On Monday, Satish K. Tripathi was instated as UB's 15th president at a public meeting of the State University of New York Board of Trustees.
Tripathi served as UB provost and executive vice president for academic affairs for six years and will succeed John B. Simpson to head the university. The appointment concludes a seven-month international search during which 68 candidates of broad academic disciplines and professional experiences were considered.
"Ultimately the board was convinced, as was I, that Dr. Tripathi possesses the vision, the management skills, and commitment to excellence that will ensure that UB continues to excel as both a source of affordable, quality education, and as a global leader in research that transforms lives in the U.S. and around the world," said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher.
The Board of Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Tripathi after Zimpher submitted a letter of recommendation on April 18.
"I am privileged and humbled by the opportunity to lead this remarkable university," Tripathi said in a prepared statement."
Jeremy Jacobs, chairman of the UB Council and head of the search committee, was pleased with the outcome of the pursuit.
"It is with immense pleasure, pride, and great optimism that we are here today to celebrate the end of the search journey and the beginning of a new era," Jacobs said. "I know Satish will build upon the positive and fruitful relationships with members of the local community, leaders across New York State, and the vast network of university alumni and donors."
Prior to Tripathi's appointment, it had been considered that the Board of Trustees would be hesitant to appoint a proponent of UB 2020 to the office of president. The university's strategic growth plan has strained relations between SUNY and UB.
Tripathi, who worked closely with Simpson in developing the UB 2020 bill, remains committed to the plan; he aspires to maintain and further the university's mission for excellence, to engage and work with the City of Buffalo to promote economic development, and to improve UB's efficiency.
"Throughout the last decade, we have built steadily upon our university's tradition of excellence," Tripathi said. "I am confident that UB's national prominence can, and will, rise – bringing our university into the upper echelon of public research universities."
SUNY will look to UB and other institutions to be innovation hubs as the system advances with the implementation of "The Power of SUNY," a strategic plan to be a key proponent of the state of New York's economic recovery.
Tripathi stressed that his "ambitious agenda" to strengthen UB will allow it to function as a nationally competitive and relevant institution. He has been involved in strategic planning for UB's international programs, which has led to the university's increased globalization.
Throughout the search for Simpson's successor, students raised concerns that the process was not transparent; The Spectrum confirmed that UB bypassed SUNY guidelines for conducting a presidential search.
After the announcement, Zimpher assured members of the press that the student perspective has been taken into consideration throughout the process, referencing the roles of Joshua Boston, student representative on the UB Council, and Nischal Vasant, president of the UB Student Association, in the decision.
Similarly, members of the community have raised concerns that the university reached inward to select a new president rather than selecting a qualified candidate who was not affiliated with UB.
"Whenever an internal candidate ends up being the winner in a contest as rigorous as this one is, it always sets off a buzz," said Carl T. Hayden, SUNY Board Chairman. "People want to know what it means. What it means in this case, because of the international character of the search and because of the rigor in which Jeremy [Jacobs] and his colleagues approached the process, it means that Satish Tripathi becomes the president at the University at Buffalo because he succeeded in surmounting an even higher bar than is typically the case in a presidential search."
Tripathi believes that the university's ambitious and accomplished faculty, students, and staff will help advance his vision for UB.
"We recognize that challenges lie ahead, and it will take the entire UB community and our dedicated partners working together to overcome these difficulties," Tripathi said. "But I speak confidently when I say that we will overcome these challenges, and UB will be recognized as a ‘leader among leaders,'"
Email: news@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
