SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher today congratulated SUNY schools at SUNY Delhi, Fredonia, Geneseo, and Buffalo State for receiving the 2015 Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation, and commended SUNY Cortland for being reclassified for the advancement of teaching. Colleges and universities with a focus on community engagement were invited to apply for the classification as part of an extensive restructuring of The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
The classification of these SUNY campuses is a great accomplishment, as fewer than 400 college and university campuses nationwide have earned the Carnegie classification since it was first established in 2006 and awarded every five years since. Several SUNY schools have earned this recognition in previous years, including: SUNY ESF, Jefferson Community College, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Oswego, and Stony Brook University.
“Participation in community service is an integral part of any college education and at SUNY, we are proud to bring these opportunities to every student, in every degree program in alignment with our strategic plan,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “Congratulations to the campuses receiving this distinct recognition today.”
SUNY campuses have made community engagement and applied learning a priority as they help to secure an outside-the-classroom experience to all students. Across the state, campuses are determined to help students connect their chosen fields of study to their communities and potentially their future careers.
A Strong Part of a Vibrant Community
In addition to these classifications by the Carnegie Foundation, 20 SUNY campuses were recently named to the 2014 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, which recognizes colleges and universities who achieve meaningful, measureable outcomes in the communities they serve and show a clear commitment to community service and service learning.
The Carnegie Foundation’s Classification for Community Engagement is an elective classification, meaning that it is based on voluntary participation by institutions. The rigorous process for being classified takes place over a 5-year cycle, and the application effort involves data collection and documenting many important aspects of an institution’s mission, identity and commitments.
Great job, guys! You are a part of our community 🙂