Destito: SUNYIT to Begin Offering Biology Degree

(Marcy, NY) Assemblywoman RoAnn M. Destito (D/WF-Rome) today announced that Governor David Paterson has signed a master plan amendment paving the way for the addition of a new Bachelor of Science in Biology at the SUNY Institute of Technology (SUNYIT) in Marcy.

Destito says SUNYIT will begin offering specialized programs of study in bioinformatics, biotechnology, and life science in the near future, although a starting date for the program has not yet been determined. She says students will be able to be accepted into the program as freshmen or transfer students.

“SUNYIT has begun a transformation that will make it one of the premier colleges and universities in the state in preparing students for employment in careers in science and advanced technology,” Destito said. “These new programs will also complement the college’s planned program in nanotechnology through its new Computer Chip Hybrid Integration Partnership with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at the University at Albany.”

“Approval of a biology program enables SUNYIT to expand its role in growing and sustaining a talented science and technology workforce in Central New York,” said Wolf Yeigh, president of SUNYIT. “Thanks to the support of Assemblywoman Destito, New York State’s only public institute of technology is an increasingly vital part of the effort to keep talented young people in our region as we strive to build a stronger economy in the Mohawk Valley and the entire state.”

“This program will provide Mohawk Valley residents with the opportunity to earn a four-year biology degree at a public institution close to home,” Destito said. “Graduates of this program will be well prepared for career success in high-demand fields, and this, in turn, will strengthen SUNYIT, and help transform the region’s economy.”

Yeigh said the biology degree will prepare students to enter the work force immediately for jobs as laboratory assistants or technicians; research assistants in nanotechnology; and in other high-tech fields.

“Government projections indicate faster-than-average job growth in these areas in the coming years,” Yeigh said. “Many students who finish a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology go on to graduate or professional studies, and ultimately pursue careers as research scientists, college teachers, pharmacists, veterinarians, physicians, and surgeons.”

Destito said the new programs were first developed by SUNYIT administrators and faculty, and the curriculum was approved by the Board of Trustees of the SUNY system, the State Department of Education, and the Board of Regents. Approval of a master plan amendment by the Governor was the last step in the process.

Destito: SUNYIT to Begin Offering Biology Degree

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