SUNY Oneonta Attains
University Status
ONEONTA – Following the approval of Interim State University of New York Chancellor Deborah Stanley and the SUNY Board of Trustees, SUNY Oneonta will be designated as a university instead of a college, effective January 23, 2023.
In January 2022, the New York State Board of Regents changed its regulations related to the number of graduate-level degrees an institution must offer to qualify as a university. Because SUNY Oneonta offers a range of registered undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences, including at least three master’s degrees in the disciplines of agriculture, biological sciences, business, education, engineering, fine arts, health professions, humanities, physical sciences or social sciences, the institution can be classified as a university.
“This is a significant moment in our history,” said SUNY Oneonta President Alberto J.F. Cardelle. “Designation as a university will strengthen the future of our institution and boost prospects for enrollment, especially among international and graduate students. It showcases our commitment to progress and more accurately signifies the structure and rigor of our academic offerings.”
SUNY Oneonta offers 55 bachelor’s degree programs across the liberal arts and sciences, and 16 master’s degree and certificate of advanced study programs in biology, education, lake management, museum studies, and nutrition and dietetics.
The designation as a university will not change how SUNY Oneonta operates or its mission: “We nurture a community where students grow intellectually, thrive socially and live purposefully.” The institution’s official name on record will shift from “State University of New York College at Oneonta” to “State University of New York at Oneonta.” The school will continue to go by “SUNY Oneonta” and use the SUNY Oneonta type logo as its primary graphic identifier.
“While our roots as a campus committed to offering a student-centered living and learning environment remain strong, this designation sets us up to continue to grow to meet the needs of today’s students,” said Dr. Cardelle. “We are excited to explore further development of our online graduate degrees and create new partnerships and continuing education programs to serve our local community and regional workforce.”
The campus community will gather to celebrate the milestone during a reception on Wednesday, January 25, the first day of the spring 2023 semester.