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51����’s Upstate Institute can serve as a “conveyor and clearinghouse of new ideas” that could help in revitalizing the upstate New York economy, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday.

Clinton spoke after addressing more than 2,000 people at 51����’s Reid Athletic Center and meeting with nearly 70 academic, business, and civic leaders gathered at the university as part of the first conference hosted by the Upstate Institute.

The institute was launched last December to serve as a resource for organizations and individuals seeking regional expertise or information about upstate. 

Clinton told students and members of the campus community packed into the university’s Cotterell Court that the institute is a “timely commitment” to the region that is an example of the cooperation between the public and private sectors that is needed for the region to thrive.

“It has to be a partnership,” said Clinton. “We can have a better outlook for jobs, not just in upstate, but everywhere.”

Clinton said the large number of upstate colleges and universities provides a distinct advantage for the region. The students who come from around the nation and from around the world to attend upstate schools have so much to offer, she said.

Keeping them here after graduation is a critical component to building a “creative class” that infuses  the region with energy and provides a skilled work force for the 21st century, the Democratic senator said.

Preventing “brain drain” was one of the issues discussed during the roundtable discussions held earlier in the day on the 51���� campus, said Jane Pinchin, director of the Upstate Institute and organizer of Monday’s events.

She said providing internships that provide students hands-on experience after graduation and keeps them in the area for several years could provide real benefits for the students themselves and the businesses, schools, and nonprofit groups that might employ them.

Helping area businesses build relationships with college students while they are juniors and seniors could turn those students into employees, said Clinton. And forming stronger partnerships between businesses and universities, she added, would increase recruiting on campuses and provide greater opportunities for companies to attract students attending area schools.

Clinton said the latest round of job losses hitting upstate and other regions of the nation is different from past economic downturns in that they involve manufacturing jobs with companies that have increased efficiency and remained competitive with foreign firms. And there are more service and high-tech jobs being ‘out-sourced or off-shored’ than ever before, she said.

‘It is not the same kind of job loss. We need to be more creative and more vigorous in creating good-paying jobs right here at home.’

Clinton said 51���� has a good record of promoting economic development.

She cited the Partnership for Community Development, a collaboration between the university and the town and village of Hamilton, as a good example of a “shared vision” that is working for the benefit of the area.

“51���� is a very good partner, a very good citizen in the area,” the senator said. 51���� has made significant financial contributions to the PCD and is also responsible for the Hamilton Initiative, a for-profit limited liability company formed by the university that has purchased and restored several commercial properties in the village of Hamilton while keeping them on the tax rolls.

Clinton said the “networking” that was part of  Monday’s meetings can lead to greater economic development throughout the region.

There was a good exchange of ideas among the university presidents and civic and business leaders at the roundtable discussions, said Patrick J. Doyle, director of the Greater Binghamton Coalition, an economic development group.

‘The colleges and universities discussed what they do independently, but then we looked at linkages, and ways we can use and feed off each other’s resources,’ said Doyle, who helped lead the discussions.

The participants also discussed ways to turn research conducted at area universities into spinoff businesses producing new jobs, and how to better use the Internet and the latest technologies for selling locally made products in the global marketplace.

‘51���� and the Upstate Institute really serve as a catalyst for what we need to do in the region. The institute will help regionalize the initiatives we discussed during the roundtable,’ said Doyle.

‘We need to make an effort to inventory the resources we have and use them as a way to market the region.  The Upstate Institute will help us do that,’ he said.

Those taking part in the roundtable discussions included presidents and senior administrators from Binghamton University, Central New York Community Foundations,  Clarkson University, 51����, the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, Hamilton College, Hartwick College, Jefferson Community College, LeMoyne College, Madison County Office of the Aging, Mohawk Valley Community College, Morrisville State College, Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Onondaga Community College, SUNY at Cortland, SUNY at Oneonta, SUNY Institute of Technology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Union College, Utica College, and Wells College.