Outreach & Engagement

State Relations Update - January 6, 2009

January 6, 2010

State of the State - The Governor today delivered his annual State of the State message to a joint session of the Legislature.

 Transcript
 Press Release  
 Video 
 Fact Sheets 
 Expanded Text

 Higher Education Highlights from the Expanded Text:
 Colleges and universities are catalysts for new technology. Governor Paterson proposes a $25 million New Technology Seed Fund to create the next Silicon Valley  right here in New York State.
 
  - University-based entrepreneurs in New York and around the country face a so-called “valley of death” between proving their research works and developing a  product that can generate revenues. But, the research and development work being done on the campuses of our colleges and universities commands the  attention of scientists around the world. 

  - This fund will help institutions of higher learning grow their research and strengthen their partnerships with the business community to advance their work to  commercialization and put New York on par with states like Pennsylvania, California, Maryland and Texas in terms of directly supporting entrepreneurial activity  and resulting job creation in the State.  

  - New York is a national leader in research areas including energy, nanotechnology, life sciences and agriculture, areas which carry significant economic impact in  the State but New York’s universities incubated only 35 start-up companies in 2007 while Massachusetts generated 58 and California 60. The presence of a Seed  Fund will attract aspiring entrepreneurs to our institutions of higher education.

  - Investment decisions will be made by independent, professional investors who will be insulated from political pressures and who will invest in promising  technologies only. State funds will require matches of at least 1:1 from federal or private sources in order to leverage and maximize the impact of State  investments.
 
 Chancellor Zimpher Statement 
 Senate Skelos/GOP Response 
 Comptroller DiNapoli Statement
 Attorney General Cuomo Statement 
 NY Times

Senate Committee Chairs 
 Sen. George Maziarz (R) - Energy Committee, replacing Sen. Darrel Aubertine (D)
 Sen. Tom Morahan (R) - Mental Health Committee, replacing Sen. Shirley Huntley (D)
 Sen. Shirley Huntley (D) - Cities Committee, replacing Sen. Daniel Squadron (D)
 Sen. Daniel Squadron (D) - Social Services Committee, replacing Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (D)
 Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (D) - Children and Families, current chair

SUNY - Overcrowded & Underfunded - National Crosstalk article published by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education