Introduction
In 1937, the Franciscan Friars, a faction of the Roman Catholic Church, founded Siena College in the state of New York. Its motto, “Developing leaders capable of extraordinary achievement,” is evidence of its commitment to the highest educational standards and the most stringent attention to detail in its faculty and educational structure.
The college accepts both men and women as students, and offers several options for bachelor’s degrees in the sciences and liberal arts. Many of its students take advantage of Siena College’s extensive business program. The college, named after Saint Bernandino of Siena, has an average yearly enrollment of around three thousand undergraduate students. Most of these students reside on campus in the many different residential halls that offer townhouse-style living as well as traditional dormitory living.
While most of the traditional dormitories are located in the heart of the Siena College campus, the student townhouses are located on the outskirts of the campus. Residents in the Colonie community, the city where Siena College is located, were at first vehemently opposed to the construction of these student houses so close to other residential areas of the community. The controversy prompted a legal battle that nevertheless resulted in the construction of the student properties.
