A different coast. A chillier climate. A larger school.
And a position -- chief of New York's largest public university -- that will place John B. Simpson in a harsher spotlight.
Simpson, who was announced as UB's next president one week ago, has just over two months to make the cultural, scholastic and geographic transition from California to Buffalo.
Despite the challenges he faces, former colleagues and members of UB's presidential search team say his experiences as an administrator at two west coast public universities have prepared him for the task.
As executive vice chancellor and provost at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Washington, Simpson pushed for innovative programs and kept morale high despite budget cuts, officials at both schools said.
Committee praises record
Though the Presidential Search Advisory Committee would not speak specifically on how they came to locate and select Simpson out of a sea of candidates, they did share some insight into his winning characteristics and accomplishments.
Search committee member and Director of University and External Relations and University Libraries Judith Adams-Volpe noted Simpson's prioritizing of undergraduate education as a prominent factor in his selection.
"His interest in undergraduates was a strong factor in his rising to the top of the group," she said. "He did really articulate a stronger interest in undergraduate education than some other candidates."
Search committee members said it will be tough for Simpson to live up to President William R. Greiner's legacy, but the group is confident Simpson can tackle the role.
"He'll be following a very strong president here, and I think that will be an immediate challenge to garner the same amount of respect and impact that President Greiner has," Adams-Volpe said.
Yet his prominent administrative role at a large university should prepare him well, according to A. Scott Weber, a member of the search committee and professor in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering.
"He has been exposed to all the major issues that a university like the University of Buffalo faces," Weber said. "He's shown under difficult circumstances what an effective leader he is."
Innovation despite cuts at Santa Cruz
Several people who worked closely with Simpson at Santa Cruz lauded his handling of a shrinking Californian budget for public education much like New York's.
"It's gone from expanding to protecting," said Brent Haddad, professor of environmental studies at Santa Cruz. "He managed to cut the budget in other areas while protecting teaching and research. He's trying to draw the line when it comes to what happens in the classroom."
According to Santa Cruz Director of Public Affairs Elizabeth Irwin, who has worked with Simpson during his five years as vice chancellor and provost, Simpson established a strategic budget-cutting process where an executive committee worked to drive costs out of organizations while allowing them to remain effective.
"He's invested in ways that let us carefully protect the quality of our education," said Irwin. "Other University of California campuses have noticed this and said, 'ha that's a good idea.'"
Haddad cited Simpson's success in uniting a broad spectrum of subject fields into unique programs, and said he would likely continue the practice at UB.
"He'll look for ways to stimulate interdisciplinary programs," said Haddad.
Haddad also noted Simpson's help in the creation of a digital media program at Santa Cruz that combined engineering with artistic expression.
"He developed many cross-disciplinary programs in the sciences and social sciences that were advantageous to students at the University of Washington," said Irwin.
Irwin said though Simpson's job did not always allow him to deal directly with students, he remained involved on an informal level with student representatives. According to Haddad, Simpson once facilitated a class for incoming freshman.
"He actually held a freshman seminar," said Haddad. "He got into the classroom even as chancellor."
Popular teacher and administrator
Simpson also faced budget cuts at the University of Washington, where he served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 1994 to 1998.
Michael Halleran, the university's Divisional Dean of Arts and Humanities, worked closely with Simpson in the 1990s. He said the former dean kept morale high while state officials slashed the budget.
"After it was all over, he had no less admiration among the faculty," Halleran said. "That's pretty cool. That's a very hard thing to do."
Halleran credited Simpson for his push towards innovative projects despite the budget cuts, including a humanities center, which Simpson renamed Walter Chapin Simpson Center for the Humanities as a tribute to his father.
Since Simpson's investment, the center, which funds collaborative research projects across the various disciplines of the humanities, has been very successful, Halleran said.
Simpson joined the University of Washington in 1975 as an assistant professor of psychology. He became a professor in 1982.
Ana Mari Cause worked with Simpson in the psychology department when she was first hired.
Cause, who is now the department's chair, said that Simpson was popular with students as a teacher and had an aversion to "yes men."
"I think John attempts to surround himself with people who will challenge him," she said. "That quality is rare in administrators."
Halleran said he expects Simpson to inspire the UB community because of his unique pursuits outside of his job.
"He's very broad in his interests," Halleran said. "He has a deep appreciation for the visual arts. He has a very broad intellectual range, and is very intellectually curious."
A longtime resident of the West Coast, Simpson's interests extend to the outdoors as well, according to Cause.
Cause said Simpson once competed in a bicycle race from Seattle to Portland, a difficult journey of 100 miles, she said.
"He is a very well-rounded guy," Cause said. "Students and faculty will appreciate the fact that he is a full human being."
Haddad said the selection of Simpson for president of UB is an indication of his skill, but he doesn't want Simpson to miss out on recognition for the things he accomplished during his time at Santa Cruz.
"I felt sorry he was leaving when he was leaving," Haddad said. "He's gotten many important things rolling here. They're going to come to fruition now, and someone else will come into glory for what he did."
