Binghamton University, also formally called State University of New York at Binghamton, is a public research university in the State of New York. The University is one of the four university centers in the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Since its establishment in 1946, the University has grown from a small liberal arts college to a large doctoral-granting institution, presently consisting of six colleges and schools, and is now home to nearly 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Binghamton University is currently ranked 86th among the 262 national universities ranked in the 2011 U.S. News America's Best Colleges and Universities ranking and is a Public Ivy. The Carnegie Foundation has classified the University as RU/H (Research Universities with high research activity). The University's main campus is located in the Town of Vestal, with a secondary education center located in the nearby downtown Binghamton, New York. Binghamton University was established in 1946 as Triple Cities College to serve the needs of local veterans returning from World War II of the Triple Cities area. Established in Endicott, New York; the college was a branch of Syracuse University.