Nearly $50 million is coming SUNY Cobleskill’s way in the new state budget.
Most of the money will go towards a new Ag Science building, while a smaller amount will fund a new bio-energy building, Provost Anne Myers said last week.
“This is an unprecedented amount for this campus,” she said. “It’s almost three times what we’ve ever received for new construction.”
The $38.2 million Ag Science building will house Animal Science, Plant Science and Fisheries and Wildlife departments, all of which are now scattered in old buildings around the campus.
The building, which hasn’t even been planned yet––because officials didn’t anticipate the money––should be finished in 2012.
“In four years we’re going to look so new,” Dr. Myers said.
The $3.7 Bio-Energy building will house the college’s gasifier, which will turn wastes into gas and energy. There will also be laboratories for other energy studies.
“This will broaden the scope of our research in alternative energy,” Dr. Myers said. “This is all about classrooms and lab space for students.”
SUNY Cobleskill had already received $4 million in federal funds for the gasifier, “but until now, we had no place to put it,” she added.
She expected the Bio Energy building to be completed by the end of next year.
Formally announcing the funding in a press conference Monday, Senator Jim Seward agreed that the new facilities put “SUNY Cobleskill right on the cutting edge of emerging technologies.”
Assemblyman Pete Lopez, also making the announcement, added that the funding “is a targeted investment aimed at our future.”
Another $7 million in state money is called “critical funding” for upgrading existing infrastructure.”
Admittedly shocked by the state funding, Dr. Myers said a widespread lobbying campaign made the difference.
“Two weeks ago I heard we weren’t even on the radar,” she said. “For a while we thought we were getting nothing.
“We just got on the phone and wrote e-mails and got a whole lot of support” from Senator Seward and Assemblyman Lopez.
Both legislators noted that the new facilities will have a ripple effect on Schoharie County’s economy by making the college more attractive to students and faculty.
Both also credited the Four Partners––Chamber of Commerce, county government, Farm Bureau, plus the college and public education–-for working together to improve the county.
“Working together you have been able to make things happen here,” Mr. Lopez told the Four Partners representatives gathered at the college.
Agreeing that the Four Partners had an impact, Dr. Myers praised the united-front approach.
“It is the human connection that makes this county so wonderful,” she said.