Why children are getting and what UB is - University at Buffalo

from thePresident
his year we are entering a critical phase of UB 2020. Yet in the face of
tight budgets in New York and across the nation, we—like our fellow public universities
around the country—are working especially hard to do more with less.
Our successful campus transformations through UB 2020 are building a
stronger university better able to withstand unforeseen challenges and to take full
advantage of new opportunities as they arise. Now it is imperative that we seize
upon this momentum to push further toward our goal of becoming a model public
research university that reaches others in profound ways.
UB 2020 is an investment in our collective future, and it can help provide a way out of New
York State’s economic crisis. There are limits, however, to what we can do on our own. To implement
UB 2020 fully, we need two things. First, we need long-term and stable investments
committed to the university. Second, we need changes in state regulatory laws that currently
restrict UB’s ability to engage in modern business practices.
Indeed, we need the help of alumni and university
friends everywhere to support a commonsense
Commonsense reforms needed
to realize UB’s potential
>> To join UB Believers,
a broad coalition of
university advocates,
please visit www.buffalo.
edu/community.
T
platform to reform these regulatory laws. Doing so will
unshackle our university and give UB the momentum
needed to realize our great potential. For the coming
year, we are pursuing a series of sound and prudent
policy reforms that will allow UB to continue making progress during challenging times.
These low-cost, high-impact reforms include measures that will allow us greater flexibility
in the use of our land and in making purchasing and contract decisions, as well as a rational
tuition strategy for New York’s public colleges and universities. These reforms would ultimately
save millions for the taxpayer. Furthermore, they would allow us to pursue the goals of
UB 2020 far more quickly, greatly extending the university’s reach and impact in the process.
When fully implemented, we foresee UB 2020 creating 10,000 new jobs
and increasing UB’s $1.5 billion current annual economic impact to $2.6
billion. A vital element of the UB 2020 vision is the creation of a worldclass
Academic Health Center that would bring 13,000 more faculty,
students and staff to downtown Buffalo, and have a global impact on
life sciences research and discovery.
Your help and your support as dedicated alumni will continue to
be critical to our success. Heartfelt thanks to the thousands of you
who have already committed your energy to this effort by
joining UB Believers. If you have not already joined this
broad coalition of UB advocates, I hope you’ll consider
doing so now by registering at www.buffalo.edu/
community.
Thank you for joining UB as we seek to extend
our reach and deepen our impact both near and far.
John B. Simpson, President
University at Buffalo