About the Center

The Center for Institutional Investment Management (CIIM) was established in 2002 when a proposal developed by the University at Albany Finance Department faculty was declared the winner of a SUNY-wide competition initiated by then-Chancellor Robert King. CIIM’s mission has three main components.

1. CIIM advances knowledge development and transmission by making resources available for University at Albany faculty and students to conduct high-quality research, and by commissioning monographs in institutional investment management.
   
   CIIM funds research databases including PSN Enterprise, CRSP Mutual Funds, Morningstar Principia, and CISDM Hedge Funds, and organizes training seminars pertaining to School of Business data resources. CIIM publicizes the scholarly output of its faculty research affiliates by linking to the SSRN and by funding posters of its faculty affiliates’ studies. CIIM also provides research awards to faculty who complete working papers in the area of institutional investment management and publish them in refereed journals.
   


2. CIIM creates opportunities for faculty and students to interact with investment practitioners, with a particular emphasis on those who are University at Albany alumni.
   
   The distinguished industry practitioners on CIIM’s Advisory Board are key resources for students in career development, and faculty in vetting research ideas. CIIM arranges the travel to campus of distinguished practitioner-speakers, most of whom are University at Albany alumni. CIIM funds student and faculty travel to financial centers and industry conferences.


3. CIIM provides support for the University at Albany School of Business Investment Group (UASBIG) and its goal to train students in security analysis and portfolio management.
   
   CIIM is the prime sponsor of the UASBIG, which manages a portion of the University at Albany Foundation Endowment Fund. CIIM funds the subscription to Bloomberg for use by the UASBIG. CIIM acquired and maintains equipment for student conference calls with the UASBIG’s advisory board.

While finance is at the core, CIIM’s potential activities also encompass information (e.g., database management, information security), decision-making (e.g., portfolio allocation, risk management), ethics, and organizations. The broad focus of CIIM reflects the fact that institutional investors make decisions in an organizational context rich in legal and ethical restrictions, fiduciary responsibilities, and business process requirements. Institutional investors must also recognize and evaluate investment opportunities that are quite different from those facing individual investors.