SUNY chancellor visits, assures of bright future for SUNY Poly in semiconductor industry

SUNY Chancellor John King Jr. wants the SUNY Polytechnic Institute community to know that he, the SUNY trustees and the governor envision a bright future for the college in Marcy and its students.

SUNY Poly will lead the way in the semiconductor industry, training the engineers needed in the field and educating students in many fields who will contribute to the industry’s success, he said while on campus Thursday as part of his 64-campus tour this semester. King also visited Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica on Wednesday.

While on campus, he saw a drone competition, watched students use state-of-the-art equipment such as 3D printers and machine tools, and saw students preparing for careers in diverse fields from psychology and health care to robotics and advanced manufacturing, he said.

The SUNY Board of Trustees voted unanimously in December to remove the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering from the SUNY Poly umbrella and place it back within the University of Albany. The college was created in 2001, separated from the University of Albany in 2013 and merged with SUNY Institute of Technology in 2014 to create the two-campus SUNY Poly.

At that time, many local officials raised concerns about what the change would mean for the future of SUNY Poly and for the advanced manufacturing companies it has helped lure to the region, including Wolfspeed and Danfoss Silicon Power in Marcy, and Micron Technology in Clay.

SUNY Poly future: What state's decision means for region's high tech outlook

Silicon carbide facility:What to know about Wolfspeed and its $1B facility in Upstate New York

But some of those officials turned out at SUNY Poly on Thursday and told the gathered media that the assurances they’ve received from SUNY officials and the ongoing national search for a new SUNY Poly president have reassured them.

“We are moving forward,” said Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, D-Marcy. “The words that echo in my brain from the chancellor are ‘premier polytech.’”

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente pointed out SUNY Poly is the only polytechnical institute or college of engineering in Central New York, and, as such, plays an important role in the region's advanced manufacturing future. "What was built here on this hill (SUNY Poly, Wolfspeed and Danfoss) is so important to this community," he said.

"The commitment is important, though, that this college continue," he added.

State Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, said local elected officials have had many conversations with King and others about SUNY Poly’s future. King’s campus visit signals, he said, a commitment to the future of the campus.

SUNY Poly is also in the midst of a strategic planning process looking at where the college is going, what changes might be needed, whether any new programs should be added and all those kinds of questions, said the college’s Officer-in-Charge Andrew Russell. So far, it’s shown the importance of giving strong support to students, who all come from different backgrounds and have different goals, to equip them to meet the needs of local employers, he said.

But the research collaborations between faculty at SUNY Poly and the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering will continue, part of the legacy of the affiliation, which changed the SUNY Poly campus to a more research-focused culture that now balances teaching and research for both faculty and students, he said.

And SUNY Poly has forged ongoing partnerships with local employers that benefit both employers and students, Russell said. For example, SUNY Poly has tailored aspects of its engineering programs to make sure its graduates are a good fit for the needs of Wolfspeed, which makes 200 mm, silicon-carbide wafers across the street from the campus. Wolfspeed and other partners have also offered students internships and mentorships, hands-on opportunities for learning and preparation for future job success, King said.

In talking to its employer partners about their needs, Russell said, it’s become clear that SUNY Poly already offers the degree programs needed to prepare its students for regional jobs, including fields such as electrical and mechanical engineering, cybersecurity and nursing.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: SUNY Poly future: Chancellor reassures after Marcy nanoscale loss