Memorandums

UB2020 Update: President Simpson endorses the Integrated Nanostructured Systems Strategic Strength ProposalApril 27, 2006

Dear Colleagues:

Throughout the course of the past year and a half, faculty from across the university have been engaged in chartering a vision for each of the ten academic strategic strengths identified through the UB 2020 process. Significant progress is being made in each of these ten areas, including the creation of strategic hiring plans and resource allocation recommendations. Provost Tripathi and I are pleased to endorse the Integrated Nanostructured Systems strategic strength proposal, our first detailed plan for investing resources toward the development of one of our strategic strengths. The Provost and I, together with the cognizant deans of the Integrated Nanostructured Systems Coordinating Committee – the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and the College of Arts and Sciences - are now able to move forward with the active implementation of this strategic strength. The plan presented includes 29 new faculty hires spanning the various disciplines of Integrated Nanostructured Systems. With pleasure I note that five scholars joined our faculty in the Fall 2005; the remainder of the hires - 24 new faculty - will be made during the next three years.

This is an exciting milestone for the university community, and represents an important turning point in the evolving UB 2020 process. We are boldly transitioning from a process of academic planning toward the active realization of these plans. This transition is occurring across the university and in each of our academic strength areas. Each of the ten strategic strength areas must naturally proceed on its own timeline and according to the particular needs and circumstances specific to the disciplines and programs it represents, and each area is making substantial strides. With every milestone achieved, each of these areas is contributing substantially to our efforts to advance the institution as a whole. Actualizing our plans for the university’s advancement will depend on our continuing collaborative efforts and on our emphasis on seeking input and contributions from the academic deans and other senior officers, the faculty engaged in each of these strategic strength planning areas, and the larger university community.

I encourage you to visit www.buffalo.edu/ub2020 for more information about the exciting progress being made by each of our strategic strength groups, and for periodic updates on the UB 2020 initiative as a whole.

Together with Provost Tripathi, I extend my congratulations and sincere thanks to the faculty involved in this effort, and to the faculty and staff working across the university to realize the vision of UB 2020. I look forward to our continued work together to fulfill UB’s great promise as one of the premier public research universities of the 21st century.

Sincerely, signature
John B. Simpson
President