The 1970s - The Beginning of Something Special

It was in 1970 that the College officially opened it's doors to students and began a painstaking search for a permanent location for the Metro Campus.  The Regents wanted to purchase the Sinclair Oil Building in downtown Tulsa, but at first, they were only able to rent three floors.  After many deliberations with state officials, the money to purchase the building was granted.  The College opened to approximately 2800 students in September of 1970 with enrollment beginning in March of that year.  This year also brought with it the hiring of the first Vice-President of the College, Dr. Dean VanTrease.  Eventually, VanTrease would become the second President of the College.

Even though the money was granted to purchase the Sinclair Oil Building, this did not officially happen until 1974.  The Oklahoma Legislature provided TJC with $2.5 million dollars, but more money was needed.  It was at this time that Tulsa Mayor Robert LaFortune stepped in and was able to raise the additional $456,000 needed by the College. 

It was the during this decade that the College was also in the works for developing, designing, and building a second campus.  This campus would be located between in North Tulsa between Harvard and Yale. This campus was known as the Northeast Campus, and it opened in 1979. The College ran out of funds towards the end of construction, and there are pictures that exist of cars being parked in muddy lots outside the campus due to the fact that the College, at the time, could not afford to have the parking lots paved.

There were several other notable events that happened in the 1970s:

• The College graduates it's first class with 11 students
• The TJC student newspaper premiers it's first edition in 1971
• TJC holds it's first Capping Ceremony for nursing students in 1972
• The Colleges enrollment expands to over 6000 students
• Showing 5 years of growth, the graduating class of the College expands to 444 students in 1976
• In 1977, the Education Access Center opens
• In 1979, the Northeast Campus opens