BY PAUL MITCHELLNorth Country This Week

CANTON - Great things are expected on the SUNY Canton campus this fall semester.

“We look forward to some great things that will be happening during the fall semester,”  said SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran. “We are joining the SUNYAC, which presents tremendous new opportunities for our student athletes, and reflects the overall growth of our athletic program. We have further expanded opportunities for paid student internships, and we are continuing to increase our workforce development opportunities.”

The president said SUNY Canton is enthusiastically preparing for on-campus and online classes to begin Thursday, Aug. 22. 

Szafran noted that the college has 15 partnerships with school districts in St. Lawrence County to provide dual-enrollment courses for college credit with a projected enrollment of over 1,000 students in 2024-2025. It is also offering 15 new credit-bearing microcredentials.   

“We are continuing our work with the village and town to develop a downtown entrepreneurship center and are working to obtain the remaining necessary funding for an on-campus childcare facility that will serve the entire community,” Szafran added. 

Educational Opportunity Program students have already returned and are currently completing their summer program in preparation for the fall 2024 semester. 

SUNY Canton’s move-in schedule is as follows: 

• Student-athletes moved in on campus on Wednesday, Aug. 14. 
• New students will check into their residence halls on Monday, Aug. 19.
• Returning students can move back in on Wednesday, Aug. 21. 

The college is welcoming seven new faculty members who will be adding their expertise to several of the college’s key programs, including Electrical Engineering, Computer Information Services, Applied Psychology, Nursing, Business, and HVAC Trades. It will also be welcoming a bevy of new staff members. Athletics is hiring four new coaches for the women’s volleyball, women’s soccer, baseball and softball teams. 

SUNY Canton underwent substantial upgrades over the summer months, with projects continuing to reshape the entire campus. 

French Hall has reopened following a multi-year renovation. Offices, including Administrative Affairs, Admissions, Alumni and Foundation, Business, and Human Resources, have all resumed occupancy in the building. The Small Business Development Center will be moving back to its location in the future and is currently operating out of Payson Hall. 

Building updates were designed to increase energy efficiency and expand accessibility for the entire campus. The project included the addition of three wind turbines and geothermal heat pumps located in an adjacent parking lot to help offset energy usage and meet the State’s energy guidelines. The latest additions continue the college’s commitment to environmental sustainability. 

The green space between French Hall and the Roselle Academic Plaza has been completely transformed with new lighted pathways and an outdoor amphitheater, which will be used for outdoor classes, musical concerts, and gatherings.

Chaney Dining Center received a new covered outdoor dining area. The addition provided a facelift for the historic structure. 

Construction is ongoing on two new covered walkways connecting the residence halls to the academic areas of campus. The new paths will replace steep sloping asphalt paths in front of Heritage and Rushton Halls and are designed to expand year-round pedestrian access.