Fall semester starts with enrollment up

The fall semester is underway, with enrollment up and the largest-ever class of freshmen—members of the Class of 2017—getting used to their home for the next four years. Even before classes started, orientation–and time on the ropes course (below) helped newcomers learn more about SUNYIT.
Final enrollment figures won’t be official for some time, but based on available data the freshman class numbers more than 270, up from about 200 last year. The number of new, full-time graduate and transfer students compared to last year is up substantially as well.

“Driven by our new academic initiatives and Governor Andrew Cuomo’s vision for the Quad-C partnership, rising enrollment confirms SUNYIT’s growing reputation as a unique college of choice,” said Robert E. Geer, acting president. “This is an exciting time to be part of the SUNYIT family, and our future is bright.”

New academic programs this fall include a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, master’s degree in network and computer security, and an advanced certificate in data analysis; these are in addition to undergraduate programs launched recently:  applied computing, biology, civil engineering, community & behavioral health, electrical and computer engineering, and interdisciplinary studies, and network & computer security.

In addition to the increasing number of academic offerings, the physical campus continues to expand as well, with three new buildings completed in the last two years. A fourth building, the $125 million Computer Chip Commercialization Center (Quad-C), is on the way. The Quad-C’s more than 200,000 square feet will include more than 50,000 square feet of state-of-the-art clean room space that will host advanced research and development initiatives between SUNYIT, the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, and global industry partners.