While Greiner noted he expects the Office of the Provost to evolve into "a very different office" in the future, he said the appointment of David Triggle, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the graduate school, in a dual role as provost and dean of the graduate school will assure that the work Headrick has done to restructure and reorganize UB's academic programs will continue.

Accent on graduate education

UB's undergraduate programs are in good shape, and the office of the provost now needs to turn its attention to graduate and postbaccalaureate education and to research, Greiner said.

"David can do that. He can just pick it up and go," he said.

Greiner also told senators that a formal search for a provost will be conducted and that he will chair the search committee. He added that a request for proposal has gone out to identify an executive-search firm to help select appropriate candidates.

"I'm not comfortable with the way we've run provost searches in the past," Greiner said.

Forming search committee

The president said he expects the search committee to be composed of about 15 people, who will include representatives of the Professional Staff Senate, Faculty Senate, undergraduate Student Association, Graduate Student Association, selected vice presidents and deans, a member of the UB Council and some faculty and key staff people.

"We're going to try to run as tight, effective a search as we can," Greiner said.

In other business, the PSS discussed what individual units and the university can do to show their appreciation for retirees, and to acknowledge their contributions to the university.

"Some people have talked about some kind of yearly recognition," said H. William Coles, PSS chair.

In addition, the tradition of presenting to faculty and staff a pin marking each decade of service should be rethought, remarked senators.

Judith Miller, director of purchasing, suggested that members of the university community be given options, such as "a golf umbrella or something for their desks, something a little more useful" in lieu of a pin.

Ideas for recognition requested

Coles asked that members of the professional staff contact him with ideas regarding appropriate ways to recognize staff who retire or who are celebrating anniversaries of service to the university.

He also noted that the PSS Web site has been modified and that the senate is "trying to get more information out to professional staff on what we're doing, as well as on how they can get involved in the organization." The PSS Web site is available at <http://www.pss.buffalo.edu>.