Lee Melvin, UB’s vice provost for enrollment management, will retire effective at the end of the year, Provost A. Scott Weber announced in a post to UB’s website Friday. Weber’s statement did not quote Melvin directly or name a reason for his retirement.
UB spokesperson John Della Contrada said there are no pending legal actions or discussions between Melvin and the university.
Melvin became the vice provost for enrollment management in 2013, after holding similar positions at Cornell University, the University of Connecticut and two other schools. Records show Melvin earned $339,261 last year. As head of the Office of Enrollment Management, Melvin oversaw admissions, financial aid, the Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), marketing and communications, among other programs. He reports to Weber.
During Melvin’s tenure, overall enrollment at UB grew from 29,850 students in 2013 to a record 32,347 in 2020, before steadily declining to 31,889 in the fall 2023 semester. Weber credited Melvin with improving student services, including the development of the 1Capen and 1Diefendorf student service centers, and streamlining financial aid operations.
Weber’s announcement said he plans to work on a non-profit organization to provide college preparation services to students from disadvantaged schools.
Weber will name an interim head of the Office of Enrollment Management “in the coming weeks.”
Melvin did not respond to multiple phone calls and emails from The Spectrum, and he was not in his office Monday afternoon. In an email sent to The Spectrum Tuesday morning, Melvin’s staff assistant said Melvin “is out of the office on university business.” They directed questions to Della Contrada, who referred to Weber’s statement and praised Melvin’s work at UB.
“Lee has been a valued member of the UB community for many years,” Della Contrada wrote in an email to The Spectrum. “His expertise and deep knowledge of enrollment management is widely respected and has benefited the university in many ways.”
Weber did not respond to a request for comment from The Spectrum.
Sol Hauser is a news editor and can be reached at sol.hauser@ubspectrum.com
