Long Island University (
LIU) is a
private,
coeducational,
nonsectarian institution of
higher education in the
state of New York in the
United States (U.S.).
History
LIU was chartered in 1926 in
Brooklyn by the
New York State Education Department to provide “effective and moderately priced education” to people from “all walks of life.” In 1951, recognizing the educational needs of the growing number of families moving to the suburbs, LIU purchased a 123 acre estate,
Hillwood, the Marjorie Merriweather Post and Edward F. Hutton House. Located in
Brookville, the original home, Warburton Hall, had been built by William A. Prime and was extensively renovated by the Hutton's. Three years later, the campus was renamed C.W. Post, in honor of Mrs. Hutton's father.
In 1963, LIU established a third campus, located in
Southampton. However, the management of this campus became too costly; as a result, it was sold to the
State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook in 2006. LIU's master's degree programs at this campus were transferred to
Riverhead. Ownership of LIU's bachelor’s degree programs, located at Southampton, was transferred to SUNY Stony Brook.
Organization
LIU is administered by a president and board of trustees who elects the president. The two main campuses are governed by a chancellor, chosen by the chairperson of the board of trustees. The two main campuses each have a
provost.
Campuses
LIU has two main
campuses and four
branch campuses. The main campuses are located in Brooklyn and Brookville. The branch campuses are in
Brentwood and
Riverhead, as well as
Rockland and
Westchester counties.
Brooklyn Campus
thumb|Brooklyn Campus
LIU-Brooklyn Blackbirds logo
The Brooklyn campus is LIU's first permanent site, established in 1926. The campus, located at the intersection of Flatbush and De Kalb avenues (across the street from
Junior's restaurant), includes the former
Brooklyn Paramount Theater, the world’s first theater built specifically for talking pictures. The theater, which abuts the original core campus, was bought in 1960 by LIU and converted into a gymnasium in 1963. Parts of the theater's balcony were used as lecture rooms. The theater's original
Wurlitzer organ was used as a basketball court for the Brooklyn campus' Blackbirds' home basketball games; until a newer building was built. The campus is recognized by the
New York Times as being one of the most diverse in the U.S. and is home to the prestigious
George Polk Awards in journalism.
The campus comprises:
- Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, LIU's only professional school and one of the largest and oldest pharmacy schools in the U.S.
- School of Business, Public Administration, and Information Sciences
- Richard Conolly College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- School of Health Professions
- School of Continuing Education
- Global College, the only global studies program in the U.S. integrating a series of yearlong cultural immersions around the world into a four-year bachelor's degree
C.W. Post Campus
LIU-C.W. Post Pioneers logo
Founded in 1954, the C.W. Post campus is situated in Brookville, on
Long Island's north shore. The campus is LIU's largest and is where the university's main offices are located.
The campus comprises:
- College of Information and Computer Science
- Palmer School of Library and Information Science
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- School of Health Professions and Nursing
- School of Visual and Performing Arts
The campus is home to the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, which presents world-renowned artists in 70 music, dance, and theater performances each season. The campus also is the location of a lifetime learning program that offers classes in the fall, spring and summer semesters. Subjects include paralegal, financial planning, interior decorating, corporate training, project management, entrepreneurship, real estate, and insurance.
Branch Campuses
The Rockland, Westchester, Brentwood, and Riverhead campuses all offer a small number of graduate degree and advance certificate programs. However, only the Brentwood campus offers a bachelor's degree program. The Riverhead campus is home to the Homeland Security Management Institute, recognized as one of the leading institutions in the U.S. in
homeland security training. The institute has been designated a "Homeland Security Center of Excellence" by the
United States Congress.
Academics
All campuses offering
undergraduate education utilize what is called the "Long Island University Plan." The main components of the plan consists of (1) expanded academic and personal counseling from the students' first year to graduation; (2) enhanced academic and career opportunities that gives students decisive advantages in career fields of their choice by providing an option for
professional employment and "special" semesters that build professional connections, credentials, and experience; and (3) essential literacies that develop the students' analytic and writing skills that familiarizes them with the fundamental languages of
culture and
science.
Athletics
The two major LIU campuses have distinct athletic programs and thus names: the Blackbirds at the Brooklyn campus, who compete in NCAA Division I; and the Pioneers at the C.W. Post campus, who compete in NCAA Division II. The Brooklyn Campus has 14 varsity teams and the C.W. Post Campus 15 varsity teams, each representing sports from baseball to volleyball.
The Blackbirds basketball team has been the most successful of both campuses’ programs. The basketball team won the
National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 1939 and 1941 under the guidance of coach
Clair Bee. However, in 1951, the Blackbirds basketball players were involved in the
CCNY Point Shaving Scandal that resulted in five players receiving a suspended sentence and one player a one-year prison sentence. The basketball team was suspended for six years from 1951-1957. Games were played at the
Brooklyn Paramount Theater until recently.
Media
The Long Island University Public Radio Network broadcasts on 88.3 FM (
WLIU) and 88.1 FM (
WCWP). The Long Island University television broadcasts on channels 36 and 37 on campus only (LIUTV).
The journal
Confrontation is based on the C. W. Post Campus.
Notable people
List of Long Island University people
