M E M O R A N D U M

							June 29, 2010

To:		Members of the Board of Trustees 

From:		Nancy L. Zimpher, Chancellor

Subject:	College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University at Albany � Albany Nanotech Complex 


        I recommend that the Board of Trustees adopt the following resolution:
        
Whereas, pursuant to chapter 132 of the Laws of 1990, as amended by chapter 40 of the Laws of 1993, the State University entered into a ground lease with Fuller Road Management Corporation (�FRMC�) of lands under the jurisdiction of the University at Albany (�Campus�) for the development, construction, and operation of a research and development incubator facility, devoted to research and applied technology, including, but not limited to, technology management and environmental and atmospheric sciences, and the development of commercial, agricultural and industrial applications of atmospheric sciences information; and

Whereas, pursuant to chapter 643 of the Laws of 1997, the State University, by an agreement dated August 2, 2000, amended the ground lease to lease additional real property of the Campus to FRMC for the purpose of constructing a wing on the research and development incubator facility to support additional research facilities to be funded by active partnerships between government and private industry, in furtherance of the Campus' legislatively mandated mission of research; and 

Whereas, pursuant to chapter 541 of the laws of 2005, the State University, by an agreement dated September 7, 2005, amended the ground lease to lease additional lands of the Campus to FRMC for a period not to exceed 40 years for the development, construction, and operation of a new basic research, technology outreach, business development and office complex; and 
Whereas  FRMC wishes to ground lease additional real property of the Campus and the Campus wishes to ground lease additional Campus real property to FRMC, for a period not to exceed 45 years, to support a planned major expansion of FRMC�s facilities (the �Albany Nanotech Complex�) that house the Campus� College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) to accommodate the planned and immediate growth of CNSE research, educational, and commercialization programs in the nanotechnology disciplines of nanoelectronics, nanobiotechnology, and green energy and to further the unprecedented strategic technology and commercialization partnerships that have been established at CNSE among academia, industry and government (the �Project�); and 

Whereas legislation is required to authorize the State University to lease additional real property of the Campus to FRMC; and 
        
Whereas the New York State Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act, Part E of A. 9707-A/ S. 6607-A (�PHEEIA�), introduced by the Governor and pending in the Legislature, authorizes such a ground lease; and 
        
Whereas FRMC proposes to undertake the Project in accordance with the principles set forth in the PHEEIA applicable to such ground lease and public-private partnerships; now, therefore, be it

Resolved that the State University supports the Project which will further the mission and purposes of the Campus and CNSE; and be it further 
        
Resolved that the Chancellor, or designee, be, and hereby is, authorized to take actions necessary or appropriate to undertake the proposed Project.

Background

	FRMC is in the planning stages of a major expansion of its facilities that house the University at Albany�s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) to support the planned and immediate growth of CNSE�s research and development, educational and commercialization programs. �The expansion will be located adjacent to the existing footprint of FRMC�s Albany NanoTech Complex and will consist of three distinct but connected modular-design buildings expected to exceed 460,000 gross square feet that will include 150,000 square feet of office space, 150,000 square feet of laboratory space and 160,000 square feet of cleanroom facilities. This world class addition to the Albany NanoTech Complex will support state-of-the-art research and development, education, and commercialization in the fields of nanobiotechnology (nanomedicine), nanoelectronics, and green energy. 

	The vision of CNSE is to act as a novel innovation resource and business paradigm for research and development, workforce education and economic outreach in nanotechnology and nanotechnology-enabled high technology industries of the 21st century. �A key aspect of the mission of CNSE is to assemble and deploy the critical mass of vertically and horizontally integrated industry-university-government consortia and public-private partnerships to convert enabling innovations and scientific breakthroughs into real business opportunities and revenue-generating ventures within a technically aggressive and fiscally leveraged technology development and deployment environment.

	As such, CNSE is in the midst of establishing a major new public-private partnership that integrates the intellectual assets and financial resources of a number of leading global corporations in the nanotechnology-enabled fields of nanolithography, nanomedicine, and green energy to develop, demonstrate, and commercialize nanotechnology innovations that will not only ensure continuation of its historical computer chip advances, but also promise to revolutionize the fields of health sciences and alternative energy. This $1.5 billion public-private partnership is expected to create over 1,250 new high technology jobs and will require an expansion of the Albany NanoTech Complex to over 1,260,000 square-feet of state-of-the-art infrastructure housing over 105,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanrooms. �Once completed, the expanded Albany NanoTech Complex is expected to house over 3,750 scientists, researchers, and engineers from CNSE and global technology corporations. �









Board Resolution	-2-	June 29, 2010