Admissions Office recalculates as college competition increases

Geneseo’s Admissions Office is restructuring its enrollment strategy, as the reality of a changing New York region and the competition from nearby institutions intensifies. This trend has taken a toll on the acceptance rate, which has risensince 2010.

The acceptance rate for first year, freshman and transfer students in 2010 was 39 percent; this rose to 71 percent in 2015. 

Kim Harvey assumed the role of director of admissions for Geneseo in October after serving in Residence Life and in the New Student Programing Office. She is confident that the acceptance rate represents just “one piece of many” to the whole of Geneseo.

The recruitment process for the class of 2021 marks the first time the admissions office will be using a “territory management” technique. 

“We took the state of New York and it was divided up based on counties. Each counselor got a set of counties, and that is the area in which they visit high schools,” Harvey said. “This allows the counselor to get to know the school they visit and the type of student that is produced from that school and academic curriculum, while personalizing the message.” 

Geneseo is also refocusing its efforts on the New York City Metropolitan region. As opposed to spending around three and a half weeks out of the recruitment cycle in this region, a new full-time position was created to exclusively interact with downstate schools. 

“We re-shifted resources there, allowing a full-time person to visit more high schools and, since they live down there, it is more accessible for applicants,” Harvey said.

In addition, Geneseo will be engaging more directly with New York City high schoolers by conducting interviews and information sessions at the SUNY Welcome Center in Manhattan—a first for this application cycle.

When acceptance letters are sent out—ranging from March 1-May 1—the Admissions Office will try to increase “touch points” with applicants, especially during this recruitment cycle, according to Harvey. This process will include reaching out to applicants with emails, sending personalized letters to parents and applicants about college departments and leaders and hosting “yield events,” which are a series of programs or workshops that enable applicants to become acclimated to Geneseo.

Harvey said that there has been a flux in the number of applications received from the New York City area. Furthermore, 210 students have committed themselves to attend Geneseo through the binding early decision process thus far. This is a 14 percent increase over the last incoming class of 184 early decision students.

“I think when we stack some of our academic programs against some of those schools [Hamilton, Colgate and Cornell] that you mentioned, I think we are competitive,” Harvey said. “Certainly a lot of it comes down to the price tag and scholarship money, but we are still attracting students that would be applicants there.”

Despite fluctuations in admissions rates over the past few years, Vice President for Student and Campus Life Robert Bonfiglio said that this reportedly does not have an effect on the perception of the school as a competitive public-honors college, as reflected in consultant studies with various focus groups.  

“It was clear from those things that Geneseo is known for academic rigor and a strong intellectual environment, and so I would like to think that that reputation is stronger than any temporary kind of fluctuations in acceptance rates,” Bonfiglio said. 

Other aspects of the college hold more importance than what is reflected in the changes in the acceptance rate, according to Bonfiglio. 

“The culture of an institution and a peer group at an institution has a much stronger impact on student achievement and student success than almost anything else,” Bonfiglio said. “I would expect all students to feel welcome and to find their niche.”

Assistant news editor Zainab Tahir contributed to this article.

Conservancy continues aim to protect farmlands with latest funds

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The Genesee Valley Conservancy raised over $1.3 million over nine years in order to preserve the farmland in the Genesee Valley. Pictured left are psychology major junior Amanda Paratore and international relations and psychology double major sophomore Hannah Garty, who both collaborate with the conservancy as part of Friends of Recreation, Conservation and Environmental Stewardship. Pictured right is Pleasant Hill Farm, which is protected by the conservancy.

The Genesee Valley Conservancy marked the completion of a nine-year fundraising campaign in late 2016. With over $1.3 million raised, the conservancy hopes to continue to protect the farmland of the Genesee Valley, according to Executive Director of the Conservancy Benjamin Gajewski ‘07. 

“The campaign’s goal was to ensure proper resources to ensure permanent protection of what we have done to date, our mini-vision,” Gajewski said. 

The money will help finance the operations for a few ambassador nature preserves so that families can learn the value of the outdoors, according to Gajewski. 

The funds raised from the campaign also allow Geneseo and the public to continue using the conservancy’s three nature preserves: the John W. Chanler Island Preserve, the Railroad Bed Trail and the Indian Fort Nature Preserve. The Indian Fort Nature Preserve, which is south of Geneseo, contains a ravine that is frequently studied. Remnants of an Iroquois settlement are also located there. 

The conservancy was formed in 1990 by a group of equestrian landowners near Nations Road in Geneseo. The landowners sought to retain their lands’ rural and agrarian character for future family generations. This desire to preserve the land has grown more popular throughout the region as residents work to mitigate the effects of housing and commercial development, according to Gajewski. 

Close to 16,800 acres of land are protected across the region by the Genesee Valley Conservancy, according to Gajewski. The conservancy uses the land trust model, in which landowners abide by a legally binding document that prevents future development and they are given a tax deduction as a result to encourage the preservation of the land. 

“This protects the quality of life of the area and the pastoral views,” professor of biology and Genesee Valley Conservancy board member Gregg Hartvigsen said. If a landowner builds a house, they are legally liable to tear it down, according to federal regulations. 

Students and professors from Geneseo utilize the conservancy’s physical assets for research and study. Hartvigsen forged a memorandum of understanding between the college and the conservancy 15 years ago to allow Geneseo students to study a 404-acre plot of land two miles from campus. Since then the site has attracted people across the nation,  according to Hartvigsen. 

As both a donor and active board member, Hartvigsen believes that the conservancy has an overwhelmingly positive effect. 

“The conservancy is doing the right thing,” Hartvigsen said. “It allows visitors to enjoy the view sheds so they can see the distances across the valley and some of the pastoral views.”

Gajewski is pleased to have cultivated and to have retained such a strong relationship with the college and community. He opens programs such as the yearly Genesee Valley Hunt, the Blue Bell Flower walk and periodic nature information sessions to all. In addition, Gajewski also provides internships to students.

“Our interns and a lot of student groups—like Friends of Recreation, Conservation and Environmental Stewardship—have allowed us to get a lot more work done,” he said. 

Gajewski and Hartvigsen said that the conservancy will be working in the future to add staff positions, to bring the amount of protected land to above 20,000 acres and to continue building relationships with the community. 

“Having a few ambassador nature preserves where families can go and hike trails, get dirty, learn the value of the outdoors—I think that is a really important piece to our future, that we can provide those,” Gajewski said. “Being able to have a nature preserve in each town or school district or something like that would help get the word out but also show people the best practices and demonstrate great things."