The New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development was founded in 1890 as the first school of “pedagogy,” or educational theory, in the United States. It has expanded to include programs in the arts, health, and media studies, organized around a central theme of “learning how people learn,” and has graduated notable alumni in the arts, psychology, the media, and education, including filmmaker Martin Scorsese, feminist lawyer Gloria Allred, and children’s author Judy Blume. ^{1 2}

The school took the name Steinhardt after a $10 million donation from hedge fund manager Michael Steinhardt and his wife Judy in 2001. After sexual harassment allegations against Michael Steinhardt, the university considered dropping the name, but ultimately opted to keep it. ³ Critics renewed their calls for the school to cut ties with the Steinhardts in December 2021, after Michael Steinhardt was forced to return dozens of priceless antiquities he bought from illegal dealers in a deal that allowed him to avoid criminal charges. ^{4 5}

In 2020, the school affirmed its commitment to anti-racist education and critical race theory in response to an executive order by then-President Donald Trump. ⁶

Background

The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development is a multidisciplinary graduate and undergraduate school at New York University that offers degree programs in education, the arts, health, and media studies. ⁷

Steinhardt was founded in 1890 as the first American school of education, or “pedagogy.” The guiding premise behind the school’s expansion into disciplines other than education was that “that aspects of the ‘teaching process’ deserved independent study” and the school would thus focus on “the philosophy of learning how to learn,” and the education of persons who provided human services. ⁸

Controversies

The school took the name Steinhardt after Michael Steinhardt and his wife Judy Steinhardt donated $10 million to the school in 2001. ⁹

In 2019, NYU considered dropping his name after six women accused Michael Steinhardt of sexual harassment. However, the university opted to keep the name after it completed an investigation into the allegations. The review determined Steinhardt made inappropriate remarks to women, for which he apologized. ¹⁰

In 2021, critics renewed their calls for NYU to cut its ties to Steinhardt after the financier avoided criminal charges by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. (D) in return for returning 70 artifacts Steinhardt had purchased from illegal antiquities dealers over the years. In a statement, Vance said that Steinhardt “displayed a rapacious appetite for plundered artifacts without concern for the legality of his actions, the legitimacy of the pieces he bought and sold, or the grievous cultural damage he wrought across the globe.” Steinhardt also accepted a lifetime ban on purchasing antiquities. ^{11 12}

In 2020, after then-President Donald Trump signed an executive order prohibiting the teaching of critical race theory in federally funded education programs, Steinhardt School dean Jack H. Knott told employees that “We not only affirm anti-racist education, critical race theory, and all of their antecedents, we also call for more initiatives” and added that “critical race theories and other such paradigms placed into public action spurred us ahead.” ¹³

Academic Programs

The school has 35 undergraduate degree programs, 100 master’s degrees, and more than 30 doctoral degrees. The school has more than 20 certificates and artist diplomas. ¹⁴

The school has 11 separate departments: administration, leadership, and technology; applied psychology; applied statistics, social science, and humanities; art and art professions; communicative sciences and disorders; media, culture and communications; music and performing arts professions; nutrition and food studies; occupational therapy; physical therapy; and teaching and learning. ¹⁵

In 2021, the school was ranked sixth among best education graduate schools by U.S. News and World Report and eighth on the magazine’s list for best occupational therapist schools. College Magazine has ranked the school at seventh for best schools for aspiring musicians. It ranks 15th in the Hollywood Reporter’s Top 25 music schools for composing for film and TV. ¹⁶

Each semester, hundreds of students from the school study abroad in cities such as Shanghai, Accra, Buenos Aires, Paris, and Sydney. NYU Steinhardt says its Office of Equity, Belonging, and Community Action leads “actionable programs for accelerated change in our community and around the world.” ¹⁷

Leadership

Jack H. Knott is the dean of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University. He holds the Gale and Ira Drukier Dean’s Chair. He previously was the dean of the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. Before that, Knott was a professor and director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois and of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University. He founded the MSU Survey Research Center and helped establish the Michigan Political Leadership Program. ¹⁸

Kristie Patten is the vice dean of academic affairs for the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University. She is an associate professor of occupational therapy. ¹⁹

Elise Cappella is the vice dean for research for the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University. She is a professor of applied psychology. ²⁰

LaRue Allen is the vice dean of faculty affairs for the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University. Allen is also the Raymond and Rosalee Weiss Professor of applied psychology. ²¹

1. “We Delved Into The History Of Steinhardt And Figure Out Why It Is A Thing.” NYU Local. November 11, 2014. Accessed December 13, 2021. https://nyulocal.com/we-delved-into-the-history-of-steinhardt-and-figure-out-why-it-is-a-thing-cdeebccdaefa
2. “New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.” Idealist. Accessed December 3, 2021. https://www.idealist.org/en/nonprofit/b18e9de2e97b4ce4aa0f8f0321fe0650-new-york-university-steinhardt-school-of-culture-education-and-human-development-new-york
3. Porcelli, Victor. “Steinhardt Name to Stay Despite Allegations of Sexual Harassment.” Washington Square News. September 12, 2019. Accessed December 3, 2021. https://nyunews.com/news/2019/09/12/michael-steinhardt-name-change-school-nyu/
4. Kampeas, Ron. “Investor Michael Steinhardt banned for life from collecting antiquities.” Jerusalem Post. December 7, 2021. Accessed December 13, 2021. https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/investor-michael-steinhardt-banned-for-life-from-collecting-antiquities-688053
5. Ramachandran, Asha. “Opinion: NYU should sever all ties with Michael Steinhardt.” Washington Square News. December 10, 2021. Accessed December 13, 2021. https://nyunews.com/opinion/2021/12/10/nyu-steinhardt-needs-a-name-change/
6. “Statement Affirming the Pursuit of Racial and Social Justice through Education.” New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Accessed December 3, 2021. https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/statement-affirming-pursuit-racial-and-social-justice-through-education
7. “New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.” Idealist. Accessed December 3, 2021. https://www.idealist.org/en/nonprofit/b18e9de2e97b4ce4aa0f8f0321fe0650-new-york-university-steinhardt-school-of-culture-education-and-human-development-new-york
8. “We Delved Into The History Of Steinhardt And Figure Out Why It Is A Thing.” NYU Local. November 11, 2014. Accessed December 13, 2021. https://nyulocal.com/we-delved-into-the-history-of-steinhardt-and-figure-out-why-it-is-a-thing-cdeebccdaefa
9.  ^[1][1] Porcelli, Victor. “Steinhardt Name to Stay Despite Allegations of Sexual Harassment.” Washington Square News. September 12, 2019. Accessed December 3, 2021. https://nyunews.com/news/2019/09/12/michael-steinhardt-name-change-school-nyu/
10. Porcelli, Victor. “Steinhardt Name to Stay Despite Allegations of Sexual Harassment.” Washington Square News. September 12, 2019. Accessed December 3, 2021. https://nyunews.com/news/2019/09/12/michael-steinhardt-name-change-school-nyu/
11. Kampeas, Ron. “Investor Michael Steinhardt banned for life from collecting antiquities.” Jerusalem Post. December 7, 2021. Accessed December 13, 2021. https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/investor-michael-steinhardt-banned-for-life-from-collecting-antiquities-688053
12. Ramachandran, Asha. “Opinion: NYU should sever all ties with Michael Steinhardt.” Washington Square News. December 10, 2021. Accessed December 13, 2021. https://nyunews.com/opinion/2021/12/10/nyu-steinhardt-needs-a-name-change/
13. “Statement Affirming the Pursuit of Racial and Social Justice through Education.” New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Accessed December 3, 2021. https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/statement-affirming-pursuit-racial-and-social-justice-through-education
14. “About.” New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Accessed December 3, 2021. https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/about
15. “Departments.” New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. December 3, 2021. https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/departments
16. “How We Rank: Our Latest Honors.” New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. December 3, 2021. https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/about/how-we-rank-our-latest-honors
17. “About.” New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Accessed December 3, 2021. https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/about
18. “Jack H. Knott.” New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. December 3, 2021. https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/people/jack-h-knott-dean
19. ^[1] “Kristie Patten.” New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. December 3, 2021. https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/people/kristie-patten
20. “Elise Cappella.” New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. December 3, 2021. https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/people/elise-cappella
21. “LaRue Allen.” New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. December 3, 2021. https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/people/larue-allen