Updated 6:34 p.m.
Two developments in the bid for $100 million to build a new engineering campus in New York City changed the dynamics of the competition on Friday.
Stanford University, considered one of the frontrunners, withdrew its proposal Friday morning, while Cornell University, the other frontrunner, announced an anonymous $350 million donation towards its campus Friday evening.
"Stanford was very excited to participate in the competition, and we were honored to be selected as a finalist," Stanford President John Hennessy said in a press release. "We were looking forward to an innovative partnership with the city of New York, and we are sorry that together we could not find a way to realize our mutual goals."
Stanford had been working on its 600-page proposal for a year, but Hennessy said that the university decided to drop out of the race because it "could not be certain that it could proceed in a way that ensured the success of the campus."
Where Columbia's chances might have increased with Stanford's elimination, the announcement of an anonymous $350 million donation to fund Cornell's proposal comes as a blow.
The gift is the largest in the school's history, according to the announcement on its Twitter page.
Cornell is bidding to build its campus on Roosevelt Island, but Columbia wants to build the Institute for Data Sciences and Engineering on its Manhattanville campus, where it has already undergone the rigorous rezoning process. It played up its existing ties to the city as an advantage over other proposals.
This leaves Columbia as one of four proposals left in the race, after Mayor Michael Bloomberg eliminated two at the start of December.
Columbia University President Lee Bollinger said in an interview in October that Stanford's and Cornell's proposals were very strong and were considered to be neck and neck at the front of the race.
Gerard Ateshian, chair of the mechanical engineering department, said that it was unfortunate that Stanford opted to drop out of the competition.
“It’s a shame that Stanford dropped out,” he said. “These negotiations are tough – the city has all sorts of requirements, but it’s very true that Stanford has little experience in dealing with politics in the big city.”
Ateshian said that Columbia and other top-tier institutions are used to competing with one another for grants and fellowships, however this competition is ultimately beneficial.
“If Stanford did win the competition, it would not have been too bad of a thing,” he said. “It makes New York a great place for the best scientists and engineers – it would have been fine with me.”
Ateshian said that he is confident in Columbia’s proposal—but even if another school wins the grant, Columbia has a bright future.
“Even if we don’t win the proposal we will still achieve, just more slowly,” he said. “For me, Columbia won the moment we got Manhattanville. President Bollinger did a great job closing the deal and we’re building already.”
A University spokesperson did not return immediate calls for comment.
Check back for updates.
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