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SCHOOL OF NURSING AT THE COLLEGE OF NEW ROCHELLE
ANNOUNCES 10-YEAR ACCREDITATION BY THE 
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES OF NURSING

NEW ROCHELLE, NY, November 14, 2003 – The School of Nursing at The College of New Rochelle today announced that after an intensive two-year self-study and review period, it has attainted accreditation through 2013 by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), an autonomous arm of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).  CCNE is officially recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accrediting agency for baccalaureate and graduate degree programs offered in four year colleges and universities in the U.S.  Nearly 70% of all higher education institutions in the U.S. with baccalaureate nursing education programs belong to AACN.

“Our mission at CNR is to offer quality bachelor’s and master’s degree programs that will prepare our students well for the real-life dynamic challenges they will face in their careers as nursing professionals,” said Dr. Donna J. Demarest, Dean of the School of Nursing at CNR.  “We are delighted to achieve the maximum 10-year accreditation offered through CCNE.

This rigorous accreditation process is a testament to the cooperative environment that the faculty, staff and students have worked so hard to create at the School of Nursing.”

CCNE’s accreditation process focuses on four key areas to assess program quality: 1) mission and governance; 2) institutional commitment and resources; 3) curricula and teaching-learning processes; and 4) student performance and faculty accomplishments.

Established in 1976, the School of Nursing is widely recognized for innovation and excellence in programming that is responsive to the public’s changing health needs. The School offers six programs: a traditional four-year undergraduate program leading to a bachelor of science in nursing; an accelerated program of study for RNs seeking a B.S.N.; an accelerated B.S.N. program for those holding degrees in other fields; an accelerated RN to M.S. program; and an M.S. degree program with tracks in holistic nursing, acute care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, and administration.

The baccalaureate program at CNR prepares a nurse generalist who practices in a variety of settings with clients of all ages from diverse and multicultural populations.  A CNR graduate is prepared to assume beginning leadership roles and facilitate change to improve the quality of client care in the health care system.  The masters’ program prepares a nurse professional at advanced levels of practice.  Specialty options in the program provide opportunities at all levels of advanced practice including health promotion and restoration, disease prevention and provision of care in acute and chronic illness.

For nearly 17 years, the School of Nursing has played a key role in helping CNR promote a proactive holistic approach to health, most recently through its successful initiative, Healthy Campus 2010, which evolved out of the CNR Health Fair.  This initiative is an outgrowth of the national Healthy People campaign and addresses specific health issues and needs of the CNR community across its six campuses. 


The first Catholic college for women in New York State, The College of New Rochelle was founded in 1904 by the Ursuline Order. Today, it comprises the all-women School of Arts & Sciences, and three schools which admit women and men: the School of New Resources (for adult learners), the School of Nursing and the Graduate School.  The main campus of the College is located in lower Westchester County, 16 miles north of New York City.  The College maintains six other campus locations in New York City. Visit the College’s website at www.cnr.edu.


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