A Record Year: President Stenger delivers 2024 State of the University address

Record-breaking enrollment, growth across campus and looking to the future. Those were just a few of the highlights that Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger covered in his annual State of the University address on Thursday, Jan. 18, at the Watters Theater.

“It was a record-breaking, record-setting, really, truly, incredible year for the University and so many of our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends,” he said. “In the past year, Binghamton received more applications and has more students enrolled than it has ever had. I think that’s a testament to the education and opportunities Binghamton provides as well as the great people and facilities we have.”

2023 enrollment

The first topic Stenger covered in the address was enrollment, which has grown at a steady pace through fall 2023.

“We have 18,454 students in total this year, which represents a 3.7% increase over the past five years,” he said. “Binghamton continues to attract a diverse range of students who are drawn to us for our academic offerings, career potential and a robust student experience. The Class of 2027 came from a record 58,400 applications — although we know SUNY’s free application week played a role in this.”

The University attracted more international and out-of-state applicants, with 585 new international students representing 50 nations such as India, China, Turkey, South Korea and Iran. When it comes to New York students, 30% are from upstate, 28% from New York City and 24% from Long Island. Stenger highlighted how academically gifted the class is, with an average high school GPA of 95.9 and transfers having a mean GPA of 3.4.

Stenger also addressed the “enrollment crisis” ahead in higher education.

“We’re working hard to navigate through this period while maintaining and continuing to grow our enrollment,” he said. “Binghamton’s excellent academic programs and faculty attract students. The value of a SUNY education makes Binghamton shine, especially for prospective families who are also considering private institutions. Binghamton students graduate with relatively lower debt and better career prospects, and that will keep the University as a top destination in an increasingly competitive race for students.”

Over the last decade, Binghamton’s enrollment has grown steadily.

“We’ve gone from 15,308 total students in 2012 to 18,454 total students in 2023,” Stenger said. “Continued growth is possible, but it will come with challenges. An enrollment cliff in higher education is coming, meaning colleges will be recruiting from a smaller pool of students. I am confident that Binghamton’s academic reputation, the programs it offers, its faculty and the value of SUNY tuition will maintain the University’s status as a premier destination for top students.”

Outstanding students

Stenger recognized several students who have made an impact on campus and on an international level.

“Albina Martynenko and Vlada Lisova, School of Management students from Ukraine, met with elected officials in Washington during a Ukraine Action Summit this fall,” he said. “They hope to start a Ukrainian Club, which could hold fundraisers to support Ukrainian refugees and offer assistance on how to apply to colleges in the U.S.”

“We also had three students — Ana Sanchez-Bachman, Lívia Maciel Braga and Cynthia Tan — who attended the Conference of Parties’ United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in December. They were joined by Lorena Aguilar, executive director of the Kaschak Institute for Social Justice for Women and Girls. The students were able to directly impact negotiations during a Global Conference on Gender and Environment Data and played a supporting role in an event that focused on gender-responsive climate action.”

Stenger added that Binghamton’s mission as an institution of higher education is to prepare our students to make a difference in the world. The fact that students are making a difference — as students — speaks to their talents and passion as well as the opportunities that faculty, staff and programs provide.

Athletics

Stenger spoke about the achievements by our athletes over the past year. For the first time in the University’s 22-year Division I history, Binghamton was awarded the America East Commissioner’s Cup in 2023.

“This award goes to the strongest overall athletic program in the conference based on a system that rewards programs for both regular season and postseason success,” he said. “Contributions from 17 different affiliated sports helped Binghamton achieve this distinction, including conference championships from women’s soccer and volleyball.”

Binghamton’s student-athletes excelled in the classroom as well. They had a 3.42 GPA average during the spring 2023 semester — the 12th consecutive semester the group has had an average GPA of 3.2 or higher. Fifty-eight student-athletes maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA last spring.

“Athletics is off to a strong start for the 2023-24 season,” Stenger said. “Women’s cross-country won the America East championship in the fall. Women’s soccer won the regular-season title for a second consecutive year. Volleyball was the America East tournament runner-up. Our basketball teams had a terrific turnout for #ONEBinghamton Madness! — a preseason tipoff event during Homecoming weekend. Men’s basketball defeated Le Moyne in the first game of a new rivalry series: The Battle for the Interstate, which drew 3,583 fans to the Events Center.”

Road Map proposals

Next, Stenger spoke on the Road Map, which has guided Binghamton’s strategic planning for 11 years.

“We will soon be soliciting proposals from faculty, staff and students to continue to refine and reshape the University’s most deeply held values,” he said.

“The Road Map steering committee will evaluate proposals based on short-, medium- and long-term goals and the number of people expected to benefit. Proposals should be focused on work that is related to existing goals and metrics. These proposals are in addition to the deep-dive reports done by the strategic priority steering committees over the past year.”

As part of re-aiming the Road Map in 2021, the strategic priority teams developed proposals to advance each goal. Through this process, the University has:

1. Developed a program to improve faculty profiles to enhance our academic reputation as an R1 institution.
2. Created immediate intervention and extended student success initiatives, and built a transformative learning community through high-engagement experiences.
3. Living and Working at Binghamton resulted in a video series that showcased the University experience as a virtual tour.
4. Adopted new strategies to enhance faculty community engagement.
5. Added planned giving and data analytics support for the Division of Advancement and the Binghamton University Foundation.

“We’re looking forward to new feedback from the campus community on our Road Map priorities so that they best serve our students, faculty and staff today and in the years to come,” Stenger said.

EXCELERATE

Stenger touched on Binghamton’s comprehensive campaign, EXCELERATE, which will conclude in June 2024.

“Thanks to the work of our Advancement team and some very generous donations, we’ve had to reset our goals for EXCELERATE,” he said. “Having raised more than $227 million to date, we’ve already eclipsed our goal of $220 million. We’ve created a new ’super-goal’ of $250 million — one-quarter of a billion dollars. That is a great deal of money, and it’s more than double what Binghamton raised during its previous comprehensive campaign.”

The gifts the University has received are a substantial investment in research and scholarships as well as the equipment, grants and support funds that make Binghamton students’ experiences exceptional. During the EXCELERATOR Challenge in April, the school will call on the Binghamton community to volunteer and give back to the Binghamton Fund.

Financial news

The biggest news from this year’s financial report is an additional $15 million in legislative appropriation compared to the previous year.

“It’s a 33% increase and gives us $60 million in total in legislative appropriation,” Stenger said. “Other than tuition revenue, legislative appropriation is the largest source of state purpose revenue the University receives. This is a positive sign of how our elected officials in Albany are supporting SUNY’s short- and long-term future.”

Full details about the University’s budget will be shared through the 2018-23 Financial Report, which was distributed in person on Thursday and will be online soon.

Faculty and staff expansion

Stenger outlined how the University is expanding its faculty and staff to meet goals and needs in key areas such as research, internships and mental health.

“We are working to add 36 new faculty members through state funding that came to us in 2022,” he said. “These full-time faculty members will primarily be in fundable research programs. Students with disabilities are going to receive increased support from additional advisors and access to assistive and adaptive software and equipment. Seven new counselors, psychologists and Healthy Campus staff — as well as an expanded contract with a teletherapy provider — are going to give students more direct access to mental health resources.”

Construction and renovation

Stenger said the University is aiming to start construction of a $60 million lecture hall and classroom building that will be ready by fall 2026.

“The building will be located between Lot M5 and Academic A and the School of Management building,” he said. “Plans include one 300-seat lecture hall, one 180-seat lecture hall, one 100-seat active learning classroom and 23 general-purpose classrooms. It will also feature an Information Commons that will serve as a central hub for students to gather. As enrollment has grown, adding a new space for classroom learning is essential.”

He also touched on several other projects in the works or that have been completed around campus and beyond.

Faculty highlights

Stenger praised Binghamton’s faculty and the incredible work they accomplish.

• Kanneboyina Nagaraju and Eric Hoffman from the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences received FDA approval for a drug they’ve developed that treats Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The drug has been in development for 13 years, and Raju and Hoffman leveraged multiple sources of government and nonprofit foundation scientific and research support.
• Anne Bailey and Sharon Bryant of the Harriet Tubman Center for Freedom and Equity received a $400,000 grant in 2023. The grant will be used toward the Freedom Trail project, which will place 12 historical markers noting Underground Railroad and anti-slavery sites across the state. Funding will also go toward programming for local K-12 schools.
• Stan Whittingham was selected as one of four joint winners of the $3 million VinFuture Grand Prize in recognition of his contributions to the invention of lithium-ion batteries. Nearly 1,400 individuals were nominated from 90 countries and territories. The award honors exceptional inventors and researchers who bring significant and positive changes to the everyday lives of people.
• Professor Seokheun ’Sean’ Choi from the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department is using a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to develop integrated papertronics. His idea is to create a nontoxic, cost-effective and biodegradable alternative to silicon and plastic-based components. It would be a game-changing solution to the mounting problem of ’e-waste’ from discarded gadgets and single-use sensors.

Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

Binghamton has been recognized by several national organizations for its innovations and leadership in diversity.

“The Libraries received an award from Insight Into Diversity magazine for its commitment to DEI principles in hiring, programming and strategic planning,” Stenger said. “In the fall, Binghamton was the recipient of a HEED award for the third time. HEED — Higher Education Excellence in Diversity — celebrates the recruitment and retention of students and employees and overall support for diversity and campus culture and climate.”

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion was elevated from an office on campus to a division in fall 2014. The division’s core values are:

• Unity
• Identity
• Excellence
• Justice
• Transparency
• Engagement

“We are fortunate to have terrific staff in the division as well as outstanding partners across campus, in the community and among our alumni family who have helped us build a culture based on these values,” Stenger said. “SUNY system administration and New York state have also been crucial in supporting our efforts.”

Growth and the future

Stenger concluded his speech by returning to his themes of growth and the future of the University.

“Binghamton University is doing great things, and I feel confident about its ability to continue delivering groundbreaking research and a life-changing education for our students,” he said. “But can we get a little bigger? Will that make us a little better? I can share that in the next few years, the University is planning to test how we can grow bigger and be better.”

He added: “The idea I want to leave you with as we head into a new year in 2024 is that Binghamton is on an outstanding trajectory. Binghamton’s students are talented individuals who are primed for success. The University’s faculty and staff are doing remarkable work that advances our understanding of the world around us and inspires students to follow in their footsteps. Alumni are choosing to give back to spread access to a life-changing Binghamton education for the next generation. All of the ingredients are here: a bigger, better and brighter Binghamton future lies ahead.”

Other topics

Throughout the speech, Stenger also touched on:

• The New Energy New York initiative
• New York state matching gifts
• Binghamton 2 Degrees (sustainability plan)