University at Albany, The State University of New York
Encyclopedia
The State University of New York at Albany, also known as University at Albany, State University of New York, SUNY Albany or simply UAlbany, is a public university
located in Albany
, Guilderland
, and East Greenbush, New York
, United States
; is the senior campus of the State University of New York
(SUNY) system. Founded in 1844, it is an internationally recognized public research institution, which carries out a broad mission of undergraduate and graduate education, research, and service. The University has three campuses: the Uptown Campus in Albany and Guilderland's McKownville
neighborhood, the Downtown Campus in Albany, and the East Campus in East Greenbush, just east of Albany.
The University enrolls more than 17,500 students in nine schools and colleges, which offer 58 undergraduate majors and 128 graduate degree programs. The University’s academic choices are diverse and include a range of new and emerging fields such as public policy
, nanotechnology
, globalization
, documentary
studies, biotechnology
and informatics
. Students take advantage of more than 500 study-abroad programs, as well as extensive internship opportunities that offer real-world experience in New York’s capital and surrounding region. The Honors College, which opened in fall 2006, offers opportunities for the best-prepared students to work closely with faculty.
University at Albany faculty attracted $271.2 million in research funding in 2009-2010 for work advancing discovery in a wide range of fields. The research enterprise is distinguished by established and emerging strengths in four areas: nanoscale sciences and engineering
, social science and public policy, life sciences
and atmospheric sciences
. A wide range of explorations in other areas also contributes to the rich spectrum of UAlbany research.
In addition to offering many cultural benefits, including a nationally recognized contemporary art
museum
and a world-renowned writers institute, UAlbany plays a major role in the economic development
of the Capital District
and New York State — particularly through its programs in nanosciences and nanotechnology and in the biotechnology and biomedical sciences. An economic impact study in 2004 estimated UAlbany’s economic impact to be $1.1 billion annually in New York State — $1 billion of that in the Capital District.
Dedicated to training New York students as schoolteachers and administrators, by the early 1890s the “School” had become the New York State Normal College and, with a revised four-year curriculum in 1905, became the first public institution of higher education in New York to be granted the power to confer the bachelor's degree.
A new campus — today, UAlbany’s Downtown Campus — was established in 1909 on a site of 4.5 acres (18,210.9 m²) between Washington and Western avenues. By 1913, the institution was home to 590 students and 44 faculty members, it offered a master’s degree for the first time, and bore a new name — the New York State College for Teachers. Enrollments grew to a peak of 1,424 in 1932.
In 1948 the State University of New York
system was created, comprising the College for Teachers and several other institutions throughout the state. SUNY, including its University at Albany, ultimately became a manifestation of the grand vision of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, who wanted a public university system to accommodate the college students of the post–World War II baby boom. To do so, he launched a massive construction program that developed over 50 new campuses.
In 1957 the University at Albany, State University of New York was officially designated a doctoral-degree granting university center of SUNY. The same year, Rockefeller broke ground for the current Uptown Campus on the former site of the Albany Country Club. The new campus's first dormitory opened in October 1958, and the first classes on the academic podium in the Fall of 1962. By 1970, a year beyond the University’s 125th anniversary, enrollment had grown to 13,200 and the faculty to 746. The Uptown Campus, designed by architect Edward Durell Stone
, accommodated this growth and gave visible evidence of the schools transition from a teachers college to a broad liberal arts
university. The Downtown Campus became dedicated to the fields of public policy: criminal justice, public affairs, information science and social welfare. In 1985, the University added the School of Public Health, a unique joint endeavor with the state’s Department of Health.
In 1983, the New York State Writers Institute was founded by Pulitzer Prize
-winning author William Kennedy. As of 2007, the Institute had hosted over time more than 850 writers, poets, journalists, historians, dramatists and filmmakers. The list includes eight Nobel Prize winners, nearly 200 Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award
winners, several Motion Picture Academy Award winners and nominees, and numerous other literary prize recipients. In addition the Institute has hosted many up-and-coming writers to provide them with exposure at the beginning of their writing careers.
During the 1990s, the university built a $3 billion, 450000 square feet (41,806.4 m²) Albany NanoTech complex, extending the Uptown Campus westward. By 2006, it became home to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. In 1996, a third campus — the East Campus — was added 12 miles (19.3 km) east of the Uptown Campus in Rensselaer County
, when the University acquired former Sterling-Winthrop laboratories and converted them into labs, classrooms, and a business incubator concentrating on advances in biotechnology and other health-related disciplines. In 2005, the East Campus became home to the University’s Gen*NY*Sis Center for Excellence in Cancer Genomics.
Growth occurred on the Uptown Campus in the fall of 2004, when a new Life Sciences Building opened, dedicated to basic research and education. In the spring of 2005, the university created the first-of-its-kind College of Computing and Information, with a stated goal of preparing students for the information technology-centric world of the 21st Century.
! Name
! Period>
State Normal School
May 1844 – March 1890
New York State Normal College
March 1890 – April 1914
New York State College for Teachers
April 1914 – September 1959
State University of New York College of Education at Albany
September 1959 – October 1961
State University College at Albany
October 1961 – June 1962
State University of New York at Albany (the University's legal name)
June 1962 – present
and constructed from 1956 to 1958, the campus bears Stone's signature style of bold unified design, expressed by its towers, domes, fountains, soaring colonnades and sweeping canopy. The result is dramatically different from traditional university campuses with dispersed buildings and disparate architectural styles. The campus exemplifies the style Stone used in his major projects between 1953 and 1970, including the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi
, India; the Hotel Phoenicia in Beirut
, Lebanon
; the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
in Washington, D.C.
; 2 Columbus Circle
in Manhattan, New York; and the Aon Center
, originally the Standard Oil Building, in Chicago.
Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller envisioned a public university system to accommodate the college students of the post–World War II "Baby Boom
", and as a connoisseur and patron of modern art and architecture, he encouraged many of the era's leading modernist architects to design the campuses. Inspired by this vision and the need for a new campus accommodating 7,500 students, Stone viewed the Albany project as a powerful statement concerning the integrated nature of campus life, with facilities for learning and living all part of a unified complex comprising activities and academic. Stone's campus composition emphasizes residential quadrangles, or "quads" — surrounding academic buildings. At the hub of the campus is the rectangular "Academic Podium" featuring 13 three-story buildings under a single overhanging canopy roof. The Podium's showpiece is a central pool with fountains and an off-center circular bell tower, or "Carillon", which also serves as a water storage reservoir. The domed Main Library, the Performing Arts Center, and Campus Center surround the pool, reflecting facets of campus life. A grand entrance welcomes visitors by way of a "great lawn" (Collins Circle) and an entry plaza. The four residential quadrangles are located adjacent to the four corners of the academic podium. Each quads consists of a 23-story high-rise dormitory, surrounded by a square of low-rise buildings.
On the west end of the Uptown Campus is the Albany Nanotech complex, begun in the late 1990s, still expanding, and home to the College of Nanoscale Sciences and Engineering, the bulk of the university's metrology and characterization tools, the National Weather Service
(NWS), and the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC).
In addition to the Main Library, the Uptown Campus is home to the newest of the three libraries comprising UAlbany's University Libraries: the Science Library, opened in September 1999.
building and Empire State Plaza
, is the site of the original New York State College for Teachers. Construction began in 1909 on the first three buildings: Draper, Husted and Hawley halls, after the previous location on Willett Street burned down. Later additions to the campus were Richardson Hall, Page Hall and The Milne School (all in 1929), along with additions to Draper and Richardson halls (both in the 1960s).
The Downtown Campus is home to the University's Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, School of Criminal Justice, College of Computing and Information, and School of Social Welfare. It also houses one of the University's three libraries, the Thomas E. Dewey Graduate Library, located in Hawley Hall.
, is home to UAlbany’s School of Public Health and the Cancer Research Center (CRC) which opened in 2005. Located also on the campus — which contains 350000 square feet (32,516.1 m²) of lab, support and associated office space — is the Center for Functional Genomics, which facilitates research in the areas of microarrays, proteomics
, molecular biology
and transgenics, and some 15 private biotechnology
companies — both established and those which are part of the University’s business incubator program. Biopharmaceutical giant Regeneron
has a large-scale biologics manufacturing facility adjacent to the campus where it produces the investigational products for all its clinical trials.
UAlbany and Albany Medical Center in July 2008 entered into a memorandum of understanding, to create the 110000 square feet (10,219.3 m²) Institute for Biomedical Education and Research at UAlbany’s East Campus. The Institute will focus research efforts on cancer, cardiology and neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s Disease.
In March 2009 it was announced that Tech Valley High School
, a local high-tech, public consortium
high school
, would be renting 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) at an annual cost of $450,000 per year, starting in time for the 2009—2010 school year.
The Uptown Campus also contains special housing for students in the honors college. This housing, offered to incoming freshmen and returning sophomores, is found on State Quad in the Melville and Steinmetz halls. These recently renovated halls provide moderately better rooms with improved lighting and greater floor space. Renovations are currently being done on halls on Indian, State and Alumni Quads.
The University is constructing a 500-bed apartment-style housing on the southeast portion of the uptown campus, called Liberty Terrace, expected to open in fall 2012.
community which is rich with UAlbany students.
The Center’s Facilities & Operations staff coordinates and manages eight meeting rooms as well as a ballroom. Together these comprise the conference portion of this multifaceted facility. During the academic year, the Center’s meeting rooms host over 9,000 persons per month. The lobby and exterior areas of the building, the latter which commands a small fountain, are notable for the tabling done by individuals and groups; their purposes include ticket sales, craft items, other vending sponsored by campus organizations, political activism, charitable fundraising, and general campus information.
The Campus Center is currently undergoing a multiyear $750 million dollar renovation and expansion project.
Since its inaugural exhibition in 1967, Paintings and Sculpture from the Nelson A. Rockefeller Collection, the museum maintains a commitment to presenting contemporary art exhibitions that connect community and worldviews with the multidisciplinary resources of the University.
In addition, SEFCU Arena contains a fitness center with Nautilus and Universal machines, rowing ergometers and exercise bikes; four racquetball/handball courts and four squash courts; athletic training and rehabilitation facilities with three whirlpool baths, a musculoskeletal evaluation device and other therapeutic machines. SEFCU Arena also houses numerous team and general use locker rooms, as well as an indoor practice facility for the women's golf team.
SEFCU Arena and Physical Education Building were recently air-conditioned, as the state appropriated funds for renovations and permanent improvements to the University's facilities. The $2.3 million in funding was prompted by the New York Giants decision to hold their football training camp at the University in March 1996.
The PE Building's lower level also houses the University's swimming pool. The seven-lane pool is open to University students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members who purchase facility passes. The lanes are divided to allow swimmers of all abilities to share the pool at the same time. On the second floor of the PE Building is the UAlbany Strength & Conditioning complex, where varsity student-athletes focus on the proper development and combination of strength, power, speed, agility, mobility, conditioning and body composition to enhance performance in all athletic arenas.
UAlbany's strength and conditioning area is housed in a spacious 7200 square feet (668.9 m²) varsity strength complex. The weight room is 3600 square feet (334.5 m²) and is a fully equipped, Olympic-style free weight room. An efficient design allows for large teams, or several teams, to workout at a single time. The skills room is another 3600 square feet (334.5 m²) adjacent to the weight room that offers a full line of equipment to enhance agility and quickness. It is equipped with plyometric boxes, jump ropes, medicine balls, bikes, cones and various speed building devices. The strength complex is for varsity athletic team use only and is supervised by two full-time coaches and three student interns.
On the roof of the adjacent Physical Education building there is a media facility, home and opponent video locations, and a viewing box for use by the University President and other dignitaries. Inside the PE Building are home, away and officials' locker room facilities. Directly adjacent to the field, the UAlbany football locker room was renovated in the spring of 2003. The project, funded through alumni donations, doubled the size of the Great Danes' previous facilities.
. It receives annual appropriations as a part of the SUNY budget, and the New York State University Construction Fund
manages and finances buildings and capital improvements. Although the university is governed by the SUNY Board of Trustees, the university does have a separate 10-member council that is appointed by the Governor, with one student-elected member. The Governor designates the council's chair. The University has its own President, who is currently George M. Philip.
The university has a separate University at Albany Foundation, which conducts fundraising on behalf of the university. For example, when the new library was built, state funds paid for the construction of the building, but the Foundation raised $3.5 million to equip the new facility. The Foundation has a separate Board of Directors, which includes three voting member elected by the faculty and one elected by students. The Foundation owns a number of facilities that supplement the state-owned buildings, including: the Management Services Center, the President's residence, the East Campus, the State Street Conference Center, the Cancer Research Center. During 2008-09, the Foundation raised $4.5 million and had total assets (including buildings) of $100,431,527.
Departments of the College of Arts and Sciences include Africana Studies
, Anthropology
, Art
, Biological Sciences
, Chemistry
, Communication
, Earth
and Atmospheric
Sciences, East Asian Studies
, Economics
, English
, Geography
and Planning
, History
, Judaic Studies
, Literature
s and Culture
s, Latin America
n, Caribbean
and U.S. Latino Studies, Mathematics
and Statistics
, Music
, Philosophy
, Physics
, Psychology
, Religious Studies, Sociology
, Spanish
, and Women's Studies
. Undergraduate education consists of 56 majors offered in these areas, along with their paired minors and 17 other minors as well as a variety of cooperative interdisciplinary programs that include the arts, humanistic studies, physical sciences and social sciences.
The College houses the following research centers:
Graduate programs in the College of Arts and Sciences in the humanities and fine arts, science and mathematics, social and behavioral studies, and college-based interdisciplinary majors lead to the following degrees and certificates: Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Regional Planning, Master of Fine Arts, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Arts, Certificate of Advanced Standing, Certificate of Advanced Study and the Certificate (in selected fields).
. It is home to UAlbany’s departments of Political Science
and Public Administration
and Policy.
The College has an enhanced interdisciplinary approach to its public policy mission. While providing educational preparation for academic and public service careers, it undertakes research on significant public problems and issues, and assists in the continuing professional development of government executives. It also offers appropriate assistance to the federal and New York State governments, as well as to foreign nations and international organizations, to meet the responsibilities of contemporary citizenship
and governance. Such assistance includes special courses and conferences, research and consultation, and publications for the dissemination of information.
The College offers degree programs that range from bachelor's level study in political science and public policy, to master's programs in political science, public administration and public policy, to doctorates in political science and public administration. Research centers within the College include the Center for Legislative Development, the Center for Policy Research, the Center for Women in Government & Civil Society, the Institute for Traffic Safety Management & Research, and the Center for International Development.
Bachelor of Science degrees are offered in business administration or accounting. Business administration majors concentrate in one of four fields — finance
, marketing
, information technology management
, or management
. Both accounting and business administration majors are 60-credit majors, as opposed to the normal 40-credit variety. Students are also permitted to combine concentrations. An excellent Financial Analyst
program was created in the early 2000s.
There is also a Bachelor of Science degree associated with the business school which is Financial Market Regulation. The Institute for Financial Market Regulation is a cooperative project of professionals involved in financial market regulation and supervision with the University at Albany and Albany Law School to develop interdisciplinary research and education in the field. This concentrates in four fields Business, Technology, Law, and Public Policy.
Graduate programs are focused on the information age, because the School believes that the creative application of information systems is now essential for the effective growth, management and expansion of business. The MBA has at its core the design and application of information systems for business and industry as well as the generation and effective use of information. The tax and accounting programs emphasize the use of accounting as a decision support system that manages the flow of economic data to all parts of a business.
Overall, the School’s aggressive curriculum, modern classrooms and computer labs foster an interactive and "high tech" learning environment, and applied experiences in the form of relevant internships, on-site field projects with local and regional companies, and in-class projects/case studies that address the most topical business themes.
The School's graduates have a history of attaining high job placements with such top companies as General Electric
, Accenture
, Ernst & Young
, KPMG
, PricewaterhouseCoopers
, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs
and Merrill Lynch
.
The New York State Small Business Development Center (SBDC), based at the University at Albany, State University of New York, has been named among the top ten centers in the nation by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBDC is part of UAlbany's School of Business, one of the top 15 graduate schools most highly rated by students in The Princeton Review.
A new School of Business building is currently being constructed on the west side of Collins Circle. This brand new state-of-the-art building will include classroom, lounge, and trading facilities.
Created in 2004, the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering is the first college in the world dedicated to research, development, education, and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanosciences, nanoengineering, nanobioscience and nanoeconomics. CNSE's Albany NanoTech complex – a $5 billion, 800000 square feet (74,322.4 m²) facility has attracted more than 250 global corporate partners.
In May 2007, CNSE was ranked the number one college in the world for nanotechnology and microtechnology in the annual higher education ranking by Small Times
magazine.
CNSE’s complex, also home to the New York State Center of Excellence in Nanomaterials and Nanoelectronics, is a fully integrated research, development, prototyping, pilot manufacturing and education resource with a strategic portfolio of state-of-the-art laboratories, supercomputer
and shared-user facilities and an array of research centers. Students and faculty work alongside scientists from industry on fundamental cutting-edge research.
CNSE's 80,000 square of Class 1 capable cleanrooms house the only fully integrated, 300 mm wafer, computer chip pilot prototyping and demonstration line. More than 2,500 scientists, researchers, engineers, students, and faculty work on site at the NanoTech complex; these include representatives from such corporate giants as IBM
, AMD, SEMATECH
, GLOBALFOUNDRIES
, Vistec Lithography http://www.vistec-semi.com/ Toshiba
, ASML
, Applied Materials
, Atotech http://www1.atotech.com/start.php3?cl_my_id=672657 Tokyo Electron http://www.tel.com/eng/ and Novellus Systems
.
, offering degrees on the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. The problem-centered interdisciplinary approach of its doctoral program was considered groundbreaking upon the School’s founding in 1966, and spurred what came to called “the Albany model” for other Ph.D. programs in major universities across the nation and the world.
The School concentrates on all aspects of crime
and societal reactions to crime, including the political, economic and cultural patterns that influence policy choices on the response to certain categories of crime. A major focus of study is the social and personal forces that lead to criminal conduct and the analysis of the organization and operation of crime control systems. Particular emphasis is placed on the interactions among the many agencies which comprise criminal justice systems and on the relationships between these systems and other facets of society.
The School’s graduates have been highly successful in both academic and practical fields, including leadership in criminal justice research and teaching, all the operating agencies of criminal justice, and the many private and non-profit organizations which provide services or make policy recommendations.
as its first principal, the institution was the state's first public institution of higher learning. It thrived as the Normal School until it expanded to become the New York State College for Teachers in 1914, and then, in 1962, the State University of New York at Albany.
The School of Education became a reality that year as part of a multidisciplinary university center. It remained the home of the original teacher training programs and faculty, including, from 1845 until its closing in 1977, the Milne School, the University's campus laboratory school where prospective teachers carried out their practice teaching.
Since 1962, the School has also grown in size and scope, fulfilling its mission to foster enhanced learning and human development. It is home to 1,500 graduate students in more than 30 different master’s, certificate and doctoral degree programs housed within four departments: Educational Administration and Policy Studies, Educational and Counseling Psychology, Educational Theory and Practice, and Reading. Now offering only graduate-level degree programs, the School nonetheless provides a broad range of opportunities for undergraduates to explore the field of education.
The School is home to 15 different centers and institutes which aid Capital Region schools and research a broad range of the critical educational issues of our time. These include the School’s outreach arm, the Capital Area School Development Association, which provides services to 120 school districts; the Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities, which is funded by a three-year $1.24 million grant from the National Institutes of Health
; the Center for Urban Youth and Technology; and the National Research Center on English Learning & Achievement, which since 1987 has been funded by the U.S. Department of Education to conduct research dedicated to improving students’ English and literacy
achievement.
Accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health
, the School offers MPH, MS, DrPH and PhD degrees in each of four academic departments: Biomedical Sciences; Environmental Health Sciences; Epidemiology & Biostatistics; and Health Policy, Management & Behavior.
Research interests of the more than 200 doctoral-level faculty include AIDS
, GIS, maternal and child health, hospital epidemiology
, infectious disease
s, environmental and occupational health, eldercare, minority health and health disparities. Both research faculty and students benefit from additional affiliations with Albany Medical Center
and Bassett Healthcare.
The School of Public Health's partnership with the New York State Department of Health (DOH) has world-class life sciences researchers as part of the University's research productivity. Awards for life scientists at the DOH's Wadsworth Center make up roughly a third of UAlbany's total of $391.7 million
The School’s bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. programs in social work
take advantage of collaborative practices and partnerships, both regionally and throughout the world. Recent linkages have included those with an Albany elementary school challenged by poverty, an outlier regional community comprising one of the largest Latino populations in the state, Hallym University
in South Korea, and multiple partners in South African, South America and western and eastern Europe.
Hallmarks of the School include its dedication in the area of gerontological social work, the creation of aging friendly communities, the improvement of pathways to higher education for inner city youth and families, the creation of family support agendas for the region, and re-professionalization campaigns in child welfare.
Special features of SSW include its NIDA
-funded Child Welfare, Drug Abuse, and Intergenerational Risk Research Center and its centers for aging, which include the Institute of Gerontology, the Center for Excellence in Aging Services, and the Internships in Aging Program. Other special features include the Center for Human Services Research, the Social Work Education Consortium — which addresses child welfare and welfare workforce development and research — and the T.E.C.H. Center, devoted to aiding the development of electronic communication capacity within human service agencies.
The Honors College comprises coursework, research, internships, and field-placements. All involve intense collaborations among students and professors. Rather than having a small number of professors teach an honors curriculum, professors from across the UAlbany campus teach honors courses in many disciplines. During the college's first three academic years, more than 50 UAlbany professors offered courses.
During their first two years, honors students at explore this range of disciplines through six or more honors courses. During their next two years, students move into the honors program in their major. The Honors College also offers special lectures, tours, retreats to Camp Dippikill, and other trips to expand their learning opportunities, and also student social events.
The most recent US News&World Report ranking ranked the university 143rd of universities which award doctoral degrees. UAlbany is also placed in the grouping of 91st-114th for US universities and in the grouping 201st-302nd for universities worldwide by the annual Academic Ranking of World Universities conducted by the Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
The university is ranked 15th nationally in research expenditures among universities without a medical school faculty. It attracted a record $391.7 million in research awards in 2007-08.
The Chronicle of Higher Education has ranked six UAlbany doctoral programs—criminal justice, educational administration, curriculum instruction, educational leadership, "teacher education in specific study areas," and social welfare—in its "Top 10" nationally in the publication's last two surveys.
UAlbany ranked 45th worldwide among universities in the social sciences
in 2006 and 2007 and between 51-76 (no specific number given) in 2008, according to the Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
, Shanghai, China.
The 2008 America's Best Colleges ranked by Forbes.com placed Albany at #295 and #385 in their 2009 ranking.
According to USAtoday, in 2004 the school was rated the number one party school in America.
Other Leading Program Rankings and sources:
Located on the University East Campus in Rensselaer, N.Y., the Center combines UAlbany research expertise in genomics and biomedical sciences with state-of-the-art technology in a new 117000 square feet (10,869.7 m²) facility.
The Center opened in October 2005 with $45 million in support through New York State's Gen*NY*Sis Program. Additional funds currently being raised from the private sector for the Center's Fund for Memory and Hope will be used for special equipment and needs of the research program.
The CRC was recently awarded $7 million in new funding to support its research into the causes, prevention and treatment of cancer.
The new grants have been awarded to four Cancer Research Center scientists:
In September 2009 the Center recruited scientist Ramune Reliene from the University of California Los Angeles to its research team and faculty of the School of Public Health's Department of Environmental Health Sciences. Reliene, who received her doctorate from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich in Switzerland, expands the scientific portfolio of the Center in the genetic and environmental causes of cancer.
ASRC performs research to study the physical and chemical nature of the atmosphere and its implications to the environment. Current research areas include boundary layers, solar radiation, radiative transfer, atmospheric chemistry
, aerosol physics, air quality, solar energy, cloud physics, climate systems, and air quality monitoring. In addition the Center has a large "jungle research group" exploring atmosphere and biosphere relationships in Amazonia, the Alaskan Tundra, the Canadian Boreal Forest, and the eastern U.S.
The Climate System Sciences Section of ASRC, started in November 1989, conducts research to understand the Earth's global and regional climate system and to assess and evaluate the effects of climate change
caused by both human activities and nature.
The DNA Academy, NERFI’s forensic training program, is unique in its dedicated learning environment and its fast-track to DNA specialization and professional development. Each of NERFI’s academic programs takes advantage of collaboration and cooperation between UAlbany’s Department of Biological Sciences and the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center. The partnership was made possible by a 2004 grant from the National Institute of Justice.
at the University at Albany, State University of New York. CSDA has since become the nexus for further investments by University administration and a variety of state and federal agencies. Positioned by these developments, CSDA officially joined the roster of NICHD Population Centers in September 1997.
Over the years, CSDA has increasingly emphasized support for interdisciplinary population research, especially the analysis of spatial inequalities (paying attention to processes of urban and regional development and their impacts on residents) and concerns for vulnerable populations (defined by race and ethnicity, age, social class, and nativity). The Center offers researchers access to first-rate computing facilities and statistical software, computing and statistical consulting, assistance with grant preparation and administration, and other related services. It also collaborates with the Lewis Mumford Center — the University’s 20-year-old institute devoted to urban research — in efforts to disseminate data and fresh analyses of population trends revealed in the census and continuing census-related databases such as the Current Population Survey
and the American Community Survey
.
CSDA currently has 41 faculty associates drawn from 15 departments that span the array of academic disciplines at the University. Among major research initiatives sponsored by the Center is the Urban China Research Network (funded by the Mellon Foundation), which brings together scholars and graduate students from around the world to study implications of urban change in China. New collaborative projects include initiatives on health disparities and the environmental impacts of metropolitan growth.
/National Center for Research Resources
(NIH/NCRR) and $2 million in matching funds from the State of New York to fund the design, engineering and construction of 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) of research facilities on par with those of modern pharmaceutical companies. Comple On the same day, The Institute also announced the establishment of The RNA Institute MassSpec Center, dedicated to the development of mass spectrometry-based technologies for investigating the structure-function relationships of natural and synthetic RNA as tools for drug discovery.
.
Its synergistic approach to sustainable transportation — incorporating public/private collaborations and practical applications of mass transit aimed at reducing carbon emissions — is a major facet of its UAlbany Green Scene initiative. Through AT&T
grant-funded research, UAlbany researchers now study coordination of traffic signals and transportation patterns, with the goals of minimizing car-engine idling times, forging new carpooling connections, and communicating more effectively alternative transportation options to the campus community.
Campus efforts were on display on Sept. 22, 2009, with "Destination Green," a day focusing on encouraging sustainable transportation. It highlighted the campus’s alternative transportation options, which include hybrid buses, global electric motorcars (GEMs), public bus systems, carpooling, and bike-and-ride sharing programs.
The campus designated April 2010 as UAlbany environmental sustainability month, with lectures, a regional student competition for the best renewable energy business plan, and campus greening projects.
The SA is funded directly by the entire undergraduate student body of the University at Albany, State University of New York.
The Student Association owns an 850 acre (3.4 km²) wilderness retreat facility in the Adirondack Mountains
called Camp Dippikill. The cabins and campsites at Dippikill are open to reservations from the University’s undergraduates, graduate students, alumni, faculty and staff.
dates back to 1909, but attempts to field teams in football (1922), baseball
(1896–1901), swimming and hockey
were aborted. Expansion into men’s and women’s sports increased after World War II
, and then expanded greatly in the 1960s (men’s sports of lacrosse
, track & field, cross-country
and swimming
moved from club to varsity status, and women’s tennis
, softball
, field hockey
, basketball and swimming were introduced), a direct result of the introduction of the new Uptown Campus (see item above) and its expanded athletic facilities. A nickname change also occurred, the Pedagogues becoming the Great Danes — making UAlbany the only American college or university with that mascot. The school's colors are purple and gold.
After the 1972 NCAA restructuring, UAlbany competed in Division III athletics until the 1995-96 school year, when it moved to the Division II level as part of a transition to Division I competition. That process was completed in the fall of 1999; UAlbany now has 19 varsity sports (8 men, 11 women) competing at the Division I level. All athletic programs are run by the University’s Department of Athletics and Recreation.
Other than the sport of football, the school’s teams have been members of the America East Conference
since 2001. Football participates in the Football Championship Subdivision level (formerly Division I-AA) as an associate member of the Northeast Conference
.
In addition to varsity sports, UAlbany competes in many sports at the club level such as swimming, men's hockey, rugby
, crew http://www.albanycrew.coam/ and ultimate frisbee. However, these teams are not affiliated with the Department of Athletics and Recreation and are funded by the Student Association.
singing group. Founded in 1998, the Earth Tones is known for its work both on campus as well as within the community, including performances at local high schools and outreach work at facilities like the Albany Medical Center
. The group stages two semester shows in the Recital Hall in the PAC (Performing Arts Center) at the university. In addition to these shows, the Earth Tones also perform at local venues and have even sung for the inaugural proceedings for former New York Governor
Eliot Spitzer
. In recent years, the group has attended the Northeast branch of the ICCA (International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
) competition, placing second for two consecutive years and advancing from Quarter Finals to Semi-Finals. The group's repertoire consists of many diverse styles and genres of music, including pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B, soul/funk, reggae and punk.
), a Pulitzer Prize winner (William Kennedy
), and a Turing Award winner (Richard Stearns
), Also Jonathan Vecchione attended and completed a 4 year degree and went on do continue his radio programming broadcasting in various markets throughout the north eastern part of the United States.
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
located in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, Guilderland
Guilderland, New York
Guilderland is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. In the 2010 census, the town had a population of 35,303. The town is named for the Gelderland province in the Netherlands....
, and East Greenbush, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; is the senior campus of the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
(SUNY) system. Founded in 1844, it is an internationally recognized public research institution, which carries out a broad mission of undergraduate and graduate education, research, and service. The University has three campuses: the Uptown Campus in Albany and Guilderland's McKownville
McKownville, New York
McKownville is a hamlet in the town of Guilderland, Albany County, New York. It lies along the eastern border of the town with the city of Albany. McKownville is a heavily developed suburb of Albany and is home to many strip malls, shopping centers, and a portion of the University at Albany, SUNY...
neighborhood, the Downtown Campus in Albany, and the East Campus in East Greenbush, just east of Albany.
The University enrolls more than 17,500 students in nine schools and colleges, which offer 58 undergraduate majors and 128 graduate degree programs. The University’s academic choices are diverse and include a range of new and emerging fields such as public policy
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
, nanotechnology
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
, globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
, documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
studies, biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
and informatics
Informatics (academic field)
Informatics is the science of information, the practice of information processing, and the engineering of information systems. Informatics studies the structure, algorithms, behavior, and interactions of natural and artificial systems that store, process, access and communicate information...
. Students take advantage of more than 500 study-abroad programs, as well as extensive internship opportunities that offer real-world experience in New York’s capital and surrounding region. The Honors College, which opened in fall 2006, offers opportunities for the best-prepared students to work closely with faculty.
University at Albany faculty attracted $271.2 million in research funding in 2009-2010 for work advancing discovery in a wide range of fields. The research enterprise is distinguished by established and emerging strengths in four areas: nanoscale sciences and engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, social science and public policy, life sciences
Life sciences
The life sciences comprise the fields of science that involve the scientific study of living organisms, like plants, animals, and human beings. While biology remains the centerpiece of the life sciences, technological advances in molecular biology and biotechnology have led to a burgeoning of...
and atmospheric sciences
Atmospheric sciences
Atmospheric sciences is an umbrella term for the study of the atmosphere, its processes, the effects other systems have on the atmosphere, and the effects of the atmosphere on these other systems. Meteorology includes atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric physics with a major focus on weather...
. A wide range of explorations in other areas also contributes to the rich spectrum of UAlbany research.
In addition to offering many cultural benefits, including a nationally recognized contemporary art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
and a world-renowned writers institute, UAlbany plays a major role in the economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
of the Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
and New York State — particularly through its programs in nanosciences and nanotechnology and in the biotechnology and biomedical sciences. An economic impact study in 2004 estimated UAlbany’s economic impact to be $1.1 billion annually in New York State — $1 billion of that in the Capital District.
History
Although the university is the oldest SUNY component, it was an independent teachers' college for most of its history until SUNY was formed in 1948. The University at Albany began as the New York State Normal School on May 7, 1844, by vote of the State Legislature. Beginning with 29 students and four faculty in an abandoned railroad depot on State Street in the heart of the city, the Normal School was the first New York State-chartered institution of higher education.Dedicated to training New York students as schoolteachers and administrators, by the early 1890s the “School” had become the New York State Normal College and, with a revised four-year curriculum in 1905, became the first public institution of higher education in New York to be granted the power to confer the bachelor's degree.
A new campus — today, UAlbany’s Downtown Campus — was established in 1909 on a site of 4.5 acres (18,210.9 m²) between Washington and Western avenues. By 1913, the institution was home to 590 students and 44 faculty members, it offered a master’s degree for the first time, and bore a new name — the New York State College for Teachers. Enrollments grew to a peak of 1,424 in 1932.
In 1948 the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
system was created, comprising the College for Teachers and several other institutions throughout the state. SUNY, including its University at Albany, ultimately became a manifestation of the grand vision of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, who wanted a public university system to accommodate the college students of the post–World War II baby boom. To do so, he launched a massive construction program that developed over 50 new campuses.
In 1957 the University at Albany, State University of New York was officially designated a doctoral-degree granting university center of SUNY. The same year, Rockefeller broke ground for the current Uptown Campus on the former site of the Albany Country Club. The new campus's first dormitory opened in October 1958, and the first classes on the academic podium in the Fall of 1962. By 1970, a year beyond the University’s 125th anniversary, enrollment had grown to 13,200 and the faculty to 746. The Uptown Campus, designed by architect Edward Durell Stone
Edward Durell Stone
Edward Durell Stone was a twentieth century American architect who worked primarily in the Modernist style.-Early life:...
, accommodated this growth and gave visible evidence of the schools transition from a teachers college to a broad liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
university. The Downtown Campus became dedicated to the fields of public policy: criminal justice, public affairs, information science and social welfare. In 1985, the University added the School of Public Health, a unique joint endeavor with the state’s Department of Health.
In 1983, the New York State Writers Institute was founded by Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning author William Kennedy. As of 2007, the Institute had hosted over time more than 850 writers, poets, journalists, historians, dramatists and filmmakers. The list includes eight Nobel Prize winners, nearly 200 Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award
National Book Award
The National Book Awards are a set of American literary awards. Started in 1950, the Awards are presented annually to American authors for literature published in the current year. In 1989 the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization which now oversees and manages the National Book...
winners, several Motion Picture Academy Award winners and nominees, and numerous other literary prize recipients. In addition the Institute has hosted many up-and-coming writers to provide them with exposure at the beginning of their writing careers.
During the 1990s, the university built a $3 billion, 450000 square feet (41,806.4 m²) Albany NanoTech complex, extending the Uptown Campus westward. By 2006, it became home to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. In 1996, a third campus — the East Campus — was added 12 miles (19.3 km) east of the Uptown Campus in Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County, New York
Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
, when the University acquired former Sterling-Winthrop laboratories and converted them into labs, classrooms, and a business incubator concentrating on advances in biotechnology and other health-related disciplines. In 2005, the East Campus became home to the University’s Gen*NY*Sis Center for Excellence in Cancer Genomics.
Growth occurred on the Uptown Campus in the fall of 2004, when a new Life Sciences Building opened, dedicated to basic research and education. In the spring of 2005, the university created the first-of-its-kind College of Computing and Information, with a stated goal of preparing students for the information technology-centric world of the 21st Century.
Evolution
! Period>
Uptown Campus
The Uptown Campus, the University's main campus, is located at 1400 Washington Avenue in Albany. Its effect has been described as "Dazzling one-of-a-kind" by architectural critic Thomas A. Gaines, who called it "a formal masterpiece" and "a study in classical romanticism." Designed in 1954-1956 by noted American architect Edward Durell StoneEdward Durell Stone
Edward Durell Stone was a twentieth century American architect who worked primarily in the Modernist style.-Early life:...
and constructed from 1956 to 1958, the campus bears Stone's signature style of bold unified design, expressed by its towers, domes, fountains, soaring colonnades and sweeping canopy. The result is dramatically different from traditional university campuses with dispersed buildings and disparate architectural styles. The campus exemplifies the style Stone used in his major projects between 1953 and 1970, including the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, India; the Hotel Phoenicia in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
; the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
; 2 Columbus Circle
2 Columbus Circle
2 Columbus Circle is a small, trapezoidal lot on the south side of Columbus Circle in Manhattan, New York City, USA.The seven-story Pabst Grand Circle Hotel, designed by William H. Cauvet, stood at this address from 1874 until it was demolished in 1960...
in Manhattan, New York; and the Aon Center
Aon Center (Chicago)
The Aon Center is a modern skyscraper in the Chicago Loop, Chicago, Illinois, United States, designed by architect firms Edward Durell Stone and The Perkins and Will partnership, and completed in 1973 as the Standard Oil Building...
, originally the Standard Oil Building, in Chicago.
Baby boom
A baby boom is any period marked by a greatly increased birth rate. This demographic phenomenon is usually ascribed within certain geographical bounds and when the number of annual births exceeds 2 per 100 women...
", and as a connoisseur and patron of modern art and architecture, he encouraged many of the era's leading modernist architects to design the campuses. Inspired by this vision and the need for a new campus accommodating 7,500 students, Stone viewed the Albany project as a powerful statement concerning the integrated nature of campus life, with facilities for learning and living all part of a unified complex comprising activities and academic. Stone's campus composition emphasizes residential quadrangles, or "quads" — surrounding academic buildings. At the hub of the campus is the rectangular "Academic Podium" featuring 13 three-story buildings under a single overhanging canopy roof. The Podium's showpiece is a central pool with fountains and an off-center circular bell tower, or "Carillon", which also serves as a water storage reservoir. The domed Main Library, the Performing Arts Center, and Campus Center surround the pool, reflecting facets of campus life. A grand entrance welcomes visitors by way of a "great lawn" (Collins Circle) and an entry plaza. The four residential quadrangles are located adjacent to the four corners of the academic podium. Each quads consists of a 23-story high-rise dormitory, surrounded by a square of low-rise buildings.
On the west end of the Uptown Campus is the Albany Nanotech complex, begun in the late 1990s, still expanding, and home to the College of Nanoscale Sciences and Engineering, the bulk of the university's metrology and characterization tools, the National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
(NWS), and the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC).
In addition to the Main Library, the Uptown Campus is home to the newest of the three libraries comprising UAlbany's University Libraries: the Science Library, opened in September 1999.
Downtown Campus
The Downtown Campus, located at 135 Western Ave., just one mile (1.6 km) from the New York State CapitolNew York State Capitol
The New York State Capitol is the capitol building of the U.S. state of New York. Housing the New York State Legislature, it is located in the state capital city Albany, on State Street in Capitol Park. The building, completed in 1899 at a cost of $25 million , was the most expensive government...
building and Empire State Plaza
Empire State Plaza
The Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza is a complex of several state government buildings in downtown Albany, New York....
, is the site of the original New York State College for Teachers. Construction began in 1909 on the first three buildings: Draper, Husted and Hawley halls, after the previous location on Willett Street burned down. Later additions to the campus were Richardson Hall, Page Hall and The Milne School (all in 1929), along with additions to Draper and Richardson halls (both in the 1960s).
The Downtown Campus is home to the University's Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, School of Criminal Justice, College of Computing and Information, and School of Social Welfare. It also houses one of the University's three libraries, the Thomas E. Dewey Graduate Library, located in Hawley Hall.
East Campus
The University’s 87 acres (352,076.8 m²) East Campus, located in East GreenbushEast Greenbush (town), New York
East Greenbush is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, USA. The population was 15,560 at the 2000 census. The word Greenbush is derived from the Dutch "Greenen Bosch," referring to the pine woods that originally covered the land. The first settlement of the land now known as East Greenbush was...
, is home to UAlbany’s School of Public Health and the Cancer Research Center (CRC) which opened in 2005. Located also on the campus — which contains 350000 square feet (32,516.1 m²) of lab, support and associated office space — is the Center for Functional Genomics, which facilitates research in the areas of microarrays, proteomics
Proteomics
Proteomics is the large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions. Proteins are vital parts of living organisms, as they are the main components of the physiological metabolic pathways of cells. The term "proteomics" was first coined in 1997 to make an analogy with...
, molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
and transgenics, and some 15 private biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
companies — both established and those which are part of the University’s business incubator program. Biopharmaceutical giant Regeneron
Regeneron
Regeneron is a biotechnology company headquartered in Tarrytown, in New York, USA. The company was founded in 1988. Originally focused on neurotrophic factors and their regenerative capabilities , it branched out into the study of both cytokine and tyrosine kinase receptors - leading to the three...
has a large-scale biologics manufacturing facility adjacent to the campus where it produces the investigational products for all its clinical trials.
UAlbany and Albany Medical Center in July 2008 entered into a memorandum of understanding, to create the 110000 square feet (10,219.3 m²) Institute for Biomedical Education and Research at UAlbany’s East Campus. The Institute will focus research efforts on cancer, cardiology and neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s Disease.
In March 2009 it was announced that Tech Valley High School
Tech Valley High School
Tech Valley High School is a four-year technical high school located just east of Albany, New York, in the town of East Greenbush, in Rensselaer County...
, a local high-tech, public consortium
Consortium
A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal....
high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, would be renting 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) at an annual cost of $450,000 per year, starting in time for the 2009—2010 school year.
Uptown Campus housing
The Uptown Campus is home to six of the University's seven residential complexes. Four of these — Indian Quad, Dutch Quad, Colonial Quad, and State Quad — sit at the Academic Podium's corners; each consists of eight three-story, low-rise buildings encircling a 22-story tower with a total capacity of 1,200 students each. The four quads serve as a chronological timeline of New York State history, beginning with Indian Quad, moving clockwise to Dutch, then Colonial, and finally, State. The other two, Freedom Apartments and Empire Commons, are reserved for juniors and seniors. These are "apartment-style" residences and include kitchens, furnished living rooms, and, on Empire Commons, washers, dryers, dishwashers, single bedrooms, and central air conditioning.The Uptown Campus also contains special housing for students in the honors college. This housing, offered to incoming freshmen and returning sophomores, is found on State Quad in the Melville and Steinmetz halls. These recently renovated halls provide moderately better rooms with improved lighting and greater floor space. Renovations are currently being done on halls on Indian, State and Alumni Quads.
The University is constructing a 500-bed apartment-style housing on the southeast portion of the uptown campus, called Liberty Terrace, expected to open in fall 2012.
Downtown housing
Alumni Quad, one of the University's seven residential complexes, is a short distance away from the Downtown Campus. Its name commemorates the Alumni Association, which purchased most of the land on which the complex stands and funded the construction of the first two residence halls, Pierce and Sayles, which opened in 1935 and 1941. (Brubacher, Alden and Waterbury halls, which completed the quadrangle’s edifices, opened in 1951, 1958, and 1959, respectively.) Students living on Alumni are typically sophomores, transfer students and international students. The murder of Richard J. Bailey in October 2008 has made students take extra precautions, around the quad and the entire Pine HillsPine Hills, Albany, New York
Pine Hills is a neighborhood in Albany, New York, generally defined as the area from Manning Boulevard to the west, Woodlawn Avenue to the south, Lake Avenue to the east, and Washington Avenue to the north. The neighborhood consists mainly of freestanding multi-unit, duplex, and semi-detached...
community which is rich with UAlbany students.
Campus Center
The Campus Center, located on the Uptown Campus Podium, is the community center of the University at Albany, State University of New York, serving students, faculty, professional staff, alumni, and guests. Traditionally considered the "hearthstone" or "living room" of the campus, the Campus Center provides services and conveniences that include lounging areas, several cafeterias, a Barnes & Noble bookstore, and many national chain eateries operated and staffed by Chartwells. The multifaceted structure is the site for numerous informal and formal interactions, the latter including the meetings of many student-run clubs, academic conferences, and cultural functions.The Center’s Facilities & Operations staff coordinates and manages eight meeting rooms as well as a ballroom. Together these comprise the conference portion of this multifaceted facility. During the academic year, the Center’s meeting rooms host over 9,000 persons per month. The lobby and exterior areas of the building, the latter which commands a small fountain, are notable for the tabling done by individuals and groups; their purposes include ticket sales, craft items, other vending sponsored by campus organizations, political activism, charitable fundraising, and general campus information.
The Campus Center is currently undergoing a multiyear $750 million dollar renovation and expansion project.
Performing Arts Center
The Performing Arts Center (PAC) is a facility on the Uptown Campus containing five unique performance spaces. Music, dance, theater, international artists, guest lecturers, and collaborations occur in the Main Theater, Recital Hall, Arena Theatre, Studio Theatre, and Lab Theatre. The Main Theatre is the largest theater space on the Uptown Campus holding 500 people. Designed for music performance, the Recital Hall seats 242 people, 197 on the orchestra level and 45 in the nine circular boxes on the second level of the auditorium. The Arena Theatre is used primarily for Theatre performances and acting classes and seats 196. The Studio Theatre seats 153 people. The Lab Theatre is a 50' square "black box" theater. The Lab can seat up to 200 audience members in any seating configuration.University Art Museum
The University's art museum is centrally located on the Uptown Campus. Designed by architect Edward Durell Stone, its interior is an iconic example of late 20th Century modernism. Its three galleries provide over 9000 square feet (836.1 m²) of exhibition space for six to eight changing exhibitions per year.Since its inaugural exhibition in 1967, Paintings and Sculpture from the Nelson A. Rockefeller Collection, the museum maintains a commitment to presenting contemporary art exhibitions that connect community and worldviews with the multidisciplinary resources of the University.
Page Hall
Page Hall is a classic old proscenium theater located on the downtown campus of the University at Albany, State University of New York, at 135 Western Avenue. The auditorium has a total capacity of 830: 439 seats on the orchestra level; 391 in the balcony. Page Hall's excellent location, combined with its large seating capacity, make it a favorite site for community events and performances. The film series of the New York State Writer's Institute is presented primarily at Page Hall.Conference facilities
The Science Library (LIE for Library Extension), University Hall, University Art Museum, Life Science Research Building (LSRB), Gen*NY*sis Center for Excellence in Cancer Genomics, NanoFab South (NFS), NanoFab North (NFN), NanoFab East (NFE), Center for Emerging Sciences and Technology Management (CESTM), Alumni House, Chapel House and the Empire Commons community building all feature atria, auditoriums, and/or meeting rooms of various sizes.SEFCU Arena
In the spring of 1992, the University opened SEFCU Arena, an $11 million field house for UAlbany’s men’s and women’s basketball and track teams. It has an .11 mile indoor track. The 5,000-seat arena also serves as a major venue for community events such as rock and pop concerts, sporting events and University activities.In addition, SEFCU Arena contains a fitness center with Nautilus and Universal machines, rowing ergometers and exercise bikes; four racquetball/handball courts and four squash courts; athletic training and rehabilitation facilities with three whirlpool baths, a musculoskeletal evaluation device and other therapeutic machines. SEFCU Arena also houses numerous team and general use locker rooms, as well as an indoor practice facility for the women's golf team.
SEFCU Arena and Physical Education Building were recently air-conditioned, as the state appropriated funds for renovations and permanent improvements to the University's facilities. The $2.3 million in funding was prompted by the New York Giants decision to hold their football training camp at the University in March 1996.
Physical Education Building
Adjacent to the SEFCU Arena is the Physical Education Building which houses University Gymnasium; three full-size playing surfaces which can be used for basketball, volleyball, and tennis; four racquetball/handball courts; four squash courts; a swimming pool; a fitness and weight training center with Olympic weights; an aerobic exercise room, and a dance studio. University Gymnasium is home to the UAlbany Women's Volleyball team, and also serves as a practice facility for baseball, softball, field hockey and lacrosse. University Gymasium is also the school's primary indoor student recreational facility, playing host to intramural sport leagues including basketball and street hockey.The PE Building's lower level also houses the University's swimming pool. The seven-lane pool is open to University students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members who purchase facility passes. The lanes are divided to allow swimmers of all abilities to share the pool at the same time. On the second floor of the PE Building is the UAlbany Strength & Conditioning complex, where varsity student-athletes focus on the proper development and combination of strength, power, speed, agility, mobility, conditioning and body composition to enhance performance in all athletic arenas.
UAlbany's strength and conditioning area is housed in a spacious 7200 square feet (668.9 m²) varsity strength complex. The weight room is 3600 square feet (334.5 m²) and is a fully equipped, Olympic-style free weight room. An efficient design allows for large teams, or several teams, to workout at a single time. The skills room is another 3600 square feet (334.5 m²) adjacent to the weight room that offers a full line of equipment to enhance agility and quickness. It is equipped with plyometric boxes, jump ropes, medicine balls, bikes, cones and various speed building devices. The strength complex is for varsity athletic team use only and is supervised by two full-time coaches and three student interns.
The Bubble
"The Bubble" is an air-supported structure that is used for tennis, basketball, and volleyball. It also serves as a secondary practice facility for football, baseball, softball, lacrosse, track & field, and strength & conditioning. It was fitted with a brand-new covering with minor interior renovations in the spring of 2003. It is located to the east of the Physical Education Building.John Fallon Field
John Fallon Field, the home for UAlbany men’s and women’s lacrosse, was completed in the fall of 2005. Fallon, a former UAlbany student-athlete, and a partner at Leboeuf, Lamb, Greene and MacRae, LLP in New York City, made a significant contribution to fund the construction of the all-weather turf field, a Sportexe Momentum Turf 41 surface. The first phase of the project was coordinated by UAlbany’s Office of Architecture, Engineering and Construction Management. The plan was designed by Clough Harbor and Associates LLP. John Fallon Field is adjacent to Alumni Turf Field, which serves as the home for the school’s field hockey team and as a multiuse recreational field for UAlbany students. Both all-weather fields are located just south of Indian Quad on campus.University Field
University Field seats capacity crowds of 5,000 for football games, and has an all-weather, 400-meter track surrounding a natural grass surface. University Field is home to the UAlbany football and men's and women's track & field teams. The lighted field can accommodate both day and night events. In 2004, the men's lacrosse program played its first-ever evening contest at the facility.On the roof of the adjacent Physical Education building there is a media facility, home and opponent video locations, and a viewing box for use by the University President and other dignitaries. Inside the PE Building are home, away and officials' locker room facilities. Directly adjacent to the field, the UAlbany football locker room was renovated in the spring of 2003. The project, funded through alumni donations, doubled the size of the Great Danes' previous facilities.
Organization
The university is a first-tier component of the State University of New YorkState University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
. It receives annual appropriations as a part of the SUNY budget, and the New York State University Construction Fund
State University Construction Fund
The State University Construction Fund is a New York State agency addressing the construction and capital planning needs of the State University of New York and affiliated institutions....
manages and finances buildings and capital improvements. Although the university is governed by the SUNY Board of Trustees, the university does have a separate 10-member council that is appointed by the Governor, with one student-elected member. The Governor designates the council's chair. The University has its own President, who is currently George M. Philip.
The university has a separate University at Albany Foundation, which conducts fundraising on behalf of the university. For example, when the new library was built, state funds paid for the construction of the building, but the Foundation raised $3.5 million to equip the new facility. The Foundation has a separate Board of Directors, which includes three voting member elected by the faculty and one elected by students. The Foundation owns a number of facilities that supplement the state-owned buildings, including: the Management Services Center, the President's residence, the East Campus, the State Street Conference Center, the Cancer Research Center. During 2008-09, the Foundation raised $4.5 million and had total assets (including buildings) of $100,431,527.
College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences, comprising 23 departments, forms the largest academic division at the University.Departments of the College of Arts and Sciences include Africana Studies
African American studies
African American studies is a subset of Black studies or Africana studies. It is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to the study of the history, culture, and politics of African Americans...
, Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, Art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, Biological Sciences
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, Communication
Communication studies
Communication Studies is an academic field that deals with processes of communication, commonly defined as the sharing of symbols over distances in space and time. Hence, communication studies encompasses a wide range of topics and contexts ranging from face-to-face conversation to speeches to mass...
, Earth
Earth science
Earth science is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. It is arguably a special case in planetary science, the Earth being the only known life-bearing planet. There are both reductionist and holistic approaches to Earth sciences...
and Atmospheric
Atmospheric sciences
Atmospheric sciences is an umbrella term for the study of the atmosphere, its processes, the effects other systems have on the atmosphere, and the effects of the atmosphere on these other systems. Meteorology includes atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric physics with a major focus on weather...
Sciences, East Asian Studies
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
, Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, English
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
, Geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
and Planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
, History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, Judaic Studies
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, Literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
s and Culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
s, Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n, Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and U.S. Latino Studies, Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and Statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
, Music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, Religious Studies, Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, and Women's Studies
Women's studies
Women's studies, also known as feminist studies, is an interdisciplinary academic field which explores politics, society and history from an intersectional, multicultural women's perspective...
. Undergraduate education consists of 56 majors offered in these areas, along with their paired minors and 17 other minors as well as a variety of cooperative interdisciplinary programs that include the arts, humanistic studies, physical sciences and social sciences.
The College houses the following research centers:
- Biological Imaging Center
- Center for Applied Historical Research
- Center for Astronomical Observatory
- Center for Autism and Related Disabilities
- Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities
- Center for Language and International Communication (CLIC)
- Center for Latino, Latin American and Caribbean Studies(CELAC)
- Center for Biochemistry and Biophysics
- Center for Economic Research
- Center for Jewish Studies
- Center for Neuroscience Research
- Center for X-Ray Optics
- Econometrics Research and Training Institute
- Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing Laboratory
- Institute of Biomolecular Stereodynamics
- Institute for Research on Women
- Institute for Mesoamerican Studies
- The Institute for Watershed Management
- Ion Beam Laboratory
- Lewis Mumford Center for Comparative Urban and Regional Research
- New York Latino Research and Resources Network (NYLARNet)
Graduate programs in the College of Arts and Sciences in the humanities and fine arts, science and mathematics, social and behavioral studies, and college-based interdisciplinary majors lead to the following degrees and certificates: Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Regional Planning, Master of Fine Arts, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Arts, Certificate of Advanced Standing, Certificate of Advanced Study and the Certificate (in selected fields).
College of Computing and Information
The mission of the College of Computing and Information (CCI), created in 2005, is to support world-class, discipline-based research and educational programs related to computing and information. With its partnerships in the corporate, government and nonprofit sectors, the College provides expertise and collaboration efforts that benefit New York State and the nation. CCI has three departments, which provide students with a broad view of how information is created, organized, stored, manipulated, packaged, retrieved and applied:- The Department of Computer Science
- The Department of Informatics
- The Department of Information Studies (previously the School of Information Science and Policy)
Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy
The Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, created in 1981, was named for former U.S. Vice President and Governor of New York Nelson RockefellerNelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...
. It is home to UAlbany’s departments of Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and Public Administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
and Policy.
The College has an enhanced interdisciplinary approach to its public policy mission. While providing educational preparation for academic and public service careers, it undertakes research on significant public problems and issues, and assists in the continuing professional development of government executives. It also offers appropriate assistance to the federal and New York State governments, as well as to foreign nations and international organizations, to meet the responsibilities of contemporary citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
and governance. Such assistance includes special courses and conferences, research and consultation, and publications for the dissemination of information.
The College offers degree programs that range from bachelor's level study in political science and public policy, to master's programs in political science, public administration and public policy, to doctorates in political science and public administration. Research centers within the College include the Center for Legislative Development, the Center for Policy Research, the Center for Women in Government & Civil Society, the Institute for Traffic Safety Management & Research, and the Center for International Development.
School of Business
UAlbany’s School of Business, accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) in both business and accounting, provides students of all ages and backgrounds with academic programs that build critical business management skills. Founded in 1970, the School quickly became recognized as one of the most comprehensive and academically competitive business schools in the Northeast. Its master's and doctoral programs draw students from all over the world by offering both full-time and part-time opportunities to earn a highly regarded advanced degree.Bachelor of Science degrees are offered in business administration or accounting. Business administration majors concentrate in one of four fields — finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
, marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
, information technology management
Information technology management
IT management is the discipline whereby all of the technology resources of a firm are managed in accordance with its needs and priorities. These resources may include tangible investments like computer hardware, software, data, networks and data centre facilities, as well as the staffs who are...
, or management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
. Both accounting and business administration majors are 60-credit majors, as opposed to the normal 40-credit variety. Students are also permitted to combine concentrations. An excellent Financial Analyst
Financial analyst
A financial analyst, securities analyst, research analyst, equity analyst, or investment analyst is a person who performs financial analysis for external or internal clients as a core part of the job.-Job:...
program was created in the early 2000s.
There is also a Bachelor of Science degree associated with the business school which is Financial Market Regulation. The Institute for Financial Market Regulation is a cooperative project of professionals involved in financial market regulation and supervision with the University at Albany and Albany Law School to develop interdisciplinary research and education in the field. This concentrates in four fields Business, Technology, Law, and Public Policy.
Graduate programs are focused on the information age, because the School believes that the creative application of information systems is now essential for the effective growth, management and expansion of business. The MBA has at its core the design and application of information systems for business and industry as well as the generation and effective use of information. The tax and accounting programs emphasize the use of accounting as a decision support system that manages the flow of economic data to all parts of a business.
Overall, the School’s aggressive curriculum, modern classrooms and computer labs foster an interactive and "high tech" learning environment, and applied experiences in the form of relevant internships, on-site field projects with local and regional companies, and in-class projects/case studies that address the most topical business themes.
The School's graduates have a history of attaining high job placements with such top companies as General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
, Accenture
Accenture
Accenture plc is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company headquartered in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. It is the largest consulting firm in the world and is a Fortune Global 500 company. As of September 2011, the company had more than 236,000 employees across...
, Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms, along with Deloitte, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers ....
, KPMG
KPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
, PricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....
, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients...
and Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is the wealth management division of Bank of America. With over 15,000 financial advisors and $2.2 trillion in client assets it is the world's largest brokerage. Formerly known as Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., prior to 2009 the firm was publicly owned and traded on the New York...
.
The New York State Small Business Development Center (SBDC), based at the University at Albany, State University of New York, has been named among the top ten centers in the nation by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBDC is part of UAlbany's School of Business, one of the top 15 graduate schools most highly rated by students in The Princeton Review.
A new School of Business building is currently being constructed on the west side of Collins Circle. This brand new state-of-the-art building will include classroom, lounge, and trading facilities.
College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering
In May 2007, CNSE was ranked the number one college in the world for nanotechnology and microtechnology in the annual higher education ranking by Small Times
Small Times
Small Times is an online news magazine dedicated to tracking developments in the microtechnology and nanotechnology industries.Small Times was established in 2001 as the media arm of Ardesta, a so-called "business accelerator". Ardesta invested in and incubated startups in the MEMS, microsystems...
magazine.
CNSE’s complex, also home to the New York State Center of Excellence in Nanomaterials and Nanoelectronics, is a fully integrated research, development, prototyping, pilot manufacturing and education resource with a strategic portfolio of state-of-the-art laboratories, supercomputer
Supercomputer
A supercomputer is a computer at the frontline of current processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation.Supercomputers are used for highly calculation-intensive tasks such as problems including quantum physics, weather forecasting, climate research, molecular modeling A supercomputer is a...
and shared-user facilities and an array of research centers. Students and faculty work alongside scientists from industry on fundamental cutting-edge research.
CNSE's 80,000 square of Class 1 capable cleanrooms house the only fully integrated, 300 mm wafer, computer chip pilot prototyping and demonstration line. More than 2,500 scientists, researchers, engineers, students, and faculty work on site at the NanoTech complex; these include representatives from such corporate giants as IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
, AMD, SEMATECH
SEMATECH
- Purpose :SEMATECH , a not-for-profit consortium, performs research and development to advance chip manufacturing. SEMATECH has broad engagement with various sectors of the R&D community, including chipmakers, equipment and material suppliers, universities, research institutes, and government...
, GLOBALFOUNDRIES
GLOBALFOUNDRIES
GlobalFoundries Inc. is the world's third largest independent semiconductor foundry, with its headquarters located in Milpitas, California. GlobalFoundries was created by the divestiture of the manufacturing side of AMD on March 2, 2009, and was expanded through its merger with Chartered...
, Vistec Lithography http://www.vistec-semi.com/ Toshiba
Toshiba
is a multinational electronics and electrical equipment corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of electrical products, spanning information & communications equipment and systems, Internet-based solutions and services, electronic components and...
, ASML
ASML Holding
ASML is a Dutch company and the largest supplier in the world of photolithography systems for the semiconductor industry. The company manufactures machines for the production of integrated circuits , such as RAM and flash memory chips and CPUs.-Products:...
, Applied Materials
Applied Materials
Applied Materials, Inc. is a capital equipment producer serving the semiconductor, TFT LCD display, Glass, WEB and solar manufacturing industries....
, Atotech http://www1.atotech.com/start.php3?cl_my_id=672657 Tokyo Electron http://www.tel.com/eng/ and Novellus Systems
Novellus Systems
Novellus Systems Inc. develops, manufactures, sells, and services semiconductor equipment used in the fabrication of integrated circuits. It is a leading supplier of chemical vapor deposition , plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition , physical vapor deposition , electrochemical deposition ,...
.
School of Criminal Justice
UAlbany’s School of Criminal Justice is one of the nation’s premier programs in criminal justiceCriminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
, offering degrees on the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. The problem-centered interdisciplinary approach of its doctoral program was considered groundbreaking upon the School’s founding in 1966, and spurred what came to called “the Albany model” for other Ph.D. programs in major universities across the nation and the world.
The School concentrates on all aspects of crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
and societal reactions to crime, including the political, economic and cultural patterns that influence policy choices on the response to certain categories of crime. A major focus of study is the social and personal forces that lead to criminal conduct and the analysis of the organization and operation of crime control systems. Particular emphasis is placed on the interactions among the many agencies which comprise criminal justice systems and on the relationships between these systems and other facets of society.
The School’s graduates have been highly successful in both academic and practical fields, including leadership in criminal justice research and teaching, all the operating agencies of criminal justice, and the many private and non-profit organizations which provide services or make policy recommendations.
School of Education
The legacy of the University at Albany, State University of New York began with devotion to the enhancement of education quality and practice. Founded as the New York Normal School of Teachers in 1844, with David Perkins PageDavid Perkins Page
David Perkins Page was an American educator and author of the most popular 19th-century American education textbook. From 1844 to 1847, he served as the first principal of the New York State Normal School, which later became University at Albany, SUNY.Page was born to a farm family in Epping, New...
as its first principal, the institution was the state's first public institution of higher learning. It thrived as the Normal School until it expanded to become the New York State College for Teachers in 1914, and then, in 1962, the State University of New York at Albany.
The School of Education became a reality that year as part of a multidisciplinary university center. It remained the home of the original teacher training programs and faculty, including, from 1845 until its closing in 1977, the Milne School, the University's campus laboratory school where prospective teachers carried out their practice teaching.
Since 1962, the School has also grown in size and scope, fulfilling its mission to foster enhanced learning and human development. It is home to 1,500 graduate students in more than 30 different master’s, certificate and doctoral degree programs housed within four departments: Educational Administration and Policy Studies, Educational and Counseling Psychology, Educational Theory and Practice, and Reading. Now offering only graduate-level degree programs, the School nonetheless provides a broad range of opportunities for undergraduates to explore the field of education.
The School is home to 15 different centers and institutes which aid Capital Region schools and research a broad range of the critical educational issues of our time. These include the School’s outreach arm, the Capital Area School Development Association, which provides services to 120 school districts; the Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities, which is funded by a three-year $1.24 million grant from the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
; the Center for Urban Youth and Technology; and the National Research Center on English Learning & Achievement, which since 1987 has been funded by the U.S. Department of Education to conduct research dedicated to improving students’ English and literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
achievement.
School of Public Health
The School of Public Health, created in 1985 as a unique partnership between the University at Albany, State University of New York and the New York State Department of Health. Its mission is to provide quality education, research, service and leadership to improve public health and eliminate health disparities. Its operating vision includes designing solutions and developing models that lead the nation in addressing current and emerging public health challenges, through the creation of collaborative research, education and practice activities.Accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health
Council on Education for Public Health
The Council on Education for Public Health is an independent agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit schools of public health as well as certain programs offered in settings other than in schools of public health...
, the School offers MPH, MS, DrPH and PhD degrees in each of four academic departments: Biomedical Sciences; Environmental Health Sciences; Epidemiology & Biostatistics; and Health Policy, Management & Behavior.
Research interests of the more than 200 doctoral-level faculty include AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, GIS, maternal and child health, hospital epidemiology
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of health-event, health-characteristic, or health-determinant patterns in a population. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive...
, infectious disease
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
s, environmental and occupational health, eldercare, minority health and health disparities. Both research faculty and students benefit from additional affiliations with Albany Medical Center
Albany Medical Center
Albany Medical Center is the name of the umbrella organization over the Albany Medical Center Hospital and Albany Medical College in Albany, New York...
and Bassett Healthcare.
The School of Public Health's partnership with the New York State Department of Health (DOH) has world-class life sciences researchers as part of the University's research productivity. Awards for life scientists at the DOH's Wadsworth Center make up roughly a third of UAlbany's total of $391.7 million
School of Social Welfare
The School of Social Welfare (SSW), created in 1965, boasts a faculty that consistently ranks among the top five schools of social work in the U.S. for research and scholarship and per capita productivity.The School’s bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. programs in social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
take advantage of collaborative practices and partnerships, both regionally and throughout the world. Recent linkages have included those with an Albany elementary school challenged by poverty, an outlier regional community comprising one of the largest Latino populations in the state, Hallym University
Hallym University
Hallym University is a private university which is located in Chuncheon, Gangwon, Republic of Korea. Hallym University was established in 1982. In 1995 it was designated by the Ministry of Education as one of a handful of universities entitled to receive the financial support of the Ministry for...
in South Korea, and multiple partners in South African, South America and western and eastern Europe.
Hallmarks of the School include its dedication in the area of gerontological social work, the creation of aging friendly communities, the improvement of pathways to higher education for inner city youth and families, the creation of family support agendas for the region, and re-professionalization campaigns in child welfare.
Special features of SSW include its NIDA
National Institute on Drug Abuse
The National Institute on Drug Abuse is a United States federal-government research institute whose mission is to "lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction."-History:...
-funded Child Welfare, Drug Abuse, and Intergenerational Risk Research Center and its centers for aging, which include the Institute of Gerontology, the Center for Excellence in Aging Services, and the Internships in Aging Program. Other special features include the Center for Human Services Research, the Social Work Education Consortium — which addresses child welfare and welfare workforce development and research — and the T.E.C.H. Center, devoted to aiding the development of electronic communication capacity within human service agencies.
The Honors College
Planning for the Honors College began in 2003 and first accepted students in Fall 2006. Its mission is to create a “small college experience” by fostering and encouraging the creation of closely knit cohorts of like-minded, motivated students. The Honors College seeks to increase faculty-student interaction early in a student’s tenure at the University.The Honors College comprises coursework, research, internships, and field-placements. All involve intense collaborations among students and professors. Rather than having a small number of professors teach an honors curriculum, professors from across the UAlbany campus teach honors courses in many disciplines. During the college's first three academic years, more than 50 UAlbany professors offered courses.
During their first two years, honors students at explore this range of disciplines through six or more honors courses. During their next two years, students move into the honors program in their major. The Honors College also offers special lectures, tours, retreats to Camp Dippikill, and other trips to expand their learning opportunities, and also student social events.
Libraries
The University at Albany, State University of New York Libraries provide more than two million volumes, and rank among the top 100 research libraries in the U.S., according to the Association of Research Libraries. Users from around the world access services and collections through the libraries' online systems and Web site. The University's libraries offer a program of information literacy and user education with instruction that ranges from a focus on traditional bibliographic access to collaborative classes integrated into the curriculum.Rankings
The university was ranked 67th nationally among the 100 Best Values in Public Colleges by Kiplinger’s magazine in 2009 for in-state students, and 39th for out-of-state students. According to the publication, listed institutions are “noteworthy for their combination of top-flight academics and affordable costs.”The most recent US News&World Report ranking ranked the university 143rd of universities which award doctoral degrees. UAlbany is also placed in the grouping of 91st-114th for US universities and in the grouping 201st-302nd for universities worldwide by the annual Academic Ranking of World Universities conducted by the Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
The university is ranked 15th nationally in research expenditures among universities without a medical school faculty. It attracted a record $391.7 million in research awards in 2007-08.
The Chronicle of Higher Education has ranked six UAlbany doctoral programs—criminal justice, educational administration, curriculum instruction, educational leadership, "teacher education in specific study areas," and social welfare—in its "Top 10" nationally in the publication's last two surveys.
UAlbany ranked 45th worldwide among universities in the social sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
in 2006 and 2007 and between 51-76 (no specific number given) in 2008, according to the Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University or SJTU), sometimes referred to as Shanghai Jiaotong University , is a top public research university located in Shanghai, China. Shanghai Jiao Tong University is known as one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in China...
, Shanghai, China.
The 2008 America's Best Colleges ranked by Forbes.com placed Albany at #295 and #385 in their 2009 ranking.
According to USAtoday, in 2004 the school was rated the number one party school in America.
Other Leading Program Rankings and sources:
- Criminal Justice - #2 (US News 2006)
- School of Education
- Educational and Counseling Psychology - #13 (US News 2006)
- Educational Administration - #7 (Academic Analytics 2006)
- Reading — #2 (Academic Analytics 2007)
- Curriculum and Instruction -- #10 (Academic Analytics 2007)
- Educational Evaluation and Research — #10 (Academic Analytics 2007)
- Counseling/Personnel Services — #17 (Academic Analytics 2007)
- Social Welfare - #5 (Academic Analytics 2006)
- Information Technology and Management - #2 (US News 2009)
- Africana Studies - #3 (Black Issues in Higher Education July 2004)
- Public Affairs - #14 (US News 2009)
- Public Administration and Management - #8 (US News 2009)
- Public Finance and Budgeting - #7 (US News 2009)
- Public Policy Analysis - #22 (US News 2009)
- Non-Profit Management - #18 (US News 2009)
- Clinical Psychology - #43 (US News 2009)
- Sociology - #25 (US News 2005)
- Sociology of Population - #19 (US News 2005)
- Sociology of Sex and Gender - #13 (US News 2005)
- Library Science & Information Studies - #23 (US News 2006)
- Archives and Preservation — #9 (US News 2006)
- Applied Ethics - #34 (Philosophical Gourmet)
- Nanoscience and Engineering - #1 overall (ahead of #2 Cornell), #3 Michigan-Ann Arbor, #4 Rice, #5 University of Pennsylvania, and #6 Virginia (Small TimesSmall TimesSmall Times is an online news magazine dedicated to tracking developments in the microtechnology and nanotechnology industries.Small Times was established in 2001 as the media arm of Ardesta, a so-called "business accelerator". Ardesta invested in and incubated startups in the MEMS, microsystems...
magazine) - Atmospheric Sciences - #22 R&D Expenditures (NSF, 2006)
Research
The University’s research expenditures, which, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, were $163.7 million — 23.9 percent higher than the previous year. This reached $342.3 million in 2008-09 and $371.9 million in 2009-10. It also swelled UAlbany’s effect on economic development. A 2004 study conducted by the independent Capital District Regional Planning Commission estimated the institution’s economic impact as $1.119 billion annually in New York State — $1.005 billion of that in the Capital Region.Cancer Research Center
UAlbany's Cancer Research Center (CRC) is committed to research that will discover the genetic origins of cancer and lead to finding a cure for the disease. Its basic research mission focuses on the underlying biology associated with tumor initiation and progression, and the development and evaluation of chemopreventive regimens and therapeutic approaches for common cancers. The Center also fosters the training of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in cancer biology.Located on the University East Campus in Rensselaer, N.Y., the Center combines UAlbany research expertise in genomics and biomedical sciences with state-of-the-art technology in a new 117000 square feet (10,869.7 m²) facility.
The Center opened in October 2005 with $45 million in support through New York State's Gen*NY*Sis Program. Additional funds currently being raised from the private sector for the Center's Fund for Memory and Hope will be used for special equipment and needs of the research program.
The CRC was recently awarded $7 million in new funding to support its research into the causes, prevention and treatment of cancer.
The new grants have been awarded to four Cancer Research Center scientists:
- Thomas Begley, biomedical sciences, awarded $2.1 million by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study RNA modifications as biomarkers of environmental stress and inflammation. Begley was also awarded two NIH stimulus grants: $415,000 to study translational machinery in stress signaling and tumor suppression; and $346,955 to explore the connection between tRNA methylation and the DNA damage response.
- Douglas Conklin, biomedical sciences, awarded $1.25 million from NIH to study the NR1D1 gene, a recently identified Achilles' heel in breast cancer cells. Conklin was also awarded $246,800 from the Susan G. Komen Foundation and $264,177 from the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity for analysis of NR1D1.
- Chittibabu Guda, epidemiology and biostatistics, awarded $946,875 from NIH to catalog the subcellular and suborganellar proteomes of sequenced genomes. Guda's research aims to create a better understanding of the spatial organization and the function of proteins in the cell that work together.
- JoEllen Welsh, Empire Innovations Professor in environmental health sciences, received a two-year stimulus grant for $996,333 to study how dietary factors protect cells from environmental agents that can cause cancer. She was also awarded a $275,000 grant from NIH to continue her studies linking vitamin D and breast cancer.
In September 2009 the Center recruited scientist Ramune Reliene from the University of California Los Angeles to its research team and faculty of the School of Public Health's Department of Environmental Health Sciences. Reliene, who received her doctorate from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich in Switzerland, expands the scientific portfolio of the Center in the genetic and environmental causes of cancer.
Atmospheric Sciences Research Center
The Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC), based at UAlbany, is a leading center for research in the atmospheric sciences. Established on February 16, 1961, by the Board of Trustees, its mission is to promote and encourage programs in basic and applied sciences, especially as they relate to the atmospheric environment. The Center is connected to and shares faculty and resources with the University's Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.ASRC performs research to study the physical and chemical nature of the atmosphere and its implications to the environment. Current research areas include boundary layers, solar radiation, radiative transfer, atmospheric chemistry
Atmospheric chemistry
Atmospheric chemistry is a branch of atmospheric science in which the chemistry of the Earth's atmosphere and that of other planets is studied. It is a multidisciplinary field of research and draws on environmental chemistry, physics, meteorology, computer modeling, oceanography, geology and...
, aerosol physics, air quality, solar energy, cloud physics, climate systems, and air quality monitoring. In addition the Center has a large "jungle research group" exploring atmosphere and biosphere relationships in Amazonia, the Alaskan Tundra, the Canadian Boreal Forest, and the eastern U.S.
The Climate System Sciences Section of ASRC, started in November 1989, conducts research to understand the Earth's global and regional climate system and to assess and evaluate the effects of climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
caused by both human activities and nature.
Northeast Regional Forensics Institute
The Northeast Regional Forensic Institute (NERFI) at UAlbany is dedicated to training professionals forensic scientists, while simultaneously conducting research required to improve the speed, accuracy, and effectiveness of future forensic analyses. NERFI has a growing reputation as a foremost research and training site in forensic science, collaborating with the Northeast region's forensic science community to devise curricula for professionals already established in their careers, and for students starting out in a dynamic, highly relevant field.The DNA Academy, NERFI’s forensic training program, is unique in its dedicated learning environment and its fast-track to DNA specialization and professional development. Each of NERFI’s academic programs takes advantage of collaboration and cooperation between UAlbany’s Department of Biological Sciences and the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center. The partnership was made possible by a 2004 grant from the National Institute of Justice.
The Center for Social and Demographic Analysis
UAlbany’s Center for Social and Demographic Analysis (CSDA) was established in 1981 to provide a strong research infrastructure for scholarship in the social sciencesSocial sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
at the University at Albany, State University of New York. CSDA has since become the nexus for further investments by University administration and a variety of state and federal agencies. Positioned by these developments, CSDA officially joined the roster of NICHD Population Centers in September 1997.
Over the years, CSDA has increasingly emphasized support for interdisciplinary population research, especially the analysis of spatial inequalities (paying attention to processes of urban and regional development and their impacts on residents) and concerns for vulnerable populations (defined by race and ethnicity, age, social class, and nativity). The Center offers researchers access to first-rate computing facilities and statistical software, computing and statistical consulting, assistance with grant preparation and administration, and other related services. It also collaborates with the Lewis Mumford Center — the University’s 20-year-old institute devoted to urban research — in efforts to disseminate data and fresh analyses of population trends revealed in the census and continuing census-related databases such as the Current Population Survey
Current Population Survey
The Current Population Survey is a statistical survey conducted by the United States Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics . The BLS uses the data to provide a monthly report on the Employment Situation. This report provides estimates of the number of unemployed people in the United...
and the American Community Survey
American Community Survey
The American Community Survey is an ongoing statistical survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, sent to approximately 250,000 addresses monthly . It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census...
.
CSDA currently has 41 faculty associates drawn from 15 departments that span the array of academic disciplines at the University. Among major research initiatives sponsored by the Center is the Urban China Research Network (funded by the Mellon Foundation), which brings together scholars and graduate students from around the world to study implications of urban change in China. New collaborative projects include initiatives on health disparities and the environmental impacts of metropolitan growth.
The RNA Institute
On June 4, 2010, the University unveiled a new $12.5 million biomedical research center, The RNA Institute, whose mission would be to form an alliance of top genetic scientists and biomedical investigators from New York's Capital Region to spur research and development into RNA and its implications for innovative medicines, drug therapies and technologies, and curing disease. On Nov. 5, 2010, UAlbany announced The RNA Institute had received a $5.37 million grant from the National Institutes of HealthNational Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
/National Center for Research Resources
National Center for Research Resources
The National Center for Research Resources or NCRR, is a United States government agency. NCRR provides funding to laboratory scientists and researchers for facilities and tools in the goal of curing and treating diseases.-Organization and history:...
(NIH/NCRR) and $2 million in matching funds from the State of New York to fund the design, engineering and construction of 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) of research facilities on par with those of modern pharmaceutical companies. Comple On the same day, The Institute also announced the establishment of The RNA Institute MassSpec Center, dedicated to the development of mass spectrometry-based technologies for investigating the structure-function relationships of natural and synthetic RNA as tools for drug discovery.
Study abroad
The Office of International Education Study Abroad & Exchanges sponsors 70 study abroad programs in 34 countries directly through UAlbany, but students can take advantage of more than 300 programs in over 80 different countries throughout the SUNY system. Among the most popular international programs for UAlbany students have been Italy, Great Britain, France and Spain. Students study abroad any time after their freshman year, up to and including their final semester senior year. Programs are available semester-long and for the full academic year, as well as in summer and during winter session.Environmental sustainability
Like a growing number of universities, the University at Albany, State University of New York feels a responsibility to model environmentally conscious behavior and provide options for its campus community to promote and advance sustainabilitySustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
.
Its synergistic approach to sustainable transportation — incorporating public/private collaborations and practical applications of mass transit aimed at reducing carbon emissions — is a major facet of its UAlbany Green Scene initiative. Through AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
grant-funded research, UAlbany researchers now study coordination of traffic signals and transportation patterns, with the goals of minimizing car-engine idling times, forging new carpooling connections, and communicating more effectively alternative transportation options to the campus community.
Campus efforts were on display on Sept. 22, 2009, with "Destination Green," a day focusing on encouraging sustainable transportation. It highlighted the campus’s alternative transportation options, which include hybrid buses, global electric motorcars (GEMs), public bus systems, carpooling, and bike-and-ride sharing programs.
The campus designated April 2010 as UAlbany environmental sustainability month, with lectures, a regional student competition for the best renewable energy business plan, and campus greening projects.
Student association
The UAlbany Student Association, or SA, is a student run, non-profit, corporation which organizes and funds much of the student oriented activities on campus. The SA funds and recognizes more than 200 student groups, plans many concerts, speaking engagements, and comedy shows. The SA impacts students in the classroom as well, through funding of general education courses. Modeled after the U.S. government, SA consists of 3 branches: executive, legislative (unicameral Student Association Senate), and judicial (Supreme Court).The SA is funded directly by the entire undergraduate student body of the University at Albany, State University of New York.
The Student Association owns an 850 acre (3.4 km²) wilderness retreat facility in the Adirondack Mountains
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
called Camp Dippikill. The cabins and campsites at Dippikill are open to reservations from the University’s undergraduates, graduate students, alumni, faculty and staff.
World Within Reach Speaker Series
Founded in 2009, the World Within Reach Speaker Series (commonly known as Speaker Series) is UAlbany's premiere lecture series. A student led initiative aimed at engaging the UAlbany community in a broad conversation on the days most important issues. The program was launched by a group of student leaders in the Student Association and is funded by the Student Association, University Auxiliary Services, and the Alumni Association. The goal of the Speaker Series is to bring prominent guests to campus in a broad range of areas; politics, global affairs, business, journalism, popular culture, and more.Past Speakers
- Fall 2009 – Gen. Colin L. Powell (Inaugural Speaker)
- Spring 2010 – Debate between Former Governor Howard Dean (D-VT) and Karl Rove (Republican Political Strategist)
- Fall 2010 – Barbara Walters (Journalist)
- Spring 2011 – President William Jefferson Clinton
Athletics
University at Albany, State University of New York intercollegiate athletics date back to the late 1890s, but its development was hampered for several decades by inadequate facilities, uncertain financial support, and the relatively small number of male students in an institution designed to develop elementary school teachers. Tennis remained a constant from 1898 on and men’s basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
dates back to 1909, but attempts to field teams in football (1922), baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
(1896–1901), swimming and hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
were aborted. Expansion into men’s and women’s sports increased after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and then expanded greatly in the 1960s (men’s sports of lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
, track & field, cross-country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
and swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
moved from club to varsity status, and women’s tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
, basketball and swimming were introduced), a direct result of the introduction of the new Uptown Campus (see item above) and its expanded athletic facilities. A nickname change also occurred, the Pedagogues becoming the Great Danes — making UAlbany the only American college or university with that mascot. The school's colors are purple and gold.
After the 1972 NCAA restructuring, UAlbany competed in Division III athletics until the 1995-96 school year, when it moved to the Division II level as part of a transition to Division I competition. That process was completed in the fall of 1999; UAlbany now has 19 varsity sports (8 men, 11 women) competing at the Division I level. All athletic programs are run by the University’s Department of Athletics and Recreation.
Other than the sport of football, the school’s teams have been members of the America East Conference
America East Conference
The America East Conference is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located mainly in the northeastern United States. The conference was known as the ECAC North from 1979 to 1988 and the North Atlantic Conference from the fall semester of 1988 to the end of the spring...
since 2001. Football participates in the Football Championship Subdivision level (formerly Division I-AA) as an associate member of the Northeast Conference
Northeast Conference
The Northeast Conference is a college athletic conference whose schools are members of the NCAA. The NCAA designates the Northeast Conference to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision for Division I Men's Football and to Division I Sports for all other sports.Founded in 1981 as the ECAC-Metro...
.
In addition to varsity sports, UAlbany competes in many sports at the club level such as swimming, men's hockey, rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
, crew http://www.albanycrew.coam/ and ultimate frisbee. However, these teams are not affiliated with the Department of Athletics and Recreation and are funded by the Student Association.
The Earth Tones
The Earth Tones is an all-male a cappellaA cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
singing group. Founded in 1998, the Earth Tones is known for its work both on campus as well as within the community, including performances at local high schools and outreach work at facilities like the Albany Medical Center
Albany Medical Center
Albany Medical Center is the name of the umbrella organization over the Albany Medical Center Hospital and Albany Medical College in Albany, New York...
. The group stages two semester shows in the Recital Hall in the PAC (Performing Arts Center) at the university. In addition to these shows, the Earth Tones also perform at local venues and have even sung for the inaugural proceedings for former New York Governor
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
. In recent years, the group has attended the Northeast branch of the ICCA (International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella
The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, originally the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella , is an international competition that attracts hundreds of college a cappella groups each year...
) competition, placing second for two consecutive years and advancing from Quarter Finals to Semi-Finals. The group's repertoire consists of many diverse styles and genres of music, including pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B, soul/funk, reggae and punk.
UAlbany traditions
- Fountain Day is UAlbany’s annual rite of spring when the main fountain on the Academic Podium is turned on for the season. This event draws a huge cross-section of the University Community, gathering students, faculty, and staff for an afternoon of festivities. Fountain Day began in 1978 as Human Awareness Potential day. The University President usually presides over the ceremony and countdown to the turning on of the fountains. In recent years, Fountain Day has been shaped into a carnival-esque atmosphere complete with beach balls, rubber ducks, free caricatures, free massages, fried dough vendors, music, contests, and giveaways. Construction on the main fountain will begin June 2011 and will cancel fountain day 2012.
- The Big Purple Growl is the annual winter homecoming celebration. The Ferocious Feast kicks off the festivities with lots of great food and fun. The Growl usually features a doubleheader with both the women’s and men’s basketball teams playing home at the SEFCU Arena. Beginning in 1997, this annual event is regarded as an exciting and spirited day for all members of the University community.
- On the University seal is Minerva, the Roman goddess of crafts and wisdom. But because MinervaMinervaMinerva was the Roman goddess whom Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic...
was also identified with the Greek goddess AthenaAthenaIn Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
, she was known as the goddess of war and victory as well. This famous statue was purchased in 1888 and rescued by Charles Wurtham (a custodian) from a devastating fire in the Normal College’s administrative offices. This seven-foot, white plaster landmark of the University at Albany, State University of New York is on display in the Science Library foyer on the Uptown Campus. While there is no official record of where the statue of Minerva came from, it is reported that it was purchased with funds from a $1 student fee collected for make-up exams.
- The students publish an independent newspaper, the Albany Student PressAlbany Student PressThe Albany Student Press or the ASP, the newspaper of the University at Albany, The State University of New York, is one of the oldest continuously published and independent college newspapers in the United States....
, commonly known as “The ASP.” Born as the State College News and published continuously since 1916, the newspaper has a circulation of more than 10,000 and serves student body and the surrounding community.
- The University has hosted the Relay For LifeRelay For LifeRelay For Life is the main volunteer-driven cancer fundraising event of the American Cancer Society. Originating in the United States, the Relay For Life event has spread to 21 countries. Relay events are held in local communities, campus universities, military bases, and in cyberspace...
, an American Cancer SocietyAmerican Cancer SocietyThe American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
Benefit, the last six years. In March 2010, more than 1,800 students, faculty, and community members participated raising over $85,000. In 2007, UAlbany student John Lowery raised more money online—more than $25,000—for Relay than any other college student in the country. Lowery, who won a national award from the American Cancer Society, lost a cousin to bone cancer. In the six years at the University, the participants of the event have raised over $450,000.
Guinness Day
UAlbany has held two records that were published in the Guinness Book of World Records- On April 20, 1985, Albany set the record for the world's largest game of musical chairsMusical chairsMusical chairs is a game played by a group of people , often in an informal setting purely for entertainment such as a birthday party...
with 5,060 participants.
- On April 17, 2005, Albany broke the record for the "World's Biggest Pillow Fight" with 3,648 students participating.
Notable alumni and faculty
The University has been and is home to a renowned group of scholars, scientists, and writers, who include a Nobel Prize laureate (Toni MorrisonToni Morrison
Toni Morrison is a Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, editor, and professor. Her novels are known for their epic themes, vivid dialogue, and richly detailed characters. Among her best known novels are The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon and Beloved...
), a Pulitzer Prize winner (William Kennedy
William Kennedy (author)
William Joseph Kennedy is an American writer and journalist born and raised in Albany, New York. Many of his novels feature the interaction of members of the fictional Irish-American Phelan family, and make use of incidents of Albany's history and the supernatural...
), and a Turing Award winner (Richard Stearns
Richard Stearns (computer scientist)
Richard Edwin Stearns is a prominent computer scientist who, with Juris Hartmanis, received the 1993 ACM Turing Award "in recognition of their seminal paper which established the foundations for the field of computational complexity theory"...
), Also Jonathan Vecchione attended and completed a 4 year degree and went on do continue his radio programming broadcasting in various markets throughout the north eastern part of the United States.
External links
- University at Albany
- UAlbany Athletics, website of the Great Danes, UAlbany's sports teams