University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

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By SUE WUETCHER

Published: August 28, 2008

Although summers traditionally are quiet at UB, there was still plenty of activity on campus during the lull between the spring and fall semesters.

Here’s a brief recap of the major stories that happened on campus this summer.

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  Summer recap through photos

  Summer 2008 at UB through the lens of photographer Doug Levere. | View slideshow

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  Historic Jacobs gift

  UB in June announced the largest single gift ever to the university: $10 million from Jeremy M. Jacobs, his wife, Margaret, and family that will be used to establish the Jacobs Institute to support research and clinical collaboration on the causes, treatment and prevention of heart and vascular diseases. The gift will fund the retention and recruitment of world-class researchers, educators and clinicians to UB and to the Western New York heath care community. | Read More

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  Kapoor gives back

  UB alumnus John N. Kapoor made a $5 million gift to the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences to support construction of a new home for the nationally ranked pharmacy school on the South Campus, as well as faculty research, student financial aid and an emerging-technologies fund. With this gift and prior gifts that together total more than $10.8 million, Kapoor became the most generous individual donor ever to UB. The university has named the new pharmacy building John Kapoor Hall in his honor. | Read More

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  Distinguished Professors

  Faculty members Kenneth J. Takeuchi and Joseph J. Zambon were among 22 faculty members from across SUNY who were appointed to the system’s highest faculty rank by the board of trustees at its May 14 meeting. Takeuchi, professor of chemistry, and Zambon, professor of periodontology and oral biology, were appointed SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professors. | Read More

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  Dean searches coming to an end

  Arjang A. Assad, professor of management science and Dean’s Professor for Extraordinary Service in the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, was named dean of the School of Management. With Assad’s appointment, effective Aug. 1, only one open dean search remains—that for the School of Public Health and Health Professions. Five finalists for that position visited campus earlier this month to meet with faculty, staff, students, members of the university’s senior leadership team and individuals from the local health care community. | Read More

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  HR Transformation efforts recognized

  UB’s HR Transformation initiative, part of the UB 2020 strategic planning process, has been recognized with two national honors. UB was named the recipient of the 2008 Excellence in Human Resource Practices Award from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources. The university also rated very highly in a national survey of “great places to work” conducted by the Chronicle of Higher Education. UB is ranked in the top 5 in eight different ranking categories among large research universities of 2,500 or more employees. The initiative, a project that examined the delivery of HR services across the campuses, was launched in conjunction with implementation of the UB 2020 strategic plan. It has resulted in many new services for UB faculty and staff, including programs focusing on employee wellness and professional development, and new divisional HR units. | Read More

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  New era for UB Engineering

  The June demolition of the 20-year-old “temporary” Engineering Trailer Complex on the North Campus cleared the way for construction of a new building for the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The new facility will modernize programs and facilities for the departments of Computer Science and Engineering and Electrical Engineering, and provide critical teaching and research space for the school. | Read More