Published January 30, 2023
Dear students, faculty and staff:
As we mark the start of UB’s spring 2023 semester, I would like to take this occasion to wish you a peaceful and healthy new year!
Those of you returning to campus from out of town have likely heard numerous accounts of the record-breaking blizzard that pummeled our region while you were away. If I could add my own perspective, I would say that, in my 18 years in Western New York, I have never witnessed a storm approaching this one’s magnitude or ferocity. Were there a proverbial silver lining to be found in its zero-visibility conditions, however, it would be in the timing of the Christmas Weekend Blizzard. Despite it upending travel plans and holiday gatherings, we can consider ourselves fortunate, as a scholarly community, that this deadly storm hit when the vast majority of our students had left campus for winter break, and many of our faculty and staff had scheduled time off.
Yet, for scores of UB’s essential employees, the blizzard exponentially piled on to their responsibilities—in the case of our snow removal teams, literally so. To this day, repairs to affected buildings and spaces across our campuses continue. That said, the fact that little trace of the storm’s aftermath lingers as classes resume this morning attests to the diligence and dedication of many UB employees, and I am most appreciative.
As I reflect on the Blizzard of 2022 and the ensuing restoration of our campuses, I am also reminded of our interconnectedness as a university community. While we view our mission through the prism of our academic and scholarly impact, we should never lose sight of those who ensure that we have the resources and conditions to succeed. Whether in times of crisis or calm, their significant—and, often, behind-the-scenes—contributions enable the smooth operations of our university and cultivate an environment where we can thrive in our academic and professional pursuits.
In that spirit of gratitude for all members of our scholarly community, may your spring semester be one of discovery, personal and professional development, and inspired productivity.
Sincerely,
Satish K. Tripathi
President
