Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher have approved UB’s NYSUNY 2020 Challenge Grant application. The grant will provide a critical piece of funding to enable UB to move ahead with its UB 2020 plan for academic excellence and move its medical school to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.
“UB 2020 will create jobs, facilitate private investment and help turn the University of Buffalo into a national leader amongst public research universities,” Governor Cuomo said. “This is a real investment in revitalizing economic development in Western New York. I look forward to seeing how this plan transforms the region and I commend the Western New York legislative delegation for helping to turn this project into a reality.”
UB President Satish K. Tripathi also offered his praise for the approval. “This funding will have a historic impact on our university” Tripathi said, “one that will transform the depth and scope of UB’s academic and research enterprise while significantly expanding our role in improving the quality of life in Western New York.”
The $35 million dollar Challenge Grant will be coupled with addition funding through the NYSUNY 2020 legislation. With the funds secured, UB is moving forward with their plans to hire new faculty, expand its academic programs and facilities, and move the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences to the Medical Campus downtown. The full cost of the move is expected total $375 million. Three hundred new faculty members will be hired.
“Imagine what our community will look like when we realize this next phase of UB 2020,” Tripathi said. “Buffalo will be a destination for world-class health care and research, new businesses will be created through innovative research-industry partnerships, thousands of new jobs will be created for our region’s people, and we will attract more of the world’s best faculty and bright students into our region.”
This January, UB will begin contracting for design of the new medical school. Site selection is expected to be completed in the spring and building designs completed in April 2013. Construction is anticipated to begin in September 2013 and be completed in the fall of 2016.
Adapted from a SUNY news release