Published August 30, 2021
Dear university community:
It is with great pleasure that I offer you my very best wishes at the start of UB’s fall 2021 semester! This is truly a happy day for UB, as we celebrate the return of our university community to campus.
With the first day of the new academic year also comes one of my favorite annual rituals as UB president: welcoming students to—or back to—campus. While I always enjoy chatting with our students about their summer adventures and their academic goals for the year, I am looking forward to these conversations today more than ever.
Given the upended circumstances of the past 18 months, I’m sure you can appreciate my enthusiasm. Whether flocking to classrooms that were sparsely occupied the semester prior, gathering in conference rooms instead of on computer monitors, or engaging in shoptalk during impromptu hallway encounters, I suspect none of us will be taking the status quo for granted. Although the persistence and uncertainty of the pandemic still loom in our collective consciousness, I would go so far as to say that these everyday activities will feel like something of a triumph!
To that point, it is imperative that we continue to remain vigilant to the threat of COVID-19 and its variants, even as we resurrect the rhythms and routines congruous with our place-based institution.
Remember, we are in this together, as a university community. If we each do our part, we can look forward to not only advancing our academic and professional pursuits, but also sharing in many of the traditions that have shaped our university over the past 175 years. With the return of an in-person Homecoming Weekend—complete with a commencement ceremony for our 2020 graduates—and the launch of the 35th season of our Distinguished Speakers Series—to name just a couple upcoming events—this is a time of remarkable excitement and promise for our scholarly community. In following UB’s health and safety guidelines, we help ensure that we can all enjoy a highly productive, rewarding and memorable semester.
As we embark on a new academic year, that is my wish for each of you. And if our paths should cross today, or anytime during the semester, allow me to tell you so in person!
Sincerely,
Satish K. Tripathi
President
