A message from President Simone

It simply amazes me as I walk around campus to see how much RIT has grown. Whether it is the expansion of our campus facilities, the size of our enrollment, or the impact of RIT’s academic and research programs in meeting the needs of our business and government partners, RIT is unquestionably in a growth mode.

Albert J. Simone

Indeed, in July we received a gift of $6 million from the Gleason Foundation (page 2). This generous funding will be used to enhance curriculum and expand facilities at the Kate Gleason College of Engineering, ranked among the nation’s top 10 engineering colleges.

During the past five years, we have invested $220 million in capital projects, including new and improved academic buildings, student residential areas, recreational space and more. An additional $53 million has been invested in equipment to ensure that our students have the learning tools that are consistent with the demands of their academic programs. You can see how much the campus has changed starting on page 20.

RIT is now the 11th largest private university in the United States with approximately 15,000 students. We have more than 90,000 alumni worldwide. Today, 50 percent of the freshmen class hails from outside the state. We have 1,400 students from more than 90 countries. We have raised the bar academically: Last fall, the incoming class had a mean SAT score of 1210.

Our cooperative education program has a widespread impact on students and employers throughout the nation. Fifty-two percent of our 3,600 co-op placements are with Rochester area businesses, another 20 percent are with companies throughout New York, and nearly 30 percent are in other parts of the country. A recent economic impact study calculated that the value of these co-ops to participating companies is at least $25 million a year. Co-op experience pays dividends: 95 percent of RIT graduates are employed in their field within six months of graduation.

RIT, with 2,800 employees, is now the ninth largest employer in Rochester. Factor in that we have 30,000 alumni living in Rochester and it doesn’t take long to see how important the university and the community are to one another. We are also proud of the impact that our faculty, students and alumni are making around the nation and the globe.

The RIT impact is a source of pride for me, as I hope it is for you. Please accept my invitation to celebrate with us Oct. 9-12 at our sixth annual Brick City Festival and Alumni Weekend 2003. It will be a great opportunity to see how RIT is growing in many dimensions.

Cordially yours,

Albert J. Simone
President