University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

President Satish K. Tripathi touched on the themes of momentum and unity in his State of the University Address. Photo: DOUGLAS LEVERE

• Print

• Comments (1)

• “We are all UB. Together, we will map our next steps to propel our vision forward.”

  President Satish K. Tripathi

  
  

  Multimedia

  

  Watch a video of President Satish K. Tripathi’s State of the University Address.

By BERT GAMBINI

Published: Nov. 5, 2012

UB is operating on a stable and solid budget foundation that will encourage growth, new possibilities and propel UB 2020 to the next level, positioning the university for even greater leadership and impact as a premier research university.

The current optimism, in fact, is partly informed by past perseverance as UB’s determination and vision in the face of several years of cuts allowed the university to continue to achieve major goals despite the significant challenges, President Satish K. Tripathi said in his annual State of the University Address on Nov. 2.

“I am happy to say that the state of our university is very strong,” Tripathi said. “After four years that brought approximately $80 million in cuts, our budget is now in a good place, and we are beginning to build again.”

UB is poised to begin “the next evolution of UB 2020,” he said.

Tripathi thanked Gov. Andrew Cuomo and SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher for their efforts in securing passage of NYSUNY 2020, noting the historic legislation allows the university to plan with confidence.

“For the first time in our history as a public university, this legislation gives us five years of financial stability,” Tripathi said.

Momentum and unity were recurring themes in Tripathi’s address as he called attention to recent milestones, including the state-of-the-art facilities that have opened on all three campuses in the past year and the substantial progress that has been made with plans to move the medical school downtown.

There also has been a significant rise in academic rankings and historic growth in philanthropy, including a $40 million gift, the largest in UB history.

“We did all this together,” said Tripathi. “This has only been possible because of the great work of our faculty, staff, students and university supporters.”

Growth, however, is not confined to UB’s physical presence. In the next five years, Tripathi said, he hopes to expand the faculty by approximately 250 members, while increasing the number of endowed positions that will help attract the leaders of their fields, a commitment for UB that will stretch across the disciplines.

In addition to building faculty excellence and providing the infrastructure that will enable the campus community to thrive, he says UB also will invest in creating a transformative educational environment that attracts the best students and prepares them to be global leaders.

“These initiatives are all closely connected,” he said. “And we are continuing to build momentum in each.”

In discussing the state of the university, Tripathi acknowledged the parallel conversation that must occur on the state of higher education. UB’s challenges are partly determined by larger forces that shape higher education on a national and global level. Questions about the value of higher education and its cost reflect broader economic and social challenges, including how that education can be financed. In 2011, the national student loan debt average rose to $26,000 for graduates of four-year public universities. But UB’s four-year student debt is about $17,000, the lowest in Western New York and among the lowest in the nation.

“Nonetheless, affordability remains an important issue we must address as part of our commitment to expanding opportunities for educational excellence,” said Tripathi. “We have made a commitment to growing aid for our students with financial need.”

He wants the energy of recent accomplishments to continue driving the university’s momentum and says the next step for UB 2020 is building upon the collaborative, university-wide model that identified UB’s strategic strengths.

“But don’t worry,” he reassured the 300 guests listening to his address in the Center for the Arts. “I’m not suggesting we embark on a new round of strategic planning. What I am proposing is a process for taking our good work to the next level by defining and maximizing our distinctive qualities as a university. When we do this, we will truly set ourselves apart from our peers. And we will lead with even greater impact.”

Tripathi said that over the next five months the campus community will think together about its course for the next five years. He said he will lead the campus conversation with Provost Charles F. Zukoski and invited all members of the university community to contribute, to think creatively and to capture UB’s distinctive qualities and align them for maximum impact.

“We are all UB,” he said. “Together, we will map our next steps to propel our vision forward.”