$2.9 million for SUNY New Paltz and Sullivan Community College partnership

NEW PALTZ — State University of New York President Steven Poskanzer, Provost David Lavallee and several other New Paltz administrators helped announce a $2.9 million partnership last week created between SUNY New Paltz and Sullivan County Community College (SCCC), which will allow Sullivan County residents to take bachelor’s degree courses from SUNY New Paltz in Sullivan County.

This initiative has been developed over the course of a two-year discussion between businessman and philanthropist Alan Gerry of Sullivan County, State Sen. John Bonacic, and the presidents of New Paltz and SCCC, as well as leading administrators from both colleges.

The funding for the partnership includes $1.5 million already secured by Bonacic as a state member item and a commitment from the Gerry Foundation of $1.4 million between 2004 and 2007.

“This is an innovative and exciting program which will open new educational opportunities for the people of Sullivan County,” said Poskanzer. “Our plan is to offer top-quality classes that are key parts of a bachelor’s degree program. We are impressed with the drive and determination of both Senator Bonacic and Alan Gerry for making this happen. Lots of community leaders talk about the importance of education. Here, we are seeing two of them step up and make it happen.”

With the funds, the campus has already purchased distance learning equipment and refurbished Lecture Center 3A as a distance learning classroom. Some of the funds will be used to create another distance learning classroom in the newly renovated van den Berg Learning Center.

The bulk of the funds will pay the salaries, benefits and transportation costs for up to 10 full-time lecturers for the first three years of this pilot program. The program will be re-evaluated near the end of the third year to determine whether the demand could continue to support the offerings.

The new faculty hires will spend a considerable portion of their time offering live classes at SCCC’s Loch Sheldrake campus, but will also teach on the New Paltz campus. New Paltz will also offer additional classes at SCCC via live, fully interactive video conferencing. New Paltz professors will keep “office hours” both at SCCC and by private video conferencing with Sullivan County students.

Market analysis commissioned by Bonacic determined that a market base existed in Sullivan County for a strong and affordable higher education program. Initial offerings will be in nursing, human services, business and elementary education during the Fall 2004 semester.

Program selection was premised on the market analysis conducted with support from Bonacic’s office. These departments at New Paltz will gain additional faculty resources under this pilot program.

It is expected that 25 New Paltz courses in a variety of fields will be offered at the Sullivan campus and an additional number, likely between 10 to 20 courses, will be offered via live, fully interactive video classes with faculty at New Paltz.

The Provost’s Office and the Office of Continuing and Professional Education will be administering the program for New Paltz.

For more information, or an enrollment application, contact SUNY New Paltz at (845) 257-2907 or 257-2892.