With its largest-ever class of freshmen arriving for the start of their first fall semester and returning students back on campus, SUNYIT is seeing a substantial increase in overall enrollment this academic year. Members of the Class of 2017 (in their first class photo, below) completed several days of orientation Sunday, and classes start today for all students.

Final enrollment figures won’t be official for some time, but officials said that based on available data the freshman class numbers more than 275, up from about 200 last year. The number of new, full-time graduate and transfer students compared to last year is up substantially as well.

"Driven by our new academic initiatives and Governor Andrew Cuomo's vision for the Quad-C partnership, rising enrollment confirms SUNYIT's growing reputation as a unique college of choice, " said Robert E. Geer, acting president. "This is an exciting time to be part of the SUNYIT family, and our future is bright."

New academic programs this fall include a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, master's degree network and computer security, and an advanced certificate in data analysis; these are in addition to undergraduate programs launched recently:  applied computing, biology, civil engineering, community & behavioral health, electrical and computer engineering, and interdisciplinary studies, and network & computer security.

In addition to the increasing number of academic offerings, the physical campus continues to expand as well, with three new buildings completed in the last two years. A fourth building, the $125 million Computer Chip Commercialization Center (Quad-C), is on the way. The Quad-C's more than 200,000 square feet will include more than 50,000 square feet of state-of-the-art clean room space that will host advanced research and development initiatives between SUNYIT, the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, and global industry partners. This year, SUNYIT was ranked among the top 25 public schools in the "Regional Universities-North" category by U.S. News & World Report, and was recently ranked 35th "Best College for the Money" in the nation by College Factual.

SUNYIT, the State University of New York Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome, is New York's public polytechnic, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in technology and professional studies. Its academic offerings in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies, and its programs in professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing, are complemented by athletics, recreational, cultural and campus life programs, events and activities. Founded in 1966, SUNYIT is a unique high-tech learning environment on hundreds of acres, offering degree programs online as well as on campus. The SUNYIT family of alumni now numbers 25,000.