New York’s SUNY System Adds a New University

New York's SUNY roster is one university deeper, after SUNY Plattsburgh was officially designated as a university by New York State.

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According to a report by the NBC5 News Staff, SUNY Plattsburgh has been officially designated as a university after the designation was approved in December of 2022. But on a day to day basis not much will change for the now former college.

In a press release, President of SUNY Plattsburgh Alexander Enyedi stated "This change best reflects who we are and what we do. Our mission has long been to provide outstanding liberal arts and pre-professional programs that prepare students for their professional and civic futures. This is a commitment we hold and continue to advance. To our alumni, this designation is also an affirmation of the level and quality of the education they have received."

According to the report, New York defines a university as "a higher educational institution offering a range of registered undergraduate and graduate curricula in the liberal arts and sciences, including graduate programs registered in at least three of the following discipline areas: agriculture, biological sciences, business, education, engineering, fine arts, health professions, humanities, physical sciences and social sciences."

A college is defined as "a higher educational institution authorized by the Regents to confer degrees." That's a much broader description of higher education than required for the University designation.

According to the New York Regents website, some colleges have requested to include "university" in their names instead of "college" because they believe the term "college" limits their recruiting potential both in the United States and internationally.