UAlbany Touts Academic Quality and Diversity in Class of 2014

New semester brings expansions, milestones, School of Business building groundbreaking

 

ALBANY, N.Y. (August 30, 2010) -- The University at Albany boasts a highly accomplished academic class of incoming freshmen, with nearly one-quarter of the 2,250 students ranking in the top 10 percent of their high school class. These new students enter UAlbany from a pool of 21,967 applicants, with an average high school grade of 91 and an admission rate of 47 percent.

More than 200 freshmen are enrolled as Presidential Scholars, including 14 Frederick Douglass Scholars, while the Honors College is enrolling 117 students. The class, with 36 percent students of color, is one of the most diverse to enroll at the University.

For the fall, UAlbany welcomes nearly 13,000 undergraduates and 4,900 graduate students.

New for 2010-2011:

Facility Expansions and Renovations

� New School of Business Building -- The University breaks ground this fall on a new 96,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art School of Business building.  Located on the Uptown Campus's Grand Entry Plaza, the $64 million building will serve as a hub of learning and innovation in entrepreneurship for business students and professionals throughout the Capital Region and New York State.
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Video: School of Business Unveils Design
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�The University Campus Center -- Part of a multi-year project, the Campus Center�s 50,000-square-foot expansion and renovation is designed to create a campus environment that better serves the needs of UAlbany students, faculty and staff.

�Husted Hall Restoration -- The University completed a restoration of the Downtown Campus's Husted Hall, redesigned as a centralized classroom facility with updated learning and meeting rooms.

�State Quad Dining Facility -- The completely renovated dining facility, at the mostly freshmen State Quad, provides healthy and fresh foods in a vibrant, comfortable and modern environment. The facility features a vast array of dining options, including the Baker's Crust with fresh baked breads and desserts; My Pantry with student-created snacks and light meals; the Fresh Market with homemade soups, fresh salads, fruits and vegetables; and the dining facility's signature eatery, the Hearth Stone, serving brick oven specialty pizzas. Following last year's transformation of Indian Quad dining hall, the new State Quad features community dining tables, quiet study nooks, high-counter seating, and a television lounge area. _____________________________________________________________________

Video: Newly Renovated State Quad Dining Facilities
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Academic Milestones

Two of the University's key academic programs will recognize anniversaries this year, with events planned throughout the semester to bring awareness to their innovative research and curricula.

UAlbany's School of Public Health celebrates its 25th year in 2011. As one of the state's premier schools of public health, and one of two in New York to host a Center for Public Health Preparedness, the School capitalizes on a unique partnership with the New York State Department of Health by offering active on-the-job training and access to advanced research. The School of Public Health offers research-oriented opportunities for faculty and valuable professional experience for students, including an undergraduate degree in public health started in 2007.

The University's Atmospheric Science Research Center and the Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences celebrate 50 years of teaching and research with lectures and a public symposium. This year begins with a team of students and faculty traveling to Florida to take part in a NASA experiment involving hurricanes (GRIP).

Campus and Community Highlights

UAlbany's Fall Festival and Book Fair debuts Oct. 9 as part of the University�s Homecoming/Family and Reunion Weekend. University faculty and noted alumni authors will be on hand throughout the day to discuss and sign their books. The community is invited to the day's events, which also include a 5k race, a farmers' market, police dog demonstrations, sheepherding exhibitions, a host of children's activities, and a tailgating party before the Great Danes' homecoming football game. The activities are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the lawn behind the Science Library.

The weekend also features Barbara Walters as the special guest in The World Within Reach Speaker Series. Walters' ground-breaking exclusive interviews with world figures and her enterprising reporting have made her one of the most highly acclaimed journalists on television. Past speakers i the Series have included General Colin Powell, former George W. Bush advisor Karl Rove, and former Vermont governor and presidential candidate Howard Dean.
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Video: Former Secretary of State Colin Powell at UAlbany
Video: One-on-One with Karl Rove and Howard Dean  ____________________________________________________________

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Educationally and culturally, the University at Albany-SUNY puts "The World Within Reach" for its 18,000 students. An internationally recognized research university with 58 undergraduate majors and 128 graduate degree programs, UAlbany is a leader among all New York State colleges and universities in such diverse fields as public policy, nanotechnology and criminal justice. With a curriculum enhanced by 300 study-abroad opportunities, UAlbany launches great careers. For more information about this globally ranked University, visit www.albany.edu. For UAlbany's extensive roster of faculty experts, visit www.albany.edu/news/experts.shtml.