SUNY Board of Trustees & Chancellor Zimpher Release Report on Research Foundation, Unanimously Adopt Resolution Accepting John O'Connor's Separation

Albany – The SUNY Board of Trustees unanimously passed a resolution today accepting John O’Connor’s separation from his roles as Senior Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation and Secretary of the University at SUNY by June 15, on the understanding that he will also separate from his position as the President of the Research Foundation. Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher also announced the release of a recently finalized report that she commissioned in August 2010, which examines the Research Foundation (RF). The full report is available online.

Board of Trustees Chairman Carl T. Hayden and Chancellor Zimpher – in her capacity as chair of the RF board – will each appoint a taskforce from their respective boards to examine the findings of the report and determine which recommendations will be implemented, and what other structural and strategic steps will be taken, with the goal of improving research productivity as well as transparency and accountability at RF.

Chairman Hayden and Chancellor Zimpher acknowledge Mr. O’Connor’s desire to put the interests of SUNY and the RF above his own. Chancellor Zimpher further stated that she is dedicated to eliminating any past perceptions of secrecy at the RF, and the boards of both SUNY and the RF are committed to working together promptly, thoroughly, and responsibly to address the recommendations in the report.

The firm of Hogan Lovells, an internationally renowned law firm with extensive experience representing academic medical centers and other research universities, began a sweeping review of the RF on August 30, 2010, to assess the operational and legal relationship between the RF and SUNY; to identify both well-functioning and problem areas; and to recommend steps to improve the relationship. The firm conducted an exhaustive documents review; spoke with dozens of individuals at the RF, SUNY System Administration, and SUNY campuses; and did extensive research on the RF’s history and performance relative to other university research enterprises.

The final report found the RF to have an impressive record of achievement. It administers about $900 million of research annually – the fourth largest portfolio of any university in the country – and it employs an able and dedicated staff. Additionally, virtually every leader interviewed by Hogan Lovells believes that because of the complexity of the New York’s legislative appropriations and contracting and procurement process, the RF is absolutely indispensable and that without something like its present scope of functions, the SUNY research enterprise would be hobbled and fall behind other great universities.

However, the report also determined that the RF-SUNY relationship is flawed at both the governance and operational levels and that prompt attention should be paid to eliminate friction between the RF and SUNY. The report concludes that while by its charter the RF’s sole mission is to support the mission of SUNY, the institution is widely perceived as management-driven rather than Board-driven, and as non-transparent and non-collegial.

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