STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT GENESEO
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(Redirected from SUNY Geneseo)
The 'State University of New York at Geneseo'—also known as 'SUNY Geneseo' or, colloquially, 'Geneseo State University'—is located in Geneseo, Livingston County, New York. It is a constituent college of the State University of New York. The school was founded as the 'Wadsworth Normal and Training School', in 1871, and became a state liberal arts college in 1948. It is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges.
Geneseo is classified as a four-year public liberal arts college. Geneseo has 48 undergraduate majors, six graduate programs (Master's only), and 25 interdisciplinary minors. Of these, Business Administration, Biology, Communication, Education, Political Science and Psychology are the most popular majors.
The student population is approximately 5,100, with a student/faculty ratio of 17:1 and an average class size of 25. Nearly 90% of Geneseo's full time faculty holds a Ph.D. or other terminal degree. Geneseo ranks number one in the nation for four-year graduation rates among comprehensive colleges and is currently tied for highest freshman retention rate in the SUNY system.
One of the differentiating hallmarks of SUNY Geneseo's curriculum is the requirement that each student take two 4 credit survey courses in western humanities, in addition to a wide distribution of arts and sciences core courses. "Humn 1" and "Humn 2", as they are called, are taught by faculty members from various departments. Individual course syllabi share many historical, philosophical, and literary texts with other courses creating a common knowledge base within the undergraduate student body. A distribution of core courses in the humanities, languages, and sciences further ensures that Geneseo students are well versed in the liberal arts tradition of education.
25% of Geneseo's students participate in study abroad programs, either through the College or the SUNY system. One of Geneseo's most popular study abroad programs is its offering of Humanities I and II in either Rome, Italy, or Oxford University.
The current President of the College is Christopher Dahl, who is also a member of the English department faculty. Representative of Geneseo's dedication to undergraduate teaching, Dahl still teaches a course in British Romanticism every other fall semester.
SUNY Geneseo's endowment is currently $8 million.[1]
Geneseo is considered a highly selective institution. According to their admissions department, 11,000 students applied to the class of 2011, of which 3720 were accepted.[2] 925 students are expected to enroll. Geneseo's freshman acceptance rate for the class of 2011 was 33.5%, and 25% of the accepted applicants are expected to attend.
For the class of 2011, the middle-50% SAT I of all applicants' scores ranged from 1250–1390; the middle 50% ACT of all applicants' scores ranged from 28–30. (Particular standardized test scores do not reflect the entirety of the class of 2011, since students may opt to take either or both of the tests. Transfer students in the class of 2011 will also not be taken into consideration.)
83% of the applicants to the class of 2011 graduated in the top 20% of their high school class. The middle 50% of applicants for the class of 2011 earned overall grade percentages ranging from 91–95.8% in high school.
In 2006 Kiplinger's Personal Finance listed the college as the number one "Best Value Public College" in the nation for out-of-state students, and number seven in the nation for in-state residents. US News & World Report’s 2005 edition of Guide to America’s Best Colleges: Geneseo is ranked No. 12 in the category “Best Universities-Master’s†for all colleges, public or private, in the northern region. Geneseo is also ranked No. 2 among the top public universities in the north. Geneseo was ranked in the 2005 “Fiske Guide to Colleges,†a guide published annually by former New York Times Education Editor Edward B. Fiske. In the Fiske guide, Geneseo is highlighted as a “Best Buy†school, and is lauded for its academic programs, accessible professors and hometown atmosphere. The Princeton Review profiled Geneseo in the 2005 edition of “The Princeton Review’s Guide to the Best 357 Colleges,†and the college was ranked No. 3 on that publication’s list of “Best Bargains – Public†among all public colleges and universities nationwide.
Geneseo has been regularly profiled in the Princeton Review, Kiplinger's, Fiske, and US News and World Report in annual publications since 1985.
Other national distinctions include recognitions from Money Magazine and Yahoo! Internet Life's 100 "most wired" campuses list (#90 in 1998, #49 in 1999, and in 2000 the list was divided by type of school and Geneseo placed #82 in the "larger universities" category).[3]
Geneseo's most recent recognition has come in the New York Times. In July 2006, the Times profiled 20 colleges and universities of "established or rising scholarship" which are fast becoming viable alternatives to Ivy League institutions. In addition to its characterization of Geneseo as one of this country's "hidden gems," the Times noted that the college is "increasingly seen as a first choice for high achievers" and further observed that as the "most selective of SUNY's comprehensive colleges", Geneseo is fast becoming New York's alternative for students who "didn't get into or chose not to go to the Ivies".[4][3]
Geneseo has joined 270 colleges and universities in the nation with chapters of the oldest academic honor society in the United States, Phi Beta Kappa.[6] SUNY's four university ''centers'' in Buffalo, Binghamton, Albany, and Stony Brook already had chapters; Geneseo's establishment of a chapter is significant because it was the first (and is currently the only) of New York's thirteen state university ''colleges'' to have received the honor.[3]
The inaugural ΦΒΚ class was inducted to Geneseo's Alpha-Gamma of New York chapter in April 2004.
All "SUNY schools" are actually a part of the same university system, the State University of New York. Despite this fact, different schools are radically different in character, program, quality, and prestige. SUNY, however, does not overtly rank its different schools. The lack of such an official ranking has resulted in contention between students and alumni of the different schools as to which is the "top" school at which one can earn a four year baccalaureate degree. Ultimately, this is difficult, if not impossible, to decide because of the difference between a research university (like the University at Buffalo) and a liberal arts college (like SUNY Geneseo or SUNY Fredonia). Of all of the schools in the system, SUNY Geneseo and Binghamton University consistently rank the highest in national publications. In the 2006 Kiplinger's report, for example, Geneseo and Binghamton University were both in the top 10 of the national 100 Public College Values list. These two schools cannot easily be compared head to head in academic rankings because of their categorical difference. Binghamton is a doctoral-granting university and is ranked among like peers, and Geneseo is a master's-granting college.
Geneseo refers to itself as the "honors college" of the State University of New York, and is lobbying the SUNY system to be officially recognized as such. With the recent visit of SUNY Provost Rita Palm on April 25, 2007 it appears that after more than a decade of cooperative discussion with SUNY officials, Geneseo is finally poised to turn this de facto catchphrase into an official designation.[8] The "honors college" distinction denotes a small liberal arts college with highly selective admissions, small class sizes, and student centered teaching faculty and courses. The strengths of research universities are different, typically highlighting strong research agendas, publishing faculty, and larger size. Therefore, prospective students or interested parties seeking "the top" SUNY school should consider both national rankings and the type of institutional experience they are searching for, or value most.
SUNY Geneseo is located on the east side of the Genesee Valley which gives the campus spectacular views and often remarkable sunsets. Letchworth State Park, sometimes known as the "Grand Canyon of the East" is located just five miles west of campus. The rural area and rolling countryside provide a serene, safe setting for a college community. Of the approximately 5,000 full time residents in Geneseo, some 70% work at, or are in some way affiliated with the College, making Geneseo truly a "college town."
The Campus is divided between the Academic Quad, "North Side" and "South Side," with all academic buildings contained within the Academic Quad. South Side has five residence halls and a dining hall. The South Side complex was designed by architect Edgar Tafel, one-time apprentice to Frank Lloyd Wright. Tafel also designed the Brodie Building, home of the School of the Arts on the Academic Quad. Additionally, 45 on campus townhouses, known as Saratoga Terrace, provide a connective corridor between South Side and the Academic Quad. The North Side contains ten residence halls, two dining halls and the Lauderdale Health Center. The Academic Quad comprised of the Upper and Lower Campuses contains all academic buildings, the College Union, Merritt Athletic Center, Wadsworth Auditorium and the Milne Library that provides amazing views of the Genesee valley.
In 2003, the college began the largest single capital improvement project in the history of the SUNY system. The Center for Excellence in Science (pictured right) is a 105,000 square foot, $32 million building equipped with a nuclear accelerator. The Center is slated to open in the Fall of 2006. On the new building's opening, Greene Hall (a science building constructed in 1970) will be shut down and completely renovated at a cost of $20 million. When the entire project is finished, the two buildings will be connected as one $52 million Integrated Science Facility, and Geneseo will boast one of the finest science centers of all undergraduate liberal arts colleges in the nation.
One of the main attractions of SUNY Geneseo's campus beside the breathtaking views of the valley is the stunning architecture of many of the older buildings. The James B. Welles building was constructed in 1932 and is the oldest building on campus with beautiful arches and gables and broad-leaf collegiate ivy draping its stone and brick facade. Formerly known as the Winfield Holcomb School, it served as the laboratory school for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. It now houses the departments of Philosophy, Political Science, Foreign Language, and English. The James V. Sturges building [pictured here [1], the central clock tower of the main Sturges Quad is Geneseo's signature building and contains the Alumni Carillon which chimes on the hour and plays songs at various times during the day. Constructed in 1938 it formerly served as the administration building and now contains the offices of the History, Psychology, Anthropology, Speech Pathology, and Sociology departments. Sturges also holds classrooms and laboratories as well as the Geneseo Speech and Hearing Clinic. Wadsworth Auditorium, [pictured here [2] is also one of the oldest buildings on campus.
East of the Academic Quad up a slight hill is Geneseo's Main street that compliments the quaint campus with a variety of shops, restaurants and bars that some of the students frequent throughout the week. Beyond Main Street is the quiet village of Geneseo marked by English architecture, well kept mansions, fraternity and sorority houses and an old church.
In September 2006, ''The Lamron'' reported that SUNY Geneseo plans to acquire and refurbish Doty Hall, one of its former buildings, and to demolish a currently underutilized structure, the Holcomb Campus School, in order to build an open air, artificial turf athletic stadium.
''The Lamron'' reports that SUNY Geneseo will acquire Doty Hall and update its electrical and plumbing systems, as well as modernizing the new workspace. SUNY Geneseo will be collaborating with the building's current tenants, the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, who will maintain their center on the building's first floor. SUNY Geneseo will move its Office of Admissions into the building as part of a new, more visible college welcome center. Then the Center for International Students, the Hearing and Speech Clinic, and the Department of Communicative Disorders and Science will all move into Doty. These moves will free up space in Sturges Hall and Erwin Hall, and reconnects a highly visible plot of land with the campus.
In addition to providing a turf playing field for Geneseo's soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse programs, Commencement will be held there as well, eliminating the cost and hassle of annually erecting a temporary stadium in the B lot parking area.[9]
Geneseo's students celebrate many longstanding traditions and campus legends. ''Geneseoana'' refers to anything related to Geneseo's unique traditions, legends, and lore.
Just off campus, in the center of Main Street in Geneseo sits the famous Bronze Bear statue. School legend has it that if a virgin ever graduates from Geneseo, the bear will come down off of the fountain and run away, never to be seen again. "The Bear" also plays host to any number of spontaneous decorations and pranks throughout the academic year. A story also circulates that one of the wealthy Wadsworth daughters saw the bear fountain in a small town in Germany, fell in love with it, bought it, and sent it back to Geneseo in the early 19th century. This story is unverified, but an excerpt from a history of the family that settled the valley implies that this is not true, and that the fountain was designed and built for its current location: "[Main Street] is still dominated by a drinking fountain for horses dedicated to Mrs. Emmeline Austin Wadsworth. For some obscure reason its designer placed a short pole in its center on top of which sits a cunning little iron bear, who is generally known as 'Aunt Emmeline'".[10]
In the Sturges quad, students from different Greek organizations, sports teams, and clubs sneak about late at night to paint advertisements, boasts, and shout-outs onto the "painted tree" or "Greek tree" [3]. There are so many layers of paint on the tree that the original contours of the bark and trunk are obscured. Despite the years of paint, the tree continues to grow and produce leaves. The exact date when this practice began is unknown, but alumni report that it began sporadically during the 1950s and became regular practice in the mid to late 1960s.
Also in the Sturges quad is the famous "Seuss Spruce," so called because it looks like a Dr. Seuss illustration. It is said that the tree's shape was due to being weighed down by ice and snow during a particularly tough winter, and now the tree simply grows in a crooked and slightly spiral shape. Adding to the Seussian quality of the tree is the fact that the bottom branches "fan out" along the ground.
Sunsets on campus are also legendary, so much so that students and alumni say the sunset at Geneseo was once ranked by National Geographic Magazine as one of the top ten in the world. This claim has been verified as false, but lives on in campus lore. Just off the Sturges Quad there is a Gazebo providing panoramic views of the Genesee Valley and its sunsets. As is tradition on many college campuses, it is said that a couple who kisses in the Gazebo at sunset is destined to be engaged and later wed.
In recent years, Men's Ice Hockey games in the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena have become major campus events drawing sell-out crowds of students and community members. A pep band has been formed and student groups often offer promotions, such as handing out noise makers to the capacity crowds.
The lyrics to the school song, sung at convocation, commencement, and other formal events are as follows:[11]
Shine the sun down on her halls of wisdom, where memories linger and our thoughts remain
Sing her praises out across the valley, that echoes our refrain:
Geneseo! Geneseo! send us on our way
Geneseo! Geneseo! with our life's work we'll repay.
An older and longer version of the Alma Mater from a 1929 student handbook has three verses and a chorus:
The Geneseo college seal, featured in the infobox above, was unveiled in July 1968. According the college's office of publications, the seal is a visual representation of the college's location and mission: "The circular design features a flame from the torch of knowledge surrounded by leaves symbolic of the bucolic setting of SUNY Geneseo and its growth. Both are atop waves symbolizing the historic Genesee River."
In 1986, the college designed a logo to "provide the College with an identity mark that was more readily identifiable than the College Seal and was not meant to replace the College Seal." Again drawing on the college's unique surroundings, "the graphic underneath the word 'Geneseo' symbolizes the rolling and rural character of the surrounding Genesee Valley." The typeface used in this logo, and in many other college publications, is ''Galliard''.[13]
Geneseo students participate in a wide range of diverse organizations and activities, including an independent student newspaper published since 1922, a nationally competitive Federal Reserve Challenge team, local and national Greek chapters, and WGSU, a federally-licensed radio station. See the list of Geneseo student organizations for more.
★ Al "Buzzo" Bruno, musician, local legend, and owner of Buzzo's music store on Main Street.[8]
★ Glenn Gordon Caron '75, executive producer of TV series "Medium" and "Moonlighting"
★ David Cohen, Esq. '77, Chief of Legal Operations in Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
★ Brian L. DeMarco '96, Assistant Professor of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. DeMarco's research into a new state of matter won Science Magazine's distinction as one of the top ten scientific discoveries of 1999.[15]
★ Greg Fox (author) '83, artist/writer of nationally syndicated comic strip Kyle's Bed & Breakfast.
★ Robert Lowell Goller, '98, Aurora Town Historian, East Aurora, NY
★ Andrew D. Hamingson ’90, managing director of the off-broadway Atlantic Theater Company in New York City.
★ Richard C. Harrington '82, artist, illustrator, sculptor, noted painter of the Genessee River Valley and other beautiful landscapes.
★ Norma Holland '97, news anchor, WHAM-TV13, Rochester, NY
★ Gregg "Opie" Hughes, of shock radio pair Opie and Anthony
★ Jack Karako '78, History and Political Science, SE Regional Director, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
★ Leslie Loomis '82, Economics, Accountant for CompUCard, the first company indicted for investor fraud.
★ Chelsea Noble '87, (formerly Nancy Mueller), actress, married to Growing Pains co-star Kirk Cameron
★ William Sadler, Actor best known for his roles in ''The Shawshank Redemption'' and ''Roswell''
★ Roger Sadowsky, Luthier, founder, Sadowsky Guitars[16]
★ Curt Smith (author) '73, author, broadcaster, presidential speech writer
★ Chet Walker, WHAM-AM morning drive radio host
★ Katherine Whipple '03, contestant on Mark Cuban's short-lived ABC reality show, ''The Benefactor''.[3]
★ Bill Cook and Ron Herzman, Distinguished Teaching Professors of History and English, respectively.
★ Stephen F. West, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Mathematics.
★ Rita K. Gollin, Distinguished Professor Emerita of English.
★ Walter Harding, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English, deceased.
★ Carol Harter, served as Geneseo's eleventh president, before assuming the presidency of UNLV from 1995-2006.
★ Rudy Rucker, Professor of Mathematics from 1972–1978, author of mathematical science fiction novels, such as the novel ''White Light'', which is set in Geneseo, and the ''Ware Tetralogy''. He is considered a founder of the cyberpunk literary movement and developed the concept of transrealism.
Geneseo's athletic program is part of the NCAA Division III. They are a member of the State University of New York Athletic Conference. Geneseo has 15 varsity sports programs including basketball (men's and women's), cross country (M, W), equestrian (W), field hockey (W), ice hockey (M), lacrosse (M, W), soccer (M, W), softball (W), swimming (M, W), tennis (W), track (M, W), and volleyball (W).
Although they are not NCAA programs, Geneseo also has several very competitive club sports teams that compete in intercollegiate play. These include rowing (M, W), rugby (M, W), baseball (M), water polo (M, W), volleyball (M), tennis (M), fencing, ultimate frisbee, and cheerleading.
There are also many intramural sport offerings, including the perennial college classic, broomball.
In 2005, the Geneseo Women's Cross Country team won the NCAA Division III Championship. It was the school's first NCAA championship. In 2005, the school was ranked #10 among all Division III schools for the overall win/loss record of its sports teams.
In the 2004-2005 season, the Geneseo Men's ice hockey team won the SUNYAC conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament, but lost in the first round of play to Trinity College. In 2005-2006 they repeated their success, claiming the SUNYAC Championship again. Their NCAA Tournament success was again limited, however, losing in the first round to the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth.
In 2001, the Women's Varsity 4+ (of the Women's Rowing Team) won the gold medal in their event at the 1st Annual SUNY Regatta.
★ SUNY Geneseo – official website
★ Geneseo Athletics
★ The Lamron
★ WGSU
★ GSTV
★ Student Association (Student Government)
1. Expanding the Experience, 2006 Report of the President and Honor Roll of Donors
2. Freshmen Selection Criteria
3.
4. Off the beaten path
5.
6. Chapter Chronology
7.
8.
9. College plans to raze Holcomb for new stadium, reacquire Doty.
10. The Wadsworths of the Genesee, , Alden, Hatch, Coward-McCann, ,
11. Geneseo Alma Mater
12. ''Student Cooperative Government'', Geneseo State Normal School, 1929
13. Graphic Standards
14.
15. Brian L. DeMarco
16. Welcome from Roger Sadowsky
17.
The 'State University of New York at Geneseo'—also known as 'SUNY Geneseo' or, colloquially, 'Geneseo State University'—is located in Geneseo, Livingston County, New York. It is a constituent college of the State University of New York. The school was founded as the 'Wadsworth Normal and Training School', in 1871, and became a state liberal arts college in 1948. It is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges.
Academics
Milne Library.
Geneseo is classified as a four-year public liberal arts college. Geneseo has 48 undergraduate majors, six graduate programs (Master's only), and 25 interdisciplinary minors. Of these, Business Administration, Biology, Communication, Education, Political Science and Psychology are the most popular majors.
The student population is approximately 5,100, with a student/faculty ratio of 17:1 and an average class size of 25. Nearly 90% of Geneseo's full time faculty holds a Ph.D. or other terminal degree. Geneseo ranks number one in the nation for four-year graduation rates among comprehensive colleges and is currently tied for highest freshman retention rate in the SUNY system.
The humanities and core
One of the differentiating hallmarks of SUNY Geneseo's curriculum is the requirement that each student take two 4 credit survey courses in western humanities, in addition to a wide distribution of arts and sciences core courses. "Humn 1" and "Humn 2", as they are called, are taught by faculty members from various departments. Individual course syllabi share many historical, philosophical, and literary texts with other courses creating a common knowledge base within the undergraduate student body. A distribution of core courses in the humanities, languages, and sciences further ensures that Geneseo students are well versed in the liberal arts tradition of education.
Study abroad
25% of Geneseo's students participate in study abroad programs, either through the College or the SUNY system. One of Geneseo's most popular study abroad programs is its offering of Humanities I and II in either Rome, Italy, or Oxford University.
Administration
The current President of the College is Christopher Dahl, who is also a member of the English department faculty. Representative of Geneseo's dedication to undergraduate teaching, Dahl still teaches a course in British Romanticism every other fall semester.
Endowment
SUNY Geneseo's endowment is currently $8 million.[1]
Admissions and statistics
Geneseo is considered a highly selective institution. According to their admissions department, 11,000 students applied to the class of 2011, of which 3720 were accepted.[2] 925 students are expected to enroll. Geneseo's freshman acceptance rate for the class of 2011 was 33.5%, and 25% of the accepted applicants are expected to attend.
For the class of 2011, the middle-50% SAT I of all applicants' scores ranged from 1250–1390; the middle 50% ACT of all applicants' scores ranged from 28–30. (Particular standardized test scores do not reflect the entirety of the class of 2011, since students may opt to take either or both of the tests. Transfer students in the class of 2011 will also not be taken into consideration.)
83% of the applicants to the class of 2011 graduated in the top 20% of their high school class. The middle 50% of applicants for the class of 2011 earned overall grade percentages ranging from 91–95.8% in high school.
National distinction and rankings
In 2006 Kiplinger's Personal Finance listed the college as the number one "Best Value Public College" in the nation for out-of-state students, and number seven in the nation for in-state residents. US News & World Report’s 2005 edition of Guide to America’s Best Colleges: Geneseo is ranked No. 12 in the category “Best Universities-Master’s†for all colleges, public or private, in the northern region. Geneseo is also ranked No. 2 among the top public universities in the north. Geneseo was ranked in the 2005 “Fiske Guide to Colleges,†a guide published annually by former New York Times Education Editor Edward B. Fiske. In the Fiske guide, Geneseo is highlighted as a “Best Buy†school, and is lauded for its academic programs, accessible professors and hometown atmosphere. The Princeton Review profiled Geneseo in the 2005 edition of “The Princeton Review’s Guide to the Best 357 Colleges,†and the college was ranked No. 3 on that publication’s list of “Best Bargains – Public†among all public colleges and universities nationwide.
Geneseo has been regularly profiled in the Princeton Review, Kiplinger's, Fiske, and US News and World Report in annual publications since 1985.
Other national distinctions include recognitions from Money Magazine and Yahoo! Internet Life's 100 "most wired" campuses list (#90 in 1998, #49 in 1999, and in 2000 the list was divided by type of school and Geneseo placed #82 in the "larger universities" category).[3]
Geneseo's most recent recognition has come in the New York Times. In July 2006, the Times profiled 20 colleges and universities of "established or rising scholarship" which are fast becoming viable alternatives to Ivy League institutions. In addition to its characterization of Geneseo as one of this country's "hidden gems," the Times noted that the college is "increasingly seen as a first choice for high achievers" and further observed that as the "most selective of SUNY's comprehensive colleges", Geneseo is fast becoming New York's alternative for students who "didn't get into or chose not to go to the Ivies".[4][3]
Phi Beta Kappa
Geneseo has joined 270 colleges and universities in the nation with chapters of the oldest academic honor society in the United States, Phi Beta Kappa.[6] SUNY's four university ''centers'' in Buffalo, Binghamton, Albany, and Stony Brook already had chapters; Geneseo's establishment of a chapter is significant because it was the first (and is currently the only) of New York's thirteen state university ''colleges'' to have received the honor.[3]
The inaugural ΦΒΚ class was inducted to Geneseo's Alpha-Gamma of New York chapter in April 2004.
SUNY rankings
All "SUNY schools" are actually a part of the same university system, the State University of New York. Despite this fact, different schools are radically different in character, program, quality, and prestige. SUNY, however, does not overtly rank its different schools. The lack of such an official ranking has resulted in contention between students and alumni of the different schools as to which is the "top" school at which one can earn a four year baccalaureate degree. Ultimately, this is difficult, if not impossible, to decide because of the difference between a research university (like the University at Buffalo) and a liberal arts college (like SUNY Geneseo or SUNY Fredonia). Of all of the schools in the system, SUNY Geneseo and Binghamton University consistently rank the highest in national publications. In the 2006 Kiplinger's report, for example, Geneseo and Binghamton University were both in the top 10 of the national 100 Public College Values list. These two schools cannot easily be compared head to head in academic rankings because of their categorical difference. Binghamton is a doctoral-granting university and is ranked among like peers, and Geneseo is a master's-granting college.
Geneseo refers to itself as the "honors college" of the State University of New York, and is lobbying the SUNY system to be officially recognized as such. With the recent visit of SUNY Provost Rita Palm on April 25, 2007 it appears that after more than a decade of cooperative discussion with SUNY officials, Geneseo is finally poised to turn this de facto catchphrase into an official designation.[8] The "honors college" distinction denotes a small liberal arts college with highly selective admissions, small class sizes, and student centered teaching faculty and courses. The strengths of research universities are different, typically highlighting strong research agendas, publishing faculty, and larger size. Therefore, prospective students or interested parties seeking "the top" SUNY school should consider both national rankings and the type of institutional experience they are searching for, or value most.
The campus
James B. Welles Hall
Sturges Hall is Geneseo's landmark building, featuring a clocktower and carillon.
Geneseo's new Integrated Science Center, shown here under construction. In the foreground is the college green.
SUNY Geneseo is located on the east side of the Genesee Valley which gives the campus spectacular views and often remarkable sunsets. Letchworth State Park, sometimes known as the "Grand Canyon of the East" is located just five miles west of campus. The rural area and rolling countryside provide a serene, safe setting for a college community. Of the approximately 5,000 full time residents in Geneseo, some 70% work at, or are in some way affiliated with the College, making Geneseo truly a "college town."
The Campus is divided between the Academic Quad, "North Side" and "South Side," with all academic buildings contained within the Academic Quad. South Side has five residence halls and a dining hall. The South Side complex was designed by architect Edgar Tafel, one-time apprentice to Frank Lloyd Wright. Tafel also designed the Brodie Building, home of the School of the Arts on the Academic Quad. Additionally, 45 on campus townhouses, known as Saratoga Terrace, provide a connective corridor between South Side and the Academic Quad. The North Side contains ten residence halls, two dining halls and the Lauderdale Health Center. The Academic Quad comprised of the Upper and Lower Campuses contains all academic buildings, the College Union, Merritt Athletic Center, Wadsworth Auditorium and the Milne Library that provides amazing views of the Genesee valley.
In 2003, the college began the largest single capital improvement project in the history of the SUNY system. The Center for Excellence in Science (pictured right) is a 105,000 square foot, $32 million building equipped with a nuclear accelerator. The Center is slated to open in the Fall of 2006. On the new building's opening, Greene Hall (a science building constructed in 1970) will be shut down and completely renovated at a cost of $20 million. When the entire project is finished, the two buildings will be connected as one $52 million Integrated Science Facility, and Geneseo will boast one of the finest science centers of all undergraduate liberal arts colleges in the nation.
One of the main attractions of SUNY Geneseo's campus beside the breathtaking views of the valley is the stunning architecture of many of the older buildings. The James B. Welles building was constructed in 1932 and is the oldest building on campus with beautiful arches and gables and broad-leaf collegiate ivy draping its stone and brick facade. Formerly known as the Winfield Holcomb School, it served as the laboratory school for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. It now houses the departments of Philosophy, Political Science, Foreign Language, and English. The James V. Sturges building [pictured here [1], the central clock tower of the main Sturges Quad is Geneseo's signature building and contains the Alumni Carillon which chimes on the hour and plays songs at various times during the day. Constructed in 1938 it formerly served as the administration building and now contains the offices of the History, Psychology, Anthropology, Speech Pathology, and Sociology departments. Sturges also holds classrooms and laboratories as well as the Geneseo Speech and Hearing Clinic. Wadsworth Auditorium, [pictured here [2] is also one of the oldest buildings on campus.
East of the Academic Quad up a slight hill is Geneseo's Main street that compliments the quaint campus with a variety of shops, restaurants and bars that some of the students frequent throughout the week. Beyond Main Street is the quiet village of Geneseo marked by English architecture, well kept mansions, fraternity and sorority houses and an old church.
Planned expansion
Doty Hall
Sketch for an atheltics stadium that has been released from the Geneseo Athletics Master Plan. Although this sketch likely represents the size of the planned stadium, it does not appear to be drawn situated on the designated Holcomb site.
In September 2006, ''The Lamron'' reported that SUNY Geneseo plans to acquire and refurbish Doty Hall, one of its former buildings, and to demolish a currently underutilized structure, the Holcomb Campus School, in order to build an open air, artificial turf athletic stadium.
''The Lamron'' reports that SUNY Geneseo will acquire Doty Hall and update its electrical and plumbing systems, as well as modernizing the new workspace. SUNY Geneseo will be collaborating with the building's current tenants, the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, who will maintain their center on the building's first floor. SUNY Geneseo will move its Office of Admissions into the building as part of a new, more visible college welcome center. Then the Center for International Students, the Hearing and Speech Clinic, and the Department of Communicative Disorders and Science will all move into Doty. These moves will free up space in Sturges Hall and Erwin Hall, and reconnects a highly visible plot of land with the campus.
In addition to providing a turf playing field for Geneseo's soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse programs, Commencement will be held there as well, eliminating the cost and hassle of annually erecting a temporary stadium in the B lot parking area.[9]
Traditions and Geneseoana
Geneseo's students celebrate many longstanding traditions and campus legends. ''Geneseoana'' refers to anything related to Geneseo's unique traditions, legends, and lore.
The Bronze Bear
The Bronze Bear Fountain is on Main Street.
Just off campus, in the center of Main Street in Geneseo sits the famous Bronze Bear statue. School legend has it that if a virgin ever graduates from Geneseo, the bear will come down off of the fountain and run away, never to be seen again. "The Bear" also plays host to any number of spontaneous decorations and pranks throughout the academic year. A story also circulates that one of the wealthy Wadsworth daughters saw the bear fountain in a small town in Germany, fell in love with it, bought it, and sent it back to Geneseo in the early 19th century. This story is unverified, but an excerpt from a history of the family that settled the valley implies that this is not true, and that the fountain was designed and built for its current location: "[Main Street] is still dominated by a drinking fountain for horses dedicated to Mrs. Emmeline Austin Wadsworth. For some obscure reason its designer placed a short pole in its center on top of which sits a cunning little iron bear, who is generally known as 'Aunt Emmeline'".[10]
The Painted Tree
In the Sturges quad, students from different Greek organizations, sports teams, and clubs sneak about late at night to paint advertisements, boasts, and shout-outs onto the "painted tree" or "Greek tree" [3]. There are so many layers of paint on the tree that the original contours of the bark and trunk are obscured. Despite the years of paint, the tree continues to grow and produce leaves. The exact date when this practice began is unknown, but alumni report that it began sporadically during the 1950s and became regular practice in the mid to late 1960s.
"The Seuss Spruce" on the Sturges Quad; the painted tree can be seen in the background.
A Geneseo Ice Knights hockey game at the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena.
The Seuss Spruce
Also in the Sturges quad is the famous "Seuss Spruce," so called because it looks like a Dr. Seuss illustration. It is said that the tree's shape was due to being weighed down by ice and snow during a particularly tough winter, and now the tree simply grows in a crooked and slightly spiral shape. Adding to the Seussian quality of the tree is the fact that the bottom branches "fan out" along the ground.
Sunsets
Sunsets on campus are also legendary, so much so that students and alumni say the sunset at Geneseo was once ranked by National Geographic Magazine as one of the top ten in the world. This claim has been verified as false, but lives on in campus lore. Just off the Sturges Quad there is a Gazebo providing panoramic views of the Genesee Valley and its sunsets. As is tradition on many college campuses, it is said that a couple who kisses in the Gazebo at sunset is destined to be engaged and later wed.
Ice hockey games
In recent years, Men's Ice Hockey games in the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena have become major campus events drawing sell-out crowds of students and community members. A pep band has been formed and student groups often offer promotions, such as handing out noise makers to the capacity crowds.
Alma mater
The lyrics to the school song, sung at convocation, commencement, and other formal events are as follows:[11]
Shine the sun down on her halls of wisdom, where memories linger and our thoughts remain
Sing her praises out across the valley, that echoes our refrain:
Geneseo! Geneseo! send us on our way
Geneseo! Geneseo! with our life's work we'll repay.
An older and longer version of the Alma Mater from a 1929 student handbook has three verses and a chorus:
- ''Proudly it stands on the hillside so firm, with its banners floating on high.''
''The finest Normal in the land, for you we'll do or die.''
Chorus:
''Then cheer for Alma Mater, our foster mother dear.''
''May her sons and daughters ever, love her from year to year.''
''May they her memory cherish--in duty never fail,''
''Nor let her honor perish. To Geneseo all hail!''
- ''Let us strive to all our standards raise in sport and studies too.''
''Show all the world we're fighting clean, in all that we may do.''
- ''Others may cheer for their orange and black, or to other colors be true.''
''But we shall ever hold out love, for you our white and blue.''[12]
College seal and logotype
The Geneseo college seal, featured in the infobox above, was unveiled in July 1968. According the college's office of publications, the seal is a visual representation of the college's location and mission: "The circular design features a flame from the torch of knowledge surrounded by leaves symbolic of the bucolic setting of SUNY Geneseo and its growth. Both are atop waves symbolizing the historic Genesee River."
In 1986, the college designed a logo to "provide the College with an identity mark that was more readily identifiable than the College Seal and was not meant to replace the College Seal." Again drawing on the college's unique surroundings, "the graphic underneath the word 'Geneseo' symbolizes the rolling and rural character of the surrounding Genesee Valley." The typeface used in this logo, and in many other college publications, is ''Galliard''.[13]
Student organizations
Geneseo students participate in a wide range of diverse organizations and activities, including an independent student newspaper published since 1922, a nationally competitive Federal Reserve Challenge team, local and national Greek chapters, and WGSU, a federally-licensed radio station. See the list of Geneseo student organizations for more.
Notable alumni and faculty
Alumni
★ Al "Buzzo" Bruno, musician, local legend, and owner of Buzzo's music store on Main Street.[8]
★ Glenn Gordon Caron '75, executive producer of TV series "Medium" and "Moonlighting"
★ David Cohen, Esq. '77, Chief of Legal Operations in Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
★ Brian L. DeMarco '96, Assistant Professor of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. DeMarco's research into a new state of matter won Science Magazine's distinction as one of the top ten scientific discoveries of 1999.[15]
★ Greg Fox (author) '83, artist/writer of nationally syndicated comic strip Kyle's Bed & Breakfast.
★ Robert Lowell Goller, '98, Aurora Town Historian, East Aurora, NY
★ Andrew D. Hamingson ’90, managing director of the off-broadway Atlantic Theater Company in New York City.
★ Richard C. Harrington '82, artist, illustrator, sculptor, noted painter of the Genessee River Valley and other beautiful landscapes.
★ Norma Holland '97, news anchor, WHAM-TV13, Rochester, NY
★ Gregg "Opie" Hughes, of shock radio pair Opie and Anthony
★ Jack Karako '78, History and Political Science, SE Regional Director, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
★ Leslie Loomis '82, Economics, Accountant for CompUCard, the first company indicted for investor fraud.
★ Chelsea Noble '87, (formerly Nancy Mueller), actress, married to Growing Pains co-star Kirk Cameron
★ William Sadler, Actor best known for his roles in ''The Shawshank Redemption'' and ''Roswell''
★ Roger Sadowsky, Luthier, founder, Sadowsky Guitars[16]
★ Curt Smith (author) '73, author, broadcaster, presidential speech writer
★ Chet Walker, WHAM-AM morning drive radio host
★ Katherine Whipple '03, contestant on Mark Cuban's short-lived ABC reality show, ''The Benefactor''.[3]
Faculty
★ Bill Cook and Ron Herzman, Distinguished Teaching Professors of History and English, respectively.
★ Stephen F. West, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Mathematics.
★ Rita K. Gollin, Distinguished Professor Emerita of English.
★ Walter Harding, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English, deceased.
★ Carol Harter, served as Geneseo's eleventh president, before assuming the presidency of UNLV from 1995-2006.
★ Rudy Rucker, Professor of Mathematics from 1972–1978, author of mathematical science fiction novels, such as the novel ''White Light'', which is set in Geneseo, and the ''Ware Tetralogy''. He is considered a founder of the cyberpunk literary movement and developed the concept of transrealism.
Athletics
Teams and programs
Geneseo's athletic program is part of the NCAA Division III. They are a member of the State University of New York Athletic Conference. Geneseo has 15 varsity sports programs including basketball (men's and women's), cross country (M, W), equestrian (W), field hockey (W), ice hockey (M), lacrosse (M, W), soccer (M, W), softball (W), swimming (M, W), tennis (W), track (M, W), and volleyball (W).
Although they are not NCAA programs, Geneseo also has several very competitive club sports teams that compete in intercollegiate play. These include rowing (M, W), rugby (M, W), baseball (M), water polo (M, W), volleyball (M), tennis (M), fencing, ultimate frisbee, and cheerleading.
There are also many intramural sport offerings, including the perennial college classic, broomball.
Athletics highlights
In 2005, the Geneseo Women's Cross Country team won the NCAA Division III Championship. It was the school's first NCAA championship. In 2005, the school was ranked #10 among all Division III schools for the overall win/loss record of its sports teams.
In the 2004-2005 season, the Geneseo Men's ice hockey team won the SUNYAC conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament, but lost in the first round of play to Trinity College. In 2005-2006 they repeated their success, claiming the SUNYAC Championship again. Their NCAA Tournament success was again limited, however, losing in the first round to the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth.
In 2001, the Women's Varsity 4+ (of the Women's Rowing Team) won the gold medal in their event at the 1st Annual SUNY Regatta.
External links
★ SUNY Geneseo – official website
★ Geneseo Athletics
★ The Lamron
★ WGSU
★ GSTV
★ Student Association (Student Government)
References
1. Expanding the Experience, 2006 Report of the President and Honor Roll of Donors
2. Freshmen Selection Criteria
3.
4. Off the beaten path
5.
6. Chapter Chronology
7.
8.
9. College plans to raze Holcomb for new stadium, reacquire Doty.
10. The Wadsworths of the Genesee, , Alden, Hatch, Coward-McCann, ,
11. Geneseo Alma Mater
12. ''Student Cooperative Government'', Geneseo State Normal School, 1929
13. Graphic Standards
14.
15. Brian L. DeMarco
16. Welcome from Roger Sadowsky
17.
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