It’s hard to believe that we are nearing the end of the fall semester at Rensselaer. In a matter of weeks, our students will leave campus and head home to spend time with their family and friends for the holiday season.
As we have done for the past few years, the Troy and Hartford campuses will be closed for the 2014 Holiday and Winter Break beginning Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014, and will re-open on Monday, January 5, 2015, so that our faculty and staff can also spend time with their families.
Curtis Powell
The Spring-Fall 2014 academic year has been exciting on many fronts, and we celebrate the latest series of national acknowledgements related to the long-held reputation of Rensselaer as one of the nation’s top universities. Rensselaer continues to be ranked among the top 50 universities by the U.S. News & World Report, and the Institute was recognized as “One of the Nation’s Best Colleges” by the Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report.
The School of Engineering was ranked fourth in the world by the Business Insider; and ranked number 5 by USA Today, as one of the Top Five Engineering Colleges in the U.S. Our undergraduate engineering program is ranked number 26 by U.S. News & World Report. The School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences’ Multimedia and Visual Communications program was ranked in sixth place in U.S News & World Report.
Additional highlights include the first-place ranking of the Lally School of Management Corporate Strategy & Financial Management for a U.S.-based program by Bloomberg BusinessWeek, along with the School of Architecture being ranked in 14th place in the U.S. by DesignIntelligence; and recognition of the Lighting Research Center as the premier lighting research center in North America by the National Lighting Product Information Program.
The Division of Enrollment Management once again has produced a record number of applications. This year, our applications for freshman admissions have more than tripled. In 2005, the applications for freshman admissions were 5,572 compared to 18,602 applications this fall.
As we have done for the past few years, the Troy and Hartford campuses will be closed for the 2014 Holiday and Winter Break beginning Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014, and will re-open on Monday, January 5, 2015, so that our faculty and staff can also spend time with their families.”
Most recently, according to the American Institute for Economic Research, these days the “college experience” is about more than simply attending a top-notch university. The city or town where the school is located is also important. Data compiled by the organization ranked the 20 best small cities for college students, with the Albany-Schenectady-Troy region coming in at number 11 on the list.
All of the accomplishments that propel Rensselaer to these new heights could not happen without our dedicated faculty and staff. During this Winter Break and Holiday closing, I ask that you take time to focus on the positive things in your life, while spending time with your family, friends, and colleagues.
Thank you for all that you have done, what you are doing, and what you are set to accomplish in 2015. On behalf of our Board of Trustees, President Jackson, and the Division of Human Resources, we extend to you and your family best wishes for a happy holiday season!
Curtis Powell, SPHR
Vice President for Human Resources