College to welcome 1,815 new first-year and transfer students
NEW PALTZ – The State University of New York at New Paltz will welcome an academically talented and diverse group of 1,134 first-year students to the College during the annual Moving In Day beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22.
They will be joined by 681 transfer students for the start of classes on Monday, Aug. 26. The College’s unusual efforts to provide on-campus housing for about 100 transfer students were instrumental in reaching its transfer student target. With 1,815 total new students, New Paltz once again has met its admissions targets to support the College’s goal of steady-state undergraduate enrollment.
According to L. David Eaton, vice president for enrollment management, this marks the 24th consecutive year New Paltz had more applications for admission (13,430) than any other SUNY comprehensive college.
“We remain among the most selective colleges both within SUNY and in the Northeast,” said Eaton. “Our first-year entering students are academically strong, with an average high school GPA of 92.5, and advanced placement, international baccalaureate or college course work under their belts.”
Lisa Jones, dean of admissions, said that the Class of 2017 is not only defined by its academic quality, but also by the level of diversity. “We maintain our standing as one of the most diverse campuses in SUNY– in fact, this class is both numerically and proportionately the most diverse group of new students to ever enter this institution,” said Jones. “We feel that this is an essential element of what makes New Paltz such a well-regarded and attractive institution and is an attribute that makes us very proud.”
This year, the College will be home to approximately 310 international students, from 65 countries, who come principally to study the fine arts, business, computer science, and electrical engineering.
Fall Convocation
Students of the Class of 2017 will attend the 27th annual Fall Convocation at the Athletic & Wellness Center on Friday, Aug. 23. This event formally introduces new students to the academic community and to the New Paltz faculty.
Jack Wade, professor and chair of the Department of Theatre Arts, will be the featured speaker. The title of Wade’s address is “Humility, Industry and A Willingness to Learn.” According to Wade, “These are the key fundamentals of an acting approach developed by the iconoclastic actor, director and teacher, Jasper Deeter. He called them the three-legged stool upon which the theatre artist balances. They are a platform anyone can use to effectively balance the demands of a life in art as well as a lifetime of learning.”
Professor Wade is the recipient of the 2013 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Since coming to New Paltz in 1999, he has consistently demonstrated exceptional teaching skill, sound scholarship, and outstanding service to students and to the New Paltz community. He is well known for setting rigorous standards and providing strong support and encouragement, working collaboratively and innovatively on production activities with students outside the classroom, and sponsoring students’ independent design projects. Additionally, Wade has served regularly on faculty governance committees and also has given generous amounts of time and expertise to many student activities.
Construction Update
Current construction projects on the New Paltz campus include a $36 million renovation of the Wooster Building. The project will convert an outdated science building into a modern multiuse building with academic departments, student support services such as registrar, financial aid, student advising, and student accounts, and a dining hall located at the academic epicenter of the campus. Completion is expected in fall 2015.
The College recently received state go-ahead to continue its $14.3 million renovation of the library (completion expected fall 2015) and to begin construction of a new $48 million science building on the corner of South Manheim Boulevard and Plattekill Avenue (completion expected spring 2017). The College will also begin construction of a new 225-bed residence hall. Completion is expected in fall 2016.
In spring 2014, LeFevre Hall will go off-line for a complete renovation, with an opening date of fall 2014. This project is part of the ongoing total renovation of all Hasbrouck Complex residence halls.
Digital Design and Fabrication Certificate Program starts this fall
The Hudson Valley Advanced Manufacturing Center at SUNY New Paltz will bring state-of-the art 3D printing equipment to the region, as well as the expertise and curriculum needed to provide students with hands-on training in this growing industry. A new certificate program in Digital Design and Fabrication will begin this fall at New Paltz to help prepare students for jobs that incorporate 3D printing.
“3D printing provides a great opportunity for SUNY New Paltz to build on our strengths in the arts and in engineering and technology,” President Donald P. Christian said. “We are excited to help lead this initiative that shows so much promise for our students and for economic development in the Hudson Valley and New York.”
Ulster County businessman and HVEDC board member Sean Eldridge is spearheading a $1 million investment to create manufacturing jobs and spark economic growth in the Hudson Valley. New Paltz has received a $250,000 investment from Eldridge, as well as a 3-year matching grant from Central Hudson Gas & Electric.
NYS Master Teacher Program offered at New Paltz
The College has been selected as one of the first four campuses to host Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s New York State Master Teacher Program, a new statewide initiative proposed in the 2013 State of the State Address, that will encourage the state’s best teachers to share their expertise with peers, reward the state’s highest performing teachers, and ensure the best and brightest stay in education.
This program, modeled after the successful Math for America program in New York City, builds a network of support and professional development opportunities for master teachers. By supporting the best and brightest teachers—giving them access to high-quality professional development both pedagogical and in their subject area, as well as a network of fellow master teachers—New Paltz will encourage their growth, recognize their service, and connect them with the next generation of teachers.
“We are honored to have been selected as a regional host campus for this professional development program,” said Michael Rosenberg, dean of the School of Education. “Recognizing that teacher development is a College-wide activity, New Paltz has an established team of education faculty, interdisciplinary content experts, enthusiastic school district partners, and supportive administrators. We believe we are well-positioned to contribute to this program’s goals of cutting-edge professional development and collaborative support, ultimately enhancing the quality of math and science instruction in all of our state’s schools.”
Under the NYS Master Teacher Program, high-performing secondary science and mathematics (STEM) teachers who make a commitment to mentor other teachers will receive $15,000 annually over four years and they will then become mentors and teachers for other teachers. This program will be administered through SUNY System Administration and be funded through the Governor’s Office.
School of Fine and Performing Arts launches Community Arts School
This fall the School of Fine and Performing Arts at SUNY New Paltz is launching a Community Arts School, including a Saturday Arts Lab and an impending Summer Pre-College Program. The Community Arts School will offer visual and performing arts classes and workshops for young people and adults.
Drawing on the strengths of the College’s nationally ranked programs, the classes aim to help students develop a variety of creative characteristics and skills in art, design, and performance. Students are encouraged to see the world as a constant source of creative ideas to explore, learn expressive skills, take artistic risks in their work, and develop their own independent, artistic judgment.
This initiative reflects an ongoing engagement between the School of Fine and Performing Arts and the Hudson Valley community. For more information please visit www.newpaltz.edu/sal/comm_arts.html.