ΒιΆΉΣ³»
As an academic and spiritual community, we endeavor to prepare our students for the challenges they will face in their professional careers and personal lives.
ΒιΆΉΣ³» is recognized for academic excellence by distinctive accrediting organizations and is consistently rated as a top university in the Northeast.
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Founded in 1858 to promote Catholic-Franciscan education, we continue to pursue academic excellence through personalized attention that reflects the Franciscan tradition of valuing human relationships.
We are an integral part of the Olean and Allegany communities and we take great pride in sharing our facilities and expertise with our neighbors.
The ΒιΆΉΣ³» campus is spread over 500 acres in a valley surrounded by the Allegheny foothills of southwestern New York state, a region known as the Southern Tier.
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Learn how SBU embraces AI as a force for ethical innovation, combining transformative tech with a Catholic education in the Franciscan Tradition.
SBU trustees OK contract extension for President Gingerich
Dr. Jeff Gingerich has signed a contract extension that will keep him in place as ΒιΆΉΣ³»βs president through May 2030.
The universityβs Board of Trustees approved the extension.
βIβm grateful to our trustees for their show of faith in my leadership. These first three years as president of this remarkable university have been the most fulfilling of my career in higher education,β Gingerich said. βBut I want to be clear that their show of faith is just as much about the tremendous work of the administrators, faculty and staff Iβve been blessed to be surrounded with as it is about me.β
Gingerich, whoβs worked in higher education since 2000, began his presidency at SBU in the summer of 2022. Since then, the university has welcomed the three largest freshman classes in 20 years, with total enrollment in fall 2024 β undergraduate and graduate β reaching the fourth-highest mark in university history.
βOur Boardβs unanimous approval of Jeff's contract extension is a testament to Jeff's dedicated leadership. Weβve had extraordinary momentum under his tenure, including record student enrollment, new academic programs and greater engagement in the community,β said Michael Hickey, chair of the Board. βWeβre very pleased with Jeffβs contributions to our Bolder Bonaventure fundraising campaign and commitment to increasing our endowment. His vision and orchestration of a long-term strategic plan will set the stage for growth and a vibrant future at ΒιΆΉΣ³».β
Gingerich has traveled extensively across the country during his first three years, meeting with alumni and donors as the university nears the end of its seven-year Bolder Bonaventure campaign.
The university is on the brink of reaching its $125 million goal well before the campaign ends May 31. Work on one of the pillars of the campaign β the major renovation of the Jandoli School of Communication β is scheduled to begin this spring.
Gingerich has also worked to increase administrative transparency, communicating with the campus community through regularly scheduled Town Halls, Presidentβs Hours and email updates on topics ranging from sustainability efforts and NCAA challenges to university finances and the complexity of building a budget.
In his desire to enhance the universityβs relationship with the neighboring Seneca Nation of Indians, the president worked to establish a committee made up of university and Seneca leaders to work on initiatives to rekindle their relationship, including the development of a Land Acknowledgement Statement. The land upon which SBU sits was once Seneca land.
Gingerich also established a Sustainability Task Force and charged the University Planning Commission with developing a new strategic plan.
Gingerich and his wife, Betsy, have hosted numerous social events at their home for students and staff to strengthen their bonds with the campus community. The president also established a now beloved campus tradition: the annual Christmas tree lighting at Marchiori Pavilion.
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ΒιΆΉΣ³» the University: The nationβs first Franciscan university, ΒιΆΉΣ³» is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, ΒιΆΉΣ³» was ranked #6 for value and #14 for innovation by U.S. News and World Report (2024).