Dear Siena Community,
One of the key objectives within our Strategic Plan articulates a commitment to produce in-demand academic programs that align with the needs of our students, employers, and society in service to our mission. The success of our plan, and the future success of our institution, depends heavily on our agility and unyielding pursuit of this objective. We must be willing to lead the way and deliver mission-focused educational opportunities that will drive demand. In one bold move, I believe we’re poised to do exactly that in a very impactful way.
I’m thrilled to announce that Siena has acquired the Master of Arts in Teaching Program — as well as the entire suite of 16 fully-accredited graduate programs in education — from Clarkson University effective this June. By taking ownership of these well-established programs, we nearly double our overall graduate enrollment and create a pipeline for our own students to pursue their master’s at Siena. What’s more, through immediate expansion to our highly regarded education department, we position ourselves as a leader in this space, primed to satisfy a niche and growing demand within the regional market that perfectly aligns with our values and mission.
Clarkson took ownership of the MAT program in 2016 when it acquired Union’s Graduate College, which included engineering and business programs. Clarkson’s historical mission has been STEM education, and in an effort to sharpen that particular focus, they sought a partner who would be a better steward of their nationally-recognized teaching programs. They found a perfect partner in Siena.
The MAT program — with its attractive and unique full-year teacher residency — already boasts a 100 percent job placement rate, and as we approach a steep retirement cliff for teachers, as many as 200,000 educators will be needed in New York State over the next 10 years. Siena will be a pipeline — from our classrooms to classrooms across the State — producing teachers educated in the Franciscan Tradition.
In the coming months, we’ll work with Clarkson to provide a seamless transition for the approximately 100 students currently enrolled, and we will warmly welcome eight full-time Clarkson faculty and administrators who will be transferring along with the programs. An acquisition of this scope and on this timeline presents its challenges, but Provost Maggie Madden and Dean Chris Farnan — along with the full support of our education department and in partnership with our counterparts at Clarkson — have expertly managed the transition.
On Friday, April 5 during free period, we’ll hold a community town hall. I look forward to sharing in more detail how today’s announcement builds on our current strategy, and we’ll begin to discuss other areas of focus important and necessary for shaping the future of the College. The vision of a vibrant and thriving Siena College is our shared goal. I’m excited at the progress we’re making toward that reality together.
Peace and all good,
—
Charles F. Seifert, Ph.D.