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NYU, Brooklyn Polytechnic Merger Talks To Resume

By SARAH PORTLOCK, Special to the Sun
August 8, 2007

Talks between New York University and Brooklyn's Polytechnic University over a possible merger will resume after a three year interval, the universities' presidents announced yesterday. The president of NYU, John Sexton, said the possible merger would enhance the university's efforts to enhance its science and research curriculum. "As NYU has become stronger and stronger in science in the last five years, and more and more committed to it, the absence of engineering is a significant absence," Mr. Sexton told The New York Sun.

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The Polytechnic University, known as Brooklyn Poly, recently launched a strategic plan to expand entrepreneurial and innovative opportunities for its student body, comprised largely of students who are the first in their families to attend college, its president, Jerry Hultin said. The university's plan is constrained by its size, however, he added.

"As you begin to feel the power of innovation tied to engineering, you begin to feel the limits of being small," Mr. Hultin told the Sun. "As soon as NYU said, ‘We're interested in talking,' I could begin to see how far this could really go. This became a way to advance Poly's role in New York. This expands our limits significantly."

Miscommunications about the working relationship and balance between the schools prompted the initial talks to fall through in 2004, but conversations continued among faculty until they reached the universities' provosts, Messrs. Sexton and Hultin first began talking earlier this summer, and late last week, trustees of both schools agreed to restart the talks, which will be open to discussions within the university communities, spokesmen from both universities said.

Concerns surrounding the merger included moving Poly from Brooklyn and shrinking the institution, claims that Mr. Sexton insisted would not happen.


Correction from August 10, 2007:

Jerry Hultin is the spelling of the name of the president of Polytechnic University. His name was misspelled in an article on page 3 of the August 8 New York Sun.


Reader comments on this article

TitleByDate

My foot can get into NYU [85 words]

Faisal 

Jan 22, 2008 23:30

First Farmingdale, now Brooklyn?? [195 words]

Rebecca - LI Poly Grad 

Sep 6, 2007 20:28

  You can spin the situation to your advantage [196 words]

Major-T 

Sep 15, 2007 16:12

  Bad Idea [157 words]

ENO - Poly, Long Island Graduate Center 

Sep 18, 2007 12:45

  The Real Question Is.. [134 words]

Jay - Bklyn Grad Student 

Sep 20, 2007 14:26

  NYU and Brooklyn Poly merger more like after 30+ years... [88 words]

Calvin 

Mar 7, 2008 13:11

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