Now Available: SUNY at 60: The Promise of the State University of New York

Albany – The State University of New York today announced that the book marking its 60-year anniversary was recently published and is now available in hard cover, paper back and electronic versions. The book was published by SUNY Press and is available here.

 “SUNY at 60: The Promise of the State University of New York is a tour de force celebration of SUNY’s origins, legacy, and value for all New Yorkers,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “Offering meticulously researched and accessible glimpses of the fascinating past and present of the State University of New York, this book is indispensable reading for policymakers, lawmakers, and, indeed, every campus and family who are stakeholders in the future of our magnificent system of higher education.

“SUNY was born, in large measure, of a movement to end discrimination and provide equal educational opportunities to all; this mandate to offer high quality, accessible, affordable higher education to all New Yorkers—and others around the nation and the world—remains central to SUNY’s mission today. As our comprehensive strategic planning process unfolds the next chapters in SUNY’s history, as SUNY plays an increasingly pivotal role in New York’s economic recovery, SUNY at 60 provides an essential foundation for understanding and creating that exciting future.”

The book is the product of a scholarly conference that was held in the spring of 2009 and brought together distinguished scholars from across the country who presented on a number of topics such as the creation of SUNY in the state and national context; accessibility, quality education, diversity and educational equity at SUNY; and SUNY as an economic engine for the state of New York.

SUNY at Sixty: The Promise of the State University of New York (SUNY Press; February 2010), offers an in-depth look at SUNY’s history, political landscape, evolving mission, institutional variety, international partnerships, leadership, and much more. It also examines the accomplishments and potential of SUNY from a variety of perspectives.

The proceedings are edited by John B. Clark, a former interim chancellor of the system, and W. Bruce Leslie and Kenneth P. O’Brien, two SUNY history professors. With a foreword by the current chancellor, and contributions from a range of SUNY-affiliated staff and professors, both past and present, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in the problems and promise of public higher education in New York State and across the nation.

About the State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating nearly 465,000 students in 7,669 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu 

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