University FAQs

Earlier this year, and after years of advocacy, the New York State Board of Regents voted to revise its definition of a University, paving the way for various institutions across the state to transition from a college to a university.

In 2010, St. John Fisher College was reclassified by the Carnegie Foundation as a Doctoral Research University – now referred to as Doctoral Professional University – based on the number of research doctorates awarded by Fisher in 2008-2009. In essence, we have been operating as a university for more than a decade. With this change, we are now in name what we have long been in practice.

1969 Definition of a University:

"University means a higher educational institution offering a range of registered undergraduate and graduate curricula in the liberal arts and sciences, degrees in two or more professional fields, and doctoral programs in at least three academic fields."

2022 Definition of a University:

"University means a higher educational institution offering a range of registered undergraduate and graduate curricula in the liberal arts and sciences, including graduate programs registered in at least three of the following discipline areas: agriculture, biological sciences, business, education, engineering, fine arts, health professions, humanities, physical sciences, and social sciences."

As Fisher offers graduate programs in business, education, and the health professions, we now meet the requirements of a "university" as defined by the Board of Regents.

Achieving University status adds to our rich history of institutional achievements and accomplishments. University status conveys greater prestige, has stronger reputational value, and better represents the type of institution we are today.

Our patron saint, John Fisher, is a significant piece of our history and our story and will remain so; as such we felt it was important to lead with his name.

Yes. We did think about and discuss the acronym for some time. And, due to the reason outlined above, we felt that St. John Fisher University fits us best. We also thought about all the other successful institutions with acronyms that include letters similar to ours or that could be misunderstood and put those thoughts to rest. To us, this acronym means what we know you're really thinking: "St. John Fisher is Unmatched." And we couldn’t agree more.

With an effective University status date of July 1, 2022, students who graduate from Fisher moving forward will receive a St. John Fisher University diploma and transcript.

The transition to a university will not impact the cost of tuition. We have had a longtime institutional commitment to accessibility and affordability and have been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a Best Value School and in the publication's National Universities Social Mobility category.

Aside from new signage and a new logo, campus will remain the vibrant and active place that students, employees, and alumni have always known.

Fisher has, in essence, been operating as a university for more than a decade and the values and spirit that makes us special will remain constant. We will continue to deliver a student-centered education in a close-knit community focused on the values of goodness, discipline, and knowledge.

We're proud of our history as St. John Fisher College, and hope you are, too. If you feel a strong connection to the institution under the former name, it's more than okay to continue to say you are a proud graduate of St. John Fisher College. Of course, it's also accurate to now say that you are a graduate of St. John Fisher University. We encourage you to refer to your alma mater in the way you feel most connected to us.

You can! It's simple - complete the Diploma Replacement form found on the Registrar's website, and the order will be filled within 10-14 business days. 

The new URL is www.sjf.edu, and the new email handle will follow that format (name@sjf.edu). All go.sjfc.edu/_ short URLs have been replicated at their go.sjf.edu/_ equivalents.

All @sjfc.edu email addresses are now able to receive email sent to @sjf.edu. This includes shared mailboxes such as admissions and alumni, etc. Students will also be able to receive email at @sjf.edu. OIT is working on the intricacies of changing all employee and student default “from” addresses to @sjf.edu, but for now, they will remain @sjfc.edu. There are additional implications for outbound emails, but OIT is aiming to have the "from" emails all set in the coming months.

Both @sjfc.edu and @sjf.edu emails will work for some time thanks to many folks who have been working behind the scenes to implement redirects and other measures to help ensure a smooth digital transition.

The new University logo suite, individual School and divisional/department logos, and an updated style guide, branding guidelines, and social media guidelines are all available in our style guide. The guide includes a logo request submission form.

Style Guide

Not only are you allowed to wear it but you should wear it proudly! We like to consider it as "vintage swag." Please note, though, that the Campus Bookstore will only be selling College apparel and items through September 30, 2022, to accommodate our upcoming Alumni Weekend. Get your items while they last!