Faculty Staff Campaign launches to improve the student experience

UB faculty and staff work each day to improve the experience and education of students by sharing their time, expertise and talents. Now — through the 2019 UB Faculty Staff Campaign — employees have another way to show their belief in the university’s mission.

The 2019 UB Faculty Staff Campaign launched this week with a kickoff breakfast for more than 50 employee campaign ambassadors. The campaign calls on faculty and staff to help elevate and support students toward a brighter future through gifts to the university.

The campaign is part of Boldly Buffalo, the largest campaign in UB and SUNY history, which aims to amplify the university’s mission of transforming ambitious students into thought leaders who leave a lasting impact on Western New York and the world.

“The university is nothing more than taking care of students,” President Satish K. Tripathi told those attending the kickoff event Tuesday in the Buffalo Room in Capen Hall.

“Many of our students who come here are still first-generation college students. We need support for those students. We want to provide the same kind of education to all the students, and we want similar experiences for everyone,” Tripathi said. “Money that comes through the Faculty Staff Campaign has been able to provide that kind of education.”

This year’s goal: $1 million from 1,700 donors. The campaign runs through April 2019, and employees may designate gifts to the college, area or program of their choice.

Funds raised for the Faculty and Staff Campaign are separate from those given to the UB Employees Campaign for the Community as part of the State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA). While SEFA is important to the community, the campaign does not contribute directly to the university.

“For many of us, UB is much more than an employer. Whether it’s athletics, cultural events or academic symposiums, there are multiple ways to engage with the larger UB community,” said Aviva Abramovsky, 2019 campaign co-chair and dean of the School of Law.

Fellow co-chair Mark Alnutt, director of athletics, added: “I was introduced to UB about seven months ago, but the one thing that keeps coming back to me is the people.

“The people are what make the place. And there are a lot of passionate people that understand the critical, first-class collegiate experience we’re trying to provide for all of our students.”

Abramovsky and Alnutt kicked off the campaign by making reciprocal gifts to each other’s departments: Abramovsky made a donation to support student athletes on the UB women’s basketball team, and Alnutt will provide a gift that aids the Discover Law Scholars Program, a summer residency that helps introduce minority undergraduate students to the field of law.

There are numerous other programs that faculty and staff can choose to support across UB’s 12 schools and units, which include UB Athletics, University Libraries, Student Life and the Honors College.

To learn more about the Faculty Staff Campaign or to show your UB pride by making a donation, visit the Boldly Buffalo website.