The College

In this section, you will find our Mission Statement, history, accreditation information, hour of operation and a tour of our campus.

SUNY Niagara is a locally sponsored college supervised by the State University of New York (SUNY).

SUNY Niagara is authorized by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York to award the Associate in Arts Degree (AA), the Associate in Science Degree (AS) and the Associate in Applied Science Degree (AAS) to regularly matriculated students upon successful completion of curriculum requirements.

The Niagara Falls Culinary Institute (NFCI), located two blocks from the entrance to Niagara Falls State Park in the heart of Niagara Falls, NY, has been the home to SUNY Niagara’s Hospitality and Tourism related programs since its opening on September 4, 2012.  NFCI is one of the most comprehensive and well-equipped culinary arts facilities in the Eastern United States, Featuring state-of-the-art kitchens and its own restaurant, bakery café where students gain hands-on, real world experience working in NFCI’s open to the public restaurants and retail outlets.  A TV studio, gift shop, and Barnes & Noble bookstore are also part of this centrally located dynamic city campus.  Academic programs at the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute include Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts, and Baking and Pastry Arts.

The college’s Workforce Development, Continuing Education, and Community Education Departments provide educational programming for those who have a specific, focused educational need over a relatively short period as well as courses taken for pleasure. These departments administer an array of credit-free courses, workshops, seminars, and summer camps for youth. Short-term vocational programs; training and education programs are done through contract with business and industry while entrepreneurial courses are offered through the Small Business Development Center.

SUNY Niagara plays an active role in workforce and community economic development as the home of the Niagara Small Business Development Center, Corporate Training, Niagara Falls Extension Center, and Community Education.

Accreditation

SUNY Niagara is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Middle States Commission on Higher Education
1007 North Orange Street
4th Floor, MB #166
Wilmington, DE  19801

The college’s curricula are registered with the University of the State of New York (State Education Department) and approved by SUNY. All curricula are approved for the education of veterans under Public Law 634 (Children of Deceased Veterans) and Public Law 89-358 (Veterans Administration Readjustment Benefits Act of 1966).

Many of the specific curricula are accredited by specialized agencies for those professions. Such accreditations, primarily in the allied health fields, are noted below and also in the program descriptions in the college catalog.

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
3343 Peachtree Road NE
Suite 850
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000
www.acenursing.org

Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting
19751 East Mainstreet
Suite #339
Parker, CO 80138
(303) 694-9262

American Culinary Federation
6816 Southpoint Pkwy, Ste. 400
Jacksonville, FL 32216
(904) 824-4468

Chemical Dependency Counseling Certificate Program
Approved by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services
1450 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12203-3526
www.oasas.ny.gov

The SUNY Niagara Medical Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB) www.maerb.org
25400 US Highway, 19 North, Suite 158
Clearwater, FL 33756
(727) 210-2350
www.caahep.org

Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
20 N. Wacker Drive
Suite 2850
Chicago, IL 60606-3182
(312) 704-5300
https://www.jrcert.org/

The Division of Professional Education-Registered Professional Nursing and Licensed Practical Nursing
The State Education Department
Education Building
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12234
(518) 474-3817
OPPROGS@mail.nysed.gov 

Governance

SUNY Niagara is governed under policies established by its Board of Trustees. All ten trustees are area residents, five appointed by the Niagara County Legislature, four appointed by the Governor of New York State and a student trustee elected annually by the student body.

History

SUNY Niagara was created in 1962 and took its name from the County of Niagara, its local sponsor.

The contemporary campus opened in 1973, is an example of sound planning. Approximately 5,000 students are enrolled in credit programs and thousands more annually take advantage of the college’s extensive credit-free courses, short-term vocational programs and cultural and social events.

Mission Statement

SUNY Niagara provides flexible teaching and learning environments dedicated to educational excellence and committed to our core values of student centeredness, accessibility, comprehensiveness, collegiality, community partnership, and lifelong learning. Through the liberal arts and sciences as a key component of all academic programs, our College nurtures and empowers students to recognize and to value our common humanity as well as the richness of our diversity. SUNY Niagara offers quality academic programs while providing supportive student and academic services. To produce engaged citizens, SUNY Niagara provides cultural, social, recreational, athletic, and global experiences. SUNY Niagara is a major contributor to economic development through transfer, career and technical education, workforce development, and continuing education. To demonstrate integrity and accountability, SUNY Niagara operates through a collegial model of shared governance, which provides for a comprehensive assessment of all aspects of institutional effectiveness.

Vision

SUNY Niagara will be a leader in providing a dynamic, high-quality educational environment responsive to current and emerging needs of our students and community.

Core Values

Student Centeredness

The college maintains that students are the highest priority, and as such, will be supported by the highest quality of services and programs.

Accessibility

The college will meet the diverse needs of students by remaining accessible in programs, policies, procedures, admissions, locations, facilities and tuition.

Comprehensiveness

The college will provide a broad range of courses leading to associates degrees in university parallel and career programs as well as certificate curricula. To ensure quality and appropriateness, all curricula are subject to periodic evaluations.

General education will be an integral component of all degree curricula.

The college will assist students in their academic, personal, social, and cultural development by providing a comprehensive and integrated range of academic and student support services.

The college will seek to prepare students to function in the global/international community by providing academic, social and cultural experience which foster student awareness.

The college will seek to create an environment that recognizes and values our common humanity as well as the richness of our diversity.

Collegiality

The college will provide an effective collegial governance structure that encourages active participation of all its constituents. The governance decisions will reflect the collective input of all relevant parties.

The college will continue to formulate, implement, maintain and refine ongoing, systematic evaluations of policies, programs and people that affirm rigorous academic standards.

The college will provide resources, opportunities and programs which encourage administrators, faculty and staff to pursue their professional development in order to enhance the programs offered by the college.

The college will continue to strengthen mutual respect among and between constituencies.

Community Partnership

The college will continue to develop short- and long-range planning systems which accommodate periods of growth, stability or decline and which assess the impact of such changes upon the college.

The college will continue to seek sufficient resources to accomplish its mission.

The college will be accountable to its constituencies by administering its resources within generally accepted accounting principles and standards.

The college will strive to maintain the highest standards of professionalism through ongoing, systemic evaluation.

The college will strive to enhance its positive image in the community.

Life Long Learning

The college will assist individuals in obtaining skills which allow them to become lifelong learners.

The college will continue to collaborate with business, industry, and other groups in order to play a central role in the educational, social, cultural, recreational and economic life of the community.

The college will provide a variety of community education and economic development programs which positively impact the quality of life.

Institutional Learning Outcomes

The five Institutional Learning Outcomes below are the foundation of students’ overall education at SUNY Niagara, where the entire experience has been designed to foster students’ development of such knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes.

1. INDEPENDENCE: SUNY Niagara graduates should be self-directed lifelong learners and informed consumers with enhanced life skills who can advocate for themselves and solve problems objectively.
2. KNOWLEDGE: SUNY Niagara graduates should demonstrate discipline-specific as well as general education knowledge and should possess practical skills gained through applied learning.
3. CURIOSITY: SUNY Niagara graduates should be inquisitive and willing to explore and to discover. They should ask meaningful questions, demonstrate awareness of surrounding environments, engage in current and evolving technology, and think both critically and analytically.
4. COMMUNICATION: SUNY Niagara graduates should engage in social interaction and express/articulate ideas in speech, in writing, and/or through media or technology.
5. VALUES: SUNY Niagara graduates should demonstrate global awareness, civic engagement, appreciation of differences and diversity, civility, ethics, and aesthetics.

Alumni Association

Alumni Association is a social, service and recreational organization developed for the enrichment of its members, current student body and SUNY Niagara community. 

Who Can Be a Member?

Any former SUNY Niagara student in good standing and has completed 50 credit hours is eligible for membership.

Who We Are

The Alumni Association Committee is comprised of graduates spanning various decades. This committee serves as ambassadors for all SUNY Niagara graduates.

What We Do

The SUNY Niagara Alumni Association, established in 1987, fosters connections among over 40,000 SUNY Niagara alumni, providing access to events, benefits, and career opportunities. Members enjoy discounts on services, scholarship opportunities for their descendants attending SUNY Niagara, and the annual recognition of Distinguished Alumni at the SUNY Niagara Foundation Scholarship Soirée, with inductees honored in the Distinguished Alumni Gallery inside the Learning Commons.

 What Are Your Benefits?

Membership is free with additional exclusive benefits such as:

• Annual fitness membership for $25
• Scholarship opportunities to children and grandchildren of SUNY Niagara alumni
• Library privileges
• Career related services through Student Success Center

Signature Events

The Alumni Association makes it part of their mission to service SUNY Niagara and the community.  By offering events that appeal to all, the Alumni Association supports scholarships at SUNY Niagara, spreads the word about alumni success stories, and supports other community organizations that help make Niagara County a great place to live and work. 

Alumni Events:

• Annual SUNY Niagara Foundation Scholarship Soirée
• Roy E. Sommer Golf Scramble
• Other various on-campus events

For more information contact:

SUNY Niagara Alumni Office
716-614-5910 Fax: 716-614-5913
https://www.niagaracc.suny.edu/alumni/

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