SUNY ONEONTA STATE 

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

Mission, Values, Vision

"We nurture a community where students grow intellectually, thrive socially and live purposefully."

Though just 13 words long, our mission explains in a nutshell what we do, day in and day out. We’ve built our reputation on a consistent, collective, conspicuous investment in students’ interests, well-being and success. SUNY Oneonta is known as a caring campus where people are genuinely friendly and work hard to make everyone feel at home. Three core values support our mission:

• inclusivity — making sure that everyone feels welcome here;
• service — committing to making a difference in the lives of others; and
• sustainability — stewarding resources to foster a just community in ecological balance.

From its humble beginning as the Oneonta Normal School in 1889, these three values have been woven through the fabric of the institution. They’ve defined who we are and what sets us apart. They’ve given us purpose. Together with the mission, these values now guide SUNY Oneonta’s pursuit of a clear vision:

to become the exemplar residential community, providing relevant educational experiences in and outside of the classroom.

SUNY Oneonta will challenge the status quo, test assumptions, and ask difficult questions about relevancy and impact. The university must understand the needs of today’s learners and tomorrow’s. Our campus and all of the opportunities it can offer should revolve around students and evolve with them. As they trust us to guide them to their goals, we entrust them with the future and the hope of a more just, humane and happier world.