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Simpson to retire in January
President John B. Simpson will retire on Jan. 15 to spend more time with his family. Photo: DOUGLAS LEVERE
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“I retain full confidence that UB can become the premier public research university we have been working together to build.”
President John B. Simpson announced today he plans to retire as UB’s 14th president, effective Jan. 15, in order return to the West Coast with his wife, Katherine, and spend more time with family.
Simpson, 63, announced his decision at a news conference with UB Council Chair Jeremy M. Jacobs. Jacobs praised Simpson’s strong leadership of the university since 2004, during which time the university launched the UB 2020 strategic plan to become a model 21st century research university through focused research, growth and transformation of UB's three campuses.
Jacobs also announced that Scott D. Nostaja, UB’s senior vice president and chief operations officer, will serve as interim president following Simpson’s retirement. Jacobs will immediately convene a global search for UB’s 15th president.
Simpson said his decision to retire was not easy, “but it is one I have made with great satisfaction in all that this university community has achieved together over the past several years, in those areas we control. I retain full confidence that UB can become the premier public research university we have been working together to build.”
He added that while his retirement plans are motivated by a personal desire to be closer to family, he would be “less than forthright not to note that this difficult decision has been made somewhat easier by Albany’s failure to give UB and SUNY the policy tools and stable support needed to fully achieve this university’s great potential.”
“UB’s promise, and its potential to transform this community, have been threatened severely by repeated budget cuts and, most recently, by the latest setbacks from Albany,” he said.
The New York State Legislature this month failed to pass reforms, known as the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act, which would have empowered UB to generate funding it needs to move more quickly ahead with the UB 2020 plan in the wake of $60 million in state budget cuts to the university.
Despite these obstacles and setbacks, Simpson said he remains steadfast in his belief that “given the proper state support and flexibility it needs to thrive, this university has all the necessary ingredients to achieve greatness in the 21st century.”
Simpson’s full statement about his decision to retire is available here.
Among his accomplishments as UB president, Simpson led the faculty and administration in a university-wide process of self-assessment and strategic planning that led to the UB 2020 strategic vision. Under the UB 2020 plan, the university crafted its first comprehensive physical plan in more than three decades, initiated major building and construction projects totaling more than $500 million on UB’s three campuses, achieved substantial university-wide efficiencies in campus operations and forged even stronger partnerships with the community.
Under Simpson’s leadership, the Western New York community has embraced and recognized the importance of a research university as a catalyst for economic development and for building a knowledge-based economy that Simpson said is critical to Western New York’s future.
A native of California, Simpson was appointed UB president on Jan. 1, 2004, bringing with him more than 30 years of experience in higher education. Prior to his appointment, Simpson held the post of campus provost and executive vice chancellor of the University of California-Santa Cruz, where he served from 1998-2003.
Simpson said it has been an “honor and great pleasure” to serve as UB’s 14th president. “Katherine and I have been proud to make our home in this community, and I personally have been grateful to benefit from my rewarding relationships with my colleagues in the higher education community—locally, nationally and globally.”
Simpson said that he and Jacobs feel strongly that Nostaja is the ideal person to guide UB as interim president during the transition to a new UB president.
“Scott’s leadership, vision and acumen have made him an indispensable member of the university’s senior leadership team over the years, and he has been instrumental in the articulation and implementation of the UB 2020 strategic vision,” Simpson said. “Chairman Jacobs and I feel strongly that he is the ideal individual to guide the university in an interim capacity during this pivotal transition period.”
Nostaja has served as senior vice president and chief operations officer at UB, reporting directly to Simpson, since May 2010. While at UB, he has undertaken a number of key, university-wide initiatives, among them strategic planning, operational management, campus physical planning and financial management.
Nostaja was named interim vice president of human resources in 2006, charged with heading UB’s human resources transformation, which has helped UB to be recognized as one of The Chronicle of Higher Education’s “great colleges to work for.”
Reader Comments
Louis Mussari says:
Lets Review, John Simpson focused so much on research that most of the classes at UB are taught by graduate students who themselves are not qualified or knowledgeable enough to teach. John Simpson sat by idly while tuition has gone up twice in the last year and students are forced to support the state. John Simpson has let the schools rankings drop and done nothing innovative except for a cryptic, hare-brain scheme that will never come to fruition "UB 2020". John Simpson gave the same exact speech at all ceremonies which could put insomniacs to sleep. John Simpson you are a looser!!! Get the hell out of NY so someone interesting and competent can fill your post and help UB succeed instead of just drawing a paycheck!!!
Posted by Louis Mussari, Law Student, 09/08/10
Y. Lulat says:
In the short time President Simpson has been here at U.B. much has changed, and I would venture for the better. It is a great pity that many of the buffoons in Albany who sing the praises of public higher education have never matched actions with words--a problem that goes back two decades or more--thereby placing UB on permanent life-support. Against this backdrop, President Simpson's achievements are all the more remarkable! I am among those who will miss his leadership. On the other hand, I find the manner of his exit somewhat troubling. In the "normal" world the person immediately below the head in the chain of command takes over in the interim, while a permanent replacement is found. In other words, there is something fishy about the appointment of Nostaja as the interim president.
Posted by Y. Lulat, Dr., 09/08/10
Jim Holstun says:
Before he starts making appointments right and left, University Council Chair Jeremy Jacobs might want to reread (or read) the description of the University Council’s powers on its web page: only SUNY Trustees can appoint a president of interim president. Unless and until the Board of Trustees names Mr. Nostaja as Interim President, it is inappropriate to refer to him that way.
I hope very much that the Search Committee for the next president of UB will represent the entire university, including union leaders, and a good proportion of rank-and-file professors and librarians, who are in daily contact with classrooms, labs, and students.
Posted by Jim Holstun, Professor of English, 09/02/10
Jordan Ghasemi says:
So basically, he wanted to raise tuition (again) to complete his vision and get a tick on his resume and now that he can't do that, he's throwing in the towel. I don't recall being asked as a student and as a taxpayer of NY, if I wanted to raise tuition or make UB any larger (we already have a rep for being treated like numbers). If it was such a good idea, why not put it to a vote to the student body and then see how beneficial any of these 2020 projects really are. And why not take the lead (as a President should) and take a pay-cut to save money before asking us to part with ours. I expect as much from the guy who told the faculty that he didn't want to be bothered by being asked to attend any student organization ceremonies...
And I agree, we need a New Yorker to fill this post
Posted by Jordan Ghasemi, Student, 09/02/10
James Kistner says:
Another California progressive lazy liberal that cannot stand the heat in the Big Apple. Stop hiring these losers that run home when the going gets toughest. Hire a yankee next time, try one of the unemployed in WNY, or better yet promote from current ranks at UB. What, if you cannot do a job you teach, if you cannot teach you administer? Current UB professors have decades of experience teaching and in the real world, why ignore them? My department now has no President (quit on the day classes started), no Dean (noticed last year), and without notice the Planning Chair left 10 days before the start of classes. As a Planner, UB 20/20 'religion' was designed to serve coporate interests to a greater degree than it served the people seeking education in NY. I nominate Professor James Allen.
Posted by James Kistner, Planning Grad Student, 08/31/10