VIDEO: Express Sessions, 'Clarifying the Vision for The Stony Brook Southampton Campus'

The Express News Group held its latest Express Sessions panel discussion on Thursday, January 11, at Union Sushi and Steak in Southampton Village.

The discussion, “Clarifying the Vision for The Stony Brook Southampton Campus,” was meant to be an exploration of the current state of the Stony Brook Southampton campus and the future of the Shinnecock Hills institution.

Since 1963, a sprawling 84-acre stretch of Shinnecock Hills has had a college presence, first as Southampton College, then, starting in 2006, as the Southampton campus of Stony Brook University. Over the years, some things have stayed the same — the campus is a focal point for marine science and a bastion of the arts — but the vision for its future has varied. Today, Stony Brook has plans to build a new $300 million hospital on the site, which could spark a new era for the campus. In the meantime, the condition of some buildings have critics crying foul and worrying about Stony Brook’s vision — or lack thereof.

The panel included Tim Bishop, the former Southampton College provost and former U.S. Representative; Dr. Christopher Gobler, professor, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University; New York State Senator Anthony Palumbo; New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr.; Wendy Pearson, vice president for strategic initiatives, Stony Brook University; Jed Shivers, senior vice president for finance and administration, Stony Brook University; and Dr. William Wertheim, interim executive vice president, Stony Brook Medicine. It was moderated by Express News Group Executive Editor Joseph P. Shaw.