POTSDAM — SUNY Potsdam will welcome a growing first-year class of 460 new undergraduates this fall, along with growing numbers of transfers and graduate students.

“We are thrilled to welcome students, families, faculty, and staff back to campus. We are counting down the days until we have classes in the Quad, Potsdam Bears fans in the stands, and audiences in our theaters. And we’re excited that we’ll have new academic programs to offer and major construction projects completed. There’s a lot to see and explore at SUNY Potsdam this fall,” said Officer-in-Charge Dr. Philip T. Neisser ’79. 

“We expect our final Fall 2022 enrollment to be even with Fall 2021 – approximately 2,400 students,” said Alexandra Jacobs Wilke, Director of Public Relations. “We are anticipating enrolling more new students this fall (freshmen, transfers and graduate students) compared to last year, but we have smaller junior and senior classes. 

“That’s because we had large incoming classes in 2019 and 2020 just before the pandemic, and as those students are graduating, we don’t expect to be able to recruit as many first-year students to match those numbers, due to changing demographics, increased market competition and ongoing trends in the higher education marketplace,” Wilke said. 

Welcome Weekend 2022 kicks off with move-in day for freshmen and new students on Thursday, Aug. 25. The First-Year Funnel will be at 5 p.m., as faculty, staff and students cheer on the Class of 2026 as they join campus for the first time. The celebrations will continue all weekend, with a play fair, carnival, a Student Union takeover, outdoor games and more.

Classes begin on Monday, Aug. 29.

As students return, they will see updates across campus, said Wilke.

“Final touches are being made to a $21.5 million addition to The Crane School of Music, and classes, rehearsals and activities will begin in the space this semester,” Wilke said.

The addition to Bishop Hall creates an official new entrance to the Crane Complex, with a much-needed expansion of the major rehearsal rooms for band and orchestra, a full renovation of “percussion alley,” and the addition of new modular practice rooms with advanced noise control technology. The project also includes HVAC improvements and the replacement of fire alarms and corridor ceilings, as well as adding new roofs and marquees to Crane’s two largest performing spaces, Hosmer Hall and Snell Theater.

Final masonry is being completed on the donor-funded HEARTH (Handcrafted Experiential Archaeological Research and Teaching Hub), a heritage-based living laboratory designed for use by both campus and community, dedicated to teaching traditional skills in hands-on workshops.

The timber-frame structure made from local white pine will surround a traditional circa 1800s-style brick oven, with a large hands-on classroom space and outdoor patios on either side. The HEARTH project was envisioned by faculty from SUNY Potsdam’s Department of Anthropology, and has been funded entirely through donors.

This semester, major renovations will begin on Carson Hall to improve the building’s accessibility and sustainability, in a $7 million project. Additional renovations are being completed in the Knowles Hall residential complex, which is set to house hundreds of college athletes from around the world this coming winter for the World University Games.

Students are also able to choose from new academic programs this year, as new majors and degrees are being offered both in-person and online. 

SUNY Potsdam added four fully online master’s degrees to its growing list of virtual graduate programs, including degrees in literacy, educational technology specialist, community health, and instructional design and educational technology. 

For a full list, see potsdam.edu/online. New baccalaureate programs include the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in art education (K-12) and the Bachelor of Science degree in environmental science.

There’s also a new pathway in place this fall for new students who want to pursue their studies and a career in the military at the same time. SUNY Potsdam’s new partnership with the New York National Guard guarantees admission to students who complete their initial entry training with the Guard (U.S. Army or Air Force) and then enroll at Potsdam. They receive free tuition, on-campus housing, special advising, priority class registration and other military benefits like free parking, printing and more.