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78-544: Bennington College is a private liberal arts college in Bennington, Vermont , United States. Founded as a women’s college in 1932, it became co-educational in 1969. It is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education . The planning for the establishment of Bennington College began in 1924 and took nine years to be realized. While many people were involved, the four central figures in

156-634: A $ 5 million gift from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation. The largest single gift ever awarded by the foundation has helped establish the Helen Frankenthaler Fund for the Visual Arts and provides support for all aspects of the school's visual arts program including curricula, facilities, programs, and faculty. In recognition of the gift, the visual arts wing of the college's 120,000-square-foot arts facility

234-583: A 60% increase since the establishment of HEC in 2002. The HEC digital library now provides access to over 20,000 leading research journals, covering about 75% of the world's peer-reviewed scientific journals. Until 1991, there were only two recognized private universities in Pakistan: Aga Khan University , established in 1983, and Lahore University of Management Sciences , established in 1985. By 1997, there were 10 private universities. From 2001–2002, this number had doubled to 20. Among

312-635: A distinction between free institutions (as in free from the State), which are recognized and funded by the Communities of Belgium (the State until 1990) and follow the same rules and laws as fully public universities, and fully private institutions, which are not recognized nor funded by the authorities, and thus do not issue valid degrees. Private ( free ) institutions are predominantly Catholic: UCLouvain , KU Leuven or Saint-Louis University, Brussels . On

390-487: A faculty member who assists with course selection, internship and job applications, graduate school preparation, and more. Bennington does not have traditional academic majors for undergraduate students. Instead, the Plan Process is an alternative to majors, which encourages students to lead their own education, rather than choosing from pre-existing paths. Within the Plan Process, there are no required courses, so from

468-488: A high student suicide rate. The college goes to great lengths not to involve local media when this occurs, however, there have been at least 6 student suicides in the last 7 years. Bennington has annual events. The Silo is a student-run and produced journal of arts and letters at Bennington College. It has been published since 1943. The Bennington Free Press is the student-run and produced newspaper of Bennington College. It has been published since 2003. "Footnotes"

546-618: A number of Pulitzer Prize -winning and acclaimed poets including W. H. Auden , Stanley Kunitz , Mary Oliver , Theodore Roethke , Donald Hall , and Anne Waldman , and educator Joseph S. Murphy , the future Chancellor of the City University of New York . In 2017, Bennington College acquired the Robert Frost Stone House Museum through a gift from the Friends of Robert Frost . Robert Frost lived in

624-765: A private institution to be called " université ", and most of the universities in France are public. In France, grandes écoles are part of an alternative educational system that operates alongside the mainstream French public university system . Grandes écoles can be public , semi-private or private, but the most prestigious ones are public. These institutions operate mostly in engineering studies and business administration. The best-known semi-private grandes écoles are generally business, engineering, and humanities schools; they are generally managed by chambers of commerce and industry, with capital open to other private companies. Other grandes écoles are entirely private, but this

702-461: A requirement for all foreign institutions endeavoring to operate businesses in the country. Almost all the private universities in Ghana focus on similar areas of academic study, including business administration, human resources, accounting, information technology, and related fields, which are offered by universities like Ashesi , Regent , Valley View , and Ghana Telecom , among others. In addition,

780-420: A total undergraduate enrollment of 785, with a gender distribution of 34 percent male students and 66 percent female students. 94 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 6 percent of students live off campus. In 2021 the director of campus security resigned after hiring a white supremacist to the campus safety staff. Unfortunately, in the past ten years Bennington has had

858-977: Is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education . In 2024, the college accepted 45.3% of undergraduate applicants, with those admitted having an average 3.51 GPA . The college does not require submission of standardized test scores, Bennington being a test optional school. Those submitting test scores had an average 1260-1370 SAT score (13% submitting scores) or average 29-33 ACT score (5% submitting scores). In 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked Bennington tied for #112 in National Liberal Arts Colleges, tied for #19 in Most Innovative Schools, and tied for #96 in Top Performers on Social Mobility out of 211 National Liberal Arts Colleges. At Bennington, students receive graduate-style advising from

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936-1075: Is an academic journal created by the Student Educational Policies Committee, beginning in spring 2016. Faculty has included Wharton and James biographer R. W. B. Lewis , essayist Edward Hoagland , literary critics Camille Paglia and Stanley Hyman (whose wife Shirley Jackson referenced Bennington College in her writing, particularly Hangsaman ), rhetorician Kenneth Burke , former United Artists' senior vice-president Steven Bach , novelists Arturo Vivante , Bernard Malamud and John Gardner , trumpeter/composer Bill Dixon , saxophonist and pianist Charles Gayle , composers Allen Shawn , Henry Brant , and Vivian Fine , painters Kenneth Noland , Mary Lum and Jules Olitski , politicians Mansour Farhang and Mac Maharaj , poets Léonie Adams and Howard Nemerov , sculptor Anthony Caro , dancer/choreographer Martha Graham , drummer Milford Graves , author William Butler (author of The Butterfly Revolution ), economist Karl Polanyi and

1014-613: Is designed as a two-year, four-term program; however, those who cannot commit to four consecutive terms are encouraged to propose an alternative schedule when applying. Like the MFA in Dance program, the MFA in Music is a two-year, four-term program. Students pursue work at an advanced level in either composition or voice. (In exceptional cases, students wishing to pursue postgraduate work in other performance areas may be considered.) The Center for

1092-1123: Is due to the form of testing in schools in Taiwan, in which students take a national entrance exam to determine their university qualifications. The most well known private university is Fu Jen Catholic University , and the oldest is Tunghai University . Since the 1990s, several private universities have opened in Vietnam including Ho Chi Minh City Open University being one of the first. Some characteristics of Vietnamese private universities as of 2010 are high (very high in some cases) tuition fees, poor infrastructure, limited faculty, and human resources. Private universities are often named after scholars ( Fulbright University Vietnam, Vo Truong Toan University, Nguyen Trai University, Luong The Vinh University, Chu Van An University, Yersin University, Phan Chau Trinh University), or heroes/legends ( Hung Vuong University, Quang Trung University); although there are exceptions such as FPT University , named after

1170-540: Is home to several private universities, including Sohar University , the University of Nizwa , Middle East College , and the German University of Technology in Oman . These universities offer a range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in fields such as business, engineering, and information technology. Private universities in Oman offer a more personalized and interactive learning experience, as

1248-731: Is one private university in Madaba city, the American University of Madaba (AUM) . There are 11 private universities and colleges in Kuwait . There are 19 private universities in Lebanon. Among these, the American University of Beirut and the Lebanese American University are internationally acknowledged. The languages used for teaching in private universities are mainly French and English ; Arabic

1326-485: Is rarer, and they sometimes establish partnerships with public universities. William C. Fels William C. Fels (1916 – November 29, 1964) was an American academic administrator who served as fourth President of Bennington College . Fels was born in New York City in 1916, son of a dress manufacturer. He attended Bordentown Military Institute and graduated in 1937 from Columbia College , where he won

1404-509: Is responsible for the accreditation of these institutes and degrees. These mostly provide undergraduate degrees with a few providing postgraduate degrees. The Informatics Institute of Sri Lanka (IIT), NSBM Green University (NSBM), Horizon Campus and Sri Lanka Institute for Information Technology (SLIIT) are examples. Some foreign universities franchise parts of their degree courses in Sri Lanka with local institutes. Students are charged for

1482-839: Is the only college that has required an annual internship for students since its founding. Bennington college offers the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in multiple disciplines and the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program. Previously an MAT or BA/MAT was offered in Education through the Center for Creative Teaching, until discontinued around 2012. Bennington Writing Seminars is a low-residency Master of Fine Arts program in writing founded by Poet Liam Rector in 1994. After Rector's death in August 2007, Sven Birkerts

1560-742: Is widely used in religious universities and Armenian is used in the Armenian university. The first university opened in Lebanon was the Syrian Protestant College in 1866 (which became the American University of Beirut in 1921). It was founded by Daniel Bliss, a Protestant missionary. The second university opened in Lebanon was the Université Saint-Joseph , founded by the Jesuits in 1875. Oman

1638-693: The American University in Cairo , the German University in Cairo , The British University in Egypt , the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport , Misr University for Science and Technology , Misr International University , Future University in Egypt and the Modern Sciences and Arts University . In addition to the state-funded national and private universities in Egypt , international university institutions were founded in

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1716-823: The FPT Corporation and Tan Tao University in Tan Tao Group . In Vietnam, there are also "semi-private university"; schools in this category which can receive partial financial support from the government. Almost all private universities have to invite professors and lecturers from state universities. Many lecturers from state-owned universities take up positions in private universities after their retirement. There are numerous private universities and independent faculties in Armenia , mostly in Yerevan . As of 2022, there are 31 private higher education institutions in

1794-679: The International University Vienna , whose accreditation was withdrawn in 2003 due to academic misconduct; Imadec University , whose first accreditation period ended in January 2006 and was not renewed; TCM Privatuniversität Li Shi Zhen in Vienna , whose accreditation period ended 2009 without renewal students; and PEF Private University of Management Vienna , which closed for economic reasons in March 2012. Belgium makes

1872-540: The New Administrative Capital and are hosting branches of Universities from abroad. The Knowledge Hub (TKH) and European Universities in Egypt (EUE) are among these institutions. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church doctrine embraces traditional higher institutions in Ethiopia . Modern higher education could be traced back to the regime of Emperor Haile Selassie , with the first university,

1950-539: The Private Universities Act, 1992 was instituted, consolidated, and re-enacted as the Private Universities Act, 2010 . All private universities must be approved by University Grants Commission (UGC) before they are given a permit to operate. As of April 2018, there were 97 private universities in Bangladesh . Private institutions must confer the students with external programs such as BDTVEC,

2028-727: The UGC (Establishment and Maintenance of Standards in Private Universities) Regulations, 2003 . Per the UGC act and these regulations, private universities are established by acts of state legislative assemblies and listed by the UGC in the Gazette upon receiving the relevant act. As confirmed by the ruling of the Supreme Court of India , recognition by the UGC is required for the university to operate. Also, per

2106-720: The 2003 regulations, the UGC sends committees to inspect the private universities and publishes their inspection report. The UGC publishes and regularly updates the lists of private universities. As of 23 August 2022 , the UGC lists 421 private universities. As of 2010 , Japan had 597 private universities, 86 national universities , and 95 public universities . Private universities thus account for over 75% of all universities in Japan. A large number of junior colleges in Japan are private and like public and national universities, many private universities use National Center Test for University Admissions as an entrance exam . There

2184-455: The 21st century. However, since then, Ghana has seen a flood of private universities and colleges established – a reflection of the country's stable governance and the pace of economic growth. Most of these universities are not known to be sponsored by foreign corporate organizations or government universities and the aim is to avoid the Ghanaian government's excessive payment of bonds, which is

2262-702: The Advancement of Public Action at Bennington College established a Master of Fine Arts in Public Action in 2018. Directed by Susan Sgorbati, the program aims to support artists working in social justice . Bennington's PostBac program was suspended indefinitely in 2021. It was a one-year program, beginning and ending in June, and it covered the basic requirements for medical school and other health profession tracks. The groundbreaking ceremony for Bennington College took place on August 16, 1931, and construction of

2340-509: The Auston Institute of Management, Singapore. The Sri Lanka campus was established in 2010 and is a Board of Investment or (BOI) company. It retains a similar focus to the home campus and occupies a prime spot along Colombo's famous Galle Road. In Taiwan , private universities are typically not as prestigious as some public (national) universities. They are not ranked as high as public institutions and cost nearly twice as much. This

2418-540: The Bennington College Board of Trustees initiated a process known as "The Symposium". Arguing that the college suffered from "a growing attachment to the status quo that, if unattended, is lethal to Bennington's purpose and pedagogy", the board of trustees "solicit[ed] ... concerns and proposals on a wide and open-ended range of issues from every member of the faculty, every student, every staff member, every alumna and alumnus, and dozens of friends of

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2496-518: The Bennington College Prospectus which outlined the "Bennington idea". The first class of eighty-seven women arrived on campus in 1932. The college was the first to include the visual and performing arts as full-fledged elements of the liberal arts curriculum. Every year since the college began in 1932, every Bennington College student has engaged in internships and volunteer opportunities each winter term. Originally called

2574-535: The Bennington faculty, Dr. Lewis Webster Jones, economist and labor mediator. In 1946, Paula Jean Welden , a sophomore at the college, disappeared while on a hike of the nearby Long Trail. She was living in Dewey House at the time and had traveled alone. Many students assisted in the search, but Paula was never found. Frederick H. Burkhardt , who had been ready to decline an invitation to become president of

2652-621: The Brainerd Memorial Prize, for which he was cited as “most worthy of distinction on the ground of his qualities of mind and character.” After receiving a master's degree from Columbia University , Fels started teaching English at Cooper Union . In 1942, Fels joined the United States Army and rose from the rank of private to captain in the Ordnance Corps . He also served as public relations officer at

2730-628: The College Scholarship Service to administer student aid funds more equitably and economically. In 1955, Fels served as executive secretary of the Ford Foundation college grants program. In 1956, he returned to Columbia as associate provost . Fels became President of Bennington College in 1957. As president, he served on the first planning committee for President-elect John F. Kennedy ’s Peace Corps . Under his leadership, Bennington returned federal aid under

2808-482: The College." According to the trustees, the process was intended to reinvent the college, and the board said it received over 600 contributions to this end. The results of the process were published in June 1994 in a 36-page document titled Symposium Report of the Bennington College Board of Trustees . Recommended changes included the following: Near the end of June 1994, 27 faculty members (approximately one-third of

2886-681: The Edward Clark Crossett Library was designed by the modernist architect Pietro Belluschi . After opening, Crossett Library was featured in Architectural Forum and became a focus of study for many architecture students in the 1960s. Crossett Library went on to win the 1963 Honor Award for library design. In 1968, three new student houses were completed to help house the growing student population and were named in honor of William C. Fels , Jessie Smith Noyes, and Margaret Smith Sawtell. These houses were designed by

2964-551: The Plan committee each fall to discuss their progress towards completion. Because of the Plan Process, no two students at Bennington will graduate with the same exact mix of learning. Field Work Term is a required annual internship program that gives students the opportunity to gain professional experience beyond the classroom before graduating. Field Work Term experiences often inform students' decisions about career planning and can even lead to job opportunities post graduation. Bennington

3042-551: The Princeton Review's 2018 Best Northeastern Colleges List, which includes the schools that it considers "academically outstanding and well worth consideration in your college search". Bennington also appeared on Princeton's "Green Schools" list. Notably, Bennington was also featured in a 2016 article by Forbes as one of "Tomorrow's Hot Colleges" highlighting the institution's recent flourishing "under bold, entrepreneurial leadership". In 2015 Bennington College announced

3120-457: The Symposium was essentially a sham, designed to provide a pretext for the removal of faculty members to whom the college's president, Elizabeth Coleman, was hostile. Some have questioned the timing of the firings, arguing that by waiting until the end of June, the college made it impossible for students affected by the firings to transfer to other institutions. President Coleman responded that

3198-675: The University College of Addis Ababa (now called the Addis Ababa University or AAU) formed in 1950. In 1954, the Haramaya University opened. As of 2022, there are 83 private universities, 42 public universities, and more than 35 institutions of higher learning. There are 16,305 students enrolled in higher education as a whole. There were a few private universities in Ghana before the beginning of

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3276-652: The University Grant Commission (UGC), is the primary regulator of higher education in Pakistan . It also facilitates the development of the higher educational system in Pakistan. Its main purpose is to upgrade the schools to be world-class centers of education, research, and development. It also plays a leading role in building a knowledge-based economy in Pakistan by giving out hundreds of doctoral scholarships for education abroad every year. Despite

3354-571: The Winter Field & Reading Period, the two-month term was described by President Robert Devore Leigh in his 1928 Bennington College Prospectus as "a long winter recess giving students and faculty opportunity for travel, field work, and educational advantages of metropolitan life". This internship was renamed twice, as Non-Resident term and, as it is called today, Field Work Term. In 1934 the Bennington School of Dance summer program

3432-579: The college, visited the campus was impressed with the cohesion and support of the community in the face of this tragedy and accepted the offer. At age 35, he became the youngest college president in the nation. In 1951 the U.S. State Department issued a documentary on Bennington highlighting its unique educational approach as a model for the Allied rebuilding of German society after the War. The college continued to expand its physical infrastructure. Built in 1959,

3510-495: The college. In the immediate wake of the controversy, for the 1994–1995 academic year, the college's enrollment dropped to a record low of 370 undergraduates, and the following year (1995–1996), undergraduate enrollment declined to 285. According to Coleman, a student body of 600 undergraduates was required for the college to break even. As of 2015, the college reports a total enrollment of 755 students with steady increases in quality student applications. Bennington College appeared on

3588-873: The colonial era home in Shaftsbury, VT from 1920 to 1929, during which time he wrote many of his well known works including the poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening". Frost was involved in the founding of Bennington during the 1930s, suggesting the use of narrative evaluations which became a core aspect of the college's academic process. Private university Across the world, different countries have different regulations regarding accreditation for private universities and as such, private universities are more common in some countries than in others. Some countries do not have any private universities at all. Egypt currently has 21 public universities with about two million students and 23 private universities with 60,000 students. Egypt has many private universities including

3666-487: The contrary, the Free University of Brussels (nowadays split into ULB and VUB ) was founded by masonic individuals. All of these institutions began to be recognized by the State from 1891 onwards. It is forbidden by law to call a fully private institution "university" or "faculty", meaning fully private (non- free ) 'universities' have limited visibility. Bulgaria has many private universities, among which

3744-530: The country, most notably the American University of Armenia and the Eurasia International University . In Austria , educational institutions must be authorized by the country to legally grant academic degrees . All state-run universities are governed by the 2002 Austrian Universities' and University Degree Programmes' Organisation Act (Federal Law Gazette No. 120/2002). In 1999, a federal law ( Universitäts-Akkreditierungsgesetz )

3822-409: The criticism of the HEC, its creation had a positive impact on higher education in Pakistan. Its two-year report for 2004 to 2006 states that according to the Institute of Scientific Information, the total number of publications appearing in the 8,000 leading journals indexed in the Web of Science arising out of Pakistan in 2005 was 1,259 articles, representing a 41% increase over the past two years and

3900-423: The decision was fundamentally "about ideas", stating that "Bennington became mediocre over time" and that the college was in need of radical change. Coleman argued that the college was in dire financial straits, saying that "had Bennington done nothing ... the future of this institution was seriously in doubt." In a letter to The New York Times , John Barr, chairman of the board of trustees, asserted that Coleman

3978-500: The distinguished modernist architect, Edward Larrabee Barnes , who posthumously earned the 2007 American Institute of Architects Gold Medal. In 1969, Bennington became fully coeducational , a move that attracted major national attention, including a major feature story in The New York Times Magazine . The presidency of Gail Thain Parker from 1972 to 1976 was marked by controversy over curriculum reform, affirmative action, and relations between faculty and administration. In 1993,

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4056-419: The existing disciplines such as Society, Culture and Thought, Advancement of Public Action, Dance, Environmental Studies, Visual Arts, and others ( see ,) Students then meet with a committee of faculty members and their academic adviser to review the proposed Plan and make any necessary changes. After their Plan is improved, students regularly meet with their adviser to choose relevant courses and meet again with

4134-413: The first to gain degree awarding status was Hajvery University, Lahore (HU), established in 1990. From 2003–2004, Pakistan had a total of 83 private degree granting institutions. There are nine private universities in Saudi Arabia . In Sri Lanka , state-recognized private institutes are allowed to award degrees under Section 25A of the Universities Act No. 16 of 1978. The University Grants Commission

4212-432: The founding of Bennington were Vincent Ravi Booth, Mr. and Mrs. Hall Park McCullough, and William Heard Kilpatrick . A Women's Committee, headed by Mrs. Hall Park McCullough, organized the Colony Club Meeting in 1924, which brought together some 500 civic leaders and educators from across the country. As a result of the Colony Club Meeting, a charter was secured and a board of trustees formed for Bennington College. One of

4290-404: The institution with no form of tenure . The firings attracted considerable media attention. Some students and alumni protested, and the college was censured for its actions by the American Association of University Professors , who said, "academic freedom is insecure, and academic tenure is nonexistent today at Bennington College." Critics of the Symposium, and the 1994 firings, have alleged that

4368-427: The largest awarding body in the country, BTEC , and Cambridge International Examinations pathways. Accreditation by the Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council (BDNAC) is crucial to establish a private institution. Private universities have been established in Cambodia since 1997. Since 2003, joint-partnership private universities have been established in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Typically,

4446-412: The moment students arrive, they are free to begin crafting their plan of study to meet their interests and explore new fields. In their second year, students must submit an essay-style Plan proposal, which details their desired primary and secondary areas of study, a summary of their interests and previous coursework, and a framework for how their studies should progress to culminate in senior work in one of

4524-426: The most renowned are New Bulgarian University , located in the capital city Sofia ; Burgas Free University ; Varna Free University and American University in Bulgaria . Finland does not officially recognize private universities but does not explicitly forbid them either. Helsinki School of Business is an example of one such educational institution operating in this market. Since 1880, it has been illegal for

4602-405: The ordnance school in Aberdeen, Maryland . In 1946, Fels returned to Columbia as assistant to the general secretary, working as veteran's counselor and in the development office. From 1948 to 1956, he was secretary and associate director of the College Entrance Examination Board . There, he edited the College Board Review from 1948 to 1951 and the College Handbook for 1951. He also developed

4680-473: The original Bennington College campus was completed by 1936. The Boston architectural firm, J.W. Ames and E.S. Dodge designed Commons, the 12 original student houses, as well as the reconfiguration of the Barn from a working farm building into classrooms and administrative offices. The original student houses were named for the people integral to the founding of the college. The campus was built by more than 100 local craftsmen, many of whom had been out of work since

4758-495: The partners may include a Chinese university and a non-Chinese institution. English is often the only language of instruction at such universities and many focus on providing a comprehensive liberal arts education modeled after research universities in the United States and Europe. Universities in India are recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC), which draws its power from the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 . Private universities in India are regulated under

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4836-431: The program include Bill Ayers , Lisa Brennan-Jobs , Jasmin Darznik , Amy Gerstler , Tod Goldberg , Nathalie Handal , Erica Hunt , Angela Jackson , Suleika Jaouad , Morgan Jerkins , Molly Jong-Fast , Fedwa Malti-Douglas , Megan Mayhew Bergman , Susan Scarf Merrell , Marie Mutsuki Mockett , Ivy Pochoda , Rolf Potts , Jamie Quatro , Mark Sarvas , Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney , and Sarai Walker . The MFA in Dance

4914-520: The recent discovery of oil and gas in commercial quantities has influenced the development of oil and gas management courses within the private universities' curricula. Libya has several recognized private education institutions and universities that have been approved by the Ministry of Higher Education. They are ranked and qualified to specialize in academic programs in Business Administration, Computer Science, Law, Medicine, and Humanitarianism. The National Universities Commission of Nigeria holds

4992-683: The responsibility to approve private universities and accredit their courses. This ensures a minimum standard in curriculum and teaching. There are currently 60 approved private universities in Nigeria and many applications are being processed. In South Africa , there are many distinctions between public universities and what are officially termed private higher education institutions. Recognized private higher education institutions include Akademia ( af ), Regent Business School , Eduvos , Varsity College , Vega School , Milpark , Midrand Graduate Institute , and Regenesys Business School . Numerous private universities were established in Bangladesh after

5070-428: The same privileges including social security, foreign law, and state scholarships as students at state universities. Educational services of private universities are not subject to value added tax , and donations are tax-deductible. Accreditations must be renewed regularly and can be withdrawn, e.g., in the case of repeated academic misconduct as happened in 2003 when the accreditation of International University Vienna

5148-568: The stock market crash of 1929. The campus stretches 440 acres with main campus centered on 10 acres. There are 300 wooded acres, 15 acres of wetland, and 5 acres of tilled farmland. Historic elements of the campus were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022. 94% of students live on campus. There are 21 student houses and all dorms are co-educational. Each dorm hosts a weekly "Coffee Hour" on Sunday evenings where students discuss campus and house issues together. There are also 15 staff/faculty houses. In 2024, Bennington College had

5226-621: The student-teacher ratio is typically lower and there are more opportunities for hands-on learning. Additionally, private universities in Oman often have more flexible curriculums and can respond quickly to changing labor markets and global trends.   All private universities in Oman must be recognized by the Omani Ministry of Higher Education to offer degree programs and receive approval for new degrees. The Ministry has procedures and standards that all universities must meet to receive accreditation and recognition as an institution of higher education. The Higher Education Commission (HEC), formerly

5304-403: The study (some of these institutes are state-funded institutions of their home countries) and these charges are often a fraction of the cost of studying in the home countries of these institutions. Efforts to establish private universities have been blocked due to protests from state universities' undergraduates and leftist political parties. Many private colleges have sprung up since, including

5382-721: The term "university" as opposed to "private university" in their advertisements in all languages except German while still complying with Austrian law. While the legal definition of "private university" prohibits funding by the federal government of Austria, funding by other public bodies is not prohibited. Consequently, some of Austria's private universities are partly or wholly funded by provincial governments, while others are fully privately funded. Accreditation of private universities began in 2001. As of 2020 , Austria has 16 private universities. Most are small (fewer than 1000 students) and specialize in only one or two fields of study. Four former private universities are not accredited anymore:

5460-414: The total faculty body) were notified by certified mail that their contracts would not be renewed. (The exact number of fired faculty members is listed as 25 or 26 in some reports, a discrepancy partly because at least one faculty member, photographer Neil Rappaport, was reinstated on appeal shortly after his firing.) As recommended in the Symposium, the trustees abolished the presumptive tenure system, leaving

5538-450: The trustees, John Dewey , helped shape many of the college's signature programs such as The Plan Process and Field Work Term through his educational principles. In 1928, six years before the college would begin, Robert Devore Leigh was recruited by the Bennington College executive committee to serve as the first president of Bennington. Leigh presided over the forging of Bennington's structure and its early operation. In 1929 Leigh authored

5616-434: Was "not responsible for the redesign of the college ... It was the board of trustees". In May 1996, 17 of the faculty members terminated in the 1994 firings filed a lawsuit against Bennington College, seeking $ 3.7 million in damages and reinstatement to their former positions. In December 2000, the case was settled out of court; as part of the settlement, the fired faculty members received $ 1.89 million and an apology from

5694-827: Was director until 2017. Poet Mark Wunderlich is the current director of Bennington Writing Seminars. U.S. Poet Laureate Donald Hall was a long time writer-in-residence. In 2007, The Atlantic named it one of the nation's best, and Poets & Writers Magazine named it one of the top three low-residency programs in the world in 2011. Core faculty has included fiction writers David Gates , Amy Hempel , Alice Mattison , Jill McCorkle , Rick Moody , Lynne Sharon Schwartz , and Paul Yoon ; nonfiction writers Eula Biss , Jenny Boully , Susan Cheever , Melissa Febos , Phillip Lopate , and James Wood ; and poets April Bernard , Jennifer Chang , Amy Gerstler , Major Jackson , Timothy Liu , Ed Ochester , Carmen Giménez Smith , Craig Morgan Teicher , and Mark Wunderlich . Notable alumni of

5772-490: Was founded by Martha Hill . Martha Graham , Doris Humphrey , Hanya Holm , and Charles Weidman all taught at this laboratory. The program gained attendance by José Limón , Bessie Schonberg , Merce Cunningham , and Betty Ford . In 1935 the administration agreed to admit young men into the Bennington Theater Studio program, since men were needed for theatrical performances. Among the men who attended

5850-614: Was passed to allow the accreditation of private universities. The Akkreditierungsrat (Accreditation Council) evaluates applicants and issues recommendations to the responsible Austrian accreditation authority (the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science & Research). Accreditation by the council yields a couple of privileges: degrees issued by accredited private universities have the same legal status as those issued by state-run universities. Private universities can appoint or promote professors . Their students enjoy

5928-561: Was renamed the Helen Frankenthaler Visual Arts Center. In October 2016 the faculty adopted an open-access policy to make its scholarship publicly accessible online. In the summer of 2020, the board of trustees announced that Laura Walker would be the next college president. Bennington College has an acceptance rate of 45%. In 2024, the college had a student to faculty ratio of 9:1 with 63% of classes with fewer than 20 students. Bennington College

6006-461: Was the actor Alan Arkin . Between 1935 and 1939 the famous social psychologist Theodore Newcomb conducted a study about the change of political attitude during the New Deal period. President Leigh resigned in 1941, at the age of 50, saying he thought no college should be "shackled by executive leadership gradually growing stale, feeble or lacking in initiative". He was succeeded by a member of

6084-541: Was withdrawn. In 2006, when the accreditation of Imadec University expired, the Accreditation Council rejected any renewal requests. Austrian law provides that private universities in Austria must use the term Privatuniversität ("private university") in their German names, although their formal names in other languages are not regulated. Thus, there is the possibility of private institutions employing

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