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Spitzer receptive to UB’s plans
Governor supportive at NYC meeting
By SUE WUETCHER
Reporter Editor
The university's expansion plans have gained a prominent friend in Albany.
President John B. Simpson and UB Council Chair Jeremy Jacobs met with Gov. Eliot Spitzer on March 9 in New York City and delivered the message that a thriving UB is the best agent for the economic revitalization of Western New York. The governor, according to Simpson and others who attended the meeting, understands the role of a research university and was very supportive of UB's plans.
"The governor clearly recognizes the importance of UB's growth and transformation to the economic revitalization of the Buffalo-Niagara region," Simpson said.
Simpson and Jacobs briefed Spitzer on UB's vision to achieve academic excellence via the UB 2020 strategic planning process, which includes plans to grow the university by 750 faculty members and 10,000 students over the next 15 years.
"The governor asked specifically about our plans to grow and he knew the numbers off the top of his head," said Megan E. Toohey, UB's director of government relations who attended the meeting.
Toohey said the governor asked the president specifically about faculty recruitment efforts. Simpson explained that UB is among a relatively small number of research institutions in the country competing for a relatively small number of world-class researchers, and that it will take substantial investment to attract these faculty to UB.
Spitzer was interested to learn that the state gets a 4:1 return on its investment in UB in terms of economic development, and that the U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that 29 jobs are created for every $1 million an institution receives in federally sponsored research funding.
"If you understand the benefits the state stands to gain from this university, as I think this governor does, it is not a high price to pay," Simpson said.
The governor asked Simpson if UB plans to focus its recruitment efforts in any specific areas of concentration. The president explained the areas of strategic strength identified through the UB 2020 process and said that the university was taking a multidisciplinary approach.
"The governor was very receptive to that concept and liked the flexibility of many disciplines working together," Toohey said.
Simpson and Jacobs also outlined UB's policy agenda, which calls for a predictable tuition policy and differentiation for university centers like UB. Toohey said the governor told the UB contingent that he plans to convene a Commission on Public Higher Education to develop a plan for all SUNY institutions.
"He said that SUNY is one of his top priorities, so he expects the commission to work quickly to make its recommendations on how the state should invest in the system," Toohey said.
Added Simpson: "I think the governor is serious about a strong effort to enhance SUNY. The commission he wants to put together is going to help him understand what kinds of things ought to be done."
The governor also asked whether UB could accomplish two goals at once by implementing its growth plan in downtown Buffalo. The president responded by explaining the substantial investment UB already has made downtown with the New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences and several other UB units in the area, adding that the university plans to further expand its presence on what is now its "third campus."
"Many of the other ideas for transforming this region are simply silver bullets, one-time actions that may not have the type of long-term, transformative effects that are needed," Simpson said. "Investing in UB will have a lasting positive impact on this region."
Spitzer and members of his staff who attended the meeting, including senior advisor Lloyd Constantine and Deputy Secretary for Education Manuel Rivera, noted that UB has done a very good job compared to other public universities in attracting international students and in raising money through philanthropy, Toohey said.
While no promises were made, the meeting left Simpson feeling upbeat about UB's future vis-�-vis the state.
"The meeting was very encouraging," he said. "I really think the governor 'gets it' and will be making substantial investments in UB in the future."