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Admissions Open House Set for April 2

03/17/2011 

The 29th Annual Admissions Open House, a one-day program allowing accepted freshmen, transfer applicants and prospective students to better acquaint themselves with SUNY Cortland, is expected to attract 2,000 visitors to campus on Saturday, April 2.

This year, more than 11,900 freshmen have applied for admission to the fall semester at SUNY Cortland, said Betsy Cheetham, assistant director of admissions at the College and coordinator of the Open House since its inception in 1983.

Additionally, the College anticipates more than 2,600 transfer applications for the Fall 2011 semester, she noted. In the past, more than 70 percent of the freshmen students who attend Open House actually enroll in the fall semester and 90 percent of the transfer applicants enroll.

“Open House helps accepted student applicants determine if SUNY Cortland is the college they will attend,” added Mark Yacavone, SUNY Cortland director of admissions. “Most students will need to commit to a college by May 1. This informative and exciting day allows them to get their last-minute questions answered and project what life as a SUNY Cortland student will be like.”

Events will take place in Park Center and Corey Union.

Visitors are encouraged to take part in a variety of information sessions and tours, Cheetham explained. Several alumni volunteers will be available to eat lunch with the prospective students and their families in the on-campus dining areas, and faculty will be encouraged to meet them as well.

This year will feature tours of the SUNY Cortland Child Care Center in the Education Building between noon and 2 p.m., Cheetham added. Students who might use the center as well as early childhood education majors are expected to attend.

Open House begins at 9:45 a.m. in the Park Center Alumni Arena with welcoming remarks by College President Erik J. Bitterbaum, Student Government Association President Jesse Campanaro and Yacavone.

An academic fair and a variety of student organization programs and student services will be offered in Park Center Corey Gymnasium between 10:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Prospective Cortland students and their families can meet current faculty and students to discuss the College’s major and minor programs, as well as its clubs and activities. Walking tours of campus led by current students will include academic buildings and residence halls. A shuttle bus will transport students wanting to tour the West Campus Apartments.

Information on an array of programs relating to the academic, cultural and social life of the Cortland campus will be presented between 10:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m., in Park Center and Corey Union. Sessions will cover housing and residence life for both freshman and transfer students, financial aid, Honors Program, career services, technology on campus, academic support services, diversity on campus and meal plans. Other sessions include campus activities and involvement, Greek life, study abroad, student disability services, childhood and early childhood education, athletic training, sport management, pre-law advisement, pre-med advisement, learning opportunities for students who haven’t declared a major and transfer credits. In addition, Danceworks and the Cortland Dance Company will perform.

Lunch will be available in the Brockway Hall, Neubig Hall and Corey Union dining facilities. Alumni volunteers and faculty will join prospective students and their families who choose to dine on campus.

Guests also are invited to attend campus athletic and cultural events. Home games will include a softball doubleheader at noon versus New Paltz and women’s lacrosse versus Oswego at 1 p.m. There will be no admission charge for athletic events on Open House day.

At 8 p.m., the hit Broadway musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” will take place in the Dowd Fine Arts Center Theatre. Recommended for the whole family, the Tony Award-winning, rollicking musical comedy is about a daffy wedding, a looney ladies’ man, a ditzy millionairess, two gangsters disguised as cooks and a tipsy chaperone. Tickets will be sold at the door for $7 for Open House guests and all students, $14 for senior citizens and SUNY staff and $16 for the general public.

For more information, visit online at www.cortland.edu/admissions or contact Cheetham at (607) 753-4712.