This was dump on Stony Brook semester by Newsday, NYS Senator Kenneth LaValle, and some others - you can read all about it at the links below.

LaValle proposed taking the hospital away from the University and in essence, privatizing it, though it was not said in quite such a politician with his palm held out manner.

Was it justified? No way. The only people who would have benefited are the already highly paid doctors who want more. Half the country does not have adequate health insurance and doctors fees rise each year greater than inflation. (We know - it is all those med school loans to pay off so they can have two Jags and a BMW / Benz / whatever in the driveway instead of one!)

Is SBU perfect? No. Is SBUH perfect. No. But greed and politics had more to do with what was going on than the truth. SBUH was recertified with glowing reviews. 

In one of the Newsday articles there was a complaint about the animosity because President Kenny 'borrows' from SBUH to give to the West Campus. Does she? Yup. But she 'borrows' from the West Campus too for her pet projects and people are not happy on this side either. She is an equal opportunity 'borrower' so who are the fat cat MD's to complain? The Physics Building has been surrounded by scaffolding for more years than anyone can remember. The Union roof has leaked for 30 years - we in the media wing know that for sure. In the Hospital's start-up days when it was the Hospital draining the resources away - did the West Campus ever say - "We should not have a hospital. Physics is more important." - ???

If it takes a village to raise a child, the same can be said for a good University. The East and West campus' are integral to each other. Not only does the Hospital share the University's electrical power plant - it shares the prestige that came from having a Nobel physicist on the other side of Nichol's. And the School of Engineering shares the Hospital's stature and ability to allow it to offer a Biomedical Engineering degree. We should all be in this together for the benefits Stony Brook provides as a public state university to Long Island and New York - and ultimately to the world.  

Fortunately Senator LaValle and President Kenny have come up with a compromise and in January they will be working out the details. Let's hope the New Year has headlines that make more sense!

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lihosp175019278dec17,0,3184887.story

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-liston165017887dec16,0,685329.story

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lihosp12a5012671dec12,0,6076515.story

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lisuny065004522dec06,0,1799432.story

Newsday's Special Section - contains lots of articles
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-sbuh-sg,0,657886.storygallery