Message from the Chair
A university that is just a set of classrooms would be a dreary place indeed. A great university is a community. We spend a large part of our lives here.
As students we live here; as faculty and staff we work here. We attend plays, concerts, and seminars; we participate in activities; we learn. As members of the university community we teach and touch each other through the ways we live and play.
In the 18 years I have been at Stony Brook I have seen a wonderful change. What once felt more like a commuter college, has become an internationally ranked university. Our transition from Division III sports to NCAA Division I Athletics enhances Stony Brook's appeal. A strong and competitive athletic program raises visibility and reputation. The rewards are worthy of our best efforts. A greater number of students have the opportunity to participate, alumni come out to support our teams, and together we are building a stronger community.
Intercollegiate athletics are a part of the traditional college experience. The advantages for the student-athlete are obvious: camaraderie, a chance to compete, an opportunity to better oneself. The advantages to the general campus community are equally tangible: a common sense of pride and belonging, and an enduring presence in the community. While Stony Brook doesn't have the century of tradition inherent in many older universities, we can be very proud of the tremendous strides we have made in the short fifty years of our founding.
Stony Brook's commitment to Division I Athletics comes with a responsibility to support our student-athletes, to integrate the life of the student-athlete into the campus community, and to make the general university community aware of the significant role intercollegiate athletics play in our community. The IAB provides faculty, alumni, administration, and student representatives an opportunity for input ensuring that Stony Brook's program reflects the best tradition of amateur athletics. The IAB will also be an effective tool in promoting the program by making the community aware of our accomplishments and the achievements of individual student-athletes who excel in life as well as sports, maintaining 3.5 GPAs and going on to graduate, medical, or law school.
The success stories of our student-athletes will be continually updated and highlighted in the messages from the the Director of Athletics and the Faculty-Athletics Representative (FAR).
Stony Brook University is already acknowledged as one of the finest academic universities in the world. Working together we can do our small part in elevating Stony Brook to the levels of the all-around elite universities.
Fred Walter, Chair
Professor of Astronomy