SUNYIT History

Established by the SUNY Board of Trustees in 1966, “Upper Division College at Herkimer-Rome-Utica” began offering graduate education classes to 300 students in 1969 using classrooms at West Frankfort Elementary School. In May 1971, the college began operating in the former Globe Mill building in West Utica. The former mill was gradually remodeled into classrooms, offices, and a library.

In 1973, the college was granted authority to offer bachelor’s degree programs; the first 58 full-time undergraduates began attending classes in the fall. With growing enrollment, the institution leased three additional buildings in West Utica and one in Rome, and adopted a new name in 1977: the State University of New York College of Technology at Utica-Rome.

In 1981, groundbreaking ceremonies were held in Marcy for the new campus. The first building, Kunsela Hall, was completed in 1984, and the college operated two campuses during a transitional period. In the 1987 fall semester, entering students attended all classes at the new campus; in 1988-89, the college name was changed to the “State University of New York Institute of Technology at Utica-Rome.” Other buildings followed: Donovan Hall, the Campus Center, a service building, and two residential complexes; Adirondack Residence Hall opened in 1991, Mohawk Residence Hall opened in 1996.

The newest addition to the campus, the $14 million Cayan Library, was dedicated in 2003. Four additional buildings are planned: a $13.6 million student center, $20 million field house, $27.5 million advanced technology center, and $23.5 million residence hall; a groundbreaking ceremony for the student center was held in October 2008.

Building on its undergraduate and graduate degree programs in technology, professional studies, and the liberal arts, SUNYIT continued to expand its academic offerings. In 2003, SUNYIT launched the region’s first Master of Business Administration in Technology Management program, and has since added additional programs in criminal justice and electrical engineering (in cooperation with Binghamton University), as well as a second MBA, in health services management. In 2003, SUNYIT accepted its first class of freshmen; the first class was graduated in May 2007, completing SUNYIT’s transition from transfer institution to four-year college.