B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences

The B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences (or GCCIS, pronounced "gee-sis" as a joke among students and faculty^{[citation needed]}) is the newest and second largest college at the Rochester Institute of Technology. As of winter quarter, 2007, it includes 17% of RIT's enrollment. This college encompasses the Information Technology (IT), Networking, Security, and Systems Administration (NSSA), Software Engineering (SE), and the Computer Science (CS) departments. A new department, Interactive Games and Media, was added as well.

History

In the late 1990s, the Dean of RIT's College of Applied Science and Technology, made a proposition to create another college that would focus on the growing fields of computer science, information technology and software engineering. In February 2001, B. Thomas Golisano, Chairman and CEO of Paychex, Inc., donated $14 million to fund the college's creation. The college was founded on July 1, 2001.

The computer science department, formed in the early 1970s, has become one of the largest in the nation. Many of the other departments have originated from the Computer Science department, becoming a new department upon proposal. RIT was the first US university to offer a degree in the fields of Information Technology and Software Engineering. GCCIS is the second largest college at RIT, and the Information Technology major combined with the recent Network, Security, and System Administration major hold more enrolled students than any other at RIT.

Facilities

GCCIS is one of few colleges within Rochester Institute of Technology that accommodates its students with state-of-the-art technology and facilities. Because much of the curriculum requires collaboration amongst students for class projects, especially in the Software Engineering and Computer Science departments, team rooms are made available on the first floor for students to reserve. Up above one floor is home to the Interactive Games and Media Department and also the Game Design and Development Lab. Here, students have access to dual monitor machines, Alienware desktops, and an Xbox 360 console at every seat. On the top floor, the Computer Science Graphics Lab holds PSP and iPhone development kits as well as motion capture suits.

Aside from outstanding labs, GCCIS has also received fame for its recently renovated deli, Ctrl Alt DELi (formerly known as Sandella's), located in the atrium. The name was selected as the winning entry in a naming competition submitted by a freshman computer science student. Ctrl Alt DELi's menu boasts "mega byte" and "half byte" sizes as well as a "Design your own sandwich" option, all displayed in DOS-style format.^{[citation needed]}

External links

• GCCIS Official site