OBSERVER Photo by M.J. Stafford The signage at SUNY Fredonia does not call it a college, but the official campus name is “State University of New York, College at Fredonia.” In April, the “college” will get dropped from the name and the campus will officially be considered a university.

Fredonia’s state-run higher education campus won’t be a college anymore as of April 1.

President Stephen Kolison told the College Council (which will presumably be changing its name) Wednesday the state has approved a change to university status.

The official name of the institution will be State University of New York at Fredonia. It is currently State University of New York, College at Fredonia.

The move was something Kolison pushed to help student recruitment efforts. He’s noted that universities are considered more prestigious than colleges in academia.

He added Wednesday the name change will clear up confusion about the campus and its branding. “Now we don’t have to feel like we are trying to do anything illegitimate,” he said.

The switch in status was spurred by rule changes last year about what constitutes a college versus a university in the SUNY system. Many other SUNY branches have taken advantage of the new rules to apply for, and receive, a university designation.

Kolison said SUNY Fredonia will have to commit to an increase in graduate programs to maintain its university status.

The school plans a formal announcement of the name change sometime next week. Kolison said there will also be a toast for the new designation at SUNY Fredonia’s annual retirement/years of service banquet in April.

He concluded, “It’s a tremendous milestone.”