UTICA — On Friday, Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced the circulation of a petition opposing Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to strip SUNY Polytechnic Institute of its College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and give it to the University at Albany. 

“Since advancing this ill-conceived proposal as part of her State of the State, we have been fighting tooth and nail to get Gov. Hochul to reconsider,” Picente said.

“This petition is the latest measure in a battle that we will continue until we are assured that ‘SUNY Poly Stays Put,’” the Oneida County executive added.

Picente first sent a letter to Gov. Hochul in January expressing concern over the proposal.

That letter was also signed by Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, New York State Senator Joseph Griffo and New York State Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon.

That group, along with other community leaders, including Mohawk Valley EDGE President Steven DiMeo and Griffiss Institute President and CEO, Heather Hage, have been keeping pressure on the issue through constant calls and meetings with members of the Governor’s office.

“Since its inception, SUNY Poly has been embraced by the region. Wolfspeed, Rome Labs, the Innovare Advancement Center and the Griffiss Institute, among others, are investing heavily in joint research and workforce development programs to grow SUNY Poly to its current prominence, predicated on the combined campus model. Regional leaders believe that diminishing SUNY Poly in any way, could move efforts to advance the region backward,” notes a county statement.

The online petition can be found at: https://chng.it/XyHQp74N.

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