SUNY History and General Statement
The nation's largest comprehensive public university system, the State University of New York (SUNY) was officially established in February 1948. SUNY initially represented a consolidation of 29 unaffiliated institutions, including 11 teachers colleges. All of these colleges, with their unique histories and backgrounds, united for a common goal: To serve New York State. Since 1948, SUNY has grown to include 64 schools, a mix of 29 state-operated campuses and five statutory colleges — including research universities, liberal arts colleges, specialized and technical colleges, health science centers, land-grant colleges — and 30 community colleges and an online learning network.
Today, the State University of New York’s geographically dispersed campuses bring educational opportunity within commuting distance of virtually all New Yorkers. These institutions offer programs as varied as ceramics engineering, philosophy, fashion design, optometry, maritime studies, law, medical education, and everything in between. The university also operates hospitals and numerous research institutes. SUNY offers students a wide variety of educational options including short-term vocational/technical courses; certificate, associate, and baccalaureate degree programs, graduate degrees and post-doctoral studies. The university serves nearly 1.3 million students, including nearly 600,000 in credit bearing courses and programs, and more than 700,000 through continuing education and community outreach programs.
SUNY attracts the best and brightest scholars, scientists, artists and professionals, and boasts nationally and internationally recognized faculty in all major disciplines. Faculty are regular recipients of prestigious awards and honors. The highly-regarded doctoral degree granting universities are home to top research programs and attract experts in a variety of fields. SUNY employs 88,000 faculty and staff and counts more than three million living alumni, residing in New York State and throughout the world.
The State University of New York is committed to serving as the state's strongest economic and quality-of-life driver and providing quality education at an affordable price to New Yorkers and students from across the country and the world.