Over the past months, The Spectrum published articles, editorials, and columns that painted UB in a negative light, as far as transparency goes. Our coverage of the extremely private presidential search caused us to become skeptical of the administration, and we began to connect the dots to the UB 2020 legislation, which is attempting to further privatize our public university.
Along came the newest issue of Artvoice last Thursday, and the Buffalo newsweekly has confirmed all of our suspicions, one-upping our investigative coverage in the process.
The issue's cover story is a harsh wake-up call to all of the Western New Yorkers who had the wool pulled over their eyes by John Simpson's grandiose, self-serving rhetoric about UB 2020 and how it will save the Buffalo-Niagara region by serving as an "economic engine."
Artvoice associate editor Buck Quigley focused on UB's numerous "foundations" (numerous lobbying groups collectively referred to as the UB Foundation), pointing out that even before any UB 2020 legislation is passed, private entities already exist here, and they are making administrative decisions with public money.
What we find disturbing: SUNY, the New York State government, and even judges seem to be willfully allowing the existence of the private UB Foundation and asserting that it does not have to answer to state oversight or the Freedom of Information Law.
Even more disturbing: UB higher-ups – including Simpson, the recently departed Scott Nostaja, Officer in Charge and future President Satish Tripathi, and Medical School Dean Michael Cain – were extravagantly paid in 2010 by the UB Foundation. These full-time SUNY employees, who all make six-figure salaries from the state, are also claiming on tax forms to work 40 hours per week for the UB Foundation.
While wondering how that's even possible, consider that on top of his $265,000 SUNY salary in 2010, Simpson made another $284,203 from the UB Foundation and raked in $189,915 in other compensation, according to the article. The grand total ($739,118) dwarfs U.S. President Barack Obama's $400,000 salary.
Why does the president of UB need to make that much money, when the school is facing cuts to the budget, class schedules, and all of the rest? And why is a lot of that money off-limits to the public, when he is a public employee, and (as the article said) the private foundations "have no reason to exist" if not for the public school they claim to be a part of?
And remember, Simpson made that much money when he was essentially a lame duck after announcing in late August that he would retire.
We applaud Quigley and the rest of the Artvoice staff for bringing all of this to light. We urge all UB students to read his piece – it contains a lot of information that you should know. Our only qualm is that the article was written in a first-person, story-like format. Had it been written more like a news story, it might have been even more impactful, especially considering Artvoice's reputation as a UB-hater.
Hopefully, though, the article will inspire other reporters – such as those at The Buffalo News, a newspaper that we wish covered stories like these – to continue to look into the Artvoice findings.
That includes us. The Spectrum has a responsibility to follow up on the Artvoice report, and we pledge to do that for the rest of the semester and into the future, before another former UB president runs off with over $700,000 in his pocket.
