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The King's College (also TKC or simply King's) is an American Christian liberal arts college with classrooms and offices in New York City's Empire State Building. The college, originally established in 1938 in New Jersey and located for many years in New York until it went bankrupt in 1994, was re-established by Campus Crusade for Christ and relocated to New York City in 1999.

History

Percy Crawford founded The King’s College in 1938 in Belmar, New Jersey. The school re-located in 1941 to New Castle, Delaware, and again in 1955 to the former Briarcliff Lodge site in Briarcliff Manor, New York. During its time in Briarcliff, The King's College sponsored the The King's Tournament, a sports tournament in which East Coast Christian college athletes competed each year. In 1962, after Crawford's death in 1960, Dr. Robert A. Cook became the college's second president. The college prospered under his leadership, with enrollment growing to a high of 870 students in 1980. After 23 years as president, Cook retired and became the college's chancellor in 1985, a position which he held until his death in 1991. Friedhelm Radandt succeeded Cook to become the college's third president. Nine years later, in December 1994, the college shut down, as a result of years of declining enrollment, bad financial decisions, and the deterioration of the Briarcliff campus. The college declared bankruptcy, owing more than $25 million to its creditors.

Reestablishment in New York City

The college charter, first granted by the New York Board of Regents in 1955, still remained in force. In 1997, the College's charter was amended to make Campus Crusade for Christ the sole member of the corporation. Together with Campus Crusade founder Bill Bright, J. Stanley "Stan" Oakes, then the director of Faculty Commons, a Campus Crusade ministry, began work to pay off the institution's debts and re-establish it in New York City, along with the recently acquired Northeastern Bible College, which had experienced a similar decline and closure as King's. In 1999 King's leased 45,000 square feet (4,200 m) of space on three floors of the Empire State Building in New York City for classrooms, a student recreation center, and administrative offices. Radandt remained president, with Oakes as Chairman. In January 2003, Oakes became the fourth president; five years later, Oakes became chancellor and Andy Mills became the fifth president. Following a battle with brain cancer, Oakes reassumed the presidency on January 1, 2009. In December 2009, the College announced that Oakes would take a year-long sabbatical.

On August 23, 2010, the college announced the appointment of noted author and speaker Dinesh D'Souza as its new president.

Organization

The college, a subsidiary of Campus Crusade for Christ, claims the “Protestant evangelical tradition” as its own. It "seeks ambitious students who want to make a difference in the world," and who "seek a rigorous undergraduate education that is rooted in the Christian liberal arts tradition" in order to educate them for "principled leadership." "Through its commitment to the truths of Christianity and a biblical worldview," the TKC mission statement reads, "The King’s College seeks to transform society by preparing students for careers in which they help to shape and eventually to lead strategic public and private institutions, and by supporting faculty members as they directly engage culture through writing and speaking publicly on critical issues."

Academics

The college is authorized by the Board of Regents to grant two degrees in a total of four programs. and has received regional accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools' Commission on Higher Education. The college currently maintains degrees in "Business Management," "Politics, Philosophy, and Economics" ("PPE"), and a major in "Media, Culture and the Arts" ("MCA"), which was officially launched in August 2009. Within the PPE program, students are able to pursue "concentrations" in literature, media, theology, and foundations of education. The MCA program has concentrated electives in literature, creative writing, journalism, media studies, and the visual and theatre arts. Students also take courses in theology and Western civilization.

Accreditation status

The King's College has been accredited by the New York Board of Regents for over 40 years. The King's College pursued regional accreditation with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and after completing a self-study and being reviewed by the Commission on Higher Education in 2009, The King's College was granted regional accreditation as of November 19, 2009. King's is now fully accredited and no longer needs to pursue accreditation with the New York Board of Regents. The King's College will complete its next self-study with Middle States for accreditation renewal between 2014 and 2015.

Student life

During the 2007-2008 academic year, the school enrolled a total of 220 students from 11 countries and 37 states. By the fall term of 2008, enrollment had grown to 258, and the average ACT score of the 2008 incoming class was 28, putting the King's College in the 90th percentile nationwide.

Residence life

King’s does not require attendance at church or chapel services, and students are not required to sign a statement of faith (although faculty are). Instead, students sign an honor code pledging not to “lie, cheat, steal, or turn a blind eye to those who do.” This is described by the school as “the minimum standard of ethical behavior that all students have contracted to live by.” Students live in groups of three or four in apartments in two high-rise buildings on Sixth Avenue near the school's facilities in the Empire State Building. During the summer, King's leases these apartments to students in the city for summer internships.

King's has a house system, although the school describes the system as also having similarities to traditional fraternities and sororities. All incoming students are assigned to one of the nine currently established houses, which are named for historic leaders: C.S. Lewis, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Corrie Ten Boom, Elizabeth I, Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Winston Churchill, and Clara Barton. Students are encouraged to develop strong ties within their houses. During the year, they participate in inter-house competition in events such as "The Great Race," a scavenger hunt throughout the City, and the house GPA contest, where each house attempts to achieve the highest average GPA. As upperclassmen, students are eligible for election by their peers to one of four house leadership positions: President, Scholar, Helmsman, and Chamberlain. Each position has certain spiritual, academic, or residence life responsibilities within the house.

Extracurriculars

King’s has many student groups, including The King's Debate Society, which competes against other university teams in British Parliamentary Style debate; Mock Trial, which puts students in the shoes of courtroom Lawyers and Witnesses, competing against other colleges at a regional and national level. The King's College is one of the only Christian colleges in the United States that offers Mock Trial. Other programs include The Artisan’s Guild, which puts on annual events showcasing student art and talent; under the umbrella of The Artisan's Guild is The King's College Theatre (TKCT), which puts on dramatic performances and other theater-related events; BreadBreakers, which meets weekly for student-made meals; SPARK, which works to get students involved with various social justice programs in the city; the Network of enlightened Women (NeW), which is part of a national organization that builds the leadership skills of conservative women students; and the longest-running student group, The King's Dancers, which schedules dance practices, performances, and outings. Other organizations include The King's Council, the King’s student government group; Empire State Tribune, the King’s student newspaper; The Gadfly, an independent magazine of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics; and The Tent, a voluntary, student-led Christian worship and prayer group. King's students are encouraged to start groups they see a need for at the college.

Notes and references

1. ^ http://www.tkc.edu/abouttkc/president_pressrelease.html
2. The King's College Academic Catalog: Faculty. Retrieved 13 September 2010.
3. Campus Crusade for Christ International . Retrueved 13 September 2010.
4. Dinesh D'Souza Picked as President of Evangelical College in New York
5. "History of King's", About King's. The King's College. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
6. ^ The Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College. "'As This Is Our First Broadcast...': Biography of Percy B. Crawford". Retrieved 10 January 2009.
7. ^ Segal, David (19 February 2008). "God and the City." The Washington Post, p. C01. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
8. Bennett, Jonathan (28 November 2007). "Montreat College Athletics Hall of Fame." Retrieved 9 January 2009.
9. ^ Walk With the King Biography of Dr. Robert A. Cook. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
10. ^ Yasinac, Rob. "Briarcliff Lodge and The King's College." Hudson Valley Ruins. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
11. Carnes, Tony (9 February 1998). "King's College Resurrection Signals Big Apple's Renewal." Christianity Today, p. 60. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
12. ^ University of the State of New York (14 July 2005). Compliance Report of an Accreditation Site Visit to The King’s College on May 25, 2005 For the Purpose of Renewing Institutional Accreditation. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
13. Faculty Commons History. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
14. Aviv, Rachel (4 April 2006). "On High." The Village Voice. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
15. The King's College Frequently Asked Questions No. 1. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
16. The King's College About TKC. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
17. The King's College Unpacking the Mission Statement. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
18. The King's College Mission Statement. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
19. New York State Education Department Inventory of Registered Programs. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
20. Middle States Commission on Higher Education Institution Directory. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
21. The King's College Academic Catalog: Accreditation. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
22. The King's College Programs of Study. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
23. The King's College Press Release 18 December 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
24. The King's College PPE Program Map. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
25. The King's College . Retrieved 5 March 2010.
26. The King's College 2009-2010 Course Descriptions. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
27. Stanley Kurtz, Long Live King's, National Review http://old.nationalreview.com/kurtz/kurtz200504050746.asp Retrieved 5 March 2010
28. Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Institutional Directory, The King's College. http://msche.org/institutions_view.asp?idinstitution=224. Retrieved 5 March 2010
29. Buckley, Cara (20 December 2008). "In a Worldly City’s Tallest Tower, a College With a Heavenly Bent." The New York Times p. A22.
30. Macomber, Shawn (8 September 2008). "King's of New York." The American Spectator. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
31. The King's College Frequently Asked Questions No. 12. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
32. ^ The King's College Student Handbook. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
33. Paumgarten, Nick (1 August 2005). "The Good News." The New Yorker. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
34. NYC Intern About Us. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
35. ^ The King's College House Manual
36. The King's College Great Race. Retrieved 5 March 2010
37. The King's College House GPA Contest. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
38. The King's College Student Organizations http://www.tkc.edu/students/leadership/orgs/listoforgs.html. Retrieved 5 March 2010

Further reading

• Briarcliff Lodge/King's College at Xydexx's Exploring and Modern Ruins
• Briarcliff Lodge and The King's College at Hudson Valley Ruins

External links

• Official website

• The King's College (New York)
• Universities and colleges in New York City
• Educational institutions established in 1938
• Educational institutions disestablished in 1994
• Educational institutions established in 1999
• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
• Universities and colleges in Manhattan
• Mount Pleasant, New York