Is Southampton Becoming Stony Brook's Safety School?

By Nathan Shapiro

Stony Brook Southampton campus welcomed its first classes, with 150 freshmen, this fall. But rather than standing on its own, some students claim that it is only serving as a temporary home for future Stony Brook University students because it is a "backdoor" for applicants not accepted to the main campus.

University officials steadfastly deny both that Southampton has lower admission standards than Stony Brook and that it serves as a reservoir for Stony Brook students-in-waiting.

"The notion of the 'backdoor' is not something that is a reality or going to be a reality," said Dr. Peter M. Baigent, who is associate provost for enrollment and retention management as well as vice president for student affairs. "It's not going to be a low threshold backdoor."

Matthew Whelan, assistant provost and dean of admissions and financial aid., countered by pointing out that admission standards for the two schools are the same.

"There were some students offered spots off the wait list for Stony Brook," said Whelan. But the students admitted to Southampton had "above average quality profiles" that did not make it into Stony Brook due to filled capacity.

"It's used as a backdoor," said Kat Storemski, a former student of Stony Brook's main campus who transferred to Southampton out of convenience. "At the spring welcome parents were told if kids could hack it for a year they could transfer."

According to Whelan, the final policy is still being developed, but Southampton's current freshmen were told that they had to take at least nine of their credits at Southampton and had to wait at least one year before transferring to Stony Brook.

Whelan conceded that some students might have had such plans in mind when they came to Southampton, but does not expect many to take advantage of it. Whelan also added that recruitment for Southampton began late because they had to wait for proper certification. As a result, he said, they were unable to attract as many students primarily interested in the key programs offered by Southampton.

"We see people coming backwards and forwards," said Baigent. "It goes both ways. We have 60 Stony Brook students taking marine science courses out there."

Southampton's defenders argue that its merits as a small institution while maintaining the benefits of its ties to Stony Brook will keep its students from leaving.

"It's a small intimate place, built up in the manner to create a small, intimate, student-centered environment," said Whelan. To illustrate, he noted that students can spend each Thursday night personally having dinner with the dean.

"Clearly Stony Brook Southampton is developing a community, but it's still a part of Stony Brook," Baigent said. "It will evolve as a separate entity but have the advantage of being part of a major university."

Storenski disagrees, describing Southampton as "the red-headed adopted child of Stony Brook campus." Students there feel neglected, she said, and alleges difficulties from having to order text books online as well as suffering meal plan malfunctions.

"They're trying to make it independent... but it's not." Storenski said, "the general consensus from students, except for the environmental fundamentalists, is that they want to go to the main campus."

Still, Whelan and Baigent see Southampton carrying its own weight--and rather than devaluing a Stony Brook degree, they see it bringing new strengths to it.

"Southampton has an innovative set of programs that reflect upon science, public policy and economics of a sustainable environment,"said Baigent, "its narrowly cast curriculum is clearly something with a lot of traction," and people educated in it will be highly sought after by employers in the years to come.

The unique environment offered to applicants is exciting from an enrollment perspective, according to Whelan. Although there is no proof of it yet, Whelan says he sees it beginning to happen.

"The proof will be in the pudding and admissions," said Whelan. "I believe it will take off and be a signature program in Stony Brook and a signature undergraduate program in the nation."