By Steve Klamkin, WPRO News
Rhode Island's troubled economy is like "somebody on life support", says University of Rhode Island President David Dooley.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Dooley said the state school and state leaders should have a sense of urgency about working to revive the state's economy.
Dooley also said that he is "not giving up on football", despite the team's winless, 0-11 season. "Structurally, I don't believe there are impediments to us being successful," in football, he said, adding that there is a need to have the football program generate more revenue.
Dooley also said the that URI would benefit from extending commuter rail from Wickford Junction to the Kingston campus, a proposal that is not currently under active consideration, but one that transportation officials have said is a long-range goal.
He proposed a URI Corporate and Business Engagement Center to draw the school into helping business entities solve problems.
He also suggested that URI should partner with a private developer, with the university serving as the anchor tenant of a proposed new nursing center in the so-called "Knowledge District", the strip of land cleared after the demolition of the old Interstate 195, targeted for development by Brown University and some private companies concentrating on life science and other technical disciplines.
