Undergraduate Bulletin, 2002-2003

State University of New York


State University of New York's 64 geographically dispersed campuses bring educational opportunity within commuting distance of virtually all New York citizens and comprise the nation's largest, centrally managed system of public higher education.

When founded in 1948, the University consolidated 29 state-operated, but unaffiliated institutions. In response to need, the University has grown to a point where its impact is felt educationally, culturally and economically the length and breadth of the state.

Nearly 370,000 students are pursuing traditional study in classrooms or are working at home, at their own pace, through such innovative institutions as Empire State College, whose students follow individualized and often nontraditional paths to a degree. Of the total enrollment, more than 100,000 students are 24 years or older, reflecting State University's services to specific constituencies, such as refresher courses for the professional community, continuing educational opportunities for returning service personnel, and personal enrichment for more mature persons.

State University's research contributions are helping to solve some of modern society's most urgent problems. It was a State University scientist who first warned the world of potentially harmful mercury deposits in canned fish, and another who made the connection between automobile and industrial exhaust combining to cause changes in weather patterns. Other University researchers continue important studies in such wide-ranging areas as immunology, marine biology, sickle-cell anemia, and organ transplantation.

More than 1,000 public service activities are currently being pursued on State University campuses. Examples of these efforts include special training courses for local government personnel, State civil service personnel, and the unemployed; participation by campus personnel in joint community planning or project work, and campus community arrangements for community use of campus facilities.

A distinguished faculty includes nationally and internationally recognized figures in all major disciplines. Their efforts are recognized each year in the form of such prestigious awards as Fulbright-Hayes, Guggenheim, and Danforth fellowships.

The University offers a wide diversity of what are considered the more conventional career fields, such as business, engineering, medicine, teaching literature, dairy, farming, medical technology, accounting, social work, forestry and automotive technology. Additionally, its responsiveness to progress in all areas of learning and to tomorrow's developing societal needs has resulted in concentrations which include pollution, urban studies, computer science, immunology, preservation of national resources, and microbiology.

SUNY programs for the educationally and economically disadvantaged have become models for delivering better learning opportunities to a once-forgotten segment of society. Educational opportunity centers offer high school equivalency and college preparatory courses to provide young people and adults with the opportunity to begin college or to learn marketable skills. In addition, campus-based educational opportunity programs provide counseling, developmental education, and financial aid to disadvantaged students in traditional degree programs.

Overall, at its EOC's, two-year colleges, four-year campuses and university and medical centers, the University offers 3,600 academic programs. Degree opportunities range from two-year associate programs to doctoral studies offered at 12 senior campuses.

The 30 two-year community colleges operating under the program of State University play a unique role in the expansion of educational opportunity. They provide local industry with trained technicians in a wide variety of occupational curriculums, and offer transfer options to students who wish to go on and earn advanced degrees.

The University passed a major milestone in 1985 when it graduated its one-millionth alumnus. The majority of SUNY graduates pursue careers in communities across the State.

State University is governed by a Board of Trustees, appointed by the Governor, which directly determines the policies to be followed by the 34 state-supported campuses. Community colleges have their own local boards of trustees whose relationship to the SUNY board is defined by law. The state contributes one-third to 40 percent of their operating cost and one-half of their capital costs.

The State University motto is:

"To Learn-To Search-To Serve.''

Chancellor
Robert L. King, B.A., J.D.

Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer
Richard P. Miller, Jr., B.A.

Vice Chancellor and Secretary of the University
John J. O'Connor, B.A., M.S.

Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Peter D. Salins, B.Arch., M.R.P., Ph.D.

Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges
Robert T. Brown, B.S., M.B.A.

Vice Chancellor for Business and Industry Relations
R. Wayne Diesel, B.A. M.P.A.

Vice Chancellor for Finance and Business
Brian Stenson, B.A., M.P.A.

University Counsel
D. Andrew Edwards, Jr., B.A., J.D..

Board of Trustees
Thomas F. Egan, Chair, New York; Randy A. Daniels, Vice Chair, New York; Aminy I. Audi, Manlius; Bernard F. Conners, Latham; Edward F. Cox, New York; Candace de Russy, Bronxville; Daniel J. Hogarty, Jr., Troy; Christopher J. Holland, Albany; Lou Howard, Amityville; Pamela R. Jacobs, Buffalo; Edward S. Nelson; Norwich; Celine R. Paquette, Champlain; Nelson A. Rockefeller, Jr., New York; Patricia Elliott Stevens, Albany; Harvey F. Wachsman, M.D., J.D., Great Neck.

University Centers

University at Albany, State University of New York
State University of New York at Binghamton
State University of New York at Buffalo
State University of New York at Stony Brook

University Colleges

Empire State College
State University College at Brockport
State University College at Buffalo
State University College at Cortland
State University College at Fredonia
State University College at Geneseo
State University College at New Paltz
State University College at Old Westbury
State University College at Oneonta
State University College at Oswego
State University College at Plattsburgh
State University College at Potsdam
State University College at Purchase

Colleges and Centers for the Health Sciences

Health Science Center at Brooklyn
Health Science Center at Syracuse
College of Optometry at New York City
(Health Sciences Center at Buffalo)*
(Health Sciences Center at Stony Brook)*

University Colleges of Technology

College at Alfred
College at Canton
College at Cobleskill
College at Delhi
College at Morrisville

Specialized Colleges

College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse
Maritime College at Fort Schuyler
College of Technology at Farmingdale
Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome
(Fashion Institute of Technology at New York City).+

Statutory Colleges+

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at Cornell University
College of Ceramics at Alfred University
College of Human Ecology at Cornell University
School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University
College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University

Community Colleges

(Locally sponsored two-year colleges under the program of State University)

Adirondack Community College at Glens Falls
Broome Community College at Binghamton
Cayuga County Community College at Auburn
Clinton Community College at Plattsburgh
Columbia-Greene Community College at Hudson
Community College of the Finger Lakes at Canandaigua
Coming Community College at Coming
Dutchess Community College at Poughkeepsie
Erie Community College at Williamsville, Buffalo, and Orchard Park
Fashion Institute of Technology at New York City
Fulton-Montgomery Community College at Johnstown
Genesee Community College at Batavia
Herkimer County Community College at Herkimer
Hudson Valley Community College at Troy
Jamestown Community College at Jamestown
Jefferson Community College at Watertown
Mohawk Valley Community College at Utica
Monroe Community College at Rochester
Nassau Community College at Garden City
Niagara County Community College at Sanborn
North Country Community College at Saranac Lake
Onondaga Community College at Syracuse
Orange County Community College at Middletown
Rockland Community College at Suffern
Schenectady County Community College at Schenectady
Suffolk County Community College at Selden
Riverhead and Brentwood
Sullivan County Community College at Loch Sheldrake
Tompkins Cortland Community College at Dryden
Ulster County Community College at Stone Ridge
Westchester Community College at Valhalla

* Centers at Buffalo and Stony Brook are operated under the administration of their respective University Centers.

+ While authorized to offer such baccalaureate and master's degree programs as may be approved pursuant to the provisions of the Master Plan, in addition to the associate degree, the Fashion Institute of Technology is financed and administered in the manner provided for community colleges.

+ These operate as "contract colleges" on the campuses of independent universities.


University at Albany