Celebrating 50 Years of the School and College of Nursing
1950
SUNY acquires the College of Medicine and Department of Public Health Nursing from
Syracuse University. Together, Syracuse University and SUNY conduct the program of
Public Health Nursing, under the direction of Ruth E. Rives. Graduates awarded degrees
from Syracuse University School of Education.
1952
SUNY Orange County Community College in Middletown, NY, began the first Associate
degree nursing program in New York State and the nation.
March 15, 1959
"The State University of New York is pleased to announce the establishment of a School
of Nursing at the Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse. The course of instruction will be
two years in length and will lead to the degree of Associate in Applied Science."
This from the Preliminary Announcement, School of Nursing, State University of New York
Upstate Medical Center, March 15, 1959.
September 14, 1959
Classes begin for the first students enrolled in the School of Nursing. These students
were guided by the school's founding Director, Maja Anderson. When it began, this was
the fourth associate degree program in New York State and the first in the Upstate
area.
June 10, 1961
First commencement for the School of Nursing. Graduating 7 students.
June 1962
Last students admitted into program for Public Health Nursing, Bachelor of Science.
September 1962
Joint program begins with private Cazenovia College in cooperation with Upstate
Medical Center School of Nursing. Upon completion, graduates awarded AAS by Upstate
Medical Center.
1964
Discontinuation of Public Health Nursing post-graduate program.
1968
Basic Nursing Techniques: A Programed Introduction to Nursing Fundamentals is
published. Written by School of Nursing Director, Maja C. Anderson, BA, MN.
1974
Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program begins at Upstate Medical Center, Dr. Margaret
Sovie who was Associate Dean of the College of Health Related Professions, serves as
Director of this program.
June 1974
Fay Whitney, PhD, assistant professor until June 1976, then associate professor in
June 1977, co-directs the Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program.
"Dr.Fay Whitney conducted the original feasibility study to support the development
of graduate education to prepare nurses for advanced practice," from College of
Nursing Alumni Association's Nursing News, Fall/Winter 1991.
1975
Maja C. Anderson retires.
July 1975
Upstate President Dr. Richard P. Schmidt makes decision to close the School of
Nursing, with the intent of Upstate to resume with an upper division degree program
in Nursing.
1977
Dr. Whitney becomes Director of the Nurse Practitioner Program and holds this
position until 1983.
May 22, 1977
The last class of 76 nursing students graduate. This concludes the end of the
School of Nursing Associate degree program.
1982
Health Assessment in Nursing Practice, by Jorge Grimes, is published.
1984
Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program closes.
August 1984
Classes begin for first students enrolled in a combined BS/MS Program for Clinical
Nurse Specialists. Co-directors were M. Janice Nelson, EdD, RN, and Judy L. House, MS, ANP.
1986
College of Nursing established, with Dr. M. Janice Nelson serving as Dean.
October 16, 1991
BS completion program and BS/MS program accredited by National League for Nursing.
1996
Accreditation approved again for eight years (maximum) by National League for Nursing.
Dean M. Janice Nelson retires, Jorge Grimes serves as interim.
1997
Nurse as Educator: Principles of Teaching and Learning, is published. Book
authored by Susan B. Bastable, EdD, MEd, RN, Associate Professor and Chair,
Undergraduate Program, College of Nursing. Today, this publication is in the 3rd
Edition and includes several contributing authors affiliated with Upstate: Margaret
M. Braungart, Diane S. Hainsworth, Sharon Kitchie, M. Janice Nelson and
Priscilla S. Worral.
January 1, 1998
Elvira Szigeti, PhD, RN, becomes the new Dean of the College of Nursing.
2004
Accreditation approved for ten years (maximum) by Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education, CCNE of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, AACN.
May 17, 2009
Fay W. Whitney, PhD, RN, a former SUNY Upstate faculty member and Professor Emeritus
in the School of Nursing at University of Wyoming receives Honorary Doctor of Science
Degree from SUNY Upstate Medical University at the annual commencement.
And continuing on
Elvira Szigeti, PhD, RN, continues as the Dean of the College of Nursing. The College of
Nursing offers four programs:
- RN-Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing
- Master of Science Degree in Nursing:
- Clinical Nurse Specialist, CNS
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- RN-MS Program
- Post-Master's Advanced Certificate Program
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