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State University of New York

society Maturity 7-9

SUNY is a group of big schools.

UAlbanyStateQuad.jpg
UAlbanyStateQuad.jpg
These schools are in New York. They help many people learn. Many students go there to study. It is a great place to grow.
Binghamton University Aerial.JPG
Binghamton University Aerial.JPG
Do you like to learn new things?

40 words

SUNY is a group of big schools.

UAlbanyStateQuad.jpg
UAlbanyStateQuad.jpg
These schools are in New York. They help many people learn. Many students go there to study.

Long ago, some schools were not fair. They did not let everyone join. A group of leaders wanted to help. They made the SUNY system in 1948.

SUNYAdminBuildingAlbany.jpg
SUNYAdminBuildingAlbany.jpg

Many people work at these schools. Some schools teach about trees and nature.

ESF-Gateway-Bldg-2014.jpg
ESF-Gateway-Bldg-2014.jpg
Other schools help people become doctors. These schools help the state grow.

Students even help lead the schools. They can vote on big choices. This helps the schools stay good.

It is a great place to learn.

104 words

The State University of New York is called SUNY. It is a large group of public colleges.

SUNYAdminBuildingAlbany.jpg
SUNYAdminBuildingAlbany.jpg

Before SUNY, many schools were private. Some of these schools were not fair. They did not let everyone join. This was often because of race or religion. To fix this, leaders created SUNY in 1948.

UAlbanyStateQuad.jpg
UAlbanyStateQuad.jpg

Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller helped the system grow. He liked to design and build new school buildings. Today, SUNY has many different types of schools. Some are large centers for research. Others are community colleges.

Binghamton University Aerial.JPG
Binghamton University Aerial.JPG

Some schools have very special jobs. The College of Environmental Science and Forestry studies nature.

ESF-Gateway-Bldg-2014.jpg
ESF-Gateway-Bldg-2014.jpg
Upstate Medical University helps train doctors. It is the largest employer in the whole system.
Weiskotten Hall of Upstate Medical University.jpg
Weiskotten Hall of Upstate Medical University.jpg

Students also have a voice. In the 1970s, students asked to help lead. Now, student members can vote on the board. This helps them take part in big choices. SUNY also has a campus in South Korea. It helps students learn in new ways.

171 words

The State University of New York is known as SUNY. It is a large system of public colleges and universities.

SUNYAdminBuildingAlbany.jpg
SUNYAdminBuildingAlbany.jpg
This system helps many people in New York State get a good education. It works by offering many different kinds of learning. Some schools are large university centers that allow students to do deep research. Other schools are community colleges or technology colleges.
Red pog.svg
Red pog.svg
There are even special colleges that focus on one subject, like medicine or forestry. This variety means there is a place for many different types of students.

SUNY is a very big organization with many moving parts.

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Blue pog.svg
It has a budget of $13.37 billion to help its schools run. The system employs 91,182 people to keep everything working. This includes 32,496 faculty members who teach the students. There are about 7,660 different degree and certificate programs available.
Yellow pog.svg
Yellow pog.svg
The system is led by a chancellor named John B. King. Most of the main offices are in Albany, but there are also offices in Manhattan and Washington, D.C. This large structure helps manage many campuses across the state.

Long ago, the way people went to college in New York was different.

UAlbanyStateQuad.jpg
UAlbanyStateQuad.jpg
Most colleges were private, and some were not fair to everyone. They often discriminated against people based on their race or religion. To fix this, a group called the Temporary Commission on the Need for a State University studied the problem. This group was led by Owen D. Young.
Black pog.svg
Black pog.svg
In 1948, Governor Thomas E. Dewey helped establish SUNY. This new system was built on the foundation of older teacher-training schools. One of the oldest parts of the system is SUNY Potsdam, which started in 1816.

Many famous schools are part of the SUNY family today. Stony Brook University is a flagship school on Long Island. The University at Buffalo is another major flagship in the west.

Parker 2.jpg
Parker 2.jpg
Other important research centers include Binghamton University and the University at Albany.
Binghamton University Aerial.JPG
Binghamton University Aerial.JPG
Some campuses are very large, like the College of Environmental Science and Forestry. It sits on 25,000 acres of land in Syracuse.
ESF-Gateway-Bldg-2014.jpg
ESF-Gateway-Bldg-2014.jpg
Upstate Medical University is also a huge part of the system. It is the largest employer in all of SUNY.

Students at SUNY have played a big role in how the schools are run.

SUNY Purchase College.jpg
SUNY Purchase College.jpg
In the 1970s, students asked for a way to help make decisions. They wanted to have a vote on the boards that lead the colleges. By 1979, most students in the system had voting representatives.
SUNY Korea Entrance.jpg
SUNY Korea Entrance.jpg
This means they can help shape their own education. SUNY also reaches beyond New York. It even has a campus in South Korea called SUNY Korea. This helps students learn and connect with the whole world.

469 words

The State University of New York, commonly known as SUNY, is a vast system of public colleges and universities.

SUNYAdminBuildingAlbany.jpg
SUNYAdminBuildingAlbany.jpg
It serves as a primary provider of higher education for residents within New York State. The system is distinct from the City University of New York, or CUNY, though both receive state funding. SUNY also differs from the University of the State of New York, which is a governmental umbrella organization. This large network includes diverse institutions ranging from large research centers to specialized technical schools. It provides lower-cost education to help many people achieve their academic goals.

Managing such a massive system requires a complex administrative structure. The SUNY Board of Trustees governs the entire organization. This board includes eighteen members. Fifteen of these members are appointed by the Governor with Senate consent. The sixteenth member is the president of the SUNY Student Assembly. Two additional members serve as non-voting representatives for faculty. The Board of Trustees is responsible for appointing the chancellor. The chancellor acts as the Chief Executive Officer for the whole system.

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Red pog.svg
Since 1978, the main administrative offices have been located at SUNY Plaza in Albany. The system also maintains satellite offices in Manhattan and Washington, D.C.

SUNY organizes its many campuses into four specific categories. The first category includes university centers and doctoral-granting institutions. These schools are designed for high-level research and advanced degrees. The second category consists of comprehensive colleges. The third category is made up of technology colleges. Finally, the system includes community colleges.

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Blue pog.svg
There are also statutory colleges. These are state-funded colleges located within other institutions. For example, SUNY has statutory colleges at Cornell University and Alfred University. Students at these colleges can enjoy campus life while receiving state-subsidized tuition.

History shows that New York's higher education system changed significantly over time. Before 1948, most colleges in the state were private. Many of these private institutions were highly discriminatory. They often failed to provide opportunities for many New Yorkers. To address this, the Temporary Commission on the Need for a State University was formed between 1946 and 1948. Owen D. Young, the Chairman of General Electric, chaired this commission. The commission recommended creating a public state university system to improve access.

Black pog.svg
Black pog.svg
In 1948, Governor Thomas E. Dewey established SUNY through new legislation. This new system was built upon the foundation of older teacher-training schools. For instance, SUNY Potsdam is the oldest member, dating back to 1816.

The system grew rapidly through different leadership eras. During the administration of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, the system saw massive expansion. Rockefeller took a personal interest in the design and construction of new SUNY facilities. He also helped the University at Buffalo join the system.

Parker 2.jpg
Parker 2.jpg
Other significant milestones include the work of Chancellor Samuel B. Gould. In 1953, SUNY took a stand against discrimination by banning national fraternities and sororities. This ban lasted until 1977. It was an attempt to stop discrimination based on race or religion. In 1986, L. Eudora Pettigrew became the first African-American college president in the system at SUNY Old Westbury.

The scale of SUNY is truly enormous. The system operates with a budget of $13.37 billion. It employs 91,182 people in total. This workforce includes 32,496 faculty members. Students can choose from approximately 7,660 different degree and certificate programs.

Yellow pog.svg
Yellow pog.svg
Some campuses are exceptionally large in size. The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry sits on 25,000 acres of land.
ESF-Gateway-Bldg-2014.jpg
ESF-Gateway-Bldg-2014.jpg
Upstate Medical University is another major part of the system. It is the largest employer in the entire SUNY network, with over 10,959 employees.
Weiskotten Hall of Upstate Medical University.jpg
Weiskotten Hall of Upstate Medical University.jpg
The system attracts students from 171 different foreign countries.

SUNY features several flagship and specialized institutions. Stony Brook University on Long Island is a major flagship.

Stony Brook University Union.jpg
Stony Brook University Union.jpg
The University at Buffalo is another flagship located in the west.
Kapoor Hall, University at Buffalo.jpg
Kapoor Hall, University at Buffalo.jpg
Other prominent research centers include Binghamton University and the University at Albany.
Binghamton University Aerial.JPG
Binghamton University Aerial.JPG
UAlbanyStateQuad.jpg
UAlbanyStateQuad.jpg
The system also includes the SUNY College of Optometry.
SUNY State College of Optometry (48105885523).jpg
SUNY State College of Optometry (48105885523).jpg
Interestingly, the system reaches internationally through SUNY Korea.
SUNY Korea Entrance.jpg
SUNY Korea Entrance.jpg
This campus opened in 2012 in Incheon, South Korea.

Students have also influenced how the system is governed. In the 1970s, students pushed for a voice in leadership. They wanted voting rights on their college boards. The state legislature began adding student members in 1975. Initially, these members were non-voting. However, the law changed in 1977 to give them more parliamentary power. By 1979, most SUNY units gave student representatives full voting rights. By 1986, even the College of Environmental Science and Forestry granted voting rights to its student representatives. This ensures that the people receiving the education have a role in its management.

796 words
🖼️ Images & Media (23)
File:Stony_Brook_University_Union.jpg
Stony_Brook_University_Union.jpg
File:Weiskotten Hall of Upstate Medical University.jpg
Weiskotten Hall of Upstate Medical University.jpg
File:Parker_2.jpg
Parker_2.jpg
File:Binghamton_University_Aerial.JPG
Binghamton_University_Aerial.JPG
File:UAlbanyStateQuad.jpg
UAlbanyStateQuad.jpg
File:ESF-Gateway-Bldg-2014.jpg
ESF-Gateway-Bldg-2014.jpg
File:SUNYAdminBuildingAlbany.jpg
SUNYAdminBuildingAlbany.jpg
File:SUNY Purchase College.jpg
SUNY Purchase College.jpg
File:SUNY State College of Optometry (48105885523).jpg
SUNY State College of Optometry (48105885523).jpg
File:Buffalo State College New York.jpg
Buffalo State College New York.jpg
File:SUNYOswegoFromGlimmerglass.jpg
SUNYOswegoFromGlimmerglass.jpg
File:SUNY Korea Entrance.jpg
SUNY Korea Entrance.jpg

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