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Colleges include Liberal Arts and Sciences, Ceramic Art, Ceramic Engineering, Engineering, and Business. Both colleges of ceramics are state supported (SUNY). Undergraduate population around 2,000, plus around 500 graduate students (in the colleges other than Liberal Arts and Sciences). Jokes abound regarding the school of ceramic engineering (e.g., the porcelain gods), however the fact remains that Alfred's ceramic engineers are in high demand by NASA (for projects such as space shuttle tiles). The mascot is the Saxon, a knight in shining armor, symbolizing strength and courage (or rape and pillage if you're a feminazi).
Alfred University has been called a great place to have gone to college for physics, math, and astronomy. Because of their many telescopes at the observatory, Alfred University has been called "the Kitt Peak of the East." Despite (or perhaps because of) the rural setting, there is a good social scene on campus, however Greek social organizations were recently (summer 2002) banned from the campus after an indepth analysis of the Greek system by the Trustees, 50% of whom attended Alfred, and 80% of whom were themselves members of a fraternity/sorrority while in college. Hot Dog Day (HDD, in early April) is a particularly fun time to be in Alfred.