Newsmakers—Chancellor: SUNY Upstate poised for significant growth

SUNY Chancellor John Ryan, second from right, gets an update from Frank Middleton, Ph.D., on his research into new therapeutic targets for Parkinson’s disease. Ryan toured with from left, Michael Miller, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, and SUNY Upstate President David R. Smith, M.D.

SUNY Chancellor John Ryan said SUNY Upstate Medical University is poised to make significant growth under David R. Smith, M.D., who was appointed president of the academic medical center Sept. 1.

“This tremendous health science center needs to grow and we need to do that in a strategic manner,” said Chancellor Ryan. “Dr. Smith’s vision is the perfect one for this area and this university.”

Chancellor Ryan made his remarks during a visit to the SUNY Upstate campus Nov. 3 as part of his plan to visit all 64 campuses in the State University system. While on campus, Chancellor Ryan met with various administrators, faculty and students.

He said his tours of SUNY campuses enable him to understand the campus beyond reading emails and reports in Albany. “When you are on campus you understand more fully the importance each school plays in their community,” he said.

Chancellor Ryan noted that SUNY Upstate’s importance to the Central New York community and beyond is reflected by its mission of providing patient care, conducting ground-breaking medical research and educating tomorrow’s health professionals. He also suggested that all SUNY institutions, including SUNY Upstate, play an influential role in the area’s economy.

“I think SUNY is the number one answer to improving the economy in Upstate New York,” he said. “We’re in every county, we’re in all the major areas and some not so major answers. We’re already influential from a financial standpoint, but we can have much more impact in the future with some strategic investment and that’s what I’ve seen here today at Upstate.”

Chancellor Ryan said for SUNY to continue to be an economic driver it must make a strategic investment in facilities and equipment so it can attract and recruit leading scientists and researchers. “These will all be part of our strategic plan as we move forward,” he said.

In the near future, Chancellor Ryan hopes to assemble a blue ribbon commission that will help craft a 10-year strategic plan for the university system that be can supported by the state legislature and governor. Above all, he said, SUNY must continue to be affordable and attainable without sacrificing quality.

During his visit to campus, Chancellor Ryan took a moment to acknowledge the SUNY Upstate’s move to become a smoke-free campus, the first in the SUNY system. Following that lead, SUNY plans to prohibit smoking in all campus residence halls by next fall.

A recent SUNY report shows the university system has recorded nine consecutive years of enrollment growth, with more than 424,000 students now attending classes. SUNY is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States.