Skidmore College Skidmore College is a private , independent , liberal arts college in Saratoga Springs , New York . Approximately 2 , 500 students are enrolled at Skidmore pursuing a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree in one of more than 60 areas of study . History . Skidmore College has undergone many transformations since its founding in the early twentieth century as a women ' s college . The Young Women ' s Industrial Club was formed in 1903 by Lucy Ann Skidmore ( 1853 – 1931 ) with inheritance money from her husband who died in 1879 , and from her father , Joseph Russell Skidmore ( 1821 – 1882 ) , a former coal merchant . In 1911 , the club was chartered under the name " Skidmore School of Arts " as a college to vocationally and professionally train young women . It " prepares illustrators , designers , dieticians , accountants , secretaries and costumers . " Charles Henry Keyes became the first president of the school in 1912 , and in 1919 Skidmore conferred its first baccalaureate degrees under the authority of the State University of New York . By 1922 the school had been chartered independently as a four - year , degree - granting college . Skidmore College was first located in downtown Saratoga Springs , but on October 28 , 1961 , the college began to move to the Jonsson Campus , of land on the outer edges of Saratoga Springs . The Jonsson Campus was named for the Skidmore trustee Erik Jonsson , the founder and president of Texas Instruments and a former mayor of Dallas , Texas ( 1964 – 71 ) . Trustee Josephine Young Case delivered a challenge on the development of the new campus , a speech which to this day guides Skidmore ' s development . For example , on Scribner Library she wrote , " And at the heart of the beating center , you must set the library where every book wanted is immediately at hand , and a thousand others wait beside them to be discovered . " In 1971 , the college began admitting men to its regular undergraduate program ( a few dozen male World War II veterans had been admitted in 1946 - 49 ) . Skidmore also launched an innovative program called the " University Without Walls " ( UWW ) , which allows nonresident students over the age of 25 to earn bachelors degrees . The program closed in May , 2011 . Finally , Skidmore established a Phi Beta Kappa chapter . Skidmore faculty formed the Collaborative Research Program in 1988 , which provides students with opportunities to co - author papers and studies with professors . Skidmore began granting masters degrees in 1991 through its Master of Arts in Liberal Studies ( MALS ) program . The Skidmore Honors Forum was founded in 1998 . 2006 marked the start of the largest campaign in Skidmore ' s history , named " Creative Thought . Bold Promise . " The goal was to raise $ 200 million , which was reached and surpassed in 2010 , and celebrated at Celebration Weekend . Academic Departments and Programs . Nearly all departments offer only a B . A . A B . S . is given to those students majoring in Art ( Studio ) , Dance , Dance - Theater , Education , Exercise Science , Business , Social Work , and Theater . The distinction rests in the number of hours of " non - liberal arts " courses allowed toward the 120 credit hours needed for graduation , 60 for a B . S . and 30 for a B . A . These " non - liberal arts " - designated courses are considered by the college to be of a professional nature . Campus and facilities . Most of the buildings on Skidmore ' s campus were constructed after 1960 . Consequently , the grounds have a contemporary ambience that is enhanced by the numerous sculptures and murals that decorate the quads and other common areas . The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery is the college ' s most prominent arts facility . In addition to the Tang , Skidmore has substantial undergraduate studio space as well as several smaller galleries . The Saisselin Art Building houses studios for animation , ceramics , communication design , drawing , fibers , metals , painting , photography , printmaking , and sculpture . Skidmore has a well - known music program housed in the new Arthur Zankel Music Center , which contains a large concert hall with state - of - the - art facilities . Most humanities classes are held in one of four academic buildings : Palamountain , Tisch , Bolton , and Ladd . Harder Hall houses math and computer science ; geology , chemistry , physics , and biology operate out of Dana Science Center . Almost every classroom at Skidmore is equipped with a computer and a projector , and many contain other audiovisual equipment such DVD players and slide projectors . The average class size is 16 ( generally smaller in lab courses ) and the typical student - to - teacher ratio is 11 : 1 . The Lucy Scribner Library , which houses approximately half a million volumes , is notable for both its function and beauty . Its five floors contain a large computer lab , approximately sixty open computers on the main floor , classrooms , private offices for seniors who are working on theses , and many areas for individual and group study . A substantial collection of rare books is kept in the third floor Pohndorff Room . The third floor is home to a children ' s library which is used by Saratoga residents . Also present is the Help Desk where students can get help with their computers . A helpful service offered by the library is the inter - library loan ; students can put in a request for a book found at another college and have it sent to Skidmore free of charge . Skidmore maintains nine on - campus residence halls ( Howe Hall , Jonsson Tower , Kimball Hall , McClellan Hall , Penfield Hall , Rounds Hall , Wait Hall , Wiecking Hall and Wilmarth Hall ) and three on - campus apartment complexes ( North Woods Village , Scribner Village ( currently under construction ) , and the Hillside Houses ) . Residence Hall rooms at Skidmore are quite large and the college usually appears on the Princeton Review ' s " Dorms Like Palaces " list . Most residence halls are arranged in suite style with 3 or 4 bedrooms sharing one common bathroom . The exception to this is Wiecking Hall which is Skidmore ' s only corridor - style building . Most suites are single sex . Gender - neutral housing is available in Wiecking Hall , the Scribner Village , HIllside , and North Woods apartments , and select suites during room selection . The North Woods Apartments are available to juniors and seniors and can hold 380 people in 3 - and 4 - person apartments . The Scribner Village apartments are available to most students except incoming freshmen . They house from 4 to 7 people . Built in 1986 as a student pub , Falstaff ' s is now a venue for student sponsored musical performances . Bands such as Fa Fa Fine , Los Elk , and many others have performed there . Much of Skidmore ' s property is taken up by North Woods , a forest that adjoins the academic campus and reaches up to the bottom of the Adirondack mountains . The woods contain extensive hiking trails that are open to the general public . The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery . The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery was opened in 2000 , and was designed by the architect Antoine Predock . Predock ' s striking , innovative design includes two major gallery wings ( the Wachenheim Gallery and the Malloy Wing ) , two smaller galleries ( the State Farm Mezzanine and the Winter Gallery ) , digitally equipped classrooms , and several event spaces . The Tang is nationally known for both its architecture and its holdings , and its excellence has been recognized by the " New York Times " , " Art in America " , and " Architectural Digest " , among other publications . The Tang has a private collection of over 5 , 000 works , including pieces by Rembrandt van Rijn , Albrecht Dürer , Francisco de Goya , William Hogarth , Roy Lichtenstein , Andy Warhol , Garry Winogrand , W . Eugene Smith , Eugène Atget , Dorothy Dehner , David Smith , Nayland Blake , and Nan Goldin . The museum also maintains extensive collections of art from Africa , South Asia , China , and the Americas . An ambitious program of relevant , scholarly exhibitions is perhaps the Tang ' s greatest draw . Artists who have shown at the Tang include Kara Walker , Kate Ericson and Mel Ziegler , Trisha Brown , and Richard Pettibone . Among other recent exhibitions are " Brushing the Present : Contemporary Academy Painting from China " , " From Pop to Now : Selections from the Sonnabend Collection " , " The World According to the Newest and Most Exact Observations : Mapping Art and Science " , " Work : Shaker Design and Recent Art " , and " Molecules that Matter " . The Tang is an educational center as well as a museum . Skidmore classes regularly meet in the galleries and classrooms , and groups from other schools visit to view exhibits , hear lectures , watch powerpoint presentations , and participate in workshops . Tours , demonstrations , and other events are generally open to the general public . In addition to visual arts exhibitions , the Tang often hosts plays , musical performances , and dance recitals . Arthur Zankel Music Center . Because of a record - breaking donation made by the estate of Arthur Zankel , Skidmore received $ 46 million , a portion of which was used as a lead gift to make the state - of - the - art Arthur Zankel Music Center . Designed by Ewing Cole , the building has won awards even before it was built . Most notably , it is lauded for its environmentally friendly nature . For example , rain water is collected on the roof and turned into usable water in restrooms . Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater . Janet Kinghorn Bernhard ' 26 , while a senior at Skidmore , became the first editor of the Skidmore News . In the 1960s , she and her husband , Arnold , ( a Skidmore trustee ) committed themselves to building a theater on the new campus . They were both present in 1987 to see their long - awaited dream come true , at the dedication of the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater . The facility has a main theater , with 300 seats , that is the site of most major productions , as well as a convertible black - box space . The main theater is also the home of the annual National College Comedy Festival . the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater was named the # 16 Best College Theater by the Princeton Review . Dining facilities . A new dining hall was opened in Fall 2006 with futuristic architecture and a new kitchen which has greatly improved food quality . The new dining hall offers a variety of food selections including 7 food sections ; The Global Café ( foods from around the world ) , Semolina ( pasta ) , Emily ' s Garden ( salad bar and Vegan options ) , The Diner ( more typical college foods ) , The Corner Deli ( custom made sandwiches and wraps ) , Bake Shop , and Supremo ' s ( pizza ) . The Pizza section has a brand new wood burning oven that is warm and earthy , contrasting with the rest of the dining hall ' s modern design . Also available is a " do - it - yourself " station where patrons can use items such as a juicer , a large griddle and waffle machines . Campus Plan . Lo - Yi Chan , architect and campus planner , and apprentice of famous architect I M Pei has created Skidmore ' s next major Campus Plan . The expansion of the campus will provide Skidmore with the growth desired to join the ranks of top academic institutions in the years to come . Student life . Student Government Association . The Skidmore College Student Government Association ( SGA ) is the governing body of the roughly 100 student - run clubs and organizations on campus . In addition to being the official liaison between students and the administration , the Skidmore SGA advocates for college policies that benefit the short - and long - term - interests of the student body . The primary functioning and operation of the SGA is done by an Executive Committee composed of the SGA President , Vice President for Academic Affairs , Vice President for Budget and FInance , Vice President for Residential Affairs , Vice President for Clubs and Organisations , Vice President for Communication and Outreach , Vice President for Diversity Affairs and the Senior Class President . The Student Senate , made up of over 35 elected leaders is the largest and final body in all matters . The Class Council , made up of class officers , and the Inter - Hall Board , made up of Hall Presidents and Vice Presidents , are primarily responsible for on - campus programming . SGA is also includes countless other individual students appointed to campus policy committees and adjudicatory bodies . Student media . " Salmagundi " . " Salmagundi " is a quarterly journal that focuses on the humanities and social sciences . Founded by Robert Boyers , a long - time faculty member in the English department , it has been published at Skidmore since 1969 and now has an international subscriber base of several thousand readers . Each issue generally includes poetry , fiction , interviews , and essays . " Salmagundi " ' s editors often devote large sections of an issue to a timely special subject . Recent theme issues include " The Culture of the Museum " , " Nigerian Mathematics " , " Homosexuality " , " Art and Ethics " , " The Culture Industry " , " Kitsch " , and " FemIcons . " Nadine Gordimer , J . M . Coetzee , Tzvetan Todorov , George Steiner , Orlando Patterson , Norman Manea , Christopher Hitchens , Seamus Heaney , Mary Gordon , Susan Sontag , Benjamin Barber , Joyce Carol Oates , Richard Howard , Carolyn Forche , Martin Jay , and David Rieff are among the writers who have contributed to " Salmagundi " . Regular columnists include Benjamin Barber , Tzvetan Todorov , Martin Jay , Charles Molesworth , Marilynne Robinson , Carolyn Forché , and Mario Vargas Llosa . " The Skidmore News " . " The Skidmore News " is the college ' s official student - run newspaper . Its staff is composed entirely of students , and it is published on a weekly basis during the academic year . In 2002 , the Associated Collegiate Press awarded the newspaper first place for a four - year college weekly for special coverage of the community reaction to the September 11 attacks . SkidTV . SkidTV is the college ' s official student run closed - circuit television station . The club is dedicated to promoting top quality programming while covering events on campus and in the surrounding area . WSPN . WSPN 91 . 1 FM is Skidmore ' s radio station . It is administered by a board of directors composed entirely of undergraduates . Students , college employees , and residents of the local community are eligible to host shows , but they must apply to the board in order to win timeslots . Competition for high - profile slots is fierce . WSPN ' s staff strives to create a cutting - edge mix of musical programming and talk shows . Although it is a small station with a small broadcast area , it has built up a reputation for innovative programming . The Princeton Review consistently ranks it among the nation ' s top college radio stations , and its internet broadcast reaches listeners throughout the country . Skidmore Unofficial . Skidmore Unofficial is a popular on - campus news and humor blog , documenting undergraduate life from an alternative perspective . It is completely student - run and unaffiliated with the administration . National College Comedy Festival . The National College Comedy Festival is an annual not - for - profit festival of student sketch and improvisational comedy that takes place each winter on campus . The festival , which first was held in February 1990 , includes professional workshops . Among the colleges and universities that regularly participate are Bard , Bates , Brandeis , Brown , Columbia , Cornell , Harvard , Emerson , George Washington , Haverford & Bryn Mawr , Kenyon , Manhattan , Marist , NYU , Oaksterdam University , School of Visual Arts , Skidmore , SUNY Binghamton , Swarthmore , Tufts , University of Arizona , University of Maryland , University of Southern California , USC , Vassar , Wesleyan , William & Mary , and Yale . A Cappella . Skidmore currently has 5 a cappella groups : 1 all male , 2 co - ed , and 2 female . The Sonneteers , the first of the all female groups , are Skidmore ' s first and oldest a cappella group — they celebrated their 60th anniversary in 2007 . The Bandersnatchers are the only all male a cappella group on campus . The Dynamics ( Dynos ) are Skidmore ' s oldest co - ed a cappella group ( founded in 1995 ) . The Drastic Measures ( Drastics ) are the newest co - ed a cappella group and are Skidmore ' s only charity a cappella group . The Accents are the final female a cappella group . All groups perform on and off campus throughout the semester , holding auditions at the beginning of each semester and concluding each semester with a " Jam " . In addition to the A Cappella groups , Lift Every Voice , Skidmore ' s Gospel Choir was established in 2008 and chartered in 2009 as an official club . The Treblemakers , chartered in 2010 , is the college ' s first and only all - inclusive A Cappella group . Sustainability . Skidmore ' s Strategic Plan reflects the college ' s commitment to sustainability and includes a pledge to deepen connections with the local community , emphasize planning for sustainable operation , and reduce the college ' s environmental footprint . Three of Skidmore ' s buildings have geothermal heating and cooling systems , and the college has recently hired a sustainability coordinator to assist with efforts to " green " the campus . Skidmore received a grade of " B " on the Sustainable Endowment Institute ' s " College Sustainability Report Card 2010 . " Transportation planning and sustainable investment priorities helped the college to earn this relatively high mark . Alcohol . Skidmore ' s main campus residential halls are substance free , however Scribner Village and the Northwoods Apartments – upperclassmen housing – are not substance free and those who are of legal age may consume and keep alcohol in their residence . Athletics . Skidmore ' s Athletic Department currently funds and supports 19 Varsity teams ranging from Basketball to Riding , Rowing to Ice Hockey . The intercollegiate athletics program offered by Skidmore College is considered to be one of the nation ' s top sports opportunities for student - athletes . In 2003 – 2004 , players from twelve Thoroughbred teams qualified for regional or national team and individual honors , and more than 95 Skidmore athletes earned league honors . Currently lead by Athletic Director is Gail Cummings - Danson Skidmore is a member of the Liberty League and run out of the recently dedicated Williamson Sports Center . In 1998 the Women ' s Tennis Team won the Division III National Title and have been ranked in the Division III top 25 and competed in the NCAA Tournament since 2006 . In 2005 the Skidmore Men ' s Baseball and Lacrosse teams won their conference championships and appeared for the first time in the NCAA Tournament . In 2008 the Women ' s Crew team was invited to the Eastern Collegiate Athletics Conference in Massachusetts and the Women ' s Varsity Eight finished the season ranked 10th in the nation . The women ' s Field Hockey team are four time consecutive Liberty League Champions ( 2008 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 ) , appeared in the Division III Final Four in 2010 , as well as in the NCAA tournament 12 times . Campus Safety . The Department of Campus Safety is staffed by 17 full - time and 12 part - time professionals who are all state certified security guards . The Director and Associate Director have over 45 years of combined experience in law enforcement and came to Skidmore College after successful careers with the New York State Police . Each year , members of the department receive several hours of training from both within the department and from outside sources in the areas of law enforcement , first aid , CPR , resolution conflict , diversity and investigative techniques . Additionally , members are sent to outside training programs such as RAD ( Rape Aggression Defense ) , the New York State Police Sex Offense Seminar , cyber crime investigations and several other programs that keep our staff informed of the latest issues that confront college campuses . We have developed excellent working relations with local , county and state law enforcement agencies and other service providers in Saratoga County to improve the quality of safety on our campus .