NORWICH – Despite having the highest concentration of college students in the country, Central New York is experiencing an unprecedented mass exodus of educated young people. According to Dr. Ray Cross, president of Morrisville State College, something must be done to put a stop to the “bright flight” of 24 to 35 year-olds in order to ensure the continued economic viability of the region.

“It is the worst type of loss,” Cross said on Tuesday, as he addressed a group of local business leaders at a breakfast hosted by Commerce Chenango as part of the chamber’s Good Morning, Chenango series. The event, sponsored by GHS Federal Credit Union, took place at Lt. Warren E. Eaton American Legion Post 189 in Norwich.

These young, educated individuals are leaving New York, Cross explained, primarily because of “sluggish” job growth resulting from the state’s current business climate, high utility costs and high taxes.

“The most effective solution ... is growing existing businesses,” he said, but doing so would likely require lowering the cost of doing business as well as streamlining state bureaucracy and reforming regulatory systems. By asking for a quick show of hands by audience members, however, Cross was able to illustrate how few people were confident that those changes would take place even within the next 10 years.

But there is still hope.

“This is a strategic location,” he explained, citing Central New York’s proximity to 25 percent of the world’s fresh water supply and stating that the region is within 750 miles of half the population of both the United States and Canada. Some believe, he added, that this region is also within 500 miles of three quarters of North America’s wealth.

“This makes us incredibly attractive,” he said.

There are other opportunities for reversing the “downward spiral” and retaining educated individuals beyond creating job opportunities and growing existing businesses. According to Cross, his institution of higher education is focusing an increasing amount of resources on encouraging entrepreneurism and engaging young people in the problems faced by local communities as well as our state and our country.