RIT president says next build is strengthening people and programs

For several years, construction cranes were part of Rochester Institute of Technology’s skyline, proof that new buildings were a sign of growth.

“Now, another important building project is ahead of us. This time, we’re strengthening and supporting the people and programs of the university itself,” said RIT President Bill Sanders during his State of the University address Sept. 10 in the RIT Performing Arts Center.

Like all colleges and universities, Sanders said RIT needs to focus on its priorities for a changing world, including meeting shifting attitudes about the value of a college degree.

Sanders said many of the evolving public expectations align with strengths RIT has developed over generations. While the changing environment may require some universities to reinvent themselves, he said RIT should rediscover and build on the strengths that have long distinguished it.

The starting salary for RIT undergraduates is $78,600, which is $10,000 above the national average, and the starting salary for RIT graduate students is $91,900. “That's an important part of the value students and families expect from a college education,” he said.

Sanders noted that RIT is doing well — a record 5,420 degrees were awarded last spring, and nearly 4,000 first-year, transfer, and graduate students were welcomed this semester.

Employers are seeking the knowhow, talent, and innovation RIT students have to offer. Last fiscal year, 4,149 RIT students received a co-op, and nearly 93 percent of graduates either became employed (85.8%), began graduate studies (5.9%), or joined the military or volunteered (1.1%).

To continue and grow this success, Sanders pointed to RIT’s Strategic Framework announced earlier this year, with four strategic goals:

• Encourage transformative student experiences and success, focusing on creating the environment and support that helps students succeed.
• Engage in world-changing research, advancing discovery and applying knowledge to make a difference.
• Promote a culture of well-being and belonging in an environment where people are supported, connected, and able to thrive.
• And work with a global reach and mindset, extending RIT’s learning, partnerships, and impact beyond the Rochester campus. RIT’s international campuses in Croatia, Kosovo, and Dubai plan to grow, with RIT Dubai planning a major expansion to double its number of students to approximately 4,500 by 2028 by adding new academic, laboratory, research, and innovation spaces.

Sanders said the coming year will be one of action. He said some things that are working well should be strengthened, while others will need to change.

“We know who we are, we know the strengths that distinguish RIT, and we know those strengths are increasingly relevant to the world around us,” he said. “That’s our next build: strengthening how RIT works so we can deliver the outcomes that matter most. And that’s work that belongs to all of us.”

RIT Provost Prabu David; Keith Jenkins, vice president for Access, Engagement, and Success; Student Government President Yasmine Ibrahim; and the leaders of Faculty Senate and Staff Council also spoke.