About Us

At SUNY Cortland We’re All In

From your first steps on campus, you’ll feel the spirit of Cortland. It’s an energy that extends from the classroom to competition to the community.

SUNY Cortland stands out as one of New York’s top public universities — a medium-sized school that offers academic strength across 68 majors, a high quality of student life and a degree that pays back graduates.

Reputations in teacher education and health-related majors laid the foundation for exciting new programs related to business, natural sciences, the arts and specialized professional fields.

Our students, faculty and staff members are invested in the world around them. Whether it’s a class assignment, independent research or a passion project, Red Dragons look to make a difference.

We hope you’ll see it for yourself. Learn more about our active student clubs. Taste the food in our dining halls. Meet people who will change your life. And discover what we mean by being all in.

Our Mission

SUNY Cortland is an academic community dedicated to diverse learning experiences. Students grow as engaged citizens with a strong social conscience fostered by outstanding teaching, scholarship and service.

Our Vision

SUNY Cortland will be a college of opportunity, from which students graduate with the knowledge, integrity, skills and compassion to excel as leaders, citizens, scholars, teachers and champions of excellence. Prospective students and employees will choose the College in response to its nationally recognized academic programs, innovation and experiential learning, and the rich intellectual, social and athletic life on the campus. SUNY Cortland will be a center for intellectual, cultural and economic growth, distinguished by successful partnerships with organizations, schools, agencies and businesses throughout the region, the nation and the world.

Visit our Strategic Plan for more

Our Priorities

Academic Excellence

• Cultivate programs of academic excellence that are recognized for integrity of curriculum, outstanding student learning outcomes and contributions to the discipline.
• Recognize students, faculty, and programs for achievement and contribution to their disciplines and community.
• Create a comprehensive model to describe and articulate programmatic excellence and efficiency.
• Expand interdisciplinary work and scholarly collaboration among departments, faculty, students, and alumni.

Transformational Education

• Ensure every student will have engaging and transformational educational experiences.
• Students participate in experiential learning in and beyond the classroom.
• Develop students’ global competence through internationalization initiatives.
• Increase student engagement with faculty, campus life and community.

Well-being

• Become a national leader in the promotion of the physical, emotional, cultural and social well-being of all community members.
• Implement a comprehensive plan for increasing participation in the life of the campus.
• Appreciate and advocate for diversity, equity and social justice.
• Provide outstanding opportunities and support for healthy living.

Maximize Resources

• Maximize resources so that structures, decision-making and processes all work toward institutional vision, responsiveness and sustainability.
• Enhance the effectiveness of administrative and governance structures and processes and align assessments with planning.
• Significantly increase the endowment and revenue.
• More fully integrate alumni into the life of the College.
• Align facilities, curriculum and campus with commitment to environmental sustainability.