Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the completion of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine's $91.5 million Class Expansion Project. This project is designed to improve teaching facilities, increase energy efficiency, expand the pre-clinical class size, and create a sense of community through the unification of major teaching, clinical and research capacities of the college.
"These high-tech upgrades will transform the renowned college, improve the local economy and help strengthen New York's diverse academic opportunities," Governor Cuomo said. "The completion of this expansion project signifies a new era for the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, as it continues to support the regional economy while helping the Southern Tier soar."
The final phase of this project included 12,000-square-feet of space at the Cornell Small Animal Community Practice Facility, which will serve as a new home for Cornell's small animal primary care practice. The small animal primary care practice serves the local community and is a core teaching resource for Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine students. This last phase marks the completion of the entire project.
The $91.5 million Class Expansion Project includes 87,000 square-feet of new space and 60,200 square-feet of renovations. The project includes buildings designed to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver Certified. The addition of larger classrooms, E-learning Center, and study areas, as well as renovated anatomy, tutorial, and student surgery areas, and a centralized Flower-Sprecher Veterinary Library, provide a solid ground for training future veterinarians and scientists.
The full expansion project is supported, in part, through approximately $7 million in SUNY funding, a $19 million Empire State Development Capital Grant, and a $2.8 million Round 4 Regional Economic Development Council grant. The investment complements "Southern Tier Soaring," the region's comprehensive strategy to revitalize communities and grow the economy.
"SUNY and Cornell University share a rich history and long-standing partnership through our four colleges on their campus, one being the College of Veterinary Medicine, a strong presence in veterinary medical education, animal medicine, biomedical research, and public health," said SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson. "This project reaffirms the college's position as a global leader as it fosters an innovative and collaborative research environment, while providing much needed services to the local community. Many thanks to Governor Cuomo for making this project possible, and for the support of Empire State Development as well as the generous donations of many other public and private partners."
"Our investment in the renowned College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University has allowed for high-tech upgrades and reinforces our commitment to supporting this world-class university and the local community," said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky. "This transformative project will enable the school to advance research while offering cutting-edge curriculum for training future practitioners and researchers, leading to innovations in the fields of veterinary medicine and biomedical science."
Senator Tom O'Mara said, "This critical state investment in the College of Veterinary Medicine points the way to an even brighter and stronger future for one of the world's leading institutions. The college is a cornerstone of the Southern Tier regional economy and fundamentally contributes to the overall quality of New York State's agricultural industry and key sectors of our public health network."
"This is an absolutely transformational project for the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell," said Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton. "It enables this renowned school to expand its research capabilities while offering a top-notch veterinary education to a greater number of students. I'm so proud to have supported the funding for this expansion, and I want to thank the Governor, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Assembly Higher Ed Chair Deborah Glick, The State University of New York, and everyone else who was involved with making this wonderful project a reality."
"This wonderful project will propel the students, faculty and staff in the College of Veterinary Medicine into the 21st century, and enable Cornell University to provide the best veterinary education in the world to even more students," said Cornell Provost Michael Kotlikoff, professor of veterinary medicine and former dean of the college. "Our thanks to Gov. Andrew Cuomo for his tireless support of this project, which strengthens and expands Cornell's contributions to animal and human health, agriculture, and the horse racing industry in New York."
"The Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine has deep commitments to New York through our land-grant partnership and we are grateful for the continued support of Governor Cuomo, the Department of Environmental Conservation, and The State University of New York," said Lorin Warnick, the Austin O. Hooey Dean of Veterinary Medicine. "Through our outreach that ranges from rabies prevention efforts to healthy pet clinics, from invasive aquatic species tracking to shelter medicine consultations, from Buffalo to Brooklyn, our college works tirelessly to give back to the state that so generously supports our programs."
Accelerating Southern Tier Soaring
Today's announcement complements "Southern Tier Soaring the region's comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The State has already invested more than $4.6 billion in the region since 2012 to lay the groundwork for the plan - attracting a talented workforce, growing business and driving innovation. Today, unemployment is down to the lowest levels since before the Great Recession; personal and corporate income taxes are down; and businesses are choosing places like Binghamton, Johnson City and Corning as a destination in which to grow and invest. Now, the region is accelerating Southern Tier Soaring with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, announced by Governor Cuomo in December 2015. The State's $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion, and the region's plan, projects up to 10,200 new jobs. More information is available here.
About Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
The Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine is a global leader with a mission to advance veterinary medicine at the interface of discovery and application. Dedicated to excellence in research, educational programs and professional service, the college seeks to advance understanding of both animal and human health, foster open collaboration across disciplines, as well as integrate discovery with application.
