Break out the Beach Boys records and body-boards. There are now two former University of California at Santa Cruz officials on the fifth floor of Capen Hall.
President John B. Simpson has hired former colleague James Willis be his new chief of staff.
Simpson presented Willis at the UB Council"s first meeting of the spring semester Monday in the Capen Hall Council Room.
At Santa Cruz, Willis - a trained biochemist - served as the assistant provost.
As his first order of business Willis had to address a question Simpson has heard frequently in his first two weeks at UB: "Is it warm enough for you?"
"It"s okay," Willis said. "At least it"s in the double digits."
UB Council members also greeted Simpson for the first time.
Jeremy Jacobs, chairman of the UB Council, thanked the president for coming to Buffalo and praised him for venturing out to explore the community.
Jacobs served as the chairman of the search committee that interviewed and hired Simpson.
In a brief address to the council, Simpson addressed thanked the group for their support. He introduced both Willis and Interim Provost Robert Genco.
"I"m thankful to the search committee that brought me here, and I"m absolutely delighted by the hospitality in the community and the university," he said. "I"m enjoying Buffalo immensely, and I"m getting to know the external and internal communities."
Simpson expressed his interest in meeting constituents on and off campus. He also pledged to meet with each of UB"s academic departments.
"I"m looking forward to a series of visits to all departments on campus," Simpson said. "This, I feel, is the kind of thing I want to do."
Simpson also commented on using his colleagues in decision-making, and said he plans to use the council as an advising group in the future.
"I"m arriving at a very interesting time," he said. "The role of the UB Council is important."
Jacobs then went on to stress the roles and responsibilities of the UB Council to provide leadership to the SUNY system.
"I am confident that "04 will see this council as a value to this university," Jacobs said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
