A Letter from UB President John B. Simpson

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

Earlier today, I notified the University at Buffalo Council of my intention to retire from the university as of January 15, 2011. After much careful consideration, Katherine and I have decided to return to our home on the West Coast.

The decision to retire by no means has been easy. All the same, it is a step I am taking with great satisfaction in all that this university community has achieved together over the past several years, in those areas we control. I retain full confidence that UB can become the premier public research university we have been working together to build. Together, we have embarked on a comprehensive, university-wide process of self-assessment and strategic planning that led to the very robust strategic vision we call UB 2020. And together we have already made significant progress in implementing this vision as we have articulated an ambitious interdisciplinary research paradigm for academic excellence, crafted UB's first comprehensive physical plan in more than three decades, achieved substantial university-wide efficiencies in campus operations, and forged even stronger partnerships with our communities. Just as importantly, our larger communities have embraced this vision as this region's leading priority, and have recognized its pivotal importance as the vital catalyst for building the knowledge-based economy that is so critical to Western New York's future.

While my retirement plans are motivated by a personal desire to be closer to family, I would be disingenuous if I did not also note that this difficult decision has been made somewhat easier by Albany's failure to give UB and SUNY the policy tools and stable support needed to fully achieve this university's great potential. UB's promise, and its potential to transform this community, have been threatened severely by repeated budget cuts and, most recently, by the latest setbacks from Albany.

Despite these obstacles, I remain steadfast in my belief that, given the proper state support and flexibility it needs to thrive, this university has all of the necessary ingredients to achieve greatness in the 21st century: distinguished, cutting-edge faculty; a bright and promising student body; outstanding staff members; a strong and dedicated coalition of university supporters across the nation; an international network of respected partner institutions around the world; and, above all, a bold and clear vision for the future.

To help prepare the university for a new era of leadership as it continues to pursue this vision in the years ahead, UB Council Chairman Jeremy Jacobs will convene and lead a committee to conduct a global search for UB's 15th president. In the meantime, Chairman Jacobs has appointed Scott Nostaja, Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, to serve as Interim President following my official retirement on January 15. Scott's leadership, vision, and acumen have made him an indispensable member of the university's senior leadership team over the years, and he has been instrumental to the articulation and implementation of the UB 2020 strategic vision. Chairman Jacobs and I feel strongly that he is the ideal individual to guide the university in an interim capacity during this pivotal transition period.

It has been my honor and great pleasure to serve as UB's 14th president and as a colleague of so many talented and dedicated faculty, staff, and students. Katherine and I have been proud to make our home in this community, and I personally have been grateful to benefit from my rewarding relationships with my colleagues in the higher education community -- locally, nationally, and globally. Thank you for helping to make the past seven years such richly rewarding ones.

Sincerely,

John B. Simpson

President