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Physical plan to be unveiled

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  • “Literally thousands of people—faculty, staff, students, alumni, UB Believers and community members—contributed to the development of our plan.”

    James Willis
    Executive Vice President for University Support Services
By ARTHUR PAGE
Published: October 21, 2009

UB’s comprehensive physical plan—the result of two years’ work and the input of thousands of people—will be unveiled and celebrated in a program from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday in the Center for the Arts, North Campus.

The program, beginning with a reception, will include an overview by President John B. Simpson of the master plan that will guide the growth and transformation of the North and South campuses and creation of a new Academic Health Center on UB’s Downtown Campus.

Also speaking will be Provost Satish K. Tripathi; James A. “Beau” Willis, executive vice president for university support services; and Robert G. Shibley, senior advisor to the president for campus planning and design.

The comprehensive physical plan, the university’s first master plan since the one that oversaw creation of UB’s North Campus in the 1970s, was developed in conjunction with implementation of the UB 2020 strategic plan and UB’s goal of growing by 40 percent, including 10,000 more students and more than 6,700 faculty and staff, in coming years.

The process leading to the plan to be unveiled Tuesday included three public forums, the first held in November 2007, to gather public input and feedback as the plan evolved. At the third forum a year ago, a draft of comprehensive physical plan was presented and exhibited at a daylong public event on the South Campus. Reaction to the plan was gathered at the forum and subsequently through the UB 2020 Web site.

“Literally thousands of people—faculty, staff, students, alumni, UB Believers and community members—contributed to the development of our plan,” said Willis.

“Our plan aims at nothing less than making UB a model 21st-century public research university, one equipped to produce the knowledge we will need to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world, one capable of educating the people who will invent a world we do not yet know.” he added. “The plan will make a better, stronger UB and help regenerate our regional economy and rejuvenate our neighborhoods.”

Click here to register to attend the celebration.