29-01-2025
Stenger delivers final State of the University speech
VESTAL, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Amid confetti, on-stage selfies and a mock knighting ceremony, Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger gave what was likely his final State of the University speech at BU.
Stenger, who announced in October that he is stepping down as President at the end of this school year.
After taking a few selfies from the stage, Stenger gave an address highlighting what he calls the most successful year of his tenure. He says applications and enrollment are at a record level and that the pace of hiring new faculty and staff is even greater. And Stenger celebrated BU's recent ranking by Forbes magazine as one of the 10 best public universities in the country.
Binghamton once again won the America East Cup, which honors a combination of athletic and academic achievement among the school's student athletes.
Stenger says he's worked hard to leave the university in good shape for his successor.
'At my age, I'm not getting younger, I'm getting older, maybe I have time to do one more thing, one more meaningful thing in my life and I thought maybe this was a good time. I also kidded around telling people you want to leave when people want you to stay, not when people want you to leave. And I think we're at that point right now when everybody's excited about things,' said Stenger.
Stenger twice fired off confetti cannons to celebrate the school's accomplishments. And he recognized Chemistry Professor and Nobel Laureate Stan Whittingham by pretending to knight him as his native England recently did this month.
Stenger says a lot of construction projects remain underway both on the Vestal main campus and at the health sciences campus in Johnson City.
BU will spend $575 million on construction projects over the next five years including a new 400 student dorm, 1,900 seats added to an expanded lecture hall and a complete renovation of the East Gym.
Stenger delivers final State of the University speech
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