Buffalo and Stony Brook designated SUNY flagships

[UAalum72]

From the TU on this year's budget https://www.timesunion.com/business/article/UAlbany-gets-75-million-from-state-budget-for-17073172.php?utm_campaign=CMS Sharing Tools (Premium)&utm_source=share-by-email&utm_medium=email

ALBANY - The University at Albany's $200 million artificial intelligence initiative is taking off, funded with $75 million from the state's new $220 billion budget.

UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez said the money for what UAlbany calls its Albany AI Supercomputing Initiative, or Albany AI, will be "transformational" to the university as well as the Capital Region economy.

"UAlbany is uniquely positioned to leverage this computing power to tackle some of society’s biggest challenges, from post-pandemic health data analytics to K-12 education, robotic surgery, predicting severe weather associated with climate change and developing AI systems worthy of human trust," Rodríguez said in a statement. 

The Times Union recently wrote about the Albany AI Supercomputing Initiative and the efforts of UAlbany's new director of research and economic development Thenkurussi "Kesh" Kesavadas to make it happen.

The $200 million project would include creating a supercomputing center and adding AI, or artificial intelligence, to the curriculum of even first-year students.

In his statement, Rodríguez praised Gov. Kathy Hochul and local members of the state Legislature for passing the budget that included the $75 million.

He also said that the AI initiative would benefit from Hochul's plan to take SUNY Polytechnic Institute's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and put it back under UAlbany where it was started.

CNSE, as the college is known, is involved in teaching computer chip manufacturing. Next-generation chips and supercomputers are what's needed to power the AI revolution in which devices take the place of humans in gathering data and making decisions based on that data.

"Together with Albany AI, the proposed reunification of UAlbany and the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering will propel upstate New York to the forefront of next-generation chip design," Rodríguez said.

[dslyank]

4 hours ago, UAalum72 said:

He also said that the AI initiative would benefit from Hochul's plan to take SUNY Polytechnic Institute's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and put it back under UAlbany where it was started.

 

So when & how does this happen??

[dslyank]

From Insider UA Loyalty Society news letter:

UAlbany Ranks in Top 100 Universities Nationally by Washington Monthly

Listed as #63 in the nation, the University is the highest ranked SUNY school, according to the publication, which rates institutions "based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research and promoting public service."   Not sure if this is a new study; but seems to contradict other university rankings that I've seen posted on this board?? Anyhow, I VERY MUCH LIKE THIS ONE.🤩

Edited September 14, 2022 by dslyank

[UAalum72]

1 hour ago, dslyank said:

From Insider UA Loyalty Society news letter:

UAlbany Ranks in Top 100 Universities Nationally by Washington Monthly

Listed as #63 in the nation, the University is the highest ranked SUNY school, according to the publication, which rates institutions "based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research and promoting public service."   Not sure if this is a new study; but seems to contradict other university rankings that I've seen posted on this board?? Anyhow, I VERY MUCH LIKE THIS ONE.🤩

Based on different things from the other rankings, which is usually stuff like endowment, admission selectivity, and student SAT scores and graduation rates

[Michigan_Dane]

https://wibx950.com/albany-plummets-in-national-university-rankings/

 

1) How did UA fall so far behind?

2) I like State Rep Fitzpatrick’s idea of “University of New York”.  Nobody outside New York knows what the hell a SUNY is anyway

Edited September 23, 2022 by Michigan_Dane

[jimbo]

8 hours ago, Michigan_Dane said:

https://wibx950.com/albany-plummets-in-national-university-rankings/

 

1) How did UA fall so far behind?

2) I like State Rep Fitzpatrick’s idea of “University of New York”.  Nobody outside New York knows what the hell a SUNY is anyway

These rating systems are highly subjective as the previous post illustrates. One problem with the renaming idea is that we are stuck with the largest and most influential city in the state having the same name as the state. And there is already New York University which predates SUNY by over a century. The facts are: UB and SBU are more “complete” large universities with professional schools. Bing has surpassed UA in enrollment and both Bing and SBU are more selective. This is where we are. A family member is currently in grad school at UA and very impressed with the program and the quality of the instructors and their connections in the field. So who knows?

Edited September 23, 2022 by jimbo

[dslyank]

On 9/14/2022 at 3:20 PM, dslyank said:

UAlbany Ranks in Top 100 Universities Nationally by Washington Monthly

Listed as #63 in the nation, the University is the highest ranked SUNY school, according to the publication, which rates institutions "based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research and promoting public service."

So what if anything makes the "https://wibx950.com/albany-plummets-in-national-university-rankings/ study anymore relevant/important than the Washington study where ONLY UA out of SUNY was rated in the top 100???????

ps GET NANO back and IMHO UA will rise again to or near the top of SUNY  "rankings".

& what the heck is the hold-up and why aren't local representatives holding Holcol to her word about re-uniting NANO to UA????????????????

Edited September 23, 2022 by dslyank

[reeder]

Most of these rankings are based on graduation rates, reputation and faculty resources.   We have a 58% 4 year graduation rate (we also have lower test scores for admitted students than Buffalo, Binghamton and Stony Brook).

My kids are adults now but I remember the college search process with them.  A lot of the schools came to the conclusion that they need to attract higher performing students to improve their profile / ranking. These are some of the examples that I remember.

1. University of Georgia has a foundation fellowship.  They select 40 top students for each class and they get free tuition, room and board, laptop, administrative assistance, summer opportunities…. These are the kids that do significant research, get national honors and raise the overall university profile.  They take the next 40 students and give them similar support. (Not quite the same level).  So, they get 80 top students every year that they raise the university profile.
2. University of Alabama and many other schools provide free tuition, room and board, special housing and other perks for national merit scholars.  These kids get a lot of benefits - under the Capstone umbrella. As a result, they get top kids from around the country and their academic profile is increased.
3. Northeastern and Vanderbilt significantly increased their focus on SAT scores and became much more selective over the last 10 years.  As a result, their profiles have increased as well as their rankings.  
4. Fordham has struggled in the rankings so they’ve offered Merit scholarships up to full tuition for the top 10% of their students.  Other schools also offered full tuition scholarships to national merit students - I specifically remember Baylor and UAB.
5. Washington University in St. Louis gives full merit scholarships based on test scores.  They do this not only for undergrad but their law school and medical school as well.

I’d like us to be ranked higher but I don’t see any data that warrants a higher ranking.  That said, there are many examples of schools that said rankings are important and made a commitment to raise their rankings.

I don’t know if these schools are doing it the right way or if they’re gaming the system but they wanted to raise their profiles and it’s worked.

[Michigan_Dane]

Many parts of this country have fallen into significant disrepair and UA is no different.  I wouldn’t send any of my 3 girls to UA.  I honestly don’t think it’s worth the tuition.  This institution abandoned meritocracy and embraced all things woke.  The Chinese are laughing at America.  They churn out engineers and we churn out “studies” majors who only know they are owed a living because of their group identity.

 

UA’s rating is appropriately well deserved crap.  The best education is to be found in Asia… even in communist China where meritocracy still means something.  

 

I need a safe space and a lama (and for you to pay my college debt)

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

On 9/23/2022 at 8:17 PM, Michigan_Dane said:

Many parts of this country have fallen into significant disrepair and UA is no different.  I wouldn’t send any of my 3 girls to UA.  I honestly don’t think it’s worth the tuition.  This institution abandoned meritocracy and embraced all things woke.  The Chinese are laughing at America.  They churn out engineers and we churn out “studies” majors who only know they are owed a living because of their group identity.

 

UA’s rating is appropriately well deserved crap.  The best education is to be found in Asia… even in communist China where meritocracy still means something.  

 

I need a safe space and a lama (and for you to pay my college debt)

Please take politics off this board.  And go read on the history of the word woke and what it really means before you throw it around like a slur. 

[Eli]

On 9/23/2022 at 8:17 PM, Michigan_Dane said:

The Chinese are laughing at America.  They churn out engineers and we churn out “studies” majors who only know they are owed a living because of their group identity.

My UA degree is paying off quite handsomely. I make 5-6x what my total tuition cost...so I definitely think, with the right major, UA is a fine education.

That being said, I do generally agree that some of the new 'crop' coming out of US institutions are going to have a tough time making it in the real world.

Edited September 27, 2022 by Eli

[Clickclack]

On 9/23/2022 at 8:17 PM, Michigan_Dane said:

Many parts of this country have fallen into significant disrepair and UA is no different.  I wouldn’t send any of my 3 girls to UA.  I honestly don’t think it’s worth the tuition.  This institution abandoned meritocracy and embraced all things woke.  The Chinese are laughing at America.  They churn out engineers and we churn out “studies” majors who only know they are owed a living because of their group identity.

 

UA’s rating is appropriately well deserved crap.  The best education is to be found in Asia… even in communist China where meritocracy still means something.  

 

I need a safe space and a lama (and for you to pay my college debt)

On point...

[B9j2j6s]

State Universities like UA still produce over 70 percent of the millionaires in this country.  As for the politics it always seems to go in cycles.  I am sure meritocracy will be a point of emphasis again at schools.   It just might take a generation to learn that there is no value in a degree in left handed puppetry or under water basket weaving.  Ultimately it comes down to what you teach your kids.   

Edited October 17, 2022 by B9j2j6s