Binghamton University, or Binghamton University, State University of New York, locally referred to as BU, is a public research university in the U.S. state of New York. Legally and officially the State University of New York at Binghamton, it is one of the four university centers in the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Since its establishment as Triple Cities College in 1946, the school has evolved into a small liberal arts college, Harpur College, then a large doctoral-granting institution.