LI's Colleges & Universities Lead the Way in Creating a Sustainable Region

BY AMY HAGEDORN & SARAH LANSDALE

 

There is no doubt that the recession has changed Long Island’s economic landscape. Businesses have closed their doors, individuals have lost their jobs, houses have lost their value, development has slowed to almost a standstill and everyone is tightening their budgets and reigning in expenses.

In these turbulent times, we are all asking what the future holds for our children, our jobs, our communities and our region. Our colleges and universities are more important now than ever to set the tone for the region and remain committed to our future. They are mainstays of our economic make-up and in good times and bad, are the leaders in advancing our economic, environmental and social vitality.

Long Island’s colleges and universities contribute more than $10 billion to the region and are turning out the next generation of citizens who, as professionals and as members of a community, will determine our future. Long Island campuses are among some of the region’s biggest employers, employing nearly 40,000 people.

These institutions have a big stake in the sustainability of Long Island. In order to attract the more esteemed professors and the most qualified staff, Long Island needs a more affordable lifestyle. The livelihood and attraction of communities and their colleges and universities are inextricably linked. Colleges and universities that are surrounded by sustainable communities and bustling downtowns with housing and transportation choices, that are walkable and diverse can more readily attract high-quality faculty and staff, consequently making them more competitive.

Long Island educates over 180,000 students each year. Recently, Newsday reported that the number of applications and quality of applicants to Long Island’s campuses have risen noticeably. In the wake of the current economic crisis, more and more Long Island families and graduating seniors are choosing local Long Island campuses because it is more economical.

Our campuses can gain from this crisis by attracting highly-qualified students who opt to stay on Long Island for their studies, but we need to be certain that our campuses are providing the types of degrees and professions that our region needs the most. With Long Island’s history of poor or non-existent planning, still, none of Long Island’s colleges and universities offer degrees in planning. And according to a recent study done by the Long Island Forum for Technology, Long Island’s institutions aren’t producing enough graduates to fill vacant positions in careers that the region needs, like engineering, nursing and lab/technician fields. By providing graduates with promising opportunities in their communities they can retain long-term engagement in the institution and the community at large.

Even before the current economic crisis, Long Island’s economy was endangered. We are all familiar with the “brain drain.” More and more of our young people are fleeing the region because they cannot find promising employment and would rather live in a city or bustling downtown with access to transportation, nightlife and cultural opportunities instead of the single-family home in sub-divisions most grew up in.

According to the 2008 Long Island Index, between 1990 and 2006, the number of 25 to 34-year olds declined on Long Island by 35% compared to 8% nationwide and 23% for neighboring suburban regions. When surveyed, 65% of young people said it was likely they would move off Long Island in the next five years. These statistics are threatening to the future of our aging suburb. Our colleges and universities have a more important role now than ever – to keep our young people engaged and excited to create their futures here on Long Island.

Our colleges and universities have begun using their influence as leading regional employers and workforce developers to contribute directly in new and exciting ways to Long Island’s communities by engaging students in community service positions, hosting programs that promote environmental stewardship and introducing students to surrounding businesses and regional employment opportunities all of which promote the sustainability of our region.

We look to our educational institutions to lead the way in creating a competitive region with ample opportunities for their graduates and their employees and in preparing the workforce to meet the island’s current and future challenges.

As the opening to Long Island’s 3rd Annual Sustainability Conference to be held on May 29th, presidents from Adelphi University, Dowling College, Farmingdale State College, Hofstra University, Nassau Community College, Stony Brook University, Suffolk Community College and SUNY College at Old Westbury will discuss their strategies in preparing Long Island for the challenges of the 21st century suburb. In a panel discussion moderated by Newsday columnist, Joye Brown, each will talk about how they are advancing Long Island’s sustainability and competitiveness as a region. Each will present current programs, future initiatives and new solutions to meet Long Island’s needs.

We need the leadership of our colleges and universities to work together to build a sustainable region and pull us out of economic crisis. The current economy presents a tremendous opportunity to build a region where our young people want to stay, where we don’t need a car trip for every destination; where we do have plenty of diverse jobs right here on Long Island; where we do have bustling downtowns and a single-family home in a residential neighborhood is not the only option.

Join us on May 29th at Carlyle on the Green for Long Island’s 3rd Annual Sustainability Conference and be part of this groundbreaking discussion. Visit www.sustainableli.org