News from SUNY Plattsburgh

For more information contact: Brendan Kinney, 518-564-2090, brendan.kinney@plattsburgh.edu

SUNY Plattsburgh Named Among Best in the North by U.S. News & World Report

PLATTSBURGH, NY (08/26/2008; 1424)(readMedia)-- SUNY Plattsburgh has been named among the top schools in the 2009 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report.

SUNY Plattsburgh ranked among the "Best Universities in the North" as a master's level institution. U.S. News's rankings are based on assessment by administrators at peer institutions, retention of students, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, and alumni giving.

"It is always positive to have an external validation of the quality and caliber of your institution," said Richard Higgins, associate vice president for enrollment management. "It says something to parents and prospective students that the college could otherwise not say. I hope it inspires them to come see the full range of benefits SUNY Plattsburgh has to offer."

Over the past few years, SUNY Plattsburgh has been gaining steam. The college has once again exceeded its enrollment goals, according to Higgins. For the second year in a row, the college had so many applicants that it had to turn away more than half. This year's acceptance rate was 49.3 percent. When it comes to diversity, 16.2 percent of the incoming freshmen come from minority backgrounds. That number has been steadily climbing. In 2006, it was 15.3 percent; in 2007, it was 15.5 percent.

Further fueling its success, SUNY Plattsburgh has created new and distinctive academic programs, has continued to build upon its "student-centered" learning environment and is enhancing the caliber of the student body as well as those in the faculty ranks.

"We have had great success in recent years in bringing high-quality faculty to the college," said SUNY Plattsburgh Provost Jay Stein. "In addition, we have invested in our current faculty with strong support and recognition programs. We also continue to deepen the Plattsburgh experience as a student-centered research college, and this recognition by U.S. News is further proof that we are on the right track."

U.S. News & World Report also noted among its peers, SUNY Plattsburgh has a significant international student population. While not a ranked category, the college tied for sixth among peer institutions with seven percent of the student body coming from outside of the United States. The college has more than 400 international students from more than 50 countries.

"We are committed to a global educational experience that not only attracts a significant number of international students to our campus, but also provides study abroad opportunities for our students," added Stein.

The rankings are included in the Sept. 1 issue of the magazine, available week of Aug. 25, and online at www.usnews.com/colleges. SUNY Plattsburgh will also be included in the college guidebook "America's Best Colleges" published by U.S. News & World Report and widely used by students engaged in a college search.

SUNY Plattsburgh (www.plattsburgh.edu) was founded in 1889 as a teaching college and in 1948 became an original member of the State University of New York (SUNY). Under President John Ettling, Ph.D., the four-year comprehensive college now serves 5,500 undergraduates and 500 graduate students. It offers over 50 majors and a wide range of special programs that prepare graduates for professional life and advanced studies through a strong foundation in liberal arts and an experience that celebrates excellence, ethical values, lifelong learning and responsible citizenship in a global community. Situated near Lake Champlain, the Adirondacks, and Canada, the college's unique location provides rich recreational, cultural and educational opportunities. Today, SUNY Plattsburgh is a thriving campus that has experienced a 34 percent growth in applications over the past three two years and has been recognized by Kiplinger's as one of the "Top 100 Values in Public Colleges," for its mix of academic quality, financial aid, opportunities and total cost.