John Jay College Of Criminal Justice | The City University of New York

 Welcome

A Message from President Jeremy Travis

Today John Jay College of Criminal Justice stands at the threshold of a new chapter in our remarkable story. Founded in 1964 as a college to educate police officers in sciences and liberal arts, John Jay has transformed into the preeminent national and international leader in educating for justice –a broadly envisioned educational experience embracing social, economic, political, and criminal justice.

Every facet of John Jay drives our promise of educating for justice: Our students, with diverse backgrounds and interests, thrive on challenging educational opportunities with high social relevance. These students reflect the changing demographics of our country. 

Our students define the College’s character, they are: Determined, Courageous, Dynamic, and Strong. They are open to wherever their intellectual curiosity leads them and fierce advocates for justice.  

Our faculty, with expertise in a range of academic disciplines, energizes and advances research and education. They offer an enriched learning experience that highlights the themes of justice across the arts, sciences and humanities, imparting strong moral sensibilities, sharp critical reasoning and creative problem-solving skills to our students. 

A critical element in our transformation has been the construction of our new building.  We have all watched it rise from an empty construction site on Eleventh Avenue to the magnificent structure that we see today since opening last Fall. The expansion of our campus is already helping us to achieve long-sought academic and professional goals. This building is a critical underpinning of John Jay's transformation into a senior college and the greatest expression of our continued commitment to "educating for justice." 

As we begin the 2012/2013 academic year this Fall, we are completing the move into the remaining floors of the New Building. Let me share with you some of the specific aspects of our new building that make it so significant. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, one of the top firms in the nation, the building is a stunning work of architecture that can proudly take its place among the great buildings of New York City. 

This 620,000-square-foot building, 13-story vertical campus houses 56 state-of-the-art classrooms, new cyber lounges, computer labs, cutting edge science facilities, Emergency Management and High Rise Simulator labs, a moot court, conference rooms, an exhibit gallery, a black box theater, great dining facilities and many other educational and administrative features in a 100 percent wireless environment. 

The Jay Walk, cleverly named by our students, provides a remarkable outdoor rooftop commons where all members of the John Jay community can come together. Anchoring Haaren Hall to the new building and rising five stories above street level, this 60,000-square-foot park-like area features lawn space, trees and benches. We are also deeply honored that a World Trade Center Memorial sculpture will be installed on this campus, one that commemorates the loss of over 60 members of our community on September 11, 2001. 

This is a tremendous time for John Jay. It is the culmination of many years of team effort and planning. The transformation of this College is dedicated to student success, teaching, research and scholarship, strategic partnerships and institutional effectiveness. The new building supports and fosters our commitment to these goals by enabling the John Jay College community to prepare for the celebration of our 50th Anniversary in two more years. 

This Campus Guide provides additional details about our new building as well as all campus facilities and operations.  

Thanks to the hard work and ongoing support of our outstanding faculty, students and staff, the future of John Jay is brighter than ever.

For additional information, please visit:

- Back Fill Plan and Schedule

- @ John Jay Article
(Long-Awaited New Campus Building Opens with Ceremony & Daylong Fest)

- New Building Technology

- New Building Information  (PDF)

- New Building Technology Components (PDF)

- Campus Plan with Room Numbers

- SOM - New Building Architect's 2011 Annual Report (PDF)