Nanocollege to split from UAlbany ?

[madDOG]

sorry if this is a repost, but holy crap this is bad. I am so glad this isn't UA specific (the rest of the SUNY schools can share in the shame)

 

Edited March 6, 2013 by madDOG

[Michigan_Dane]

Crap!

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/APa086835f5a58495e921e2d6d511bcdb9.html

[madDOG]

WTF?!?!

[Michigan_Dane]

This would destroy UA. No chance of ever getting AAU status if they strip CNSE from UA.

 

I'm so pissed!

 

Better start calling your politicians and SUNY

[Michigan_Dane]

I shot off quick emails to President Jones and the SUNY Chancellor.

 

I wanted to respond to the TU editorial but they aren't allowing comments. I also can't write local politicians because I'm a California resident. I need that New York address.

 

I also shot off a quick "letter to the editor" for the Times Union.

Edited March 13, 2013 by SoCal_Dane

[Michigan_Dane]

I see the governor's finger prints on this change so I doubt it can be stopped but I'll damn try.

[madDOG]

Makes me wonder if Kaloyeros is the one pushing for this.

[danefan]

Makes me wonder if Kaloyeros is the one pushing for this.

Should have just hired him as President of UA.

[Michigan_Dane]

My letter to the TU. Not the best written letter but better than nothing. Feel free to use if you want to send to politicians. Modify it as you like. What is important is that SUNY sees there is a backlash.

 

---------

 

Hello,

 

Stripping the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) from the University at Albany would be devastating to the Capital District’s SUNY Center. SUNY should be building up the 4 SUNY Centers by making them larger and more comprehensive universities on the level of a University of Michigan or UCLA. Those universities have law schools, medical schools, engineering schools all under the umbrella of the university. Stripping the University at Albany of the CNSE is the complete opposite direction of building comprehensive research universities. Stripping the CNSE from UAlbany will ensure that UAlbany is relegated to a second class research university. How can it be a top research university if you strip it of the main research college? The top research universities like University of Michigan, UCLA and SUNY Centers Stony Brook and Buffalo belong to the American Association of Universities (AAU). UAlbany will never gain admission into the AAU without a powerful research engine like the CNSE. Stripping the University at Albany of the CNSE will cripple this once growing SUNY Center and it will never recover. The university’s obituary can start with today’s news.

[dslyank]

It seems to me, if this is true, only one person can fight it--Dr. Robert Jones. I hate to throw a crisis in his lap so soon; but he should be leading the fight against this split. If he came hear knowing about this split, we are doomed and if he is not willing to fight for The University at Albany, we are equally doomed. I do not write well enough to contact him directly and often come across too brusk. If anyone with better skills and tact than I, want to challenge him with the task of saving CNSE and UA, I recommend you do so immediately.

Edited March 13, 2013 by dslyank

[Michigan_Dane]

A TU report said he'd give me a call to discuss.

 

This is real bad news for the University at Albany. How can we be a research university if you take away our biggest research college. Why not tell Georgia Tech your Nano program will now be a new independent college called Georgia Nanotech. What sense does that make? Georgia Tech has a nano program as well. Georgia isn't stripping them of their program.

[DanesRGood]

My opinion is this is all Kaloyeros and Cuomo wanting more power over the fastest growing research institution around. Kaloyeros will no longer have to report to UA President, thus providing him with more flexibility, although I don't know of a case where there has been an issue. Also, Cuomo would get to pick the board of trustees and explain this as a major win for the state to put have a single SUNY with so much business and economic power over the area. Either way it SUCKS.

[Michigan_Dane]

There will be an article in the TU tomorrow concerning the impact.

 

This really hurts UAlbany.

 

SUNY Buffalo has a medical school, law school, architecture as so on. SUNY Stony Brook has a medical school and deep Tech research.

 

What will UAlbany be left with? The East Campus? Why not give the East Campus to the new nanco College too? Move all the tech programs under the single college. UA will be a "SUNY Center" in name only... it will be a SUNY liberal arts college like Plattsbourgh or New Paltz. Nothing wrong with those colleges but I thought UA was trying to be a comprehensive research university...

 

Why doesn't the UCLA, UCSD, Michigan or Georgia model work in Albany? As soon as you have success you have to spin it off into it's own institution? Take away the medical schools from Stony Brook and Buffalo! Move the Buffalo Law school into its own institution! Why should UA be picked on?

[madDOG]

I wonder if UA has a legal right over the school. I understand we are a SUNY institution bound to some sort of governance by them, but it just seems wrong that a whole college under the UA unbrella could be stripped away like that.

[Michigan_Dane]

The Nano College has undergraduate students. What happens to them? Will they have their own English, history and other Gen Ed classes? Do they cancel the BS program?