I had to stop early, but I'll finish now.
It was also before the State of Connecticut and JAX labs investment of $865 million and $1.1 billion, respectively, in new research and clinical facilities with and emphasis on new diagnostics, devices, & treatments for personalized medicine.
I could go on and talk about the Institute for Systems Genomics and the Institute for Creativity, Innovation & Entrepreneurship but you get the idea. Those rankings above are before millions upon millions in new investment and UConn already are comparable to existing AAU members. What do you think will happen to those rankings after this investment in research facilities and top professors has a chance to take hold?
Frank you think you understand us, but I would suggest that you have no idea who we are. We went from being a regional power in basketball to being one of the two best over the last decade and a half. We became the dominant power in woman's basketball. We made the fastest accent to a BCS bowl that I can remember and won our conference twice in our first 10 years. Academically our assent has been meteoric.
When this university and this state sets their minds toward a goal, it happens. It just is that simple and we've seen it time and again. It sure seems like it is happening now regarding the decision to become a top research institution. It's not going to be easy. It will take time, but it certainly happen given the money being invested and the state support that we have.
You have a reoccurring theme that we weight ourselves too heavily. I am sure that you are correct, as I believe that true of pretty much everyone. I would say however that you rate us far, far too lightly. Time will tell who is correct.