. To create an equitable community in which all students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds can work and learn to the best of their ability.

B. To engage in continuous assessment and rigorous and sustained research of its model to improve overall effectiveness in pursuit of its mission.

Guttman Community College’s four major goals:

Improve the Educational Model
GCC will deliver, assess, improve, and plan to scale its integrative educational model to serve all students with equity—especially those traditionally underserved in higher education—by engaging them through curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities to learn, serve, and grow academically and socially.
Be an Exemplary Environment in which to Work
GCC will be an exemplary environment in which to work, one that affords our diverse faculty, administration and staff ample opportunities to grow, to learn, to collaborate, and to practice their professions at the highest standards.
Be a Model Learning Organization
GCC will be a model learning organization by effectively communicating its mission and philosophy, being transparent in its operations, and sharing its knowledge widely with both internal and external stakeholders.
Modify Space Use and Plan for Long-term Campus
GCC will review and appropriately modify uses of existing space at 50 West 40th Street, secure additional short-term space, and work with the Central Office to identify, plan, and develop a permanent campus that will allow for growth in student enrollments, faculty and staff to serve 3,000 - 5,000 students

Accreditation

Stella and Charles Guttman Community College of the City University of New York is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (267-284-5000). The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

As documented in the Middle States Statement of Accreditation Status for Guttman, on June 24, 2021, the Middle States Commission reaffirmed Guttman’s accreditation. The next evaluation visit is scheduled for 2028 – 2029.

Guttman and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

All CUNY colleges were greatly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and continue to be. However, Stella and Charles Guttman Community College is excited to offer a range of online, in-person, and hybrid (a combination of online and in-person) classes to students in the 2020-2021 academic year. Many student services will offer support online and, when conditions allow, in-person. The food pantry and laptop loans are available to all students by appointment. We encourage students to become familiar with the special webpages dedicated to detailing the resources and information they might need to continue to succeed academically.

Distance Learning Resources
Essential Information for Personal Wellbeing
Coronavirus Updates

Students must be vaccinated to participate in hybrid and in-person classes. Members of the Guttman community will be required to wear masks in all shared spaces, including classrooms. Students should check their Guttman email often and stay in touch with their professors to learn about any changes in policy or class requirements and expectations.

Welcome Grizzlies! We’ve got your back.

COVID-19 STUDENT CONDUCT PROTOCOL

The City University of New York takes the well-being and safety of our students, faculty and staff very seriously. During the pandemic, we all have an obligation to behave in a responsible manner per the guidance approved in your campus’ re-opening plan to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Responsible behavior extends to your off-campus and personal lives, which can affect your ability to transmit the virus on campus, including at a minimum:

always wearing a mask when on campus and when gathering with other individuals
maintaining physical distance of at least three feet on campus and when gathering with individuals outside the classrooms and other areas

Article XV of the CUNY bylaws requires that each student obey policies, regulations, and orders of the University/College. Students are reminded that the Rules and Regulations for the Maintenance of Public order pursuant to article 129a of the education law (“Henderson Rules”) prohibits:

behaviors that recklessly or intentionally endangers the health of others
behavior that interferes with the institution’s educational processes
failure to comply with the direction of a University official

The University is committed to adhering fully to current and future directives about social encounters from the federal, state and local public health officials. Any student found in violation of these directives may be subject to discipline under article XV of the CUNY bylaws.

Visiting Guttman

Please note that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, access to campus might be limited during the 2021-2022 academic year. The food pantry and laptop loans are available by appointment.

Guttman Community College is located at 50 West 40th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in midtown Manhattan.

Bryant Park is directly across the street and offers a beautiful place to study during the fall and spring. The Park hosts a variety of activities throughout the year, from ice skating and a holiday market in the winter to juggling and tai chi in the summer.

Our campus is within walking distance of many of New York’s best cultural attractions, including Grand Central Terminal, the New York Public Library and Times Square. Learn more about our neighborhood on these sites:

Bryant Park
Grand Central Terminal
New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Times Square

Nearest subway stops:

Take the B, D, M or F to 42nd Street-Bryant Park
Take the N, Q or R to Times Square-42nd Street
Take the 7 to 5th Avenue-Bryant Park
Take the 1, 2 or 3 to Times Square-42nd Street

Buses within Manhattan that stop near us:

From the East side, take the M1, M2, M3, M4 or M5
From the West side, take the M6, M7, M10, M20, M42, and M104

Parking garages near Guttman:
Icon Parking
38 W. 43rd St., between 5th and 6th Avenues

Icon Parking
59-61 W. 36th St., between 5th and 6th Avenues

Central Parking System
38 West 46th St., between 5th and 6th Avenues