President Samuel Stanley gave his State of the University Address yesterday at the Staller Center, where he focused most of it on new and distinguished faculty and campus renovation projects.
Stony Brook received more than 34,000 applicants and enrolled 25,272 students this semester, “our biggest enrollment we’ve ever had,” Stanley said. “Yet the quality is the highest it’s ever been among our undergraduates, both in terms of their SAT and their GPA.”
At the core of his speech was the fact that Stony Brook students work incredibly hard and need proper facilities to succeed. The new computer science building was his first example of the steps the University is taking to build a more conducive work environment.
For buildings like the Student Union, the University has received 19 million dollars to begin renovations. Stanley also mentioned the new housing complex that is currently being built on Toll drive.“Tthe building will hold 750 beds” to ease the pressures of the 10,000 students on campus, Stanley said.
One of the larger announcements Stanley made was the plan to renovate the Melville Library.
“We can do better,” Stanley exclaimed as he motioned toward a photo of mismatched tables and chairs in the library’s north reading room. “Students need a more collaborative space, and as I’ve heard many times, outlets. Lots of outlets,” Stanley said.
Stanley confirmed over the roar of applause that the project would begin over Christmas break and be completed by next year.
Ending his speech, Stanley proposed a plan to make Stony Brook one of New York’s top 20 public universities, part of which included increasing sponsored research and raising the four-year graduation rate. “Currently about 51% of Stony Brook students graduate within four years,” Stanley said as he explained that the university’s need for students to graduate in four years. To close, Stanley told the audience to “be our ambassadors” and spread the word of Stony Brook’s recent achievements and of what is yet to come.
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