By Gabe DiMaio
Buffalo, NY – State University of New York Chancellor Robert King was in Buffalo Thursday to give local business leaders a primer on the impact SUNY schools have on the region. King told a meeting of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership the story of the nine SUNY schools in Western New York -- UB, Buffalo State, Fredonia, the College of Ceramics, SUNY College of Technology at Alfred, Erie Community College, Niagara County Community College, Jamestown Community College and Empire State College.
Chancellor King cited the quantity and the quality of the students in the system. And as graduation rates increase, so will the size of the alumni pool. King says that SUNY Alumini living in the region top almost 490,000 people.
King said the nine SUNY schools in Western New York contribute $1.14 billion a year to the local economy.
Aside from the economic impact, the number of people that SUNY touches in Western New York is astounding. The schools have a total enrollment of 70,211 students and 12,167 employees.