Siena talks next steps for Saint Rose students

Dr. Chuck Seifert says Siena College is in a strong position financially and has room in its student body of around 3,500 to accommodate transfers from the College of Saint Rose.

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -The College of Saint Rose will shut its doors after Spring 2024 and Summer 1 classes. For the more than 2,000 students who are enrolled this fall, there may not be enough time to complete their degree.

In response, Saint Rose asked other local colleges to participate in their Teach-Out Plan. This is said to provide program-specific pathways for their students whose futures are in limbo with the impending closure of the College.

Dr. Chuck Seifert says Siena is in a strong position financially and has room in its student body of around 3,500 to accommodate transfers from Saint Rose. "We anticipate probably a couple dozen programs where we’ll be able to easily facilitate that teach out from them to us, including a few of their master’s degrees."

SUNY New Paltz and UAlbany are also finalizing teach-out plans. Siena is holding a Zoom meeting with the Saint Rose community on January 3, 2024, to discuss the situation.

"I’m sure that they’re anxious now. If they want to reach out, they can reach out to our enrollment management department and we will do everything that we can to answer their questions," assured Dr. Seifert.

When asked about hiring professors from Saint Rose, Dr. Seifert said those discussions are not as frequent as taking care of the students. "We’re always evaluating and looking for opportunities. I can’t say at this time we have any definitive plans, but we’re certainly open and looking at everything that we can do to help the community."