Mar 19, 2024  
2019-2020 Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Regional, Local and Campus Overview



Plattsburgh and the North Country

SUNY Plattsburgh is situated in one of the most beautiful regions in the Empire State. Greater Plattsburgh is a community of 32,000 people located in the northeast corner of the state, on the western shore of Lake Champlain, near the Adirondack Mountains and about 20 miles from the U.S. ‑ Canada border.

You will find the City of Plattsburgh readily accessible from any point in New York state. Interstate 87, the scenic Adirondack Northway, exits about one mile from campus. Air service to and from the Plattsburgh International Airport (PBG) is available through Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. several times a day. Direct flights to and from Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa and other locations are also available. Nearby Burlington International Airport (BTV) and the Montréal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) (formerly Dorval Airport), which are only an hour away, provide scheduled flights through major airlines on a daily basis. Amtrak and Greyhound Bus Lines also serve the community. At planned breaks in the academic calendar, the Student Association charters buses for students to travel to other points in the state from a central location on campus.

Plattsburgh is within an hour’s drive from Whiteface Mountain, one of the premier ski centers in the eastern United States, and Lake Placid, America’s Olympic Village. Burlington, Vt., is less than an hour away by car, and cosmopolitan Montréal, Canada, is also a one-hour drive from campus. You can travel by car or express bus to the New York City and Long Island areas in about six hours. Albany is two and one-half hours from Plattsburgh, and Syracuse is about five hours away.

Students appreciate the City of Plattsburgh for its clean, tree-lined streets, its easygoing style and pace of living, and its friendly, hospitable people. Our community’s downtown area is only a few blocks from campus. A student-government-sponsored van service provides transportation several times daily to shopping and entertainment centers in both the city and its outlying districts.

The North Country of New York, of which Plattsburgh is the hub, is rich in history. Benedict Arnold conducted a very successful campaign in 1776 at nearby Valcour Island on Lake Champlain that stalled the British invasion of New York. The War of 1812 ended just off Plattsburgh’s shores on Lake Champlain in what was the last naval battle between the United States and Great Britain. Our library holds a treasury of manuscript material for not only local history but also the history of New York state and Canada. The North Country offers myriad opportunities for outdoor recreation: skiing, snowshoeing, mountain climbing, camping, fishing, boating, tennis, and golf. Our own indoor and outdoor facilities for sports and recreation are first-rate and, if you are a hockey fan, Montréal is home to the NHL’s Canadiens.

You will discover that the North Country is not much colder than other regions of the state. You will quickly realize that you can adapt easily to an environment in which the average temperature in January (the coldest month) is 18 degrees Fahrenheit and to one in which snowfall annually, while heavy in the nearby Adirondacks, is light by comparison to Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse, Binghamton, and other communities throughout New York state. The compact nature of our campus also contributes to students’ comfort during the winter season. Just about every destination is no more than a few minute’s walk from any point.

Campus Overview

SUNY Plattsburgh is a special academic community that maintains high academic standards and expectations in a caring, supportive environment. We offer diversity and quality in educational programs at reasonable cost; a first-rate faculty that will challenge you and help you achieve your intellectual potential and career objectives; a modern campus with excellent facilities in a comfortable setting; and a friendly atmosphere for learning and for growing intellectually, socially, and emotionally.

Our college offers a choice of more than 60 baccalaureate degrees, complemented by a wide variety of minors and study options, and is known for the caliber of its academic programs. Our major programs are divided among academic units grouped in arts and sciences; business and economics; and education, health, and human services. In addition, we offer graduate programs in education, counselor education, natural science, student affairs counseling professional practice, mental health counseling, school psychology, and speech-language pathology, fitness and wellness leadership, and more. Research based on applicants’ perceptions of our college before their enrollment indicates clearly that the range of programs available and their reputation for excellence are the primary reasons students choose our college.

We have an outstanding faculty and staff. Most teaching faculty hold a doctoral degree and view themselves as teacher/scholars and teacher/artists. A number are recognized nationally and internationally on the merits of their scholarship, the importance of their published works, and the honors they have received. Many involve students in their own research. This has led to a growing number of projects in which students are listed jointly with faculty on publications, as participants in exhibitions and performances, or as lecturers/presenters at professional conferences.

We promote active learning through internships, cooperative education placements and field studies that are available in virtually every area of study. While a few graduate students direct some undergraduate laboratory sections under faculty supervision, all courses are taught by faculty. About 100 highly qualified professionals are available to work with you on academic and personal matters and on educational and career decisions.

You will be amazed by the extraordinary number and variety of activities that take place on campus. From concerts and theater productions to exhibitions and lectures featuring well-known experts in a wide assortment of fields, from clubs and organizations to intercollegiate and intramural sports, you will discover that SUNY Plattsburgh offers something that appeals to every interest.

Our campus complex consists of 39 buildings spread across 300 acres, and it provides an impressive setting for both academic and extracurricular pursuits. Our grounds are clean, and our buildings are free of litter. Our students, faculty and staff alike take pride in their campus and its facilities. Our campus is bordered on three sides by a pleasant residential neighborhood; its eastern-most boundary is the Saranac River and the River Walk, a three-mile nature, biking and jogging path that begins just south of campus off Angell Drive and ends at Lake Champlain.

Students

Students who live on and off campus while attending classes at SUNY Plattsburgh are welcomed and appreciated for what they contribute educationally, culturally, economically and socially to the community. This year, SUNY Plattsburgh enrolled 5,377 undergraduate students, 341 graduate students and 339 international students representing 65 countries. The average class size is 22 students with a 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Women outnumber men 56 percent to 44 percent.

The greatest number of Plattsburgh students come from three major New York regions - the Greater Metropolitan area (Long Island, Westchester, and Rockland counties), the North Country, and the Greater Capital District. While four percent of the students come from other states such as Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maine, Florida and New Hampshire, more than seven percent come to SUNY Plattsburgh from such countries as Japan, Canada, China, India, Nepal, Tanzania, South Korea, and Vietnam.

Accreditation

SUNY Plattsburgh is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education located at 3624 Market St., Philadelphia, PA,19104-2680 (phone (267) 284-5000), and the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. Academic programs that hold subject-specific accreditations or certifications include:

  • Business by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
  • Chemistry by the American Chemical Society (ACS)
  • Counselor education by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP)
  • Education - childhood, adolescence, literacy, and special education - by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
  • Hospitality-management by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA)
  • Nutrition by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
  • Medical technology by the American Association for Clinical Pathologists (ASCP)
  • Nursing by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  • School psychology by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
  • Social work by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
  • Speech-language pathology by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

Academic and Administrative Facilities

Our academic and administrative facilities consist of a number of buildings primarily in the center of campus. The majority of our administrative offices are located in the Kehoe Administration Building. Our academic buildings house our classrooms, labs, and faculty offices.

Au Sable Hall

SUNY Plattsburgh’s Department of Computer Science and School of Business and Economics are located in Au Sable Hall, which houses faculty offices as well as specialized classrooms, accounting and trading labs, computer labs, conference rooms, study areas, and a student commons. Videoconferencing is available in two classrooms that allows faculty to connect classes taught in Au Sable and at the SUNY Plattsburgh branch campus at Queensbury.  The newest building on campus has been designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.

Beaumont Hall

Beaumont Hall houses faculty offices, classrooms and laboratoriesand Sponsored Research and Programs throughout the three-story complex. During temporary renovations, services have been relocated to other locations. Consult the online directory for current information.

Canada House

Canada House, located next to Redcay Hall, serves as the home for the Center for the Study of Canada, which supports the most comprehensive undergraduate Canadian studies program in the United States, and the Institute on Québec Studies. Canada House also serves as a teacher resource center and hosts a number of visiting Canadian scholars, politicians and notable guests every year. A growing collection of Canadian art is on display.

Champlain Valley Hall

At one time, Champlain Valley Hall served as a residence for nursing students training at the local hospital. Today, Champlain Valley Hall houses many of the traditional humanities programs including English; modern languages and cultures; history; and philosophy. Students can be found throughout the building attending classes or meeting with faculty in their offices. Champlain Valley Hall also houses the James Augustus Wilson Commons, a lounge area where students will often be found studying before or after classes or attending one of the guest lectures offered by the departments in the building. Featuring a fireplace, artwork and a number of comfortable chairs and tables, The JAW Commons, a popular hangout among students and faculty alike, was dedicated at Homecoming 2018 in the memory of the Class of 1902 African-American to honor his achievements and commitment to social justice throughout his life.  A scholarship in his name to benefit Aftrican-American/black student who emulate the qualities he embodied.

Feinberg Library

The Benjamin F. Feinberg Library provides students, faculty, researchers and guests with convenient access to the best information resources available on campus and worldwide. A popular campus destination, Feinberg Library offers a comfortable and welcoming environment - a place exceptionally conducive to the research and study that is at the heart of the academic experience.

A large array of online offerings complements on-site collections and services. The library’s outstanding professional staff is always available - in person and online - to assist patrons with their information needs, helping them to find scholarly materials, cite sources, understand copyright requirements, and navigate the vast electronic environment of the Internet.

Feinberg librarians teach a required, one-credit general education course on information and technology literacy. This critical course focuses on the access, retrieval, evaluation and management of information. The course includes analyzing research needs, understanding the information landscape, determining the authority of sources, selecting appropriate research tools, and using information legally and ethically.

Feinberg Library is a selective depository for U.S. government documents and a designated New York state document research depository library. Feinberg is also a selective depository of Canadian government documents.

Special Collections serves the interests of SUNY Plattsburgh students and faculty, and is also open to professional scholars and other researchers. This unique collection houses materials on New York with an emphasis on the northern counties of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, St. Lawrence, Hamilton, Herkimer, and Warren. Special Collections also contains the college archives and is home to manuscripts, photographs, books, and journals that document the history of the North Country.

Feinberg Library houses more than 367,000 volumes and provides access to more than 28,000 periodicals, both in print and online. Patrons enjoy access to a full range of digital and print information resources and applications in the library’s Reference and Electronic Search Services Center. Feinberg Library is also home to the Rockwell Kent Gallery, an exceptional collection of the famed artist’s works, and the Douglas and Evelyne Skopp Holocaust Memorial Gallery.

Academic advisors and tutors help students achieve academic and personal success in the Office of Academic Advising and the Claude J. Clarke Learning Center, both located on the first floor of the library. Students find further help in the library’s Writing Skills Computer Lab and the Late-Night Study Area.

Feinberg Library is dedicated to the memory of the prominent Plattsburgh native and New York state senator who sponsored the 1948 legislation creating the State University of New York.

Hawkins Hall

Hawkins Hall is the college’s “Old Main” building and is named in memory of George K. Hawkins, who served as principal of the Plattsburgh Normal School for 35 years. Opened in 1932, Hawkins Hall replaced the original Normal School that had burned to the ground three years earlier. Today, Hawkins is a campus landmark with its beautifully landscaped grounds and pond, which was redesigned in 2015 and serves as an outdoor lab for the Center for Earth and Environmental Science.

Hawkins Hall is home to the stately E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium, the main auditorium on campus. Some of the many functions held in this auditorium include academic convocations, presidents’ guest lecture series, concerts, and major theater productions. The adjacent Hyman and Frances Krinovitz Recital Hall is one of the foremost spots on campus for guest lectures and small-scale shows and concerts.

Adjacent to Krinovitz Recital Hall is Einstein Bros. Bagels, open when college is in session.

Hawkins Hall is also home to the widely acclaimed Redcay Honors Center and Program, the Institute for Ethics in Public Life, the Damianos Nursing Skills Laboratory, Upward Bound, and offices for several key disciplines including mathematics; nursing; nutrition; and political science. A number of other administrative offices are also located within, including the Office of the President, in which you’ll find communications, public affairs, and media relations;  Affirmative Action, and Institutional Advancement (alumni relations, development.)

Hudson Hall

Hudson Hall is named in memory of Professor Emeritus George Henry Hudson. The building has always been a great place to study physics, chemistry, environmental science, geography and geology, but - with the recent addition of the Hudson Hall Annex - it just got better. Completed in 2011, the Annex houses laboratories for chemistry, water quality analysis and research - all in an energy-efficient building that was designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Design (LEED) standards.

Renovation of the original Hudson Hall was completed in 2013. The building houses new laboratories for biology, ecology, environmental science and physics.

Kehoe Administration Building

The Kehoe Administration Building is the central place on campus where students can pay bills, check in with financial aid, or find internship and employment opportunities.

The 10-story building houses administrative offices including Academic Affairs; Administration and Finance; Admissions; Center for Diversity, Pluralism, and Inclusion; Computer Systems Center; Enrollment Management; Financial Aid; the Global Education Office, in which you’ll find Study Abroad and Exchanges, International Student Services, International Admissions; and Partners in Cross-Cultural Learning (PICL); Graduate Admissions; Institutional Research; International Student Services; Marketing; Registrar; Student Affairs; Student Conduct; Veterans Support Office; Student Accounts.

Myers Fine Arts Building

The Myers Fine Arts Building is the creative center of SUNY Plattsburgh and is home to the art, music, and theater departments and the Plattsburgh State Art Museum.

The Myers Fine Arts Building is filled with a variety of artwork by students, as well as professional pieces in the various galleries. The Myers Lobby is a wonderful venue to show off the talent of SUNY Plattsburgh’s art students and to host music student and faculty events. The artwork culminates in the Nina Winkel Sculpture Court, the world’s largest collection of Winkel’s work.

The Slatkin Room offers works of art from the permanent collection, as well as historical objects including tribal art, antiquities, and Eastern and Western material. The Burke Gallery (named after the late former college president and his wife, Dr. Joseph C. and Joan T. Burke) features a number of changing exhibits each year.

The Myers Fine Arts Building provides complete laboratories (music technology/piano lab, digital photo lab, and graphic design lab); rehearsal and practice rooms for students and faculty; and studio and classroom facilities for study in these disciplines.

The Hartman Theatre is in many ways the most prominent, though not the largest, auditorium on campus. The 400-seat theater is the main site for student and visiting theater productions. Student productions have included “The Winter’s Tale,” “Oklahoma!”, “The Tempest,” and “The Drowsy Champerone,” and “Pride and Prejudice.”

102 Broad St.

Located at the intersection of Beekman and Broad Streets, 102 Broad St. currently provides office space for the Expeditionary Studies Program, which coordinates a major and graduate degree in expeditionary studies and several co-curricular and extra-curricular programs, including an equipment rental program, the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, the Lake Champlain Sea Kayak Institute, and “The Adventure Lecture Series.”

Redcay Hall

Redcay Hall was named in memory of Dr. Edward “Doc” Redcay, faculty member from 1936 to 1969 and acting college president from 1952 to 1954, and Dr. Lillian B. Redcay, a 1942 alumna and distinguished member of the faculty from 1956 to 1973. Redcay Hall currently houses the anthropology, Africana studies, criminal justice, Latin American studies, gender and women’s studies, and sociology departments.

Saranac Hall

The College Store offers quality merchandise at affordable prices as well as personal services to make your life easier, such as online textbook ordering and textbook rentals. The College Store is the official provider of SUNY Plattsburgh insignia apparel and merchandise and offers a variety of other items for your convenience, including textbooks, computers, classroom supplies, dorm room supplies and much more. Find what you want when you need it in store or online at mypsubookstore.com.

The Telecommunications Office, located on the lower level of Saranac Hall, oversees the college’s on-campus telephone network. Students can obtain information on how to use their telephones, establish their personal accounts and rectify billing problems with the personable and knowledgeable staff.

Sibley Hall

For those students interested in professional programs such as education, Sibley Hall is their home away from home. Sibley Hall houses the teacher education programs; literacy clinic; communication disorders and sciences department and clinic; hospitality management; North Country Teacher Resource Center, and the Center for Neurobehavioral Health, which includes the adirondack regional Technology Center, Alzheimer’s Disease Caregivers Support Initiative, autism intervention programs, Eastern Adirondack Health Care Network, neuropsychology clinic and psychoeducational services, the Traumatic Brain Injury Center, and the Third Age Adult Day Center. The SUNY Plattsburgh Child Care Center, also located in Sibley Hall, is a not-for-profit corporation licensed by the New York State Department of Social Services that provides care and education for 72 children, most of whom are children of faculty, staff and students.

Sibley Hall also houses classroom facilities featuring the latest educational technology. Videoconferencing courses use interactive audio-visual telecommunications to connect simultaneous classes taught in Sibley Hall and at the SUNY Plattsburgh Branch Campus at Queensbury.

The Hospitality Center features a restaurant and cooking demonstration classroom for the hospitality management department. The office of the dean of education, health, and human services is also located in Sibley Hall.

Ward Hall

Ward Hall was named in honor of Dr. Charles C. Ward, the fourth principal of the Plattsburgh Normal School. It is home to the dean of arts and sciences, and to spacious, attractive and well-equipped classrooms and service areas in support of programs in human development and family relations, nutrition, counselor education, journalism/public relations, and social work. Cardinal Points, the student-run newspaper, has offices here as well.

Yokum Hall

The George E. Yokum Communication/Lecture Hall was named in memory of a former music professor at SUNY Plattsburgh. The newly renovated facility is home to the Department of Communication Studies. Students in the communication program gain intensive experience in the full-service broadcast/telecast facilities, which include the Albert R. Montanaro Television Studio, an audio lab, and a multimedia facility. The student-run television station (PSTV) and radio training station (WARP) are also located in Yokum Hall. On the upper-level of Yokum Hall, there are nine lecture halls.

Athletic Facilities

Athletic facilities at SUNY Plattsburgh are centered in two buildings: Memorial Hall, located in the heart of the campus, and the Field House.

Field House

The Field House is located on upper Rugar Street just west of the main campus. It houses the 1,924-seat Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena, home to the men’s and women’s intercollegiate ice hockey teams. The men’s team won the 1992 and 2001 NCAA Division III Championships, while the Lady Cardinals won the national title in 2007, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016, and again in 2017. This facility also is used extensively for local high school hockey as well as figure/recreational skating by groups from the college and the community.

A separate gymnasium area houses an indoor track and basketball court and is used by the baseball and softball programs during inclement weather. It also hosts numerous events, including commencement exercises, concerts, craft fairs and large-scale dinners.

Adjacent to the Field House are several outdoor facilities, including Chip Cummings Field, home to men’s baseball, a soccer and lacrosse field, a softball field, practice fields, an outdoor track and six regulations tennis courts.

Memorial Hall

Upon entering the main lobby of Memorial Hall, students, faculty, staff and visitors find themselves immersed in the history of sports at SUNY Plattsburgh. The portraits of more than 50 former student-athletes, coaches, administrators and supporters are featured in the Cardinal Sports Hall of Fame, which was established in 1984 to recognize those individuals who have made significant contributions to the athletic programs and whose achievements exemplify the ideals of good citizenship.

Memorial Hall is home to intercollegiate athletics, recreation, and the Department of Sport and Wellness; administrative, faculty, and coaches offices; classrooms; and a number of athletic facilities. The gymnasium hosts our intercollegiate men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball programs, as well as recreational and intramural events. Students, faculty and staff also use the six-lane swimming pool and three racquetball courts.

A  climbing wall is available for students, faculty and staff. The 20-foot-high wall is open at specified times throughout the week at no additional charge to members of the college’s fitness center. The adjacent 5,000 square-foot, fitness center houses cardiovascular equipment, resistive-weight equipment, and a free-weight area. The fitness center is open to SUNY Plattsburgh students, faculty, staff, alumni, and their spouses or domestic partners on a membership basis. A separate 1,800 square-foot facility is dedicated to aerobics and yoga class offerings, and a 2,700 square-foot activity room is home to group cycling and cardio kickboxing classes.

Other Services and Facilities

SUNY Plattsburgh offers students, faculty, staff and alumni, as well as the residents of the community, myriad services and cultural activities throughout the academic year.

Angell College Center

The Angell College Center, named in memory of the sixth college president, the late Dr. George Angell, is the focal point of the campus for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Every day during the academic year, students stop in to grab a bite, socialize, catch a movie, or attend one of the many lectures or other special events.

The hub of the Angell College Center is the newly renovated information desk. Services available at the information desk include campus event information and tickets, magazines, postage stamps and ski passes for students.

The Campus Express convenience store includes a UPS shipping center and check cashing. It also houses Scoops, which offers a variety of ice cream and smoothy options.

When the really big celebrations occur on campus, many of them are held in the Charles and Nancy Warren Ballrooms (named after the eighth college president and his wife). This large room can seat more than 300 individuals, and host formal dinners, lectures, and many other social events or smaller affairs when divided into two rooms with the movable center wall. Meetings can also be held in other adjacent rooms on the second floor of the Angell College Center.

The Willard C. Flynt Commons is the ideal spot to study, work on a group project, or just relax around the large fireplace. Situated on the second floor of the Angell College Center, Flynt Commons is one of the most popular spots on campus among students, and features a Tim Hortons donut and coffee shop that’s open when college is in session.

WQKE, (93.9 FM) the Quake radio station, operates from its studios in Burghy’s next to the Subway shop on the main level of Angell College Center. Operating for more than 40 years, the student-run FM broadcast station continues to entertain its audience with new ground breaking music, comprehensive news and sports broadcasts.

The offices of the Career Development Center, Center for Student Involvement, Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life, and a new Multicultural Center are located in Angell. In addition, the Student Association has offices in the Angell College Center.

In spring 2019, the college opened a new space in the Angell College Center. This renovated area along the main hallway houses the new Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It encompasses the Community HUB (Honoring, Uniting, Building) and Title IX.

Food and beverages are also available in the Angell College Center at the Sundowner Cafe. For more details, see Campus Dining Services in the Student Life and Student Services section of this catalog.

SUNY Plattsburgh Branch Campus at Queensbury

SUNY Plattsburgh’s Branch Campus serves almost 350 full- and part-time students from Warren, Washington, and Saratoga counties seeking bachelor’s or master’s degrees or certificates of advanced study.

Bachelor degree completion programs offered at the Queensbury campus include business administration, criminal justice, nursing and psychology. Master’s degrees in education or certificates of advanced study in educational leadership, teacher leadership, school building leader and school district leader are also offered. Bachelor’s degree completion programs are intended for students who have completed a liberal arts - based associate degree, or the equivalent of approximately 60 credit hours.  Eligible students for undergraduate programs should have either an associate’s degree or junior class status (at least 57 credits) before enrollment.  Registered nurses must hold an unencumbered license as an RN in New York state to be eligible for our bachelor’s degree in nursing. 

All face-to-face courses are held on the Branch Campus in Queensbury, N.Y. and are taught by SUNY Plattsburgh faculty in the classroom or via videoconferencing from the main campus. Online courses taught by SUNY Plattsburgh faculty are also offered.  Students in these programs can complete their education in Queensbury without having to take any courses on the main campus in Plattsburgh. 

In cooperation with SUNY Adirondack, SUNY Plattsburgh offers students a variety of services at the Queensbury Campus, including library facilities, computer and Internet access, ID cards, Math Lab, and food services. 

Prospective students may obtain information on programs, admission and registration procedures at the SUNY Plattsburgh Branch Campus Office located at 640 Bay Road, on SUNY Adirondack’s Campus. Branch Campus staff offer assistance in handling all areas of academics, from purchasing textbooks and securing student identification cards to registering for comprehensive examinations and graduate admissions tests. For more information about SUNY Plattsburgh’s Branch Campus or for an appointment, call 518-792-5425 or visit the website. You can also connect with us on the Branch Campus Facebook page.

Computing Services and Facilities

SUNY Plattsburgh provides computing facilities and broad-based computing and information services for all students. The college has extensive networks that link all campus buildings, including the residence halls. Additional access to the Internet is available from numerous computer kiosks throughout the campus, computer labs, residence hall rooms and specialized computer facilities. Wireless network connectivity spans the entire campus. The college provides a network connection for each student in every residence hall room. A well-staffed helpdesk supports the computer needs of all students.

Our main, open-access lab in Feinberg Library is equipped with a variety of PC-compatible systems, including color printers and peripherals such as scanners and large-format printers. The Student Technology Resource Center provides access to Macintosh computers, a group workroom and a student presentation room. Additional computer facilities provide access to a wide range of desktop application software (word processing, spreadsheets, etc.), course-specific software, printing services, the campus network and the Internet. Discipline-specific computer labs are found throughout the campus: examples include graphic arts, journalism, biology, chemistry, computer science, geographic information systems, physics, photography, and psychology.

The Library and Information Technology Services division coordinates the college’s online learning environment and supports a large variety of online resources and services: these include student course registration, student records, Web-based electronic mail, the college catalog, course descriptions, the course master schedule, online databases, full-text journals, electronic reserves and reference service.

College Auxiliary Services Inc.

College Auxiliary Services (CAS) provides high-quality affordable, convenient support services for the benefit of the SUNY Plattsburgh college community. CAS oversees the subcontract for on-campus dining, meal plans, manages the College Store and Campus Express (the campus convenience store). In addition, CAS also manages services such as cable television, laundry, ID cards, Cardinal Cash, conference services for SUNY Plattsburgh and off campus property management; Valcour Inn and Boathouse and Twin Valleys Outdoor Education Center.

In accordance with the purposes of a not-for-profit corporation, all surplus revenues above operating expenses are used for the benefit of SUNY Plattsburgh in furtherance of the college’s mission. CAS provides financial support for programs and services, including but not limited to: student scholarships through the Plattsburgh College Foundation, workshops, alternative break programs, admission and enrollment initiatives, and academic travel for students.

For further information please visit the CAS website.

Lake Champlain Research Institute

The primary objective of the Lake Champlain Research Institute is to promote student research and education in the Lake Champlain Basin. Current activities include biological, physical, economic, historical and education research.

The institute exists to provide students a research experience as part of their career preparation. The institute involves qualified students as research assistants on funded projects where they work with state-of-the-art equipment. LCRI maintains on-campus laboratory research facilities and field equipment including a 32-foot research vessel, the “Gruendling” the 19-food “Nauplii,” and the 24-fool “Linnaeus “.

The institute cooperates with academic departments and other institutions to provide field/laboratory research and educational experiences for undergraduate and graduate students. LCRI also sponsors workshops and courses to provide educational opportunities for K-12 educators, students and other interested parties in the region.

William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute

The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute in Chazy hosts the Applied Environmental Science Program, which is an intensive laboratory-field and-research experience for upper-division students who learn analytical techniques and gain experience in solving environmental problems.

Many students live and study at the institute during the fall semester and, with the resident faculty, may undertake research projects directed toward actual environmental problems and ecological issues in the Adirondack and Lake Champlain Basin regions. The institute, which celebrated 45 years in 2017, contains classrooms, laboratories, a library, and residential and dining facilities for 50 students and staff.

Plattsburgh Alumni Association

The Plattsburgh Alumni Association is a nonprofit organization, managed by a Board of Directors who serve as ambassadors of the college, lead in volunteerism and advance the college’s mission and vision.  

Representing more than 67,000 alumni, the Plattsburgh Alumni Association’s mission is to secure and strengthen the relationships between alumni and the college; actively support the student experience; facilitate the transition of current students to the alumni ranks; and work in partnership with the college to encourage alumni participation in its programs, activities and development efforts. 

The Alumni Association works with and supports students and alumni in many ways. The outreach and relationship-building efforts of the Alumni Association nurture the charitable giving of our alumni, on behalf of students who attend SUNY Plattsburgh. This support, through the Plattsburgh College Foundation, provides additional resources for financial aid, student scholarships, academic enrichment and enhancement to student life programs. The Alumni Association sponsors the Distinguished Visiting Alumni Program, Alumni in the Classroom Experience, Homecoming Weekend, Reunion, Athletic Hall of Fame, Student Ambassador Program, regional events and a variety of additional events for students during the academic year.

For more information or to become involved in the Plattsburgh Alumni Association, call 800-964-1889 or visit our website.

 

The Plattsburgh College Foundation Inc.

The Plattsburgh College Foundation, a nonprofit corporation, was established in 1963 to receive and manage all private gifts to SUNY Plattsburgh. Managed by the Board of Directors, the foundation partners with SUNY Plattsburgh alumni, friends, faculty and other benefactors to provide scholarship and academic support for current and future students.

Gifts to the college allow the Plattsburgh College Foundation to:

  • Provide need- and merit-based scholarships
  • Purchase technological resources that enable SUNY Plattsburgh to stay current and competitive
  • Improve and expand academic programs
  • Enhance the quality of student life through the support of the arts, athletics and other campus activities and initiatives

Because of the generosity of donors, the Plattsburgh College Foundation is able to provide more than $1.7 million in annual funding for more than 1,000 scholarship awards.

Plattsburgh State Art Museum

With a collection of more than 10,000 works of art and artifacts, the Plattsburgh State Art Museum offers a professional visual art experience to the college and to the community. The facilities and programs of the museum, including the Burke Gallery located in the Myers Fine Arts Building, offer a complete schedule of historical and contemporary exhibitions in all media. The Rockwell Kent Gallery, located in Feinberg Library, houses an extensive collection of paintings, drawings, prints, books and ephemera of the late American artist Rockwell Kent.

The Winkel Sculpture Court is an enclosed atrium in the Myers Building that contains more than 50 works by Nina Winkel. The Regina Slatkin Art Collections Study Room, located on the second floor of the Myers Fine Arts Building, serves as a study room featuring fine art objects from the college’s art collection, including antiquities, tribal arts, and Asian works, as well as early modernist works by Rodin, Bonnard and Cezanne. The Myers Lobby Gallery showcases the artwork of many of our students, faculty and alumni.

The Edward and Bette Brohel Museum Without Walls, named in honor of the former late museum director and his wife, brings the visual arts into the fabric of the college. Fine prints, paintings, and sculptures are found in many of the college halls, lobbies, and offices. Monumental works by William King, Don Osborn, David Stromeyer, L. Brower Hatcher, and Jon Isherwood are spaced throughout the campus and constitute, with other works, the Sculpture Park. You can visit us at the Plattsburgh State Art Museum website.

Student Health Center/Office of University Police

Health and safety are two of the most important aspects of any college. With an easily accessible location near the center of campus, the Student Health and Counseling Center, and office of University Police contribute to the well-being and safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors.

Staffed by professional health care providers and counselors, the Student Health and Counseling Center provides acute and routine health care, counseling, diagnostic tests, procedures, immunizations and various medications. Services include women’s health care, contraceptives, and nutritional advice. The Student Health and Counseling Center also provides an array of health education programs.

University Police works with the campus community to help ensure the safety of all students, faculty, staff and visitors to SUNY Plattsburgh. The officers of University Police are certified police officers meeting or exceeding the standards required by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services and are qualified to deal with any situation that may occur. The department provides 24-hour coverage, 365 days a year.

Twin Valleys Outdoor Education Center

The Twin Valleys Outdoor Education Center is a 660-acre wilderness tract of Adirondack woodlands, meadows, and streams near Westport, N.Y., 38 miles from campus. Rustic facilities include a main lodge equipped with a kitchen, bathrooms, and dormitories, as well as 12 cabins surrounding a two-acre pond. 

A mature, white pine forest, wetlands, and ledge overlooks can be explored via the 10 miles of color-coded, maintained trails. Students and faculty use Twin Valleys throughout the year for recreational activities and outdoor-education programs.

Valcour Inn and Boathouse

The Valcour Inn and Boathouse is an elegant, 9-acre estate on the western shore of Lake Champlain approximately nine miles south of Plattsburgh on State Route 9. Built in 1905, the center is owned and operated by College Auxiliary Services.

Valcour includes the inn with seven guest bedrooms and the boathouse. Valcour offers a unique, comfortable, and professional atmosphere for conferences, meeting, retreats, banquets, weddings, family reunions, parties and overnight stays.  Guests enjoy breathtaking views of the Green Mountains of Vermont, Lake Champlain, and Valcour Island. 

For further information please visit the Valcour Inn and Boathouse website.

Residence Facilities

SUNY Plattsburgh has on-campus housing for approximately 2,750 students in its 12 non-smoking residence halls.

Building styles accommodate a variety of student preferences. Our first-year program is housed in Whiteface and Wilson residence halls. This program provides extensive academic and personal support and is recommended for our new students. Low-rise corridor, high-rise corridor, and suite-style residence halls are also available. Students select housing for themselves after their first year.

Residence hall rooms are equipped with voice, cable, and data connections in addition to an extra-long twin bed and one desk and dresser per occupant. A variety of cable television channels are available. Students may arrange for landline telephone service by contacting the Campus Telecommunication Office. Most rooms are double occupancy, but there are a limited number of singles that are available to students with a medical need to be alone.

All residence halls have amenities including recreation lounges with a television and pool table, study lounges, non-coin-operated laundry facilities, a kitchenette, and vending machines. Computer labs and/or computer stations are available throughout many of the residence halls. Resident students must contract for a full meal plan. There are a variety of options with different choices in meal times, locations, and food selection. (For more information see On-Campus Residence Living in the Student Life and Student Services  section of this catalog or contact Housing and Residence Life.)