Syracuse University’s new partnership with Start-Up NY is a creative way to revitalize the central New York economy and create new university resources.

Start-Up NY is a program funded through the state, which partners growing businesses with universities in New York. The universities provide the facilities, and the businesses get to operate tax-free for 10 years. There are currently seven other schools and 93 companies partnered with Start-Up NY in central New York.

If the university considers a similar program, or wants to give more financial support to the community, it should do so with good measure. Investments that are not directly within the university should be justified. Rather than pouring resources into a struggling community, the university should work with the community but keep itself as a priority.

The university already has an established presence in the Syracuse community. It is currently the second-highest employer in Onondaga County, brings in visitor revenue and is actively involved in community engagement. One of the most notable programs of this nature is the Near Westside Initiative, which works to revitalize the neighborhood through art, technology and innovation. The majority of SU’s Start-Up NY space will also be housed in the Near Westside.
It’s important that SU continue a relationship with the Near Westside, which is one of the poorest neighborhoods in the country. And it’s good that other schools in central New York are also taking part in this program to help the region’s economy and trying to attract more businesses to the area.

SU plans to specifically partner with businesses focused on green building, pharmaceuticals, biomaterials and advanced manufacturing, according to syracuse.com.

This Start-Up NY initiative will not just help the businesses in the community; it will also benefit the schools and the students that have these new resources. Universities should aim to create symbiotic relationships with the communities they are in, while still putting academics as their top priority.