UAlbany Touts Academic Quality of Incoming Freshman Class
Class of 2012 represents mean high school GPA of 90, SAT/ACT score of 1150

Contact(s):  Catherine Herman (518) 956-8150, ([email protected])

ALBANY, N.Y. (August 22, 2008) -- The University at Albany boasts an incoming freshman class with high academic standing, reflected in the students' mean high school grade point average of 90 and mean SAT/ACT score of 1150 -- 130 points above the national average.

"New learning initiatives, expanded services and facilities, and the academic strength of this freshmen class signal a great beginning to the school year," said Interim President George M. Philip.

What's new on campus for 2008:

Enrollment Facts/Figures:

• Freshmen enrollment=2,350.
• Number of undergraduate students= 12,791.
• Number of graduate students= 4,882.
• Number of applicants, nearly 22,000, was an increase of more than eight percent over 2007.

Residence Hall Improvements -- A $4.4 million improvement project adds 100 beds to the Dutch Quad residence halls. The building provides energy saving insulation, new high efficiency mechanical systems, windows, roof, all new finishes, lighting, furniture and brand new lounge and study spaces.

New School of Business Dean -- Donald Siegel was appointed dean of the University at Albany's School of Business. Siegel's research and teaching have focused on topics related to university technology transfer, economics and strategic implications of entrepreneurship and technological change, productivity analysis, private equity and corporate governance, and corporate social responsibility. As president of the Technology Transfer Society, Siegel will bring the annual Technology Transfer Conference to UAlbany this fall. At the conference, over 100 presenters from 16 countries will discuss topics on the leading edges of technology transfer and research and innovation policy.

Peace Corps Master's Program -- UAlbany's School of Public Health was selected to partner with the International Peace Corps Master�s International (MI) Program and will offer the program beginning in 2009. Students accepted to the MI Program will earn a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree and spend 27 months serving in the Peace Corps while earning the degree. Following their experience in the Peace Corps, students will return to the School of Public Health for one final semester to complete work toward the MPH degree.

Andy Warhol Exhibit -- The University Art Museum will feature 102 original Polaroids and 51 gelatin silver prints from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The exhibit, which runs from October 23-December 21, will also showcase Warhol's double-screen film, Outer and Inner Space, as well as portraits from the University Art Collections.

UAlbany Day -- UAlbany Day will show how the University puts the world within reach for students. The event will feature academic and research demonstrations, ranging from cybersecurity to robotics. Facility tours, open dress rehearsals, art exhibits, farmer's market, student showcases, basketball scrimmages and a recycling toss will also highlight the day. All of the events will lead up to UAlbany's football home opener against the St. Francis Red Flash.

Grass-fed Beef -- In an effort to promote local food sustainability, the campus dining halls will serve pasture-raised (grass-fed) beef. Chartwells, UAlbany's food service provider, purchased 2,500 pounds of pasture-raised beef from the North East Livestock Processing Service Company (NELPSC) of Sprakers, N.Y. This complements many other ongoing efforts to promote food sustainability at the University, including antibiotic-free pork and antibiotic-free grilled chicken, transfat-free oils, cage-free eggs and ocean-friendly seafood. The University and Chartwells are continuing to promote eating stainable foods and support of local farms by purchasing increasing proportion of its food from within the region. In a typical year, Chartwells purchases as much as $60,000 per semester in local produce.

New Energy Officer -- In July, the University at Albany named Indu [Editor's Note: Indu does not have a last name] Energy Officer, designed to support UAlbany's sustainability efforts including its "Go Green" initiative, environmental education and policies. Indu will work to reduce the University's carbon footprint through energy conservation, efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

Purple Path -- The University at Albany completed construction on the first section of its multi-use Purple Path, which stretches from the corner of the baseball field to the entrance of the SEFCU Arena parking lot. The section, which runs one-third of a mile long, consists of a two-lane trail -- a nine-foot-wide blacktop-paved path for walkers and a six-foot-wide path with crushed stone for runners -- with a grassy area in between the two. The Path is also punctuated with bench seating and lighting. This is the first phase of significant improvements planned for the entire route, which will be a five-kilometer loop trail encircling the campus.