By Kimberly Chin

The University received a $25 million capital grant for its School of Medicine facilities. University President Stuart Rabinowitz was joined by New York State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Senate Health Committee Chair Kemp Hannon and a few Nassau County senators to announce their support of the University’s School of Medicine, which will be the first allopathic medical school in Nassau County, as well as the first medical school on Long Island in 35 years.

Plans were approved for a School of Medicine, in partnership with the North Shore-LIJ Health System, last October, although it received formal approval on March 28 of this year. The grant is said to provide the “seed funding” for the School’s construction, according to a statement released by the University.

The University projects that the necessary money to build a state-of-the-art academic facility as well as residential housing for medical students will cost over $100 million.

Rabinowitz was appreciative of the state Sens. Skelos’ and Hannon’s support, proclaiming that their recognition to provide “seed funding” for the new school, which Rabinowitz said, “will pay off dividends for decades to come, in economic development, in health care and opportunities for the residents of Long Island and New York State.”

“The need for well trained doctors, at hospitals and universities following established and cutting edge protocols, is self-evident,” Hannon said. “It makes sense to provide Hofstra University School of Medicine in partnership with North Shore-LIJ Health System with a capital grant to get this project off the ground, providing the residents of Nassau County with better health care and services, while spurring innovation in our region.”

The School of Medicine will temporarily occupy the Jets facility once the Jets move to their new headquarters this Fall.

“Once the new facilities are built,” said Rabinowitz, “the new School of Medicine will have the best scientific technology and facilities available, and our other science and engineering programs will also benefit from the labs and classrooms we’ve built in the Jets facility.”

The School of Medicine expects to bring in its first class by 2011. The School is currently pursuing accreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, as well as requisite approval by the state.