EDITORIAL: Only in RI Would the State’s Research University Be Controlled By Private College Grads

EDITORIAL: Only in RI Would the State’s Research University Be Controlled By Private College Grads

The University of Rhode Island should be competing for students, faculty and research dollars against the likes of the University of Connecticut and the University of Massachusetts.

Three decades ago, the three universities were in the same peer group — land grant universities with deep agricultural legacies.

Now, decades later UConn and UMass have emerged as top research universities and they have transformed everything from their research capabilities, to their campuses and sports teams, to top-tier institutions. 

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URI has made progress, but as a snail's pace compared to the competition across the state lines.

Both UConn and UMass’ foundations have three times the money of URI. URI’s foundation has less than $200 million. In contrast, St. George’s prep school in Middletown — a school of fewer than 400 students has $244 million.

The lack of funding prowess continues to put more pressure on state funding and tuition increases.

Both UConn and UMass are listed as top research universities in the world. Of the top 100 worldwide universities granted U.S. utility patents in 2018, the University of Massachusetts ranks 37th in the world with 58 and the University of Connecticut ranks 93rd with 26. URI would not make the top 200 list.

While nearly every plan to reinvent Rhode Island’s economy cites the talent and potential of URI -- see Brookings Institution and others -- the reality is that URI under its present governance structure fails to tap into its alumni resources and talents.

Alumni like Christiane Amanpour of CNN,  former CVS CEO Tom Ryan and Michael D. Fascitelli of Vornado Realty Trust would all be on boards of trustees at any other university. Instead, URI is governed by Holy Cross, PC, and Brown grads.

As GoLocal unveiled earlier this week, the Council that oversees the University of Rhode Island has six members of which three are Providence College grads and just one URI grad -- Dennis Duffy.

In contrast, Brown’s Corporation is more than 90 percent comprised with Brown alumni — similar at PC and Bryant.

It is time to help URI realize its potential and be a top tier research university that helps fuel the Rhode Island economy. It is time to create a first class governance structure.