Moving Forward with Our Vision

I am delighted to share some very exciting news that represents a critical step forward in realizing our long-range vision of academic excellence.

This morning, Governor Cuomo and Chancellor Zimpher came to Buffalo to announce the approval of UB’s NYSUNY 2020 challenge grant application.  As you may recall, in May 2011, the Governor and Chancellor established this initiative to enable UB and the other three SUNY University Centers to propose projects that strengthen our academic programs and support economic vitality in our communities.  Later that month, UB presented its proposal in response to this challenge grant.  Our proposal focused on UB’s plan for implementing the next phase of UB 2020 by building our faculty across the disciplines, and by relocating the medical school downtown, where it will be more closely aligned with key health sciences and research partners in Buffalo’s medical corridor.

With the approval of our grant application—combined with the historic NYSUNY 2020 legislation passed earlier this year—we now have all the critical tools we need to advance the next phase of the UB 2020 plan for academic excellence.  Implementing the next phase of our long-range UB 2020 vision will help us achieve three vital and closely connected objectives: enhanced educational and research excellence; improved health care and quality of life for Western New York; and the creation of a strong innovation economy that is critical to the future of our region and state.

These outcomes are good for our students, they are good for our university as a whole, and they are good for our community.  Last week, our Western New York region received a tremendous boost when the Governor announced that our region’s economic development strategy is a “best plan” awardee.  Today, our university and our community can celebrate another giant step forward.

Together, we are moving forward in implementing the next phase of our long-range vision of an even better, stronger university with an even greater impact on our communities. When we realize this vision, Buffalo will become a city that is nationally recognized as a destination for world-class healthcare and research, and the core of a thriving, revitalized region.  Our region will see an influx of more of the world’s leading faculty and bright students—as well as thousands of new jobs for our Western New York community.  And our university and our community will be strengthened by a true downtown campus: an open, inviting setting where researchers and students can exchange ideas over a cup of coffee—and where meeting with a colleague from another institution means just a short walk down the street. 

The bright future we envision for our university and our community is on the horizon.  I look forward to experiencing that future with you.  Thank you for sharing in our vision.

Sincerely,