Cornell Gets $350 Million Gift For Its NYC Tech Campus Bid

Cornell's campus would be "oriented toward the sun's arc to capture solar power."

Aha: After the surprising announcement from Stanford University that it was dropping out of the race to build a high-tech school campus in New York City, there was much speculation as to why the apparent frontrunner did so (Mayor Bloomberg had previously bragged that the school was "desperate" to build). Now here's one possibile reason: Cornell received a $350 million anonymous donation to go towards its proposal.

The city will provide free real estate as well as millions in infrastructure help for the project, which has attracted bids from numerous schools including NYU and Columbia. The NY Times reports, "The twin announcements threw a sharp curve into the contest, leaving Cornell’s $2 billion proposal for Roosevelt Island as the clear front-runner for what is seen as a prime opportunity to help reinvent higher education. The city is expected to select among the four remaining applicants in January, and bestow up to $400 million in land and infrastructure improvements."

Interestingly, the Times also says that Stanford's unfamiliarity with NYC was problematic: "The university, with no experience building in New York, recoiled at meeting terms laid down by the city after its proposal was submitted, while Cornell, with extensive experience in the city — its medical school is in Manhattan — expected such negotiations." Uh, commenter J R called it?

The Times' sources also say Cornell "simply behaved as if it needed and wanted the prize more. Cornell was more willing to accommodate the city’s demands and got an earlier start raising money." Cornell President David Skorton said, "I am thankful and proud that this extraordinary individual gift will support Cornell's goal to realize Mayor Bloomberg's vision for New York City."

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By Jen Chung in News on December 17, 2011 12:15 PM

Comments [rss]

Heatherbk

How about increase funding to SUNYs and CUNYs. So people who can't afford schools like Stanford or Cornell can get a little more for their education.

The_Shenley

Why isn't City Government supporting City University?
"Free real estate as well as millions in infrastructure"? "bestow up to $400 million in land and infrastructure improvements"?
Why isn't this a CUNY Tech Campus?

Dan Smith

Not to over-generalize, but I can imagine typical Cornell students being more self-motivated and finding more utility from such a resource than typical CUNY students. As a percentage of the student body, which school has more students who engage in research?

GentleGiant

That's not a fair comparison at all. Cornell is a single campus, major research institution with a selective and relatively small undergraduate program. The CUNY system is a huge, muli-campus system that has community colleges, predominantly undergraduate colleges as well as leading research centers. Off course CUNY is going to have a lower percentage of students who engage in research.

I don't know if the funding comes from the city or state but there is the giant Advanced Science Research Center under construction on the CCNY campus. It is also not difficult to find the CUNY five-year capitol budget request, which is for $4.3 billion at the senior colleges. That's not all for science and technology, of course, but by my quick calculation includes half a billion for new or upgraded science and technology facilities at Hunter, Lehman, and the College of Staten Island.

Bernie_Geotz_Squirrel_Luv

This is all well and good but how about fixing the Public Schools so those kids get a chance to go to a school like this?

"Tim Osman"

The anonymous gift was made by Anonymous

Colonel_Ingus

For the love of Pete, Cornell, please do not overbuild. Not every lecture hall needs to be a broadcast quality TV studio.

GentleGiant

Yes, more chalkboards and less of that crazy electronic equipment on a campus whose purpose is to make NYC a leader in technology innovation and provide a skilled high tech workforce for the region!

Colonel_Ingus

You're right. Full speed ahead! Reason be damned! Run up the bills! Run up the tuition! Every room -SHOULD- be a broadcast quality TV studio!!!!

GentleGiant

I'm just confused as to why you're so passionate about such a minor part of a new campus. Cornell-Technion will probably want good communications between the new campus and Ithaca and Israel. Despite this, the amount of money that will be spent outfitting classrooms with video and communications equipment will probably be less than what they spend on one or two labs.

Colonel_Ingus

Yep, you're missing my original point. Most new campuses seem to be built to Keep Up with the Joneses University. Most new class buildings are grotesque overkill. I'm coming to this from the faculty side. Way to much expense is lavished on useless extravagance.