“Nice digs,” one student whistled as she entered the fourth floor of the building, which is located at 360 Neptune Avenue. NYSCAS occupies the fourth and fifth floor of the sleek building located on the corner of Brighton 1st. While it’s only a stone’s throw away from the college’s previous location at Stillwell Avenue, the new “digs” is a world apart. Need a computer? The new building has three state-of-the-art computer labs. For the first time, NYSCAS has its chemistry, biology and experimental psychology labs in the same location. In case students or teachers need a break between classes, the newly remodeled building has a fully-equipped student lounge and a comfortable teacher’s lounge. Need some extra help between classes? Come to the learning resource center or the writing center. The added space will also allow for greater collaboration between departments as all academic and deputy chairs have offices on the fifth floor.

“It’s a much better facility,” explained Administrative Associate Dean Ella Tsirulnik. “We wanted to bring better services to our students.”

Dean Tsirulnik also praised the location of the new building. “It’s in the middle of so many different ethnic communities—it ties into Touro’s mission—of providing a quality education to everyone.”

On the fourth floor, two friends Charlene Arent and Milissa Harmon chatted amiably by the student advisory office and praised the new building.

“It’s very new,” Charlene said, noting the fresh paint on the walls and the polished wood floor. The two met when their children attended the same grammar school, and now, years later, are taking classes together at NYSCAS. Both are para-professionals working for the New York Department of Education. Though while Milissa lamented that the school’s old location on Stillwell Avenue was across the street from where she worked (and where she would study for classes during her lunchbreak, nonetheless she was pleased with the new location. “It’s very modern,” she said.

“I love it so far,” said Josephine Leone, who like Arent and Harris, is a para-professional. Arriving at six o’clock for her first class, she said she found parking easily. When she graduates, she hopes to become a teacher. This is her second semester in NYSCAS. “The teachers are great,” she added.

“It’s very accessible,” said Tyrina Saunders who is finishing up her degree in psychology. “Change is good.”

Nearby, a professor moderated an animated class discussion on the murder rate in New York. “Stop talking about fake news,” he admonished. “New York is one of the safest cities in the United States.”

Waiting for her class to begin, Letizia Principato said the building was an improvement. “This building is so much better,” she said. Principato has been a school safety officer for the last fourteen years and said after she graduates, she intends to become a social worker.

Sandy Pikoulos, the academic coordinator at this NYSCAS location, stood by the glass doors of the building, welcoming students and faculty to the newest NYSCAS location.

“It’s a new beginning for us,” he said.