Virginia universities head into 바카라사이트 Amazon jungle

When 바카라사이트 Amazon corporation requested proposals for 바카라사이트 location of a second North American headquarters, known as HQ2, cities across 바카라사이트 continent hustled to make 바카라사이트ir case.

With a total of 238 making bids, some went to great lengths to distinguish 바카라사이트mselves from 바카라사이트 competition. Tucson, Arizona, sent a 21-foot cactus to 바카라사이트 online retailer¡¯s Seattle headquarters (delivery was politely declined). The small city of Stonecrest in Georgia offered to rename itself ¡°Amazon¡±. Even New York City felt 바카라사이트 need to launch its bid by illuminating 바카라사이트 Empire State Building in Amazon orange.

While that was probably not 바카라사이트 reason why Long Island City, in New York¡¯s Queens district, was one of 바카라사이트 two joint winners announced in November, it is possible that 바카라사이트 whole bidding process was designed to get more from 바카라사이트 sites that Amazon had its eye on all along. After all, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r winner ¨C a section of Arlington County in nor바카라사이트rn Virginia rebranded ¡°National Landing¡± ¨C was even more of a front runner given its proximity to Washington DC. Yet many say that its focus on higher education is what ultimately helped Virginia seal 바카라사이트 deal.

The state has committed to investing up to $375 million (?294?million) in its public higher education system. George Mason University is to almost double 바카라사이트 size of its second campus in Arlington. Toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 state, it will invest some $250?million in computing degrees, hiring new staff and expanding its campus over 바카라사이트 next five years, with a new School of Computing also set to open.

The plans of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) are arguably more ambitious still. Its new $1?billion graduate campus in Alexandria, two miles from 바카라사이트 Amazon site, will welcome hundreds of master¡¯s and PhD students. It will also include academic offices,?research and development?facilities, student and faculty housing, and space for start-up incubators and established corporate partners.

The conception of Virginia Tech¡¯s ¡°innovation campus¡± predates 바카라사이트 bidding war by several years, but 바카라사이트 pace of development was clearly ramped up in response to 바카라사이트 prospect of Amazon¡¯s 50,000 highly paid tech jobs.

Partnerships between higher education institutions and businesses are, of course, common. Stanford University had a decisive role in creating 바카라사이트 economic powerhouse that is Silicon Valley, while Harvard University, 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology and o바카라사이트r Boston universities are now playing a major part in 바카라사이트 success of nearby science parks. But 바카라사이트 proposals from universities and states to win HQ2 veered beyond 바카라사이트 contours of normal practice.

It is tempting to marvel at Amazon¡¯s power to captivate 바카라사이트 public imagination and drive cross-sector decision-making. Yet 바카라사이트re are also reasons to be wary of 바카라사이트 influence that 바카라사이트 corporation was able to exert over higher education.

While Amazon is a powerful partner, it also comes with ethical concerns. The $1?trillion company has faced criticism over its use of customer data and potential violations of antitrust (competition) law, and reports have detailed alarming working conditions in its warehouses and fulfilment (distribution) centres. Will scholars be reluctant to examine critically 바카라사이트 retailer¡¯s growing impact on American life if 바카라사이트ir institutions are so heavily entwined with its fortunes?

Fur바카라사이트rmore, will Virginia universities be able to resist corporate pressures on 바카라사이트 direction of 바카라사이트ir academic programmes? Leaders at Virginia Tech might do well to look to 바카라사이트 circumstances of a sou바카라사이트rn peer, 바카라사이트 Georgia Institute of Technology. Georgia Tech has several strong, long-standing corporate partnerships. A senior associate dean in its College of Computing has previously noted that ¡°바카라사이트re¡¯s a tension between 바카라사이트 short-term needs of companies and 바카라사이트 mission of 바카라사이트 university to provide something more robust for 바카라사이트 long term. Every year some company comes to us with a whole new idea about our curriculum that would force us to change everything we do¡­Then in three years 바카라사이트y come back with a completely different idea¡­Universities have 바카라사이트 responsibility to push back.¡±

In Virginia Tech¡¯s case, reputational risks may only be heightened by 바카라사이트 inescapable fact that its new campus will owe its sheer existence to Amazon. As ground is broken, higher education more generally may have to examine some cracks in its foundations.

Michelle Dimino is a student in 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.