Months after shooting down funds to move the School of Pharmacy to Acheson Hall on South Campus, Gov. George Pataki has added money to the proposed state budget to revive the major project.
Such a move has been considered for a while because it would both free up space on North Campus and bring the pharmacy program closer to the other health and clinical sciences in the city, according to UB officials.
"There's a large demand for pharmacy practitioners and researchers," said William Jusko, chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. "We can't graduate enough of them."
According to Provost Satish Tripathi, moving the pharmacy program would benefit all the medical schools on South Campus.
"This move will provide synergy between the health sciences, education, research, and training," Tripathi said.
In the most recent proposal, Pataki has set aside $27 million for the project. Originally, the state legislature called for $52 million to be allotted to the pharmacy move in an overall capital spending plan for SUNY.
Pataki, however, citing potential issues of financial instability, vetoed the plan.
"The governor vetoed all legislative capital additions to (that) budget, not just the School of Pharmacy," said Ryan McPherson, assistant vice president for government affairs.
McPherson, who serves as a liaison between UB and the state government, said it is no small feat that UB's initiative is again being granted money.
"There were very few capital projects at SUNY campuses the governor funded in this year's budget," McPherson said. "The School of Pharmacy was one of these projects."
To regain support for the move, UB worked with a variety of different people to convince Pataki of the necessity and urgency of their request, McPherson said.
"UB created a broad coalition, including representatives from pharmacy companies, civic leaders, and representatives from the School of Pharmacy working in unison to lobby for funds," he said.
Although the new plan allocates UB far less money for the move, the difference in promised funds should not take away from the school's ability to relocate from Cooke Hall, McPherson added. Acheson Hall, which has been vacant since 1994, is already targeted for a $19 million renovation that would fit in with the relocation plan.
With the money from Pataki's budget and the money slated for Acheson, there would still be a $6 million gap in funds for the moving project, Tripathi said. Fundraising will be used to make up the difference in restoring the former chemistry building.
"You have a facility that is abandoned right now, and we will restore it to a beautiful and historic building," Tripathi said.
According to Jusko, the School of Pharmacy needs more space for its rapidly growing major.
"Our student base is growing rapidly at Cooke-Hochstetter," Jusko said. "By having a new facility, it will increase our opportunities."
Students both already enrolled in the school and looking to enroll in the future said they see equal drawbacks and benefits to the move.
"If the department moves, it will be very inconvenient," said Wing Liu, a sophomore chemistry major who hopes to enter the School of Pharmacy in the upcoming semester. "I imagine I will have to travel between campuses a lot when this change occurs and that is a tedious chore."
Jessica Cummiskey, another student hoping to enter the School of Pharmacy, said she thinks there is an upside for students.
"Giving pharmacy students the opportunity to be closer to other well established medical institutions can enhance their own experience," Cummiskey said.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
