SUNY IT / Institute of Technology - Anyone Know About It?

Colleges and Universities A-Z SUNY - General
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<p>I'm helping my son research schools - he is looking primarily at schools with engineering technology programs.</p>

<p>I've been trying to find out more about SUNY IT, and don't find much mention of it on boards such as this. Although I grew up 90 miles away, I know only one person who went there in my day (I graduated from college in 1981), when I think it was called Utica State or something like that at that time.</p>

<p>Yet, I keep reading in the news about the money that is being spent at this school. All new facilities on an 800-acre campus. Plus, continued new construction projects: a new dorm with (compared to most colleges) palatial suites in it, at a cost of $23.5-million, a new fieldhouse, and a ridiculously expensive nanotechnology center under construction. </p>

<p>I saw that they have added a new Computer/Electrical Engineering major (not yet ABET Accredited) and will be adding Civil Engineering next.</p>

<p>I've been told by admissions that the few grad students they have don't teach classes - just help in labs.</p>

<p>Reports I've seen are that classes are small, and my research indicates that average professor salaries are just a few thousand dollars a year less than those paid at RIT or Clarkson.</p>

<p>And the total costs are far less for an out-of-stater than at most state schools. In addition, the school is offering out-of-state students a $3,000 per year cost reduction if the student lives on campus, per admissions.</p>

<p>The school appears to be easy to get into, compared with other engineering schools, although I did read that they accept only 39% of applicants. Admissions told me that they have the same standards for in-state and out-of-state students.</p>

<p>And all of this appears to be too good to be true. </p>

<p>What is going on here? Is the State trying to build New York's equivalent of Georgia Tech, one building at a time?</p>

<p>What is the school's atmosphere like?</p>

<p>I read that the school is mostly commuters, and yet they are adding all of this dorm space. What is on-campus life like? Is its location on a field four miles from town too isolated?</p>

<p>How strong is this school academically?</p>

<p>I saw one complaint that the school used too many adjunct professors. Is that accurate?</p>

<p>I'd appreciate the inside word from anyone who knows this school</p>

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<p>I know very little about SUNY IT but did you see this article on their site? Looks like the goal is largely the creation of jobs in this area…</p>

<p><a href=“https://www.sunyit.edu//apps/weblog/?mode=viewpost&id=11517&blog=news&noheader=[/url]”>https://www.sunyit.edu//apps/weblog/?mode=viewpost&id=11517&blog=news&noheader=&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Hmm. That explains the $35-million (I think) that they’re putting into the nanotechnology center.</p>

<p>However, the school’s other construction projects total much more than $35-million, and those will be used by the college, not by technology companies in the area. Does anyone else know anything about this school?</p>

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<p>My son will be a freshman here this fall. It was a tough decision because he really couldn’t make up his mind between engineering and engineering tech (SUNYIT is more of an eng tech college, although I believe, like you mentioned, they are planning to add Civil, as well as Mechanical, Eng to their offerings very soon). A college with both eng and eng tech would be ideal. That said, we also looked at one of the Penn State satellite schools that had both eng and eng tech programs. However, tution was twice as much, and if he ended up in a tech program anyway, why pay that cost? (Save it for grad school.) SUNYIT seems to be heading in that direction, too: offering eng and eng tech programs. It definitely gives students more options that are all eng related. I feel that, with all the expansion and growth taking place at this campus right now, it would be crazy for them NOT to continue adding eng majors. Seems like a no-brainer.</p>

<p>At this time, what my son is planning on is taking some core eng courses at SUNYIT to see if he likes it. Plus, he really liked SUNYIT’s campus better than the Penn St campus. But, what’s not to like: a new field house, student center, freshman dorm, and the grounds are very nice, too. It seems like this SUNY school is really taking off. And, if the new nanotech center brings in jobs to the area, then that’s absolutely great–what a plus for the area. Also, what a boon for the campus to have that facility. We are hoping that this turns out to be a great fit. One lady I spoke with in, I believe, Admissions, said that this school has been under the radar as far as the SUNY schools go, but that is about to change–in a good way. I agree with you, though. It almost sounds too good to be true. But, there are so many positives here.</p>

<p>Anyway, good luck to you and hope everything works out!</p>

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<p>I was local to SUNY IT, so in my 30s when I went back to college that was where I went (back then it was just upper division, so they were geared towards transfer students). I graduated in 2001 at the ripe old age of 39 :)</p>

<p>momspeak gives an excellent overview of the school. As far as adjunct professors - I never had an adjunct that I didn’t enjoy and that wasn’t an excellent teacher. I can’t say that about all the tenured professors (either there or at other schools I or my kids have attended). </p>

<p>I was very happy with the education I received there overall. I do think it is mostly local businesses that recruit from there, but central New York is not a bad place to live.</p>

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I am a parent of a student at Suny It. Here are some good points I have observed. The dorms are very nice. The four day class schedule is awesome. The party life is minimal. There are many older students that live locally and commute. The students are very nice. Most professors are willing to go out of there way to help the student with success. The computer networking program is one of a kind. My son feels the nanotech program will add recognition, but will undoubtedly raise the tuition. Tuition is reasonable now. Award winning computer networking club.

Here are my cons. If you don’t live local, you must live in the dorm Freshmen and Sophomore year and you must buy the campus food. There are no choices on food- all one price (expensive and only edible). dorm and food will double your cost of attending. My “sons view” is that many of the professors are arrogant and do not come to class prepared because they have other full time jobs. When we visited we loved their labs, but most classes are lecture-very little hands on. They do provide tutoring service in the library, but don’t expect help securing a private tutor if your child has any type of learning troubles. In the computer department, you cannot get an internship, if it is unpaid, even if you personally decide this is a decision you would be willing to endure. Very few girls in the tech programs <:

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I had one more critique of Suny IT. The dorms are very nice especially the Freshmen dorm. Although they have had significant enrollment and not all freshmen are guaranteed the freshmen dorm. Dorm life is very expensive, but there is very little housekeeping. The entry ways and staircases were always filthy. They barely bother with the living areas. When you move to the sophomore dorms, there is no housekeeping. All students at this stage must do their own housekeeping despite the high cost.

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Hello, just want to tack on and clarify a few points mentioned here:

First due to the merger of SUNYIT with SUNY’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, the school is no longer known as SUNYIT, but is rather known now as the SUNY Polytechnic Institute (maybe the thread title can be changed). They say this it to dramatically increase funding for all programs across the board.

Second, there’s a large share of commuter students that are on the campus when compared to those who dorm. Personally, I’d like to see not only more dorms constructed, but a first-year on campus living requirement. Many activities on campus are scheduled in a way where commuters can’t attend, or where there aren’t enough students to populate them.

Third, the school is attempting to cut down on adjunct professors as a result of more funding, and in turn add more full time positions, as this obviously raises the school’s reputation and quality of education.

Finally, campus facilities are apparently contracted from outside of campus. They aren’t actually within the bill that students receive but are rather hired by the school. This is odd from other SUNY campuses.

Overall, in time, this will be a very competitive and desirable school to attend, especially with the amount of investment surrounding the school and within the school. There was actually a report out today or the other day that the college it merged with received the most research funding out of any school, public or private, in the country, at $300M. Many believe the school itself will transform the Utica area.

And if anyone else would like more info, just post back.

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