Utica College, a satellite college of Syracuse University, has gained full independence from its parent institution.

Undergraduate students that enrolled at Utica in spring 2011 and every graduating class thereafter will be awarded degrees specifically from Utica, said Kelly Adams, director of marketing and communications at the college.

Utica gained legal and financial independence from SU in 1995. In 2007, the college was granted the power to develop undergraduate programs independent of SU.

Before gaining full independence, Utica undergraduates majoring in academic programs established before 2007 were awarded SU degrees, Adams said. Undergraduate students that pursued a degree toward an academic major established after 2007 have graduated or have been set to graduate with a Utica degree since declaring the major.

Kevin Quinn, SUís senior vice president for public affairs, confirmed the reports but did not provide further comment.

Utica students currently enrolled in academic programs established before 2007 and who had entered the university before last spring will still receive SU degrees, Adams said. The Class of 2016 is set to be the first group of students to graduate with all graduates receiving Utica degrees.

In response to the G.I Bill, Utica was created in part by SU to meet the educational needs of soldiers returning from World War II. In addition to Utica, SU established Triple City College, which was renamed Harper College and was eventually absorbed as the College of Arts and Sciences at the State University of New York at Binghamton, Adams said.

Utica first announced plans for the transition to full independence in October 2008, Adams said.

The change in degree type applies only to Uticaís roughly 2,500 undergraduate students, as graduate students have been awarded UC degrees since the inception of the university’s first graduate program in 1998, Adams said.

Uticaís independence from SU has been in the making since the campus’ beginnings, as the satellite campus’ original ‘intent was that one day it would stand on its own two feet,’ Adams said.

‘This is both a celebratory milestone and kind of a natural next step, and I think both institutions can be lauded for realizing what the founding promise of Utica College was,’ he said.

Adams said he thinks news of the campus’ independence from SU has, on the whole, been well received by members of the Utica community.

Though Adams said alumni he has spoken with said they’re proud of the school’s SU heritage, the campus has also developed an identity distinct from its parent institution, Adams said.

‘Utica College and Syracuse University are both unique institutions unto themselves. They’re also unique from one another,’ he said.

Thus far, no noticeable effect has been made in terms of student recruitment. Long term, Adams said Utica hopes to work toward becoming ‘one of the nation’s finest, smallest regional universities.’

dbtruong@syr.edu

Published on September 19, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Debbie: dbtruong@syr.edu | @debbietruong