MARCY, N.Y. — SUNY Polytechnic Institute announced on its website it has completed, in cooperation with SUNY Albany and SUNY System Administration, all necessary steps to transfer the College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering (CNSE) to SUNY Albany.
SUNY Poly was instructed to do so by the SUNY Board of Trustees last Dec. 13.
“This is a milestone moment for both institutions and one that clearly sets the stage for SUNY Poly to act on its vision of becoming the nation’s premier public polytechnic as we build on a nearly six-decade legacy in the Mohawk Valley and continue to provide a highly affordable, quality hands-on education in areas ranging from engineering, business, and the arts and sciences to health sciences,” SUNY Poly Officer-in-Charge Andrew Russell wrote in a letter posted on the college’s website.
The SUNY board passed a resolution to initiate the reunification process of CNSE, originally created in 2004 as a college within SUNY Albany. In 2014, administrative authority of CNSE transferred to SUNY Poly while all students and staff remained at SUNY Albany. Gov. Kathy Hochul first mentioned the possibility of reunifying the CNSE with SUNY Albany in her 2022 state of the state address.
In the wake of completing the steps needed to make the transfer, Russell said the college is doubling down on its mission to not only foster positive workforce outcomes for students but to continue to build partnerships across the region and provide programs aligned with industries.
“These efforts have been bolstered by an inclusive campus-wide strategic-planning process, an ongoing nationwide search to find the next permanent president, sustained student enrollment, continued excellence from faculty, and fully accredited programs in engineering, nursing, and business along with plans to add new graduate and doctoral programs,” he wrote.
SUNY Poly’s strategic planning steering committee identified five areas to focus on during this transitional period including human capital to nurture community and enable growth; robust external partnerships; enhancements to campus infrastructure; continued excellence in academic programs, research, and scholarship; and the renewal of SUNY Poly’s identity.
Once the college selects a permanent president, that person will also guide and implement the strategic plan.
Tod Laursen served as SUNY Poly’s acting president for two years, departing the role on Dec. 14, 2022. The college has interviewed candidates from a nationwide search, but has yet to announce a selection.
“…SUNY Poly remains committed to excellence in scholarship and research, while also providing our students with experiences that blend theory and practice,” Russell wrote. “We have the right programs at the right place and time, given the unprecedented growth of the semiconductor and healthcare industries, among others, in the Mohawk Valley and Central New York. There are many reasons to be excited about SUNY Poly’s future. We are fostering an academic-to-career pipeline; engaging with our extensive industry partners; providing our students and world-class faculty with phenomenal networking, research, and job opportunities; and updating our strategic plan to guide SUNY Poly’s positive path forward.”