UB Names Dennis Black Vice President For Student Affairs

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Dennis R. Black has been named vice president for student affairs at the University at Buffalo, UB President William R. Greiner announced today.

Black has served as interim vice president since Aug. 1, following the resignation of Robert L. Palmer, Jr. He previously served as associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students.

Black is responsible for providing leadership and formulating and implementing policies encompassing all facets of student affairs. He oversees Auxiliary Services and Student Services, which includes Residence Halls, Student Life, Student Health Services, Judicial Affairs, Leadership Center, University Counseling, Public Safety, Multicultural Affairs, Parking and Transportation, Conferences and Special Events, Faculty-Student Association, Disability Services, Student Judiciary, Student Union and Career Planning and Placement.

"Throughout his career at UB, Dennis has been a leading advocate of student development through his extensive efforts with a number of individuals, organizations and governance groups on campus," said Greiner. "He is dedicated to the mission of our Division of Student Affairs and has earned the respect and admiration of UB students, faculty members and administrators alike.

"His leadership in his interim capacity has already gone a long way toward ensuring and improving UB's quality of campus life," he continued. "Under his direction, Student Affairs is poised to make further strides toward fulfilling all the potentials of our campus community."

Greiner added that Black has "been an important leader" in UB's efforts to develop its first on-campus housing in nearly 25 years -- construction of apartment-style housing for undergraduates on the North Campus is expected to begin in August with occupancy slated for the Fall 1999 semester -- and in facilitating development of a child-care center on the North Campus, which is set to open for the Fall 1998 semester.

Senior Vice President Robert J. Wagner, chair of the search committee that reviewed candidates for the position, noted that the committee forwarded the names of finalists for the position to Greiner after conducting a national search for the position.

Black has held a variety of student-services positions since joining UB in 1978 as executive director of Sub Board I, Inc., a UB student-service corporation. He served as dean of students from 1988-97, and was named associate vice president for student affairs in 1991 after serving as associate vice provost for student services since 1987.

He also is an adjunct assistant professor in the Graduate School of Education.

Editor of Perspective: The Campus Legal Monthly newsletter with a national circulation of more than 1,700 colleges and universities, Black also speaks, writes and consults on student service-related issues and legal concerns at conferences and institutions nationwide.

He received a bachelor's degree in political science and history, and a law degree, both from UB.

He resides on Grand Island.