UB Recognized Again as a 'Great Place to Work' by Chronicle of Higher Education

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo for the second year in a row was recognized for the quality of its workplace by the Chronicle of Higher Education in its annual "Great Colleges to Work For" survey.

More than 300 colleges and universities participated in the survey -- nearly triple the number of schools that participated last year. The results were based on responses from nearly 41,000 administrators, faculty members and staff members.

Among large institutions, including Cornell, Michigan and Duke, UB drew high marks for best practices and policies in eight recognition categories:

• Compensation and Benefits

• Tenure Clarity Process

• Health Insurance

• Housing Assistance Programs

• Overall Satisfaction with Benefits

• Post-retirement Benefits

• Professional/Career Development

• Vacation or Paid Time Off

Based in Washington, D.C., the Chronicle is a leading international source for news and information about higher education. The survey results are available online at http://chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i41/greatcolleges.htm.

UB President John B. Simpson said UB's continued inclusion in the Chronicle ranking confirms the success of efforts to transform UB's human resources, as part of the UB 2020 strategic planning process.

"The ranking is testament to the culture of excellence we are creating at UB in all that we do, from research and scholarship, to teaching and student programming, to providing our faculty and staff with a great environment in which to work and enjoy all that employment at a major university offers," Simpson said.

Over the past two years, an HR Transformation Initiative at UB has resulted in many new services for faculty and staff, including new programs focusing on employee wellness and professional development, new divisional HR units, a new Work/Life Balance initiative and an expanded Employee Assistance Program.

UB also began implementation of a university-wide effort focused on building the foundation of a great workplace: credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie. The initiative is based on research and measurement tools developed by the Great Place to Work® Institute, based in San Francisco. The institute produces various "best companies to work for" lists in the U.S. including FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work for in America.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.