Potsdam Profile
Please see the About Potsdam webpage for the College’s Mission Statement, The Potsdam Pledge, and links to other detailed information about the campus and our history.
Accreditation & Authorization
Regional Accreditation
SUNY Potsdam is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
3624 Market Street, 2nd Floor West
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Telephone: (267) 284-5000
Email: info@msche.org Spanish: españolinfo@msche.org
General Link: www.msche.org
Potsdam was first accredited in 1952 and the College’s accreditation was last reaffirmed in 2012. The next Self-Study Evaluation visit is scheduled for 2021-22. The most recent Statement of Accreditation Status is available on the bottom right of the Institutional Directory page.
State Approval
SUNY Potsdam’s academic programs have been approved and registered by the New York’s State Education Department.
NY State Education Department
Office of Higher Education, Education Building Addition
Albany, NY 12234
Telephone: (518) 474-5851
www.nysed.gov
Program Specialized Accreditation
Several SUNY Potsdam academic program are accredited by their respective specialized accrediting agencies. Procedures for obtaining or reviewing documents describing accreditation, approval, or licensing are available through each academic department.
Accreditors Recognized by U.S. Secretary of Education
National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), Commission on Accreditation
Date of Initial Accreditation: 9/1/1957
Year of Most Recent Comprehensive Review: 2013
Academic Year of Next Scheduled Comprehensive Review: 2022-2023
National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST), Commission on Accreditation
Date of Initial Accreditation: 3/1/2013
Year of Most Recent Comprehensive Review: 2009
Academic Year of Next Scheduled Comprehensive Review: 2018-2019
Other Accreditors
American Chemical Society
Last Review: 2015
Next periodic report due: 2021
International Society for Technology in Education
Last Review: 2014
Next review: 2021
National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
Accredited since 2002
Last review: Fall 2014
Next visit: 2021 (through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation)
Non-Discrimination Notice/Policy
Pursuant to the State University of New York policy, SUNY Potsdam is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction. Employees, students, applicants, or other members of the campus community (including, but not limited to, vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.
The University’s policy is in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination and harassment. These laws include the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and the New York State Human Rights Law. These laws prohibit discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment and sexual violence.
Inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and other laws, regulations, and policies prohibiting discrimination may be directed to:
Stacey Basford
Title IX Coordinator & Affirmative Action Officer
Telephone: (315) 267-2516
Email: basforsl@potsdam.edu
Inquiries may also be directed to the:
United States Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights
32 Old Slip 26th Floor
New York, NY 10005-2500
Telephone: (646) 428-3800
Email: OCR.NewYork@ed.gov
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) provides current and former students with the right to inspect and review educational records, the right to seek to amend those records, the right to limit disclosure of information from the records and the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants or students may also waive their rights to inspect confidential letters or statements of recommendation.
Directory Information
College officials may not disclose personally identifiable information about a student nor permit inspection of their records without the student’s written permission unless such action is covered by certain exceptions permitted by FERPA. Under the provisions of the Act, a college may disclose information about a student if it has designated that the information is “Directory Information.” SUNY Potsdam has designated the following as Directory Information:
- student’s name
- date and place of birth
- address
- telephone number
- email address
- previous institution(s) attended
- dates of attendance
- enrollment status (full/part time)
- expected date of graduation
- class standing
- major field of study
- academic honors or awards received
- past and present participation in officially recognized sports or activities
- physical factors (height, weight of athletes)
- degrees conferred (including dates)
College Official
In accordance with FERPA, the student’s consent is not required when a college official has a legitimate educational interest in the student’s educational record; that is, if the official needs to review this information in order to fulfill his/her professional responsibility. However, this does not constitute authorization to share that information with a third party without the student’s written consent. A “college official” is: a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including Campus Police and Student Health); a person or company with whom the College has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor or accrediting agent); a person employed by SUNY System Administration; a person serving on the College Council; or a student serving on an official committee, or assisting another college official in performing their tasks.
Consumer Information
The United States Department of Education regulates that certain consumer information be disclosed to enrolled and prospective students. Students have the right to obtain the following:
- Student Right-To-Know Act
- Information on completion/graduation rates for general student body
- Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
- Drug and alcohol abuse prevention information
- Clery (Campus Security) Act
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
- Student Rights and Responsibilities
- Withdrawal and Return of Title IV funds
- Copyright policy
- Transfer of credit policy
These and other policies, information and data can be found at Potsdam’s Consumer Information & Student Right to Know webpage http://www.potsdam.edu/consumerinformation. A printed copy of such information will be provided to students upon written request. Please submit your request to:
SUNY Potsdam Institutional Effectiveness Office
44 Pierrepont Avenue
Potsdam, NY 13676
Phone: (315) 267-4872
Fax: (315) 267-2327
Disclaimers & Notices
The State University of New York and SUNY Potsdam reserve the right to revise the existing rules and regulations, academic programs and organizational structures within their respective jurisdiction. A student is expected to be governed by the information on programs, organizational structures, rules and regulations herein published or subsequently revised.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this catalog, SUNY Potsdam expressly reserves the right, whenever it deems advisable:
- to change or modify its schedule of tuition or fees;
- to withdraw, cancel, reschedule or modify any course, program of study, degree or requirement or policy in connection with the foregoing, and;
- to modify or revise any academic or other policy.
Please be advised that, due to publication deadlines, information contained in this catalog may be outdated. It is the responsibility of each student to ascertain current information that pertains to individual academic programs, particularly with regard to satisfaction of degree requirements, through frequent reference to the online Schedule of Classes and by consultation with the student’s adviser and major department as well as other appropriate College offices. In preparing this catalog, every effort has been made to provide accurate and current information; however, SUNY Potsdam assumes no liability for catalog errors or omissions.
The College represents that the information in this publication is accurate as of January 1, 2018. Names of instructors for courses, and days and times of class sessions are given in the online Schedule of Classes, available to students at the time of registration. All applicants are reminded that SUNY Potsdam is subject to the policies promulgated by the Board of Trustees of The State University of New York. Fees and charges are set forth in accordance with such policies and may change in response to alterations in policy or actions of the legislature, during the period covered by this publication. The College reserves the right to change its policies without notice.
NOTICE: The provisions of this bulletin are not to be regarded as a contract between any student and the College. Course content and regulations are under constant review and revision. The College reserves the right to change any provision, regulation or requirement set forth herein; and the right to withdraw or amend the contents of any listed courses as may be required or desirable.
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