Funding Would Speed Medical School Move

“Moving the medical school downtown is an appropriate initial step toward realizing our university’s vision of excellence,” Tripathi said in an email to the UB community. “It offers both academic and economic benefits that improve the quality of life within and far beyond our region by linking medical education and research more closely with patient care, and by enabling researchers and clinicians to work together to create discoveries that can be spun off into companies that create—and keep—jobs in our Western New York community.”

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher on Monday unveiled the NYSUNY 2020 Challenge Grant Program, a capital-funding initiative involving the four SUNY university centers that is expected to make SUNY a leading catalyst for job growth throughout the state, as well as strengthen the academic programs of the university centers.

The initial phase of the program is worth up to $140 million dollars to UB, Albany, Binghamton and Stony Brook—$35 million in capital funding per school. The Empire State Development Corp. (ESDC) would administer $20 million; the SUNY Construction Fund $15 million.

To be eligible for the funding, the four campuses must submit detailed, long-term economic and academic plans. UB’s plan will propose building a new facility for the medical school on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, as envisioned by the university’s comprehensive master plan, using the $35 million as “an important down payment” for the project, Tripathi said.

He said the UB 2020 legislation that was passed earlier this year by the state Senate and has stalled in the Assembly contains the legislative reforms that will help UB “implement this key project and achieve future phases of our long-term UB 2020 vision.”

Tripathi noted that Cuomo repeatedly has expressed his strong support for UB 2020 and the legislative reforms the university is seeking, as well as his desire to obtain those reforms this legislative session.

“I am hopeful that with the strong support of the governor and the chancellor, the reforms will be enacted this year,” he added.

The plans the four campuses will submit to obtain NYSUNY 2020 funding must leverage private-sector resources and provide details on public-private partnerships; expansion plans, including faculty to be hired and property to be purchased; and funding mechanisms, such as capital financing, tuition increases and private-sector financing.

The plans will be reviewed by Zimpher, who will send recommendations to the ESDC board for final approval. Some aspects may require legislative approval. The governor’s Regional Economic Development Councils will integrate the plans.

The first round of approvals is expected to be made by the end of the year.