MSCHE/ACOE Self Study

Executive Summary

Background: The State University of New York State College of Optometry, founded in 1971 by legislative act, is dedicated to the education of optometrists, to the advancement of eye and vision care through research and graduate education, and to the care of communities through the provision of comprehensive visual health services. The College of Optometry is one of the 64 SUNY campuses which constitute the State’s comprehensive public university system. The campus is contained in a single 300,000 sq. ft., twenty-floor facility (two below ground) located at 33 West 42 nd St. in midtown Manhattan. The College of Optometry is a doctoral degree granting, research institution with approximately 300 students. Of these, approximately 90% are enrolled in the Doctor of Optometry professional degree program and 10% are pursuing graduate studies through either the Masters or Ph.D. degree programs in vision science. Additionally, the College is heavily vested in post-graduate clinical education offering 13 residency programs with 30 residents. The professional degree program attracted over 758 applications for 76 seats this past year. Entering classes are among the most academically qualified in the nation and enrolled students consistently show strong performance on the standardized national examinations (NBEO) required for licensure. The NBEO serves as one key indicator of student learning outcomes. The College’s Graduate Center for Vision Research currently attracts approximately $3.5 M in annual extramural support, with increased funding in each of the last five years. This core of this support consists of federal grants from the National Institutes of Health, including 9 R01s, 2 R21s and a T-35. The graduate research programs have 12 Ph.D. and 28 OD/MS students currently enrolled. In addition to its educational, research and student life spaces, the building has five floors dedicated to the University Eye Center (UEC), the College’s Article 28 patient care facility. The UEC had approximately 73,000 patient visits during the 2010 academic year. Moreover, there is an extensive array of clinical satellites and extramural programs that further broaden the scope and diversity of the patient population (an additional 60,000+ visits). The College of Optometry had an FY 2009-10 all-funds annual operating budget of approximately $31.5 million, with approximately 39% coming directly in the form of State support, 16% from tuition and fees, 26% from patient care, 10% from grants and contracts, and 9% from other sources. Even with consistent cuts in State support due to the economy, campus operations over the last five years have had annual surpluses.

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