SUNY completes purchase of Southampton campus
Stony Brook University has completed its purchase of the former Southampton College for $35 million, taking possession of the 82-acre property, where it plans to develop academic programs focusing on the environment and its sustainability. This new campus is known as Stony Brook Southampton.
President Shirley Strum Kenny praised SUNY Chancellor John R. Ryan for his support of the acquisition and State Senator Ken LaValle, who secured the legislative funding for the purchase of the property from Long Island University, as well as Congressman Tim Bishop, Assemblyman Fred Thiele, Southampton Town Supervisor Patrick A. Heaney, and other local and legislative officials for their support of the agreement.
Approximately 200 students are taking courses at Stony Brook Southampton this Fall, including those already enrolled in the existing undergraduate Marine Sciences program which Stony Brook absorbed from LIU last year. About 2000 students are expected to enroll within five years. The purchase completes a series of steps Stony Brook has taken to preserve the campus for educational purposes after LIU announced in 2004 that it would close its programs at Southampton.
In February, 2005, the acclaimed marine science undergraduate program at Southampton College was transferred to Stony Brook's Marine Sciences Research Center, which already offered a prestigious graduate program. In September, 2005, the SUNY Board of Trustees authorized the purchase of the campus as negotiations began in earnest. Stony Brook and LIU reached a final agreement on the conditions of the purchase in March.
The sale includes the purchase of 42 buildings; the academic and other major facilities consist of art studio buildings, residence halls, and classroom and library buildings. Stony Brook will begin to make infrastructure improvements on the property, including the renovation of residence halls, completion of the library, and refurbishment of academic and administrative buildings.
The campus will offer primarily undergraduate courses that will be shaped and taught in an interdisciplinary fashion, addressing issues regarding the environment and ecological sustainability. For instance, students will not only study environmental and ecological topics, but also will focus on political, economic and social issues related to the environment.
In addition to the Marine Sciences program and the programs related to the environment, Stony Brook will offer an MFA creative writing program, headed by Robert Reeves, who directed the writing program at Southampton for LIU. The Writers Conference, a 30-year institution on the East End, annually attracting leading authors and artists from across the country, was held at Stony Brook University last month, and will return to Southampton next summer. Stony Brook also plans to offer courses and events at Southampton related to its Center for Wine, Food, and Culture.
Earlier this month, Dr. Kenny named Martin Schoonen Interim Dean of Stony Brook Southampton. Dr. Schoonen is currently Stony Brook's Associate Vice President for Research, and Professor of Geochemistry in the Department of Geosciences. He has been a member of the faculty since 1989.
Published Oct. 24, 2006
