ALBANY –The final version of a report from the Office of the New York State Comptroller on “Selected Human Resource Controls and Potential Conflicts of Interest” was delivered to State University of New York Chancellor Nancy Zimpher at The Research Foundation for SUNY (“RF”), following a broad and comprehensive internal and external review of the RF initiated by SUNY leadership that began in August 2010.

“Over the last two years SUNY leadership has overseen the most comprehensive review in the history of The Research Foundation, and as a result it is a markedly improved organization,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “From the beginning, SUNY and RF leadership have viewed the audit as an opportunity to acknowledge past problems and pledged full cooperation. The comptroller’s findings are confirmation that change was necessary. The RF is moving forward under the new leadership of Dr. Timothy Killeen, a world-renowned scholar and former National Science Foundation assistant director. The RF will continue to help capitalize on SUNY’s role as a major driver in building the state’s innovation economy and expanding research for the benefit of all New Yorkers.”

“The SUNY Board has full confidence in the reforms Chancellor Zimpher has already put in place at the RF and in Dr. Killeen’s leadership,” said SUNY Board of Trustees Chairman H. Carl McCall. “As a former state comptroller, I appreciate the critical role this OSC report plays together with SUNY’s already rigorous reforms to ensure that New Yorkers have a high-functioning research powerhouse to drive our economy into the future.”

Under Chancellor Zimpher’s leadership, the RF has implemented an extensive control environment and new policies and procedures to help safeguard its nearly $1 billion in research activity that it processes annually. The RF has:

• Instituted new protocols that raise the standards of accountability of officers and employees alike, and set clear expectations of ethical behavior;
• Reviewed its policies and procedures relating to procurement, contractual and transactional work across the operation;
• Strengthened its governance and attracted new members to its Board of Directors, each of who brings different and diverse skill sets and valuable expertise to the table, and;
• Reinforced its institutional commitment to the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior.

“We appreciate the thorough review and recommendations from OSC as SUNY and the RF strive to set a national model for research foundations across the country,” said recently appointed RF president and former National Science Foundation assistant director, Dr. Timothy Killeen. “I am committed to ensuring that the New RF exceeds all expectations of accountability and integrity, and look forward to cementing the RF as an organization intensely committed to its roots – enabling and developing the research potential of our state’s great public university system.”