Second Wind

Twenty years ago Stony Brook University completed its acquisition of the Southampton campus of Long Island University, which it had opened in 1963 to provide a liberal arts education to residents of the East End. 

In 2004, after years of declining enrollment and financial struggles, LIU announced it would be closing the campus. Seeing the potential of the 82-acre location, the SUNY Board of Trustees authorized its purchase in 2005, and following negotiations, Stony Brook’s acquisition was completed in October 2006.

Working collaboratively with the Southampton community, Stony Brook is continuing to rebuild the campus’ role not only as an academic institution but as a cornerstone of the region’s healthcare and economic landscape.

As part of its mission to transform the campus, SBU introduced programs in the health professions and completed renovations of the Marine Sciences Center it inherited from LIU in 2013. Summer conference facilities were refurbished to provide housing for seasonal staffing needs while the Southampton Writers Conference continued to bring talented artists to campus every July. In 2025, the Avram Theatre was refurbished and artists flocked back to its stage, including a new, ongoing Jazz Loft series. The musical concerts under the Jazz Loft umbrella expanded in 2026 and occur regularly throughout the semester. The iconic windmill is also currently undergoing refurbishment.

For more on the campus, visit stonybrook.edu/southampton