By WBFO Newsroom
Amherst, NY – The SUNY Board of Trustees unanimously appointed Dr. Satish K. Tripathi to serve as the 15th president of the University at Buffalo.
The board met Monday morning at UB's North campus to confirm his appointment.
Dr. Tripathi has served as UB's provost and executive vice president for academic affairs for the past six years.
"Dr. Tripathi has excelled as provost and executive vice president at the University at Buffalo, aiding in the development of its strategic plan and enhancing the university's academic and research portfolios. The Board is most confident that he will prove an extraordinary leader for UB as its 15th president," said SUNY Board Chairman Carl T. Hayden.
The appointment is the result of a seven-month international search, during which the search committee considered nearly 70 highly qualified candidates who represented a wide range of academic disciplines and professional experiences.
"Major public research universities like UB engage in research that helps build vibrant communities at home and across the globe, and they require leadership of exceptional caliber. As a transformative leader with an international reputation for excellence, Dr. Tripathi will provide outstanding leadership for UB and the Western New York community," said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher.
Dr. Tripathi said he is "privileged and humbled by the opportunity to lead this remarkable university."
"Throughout the last decade, we have built steadily upon our university's tradition of excellence, and the strategic vision we have pursued together has done much to strengthen this foundation," said Tripathi.
Jeremy M. Jacobs, UB Council and the UB search committee chairman, said Dr. Tripathi was a unanimous choice of the UB Council, selected from an outstanding pool of candidates in a very competitive search.
"Dr. Tripathi is a gifted leader and accomplished researcher who possesses the ability and knowledge to guide UB to become one of the world's truly great research universities," said Jacobs.
About Dr. Satish K. Tripathi:
An internationally recognized computer scientist, Dr. Tripathi, 60, joined UB as provost - the university's chief academic officer - on July 1, 2004, after serving as dean of the Bourns College of Engineering at the University of California, Riverside.
Among his many accomplishments at UB, Dr. Tripathi was one of the creators of the UB 2020 strategic plan to achieve academic and research excellence. Dr. Tripathi led the recruitment of many prominent faculty to the university and oversaw a significant increase in the number faculty hired to develop and enhance strengths in key areas of research and scholarly activity. As a result, the university achieved its highest level of research expenditures and federally awarded research grants in its history, putting UB in league with the top national research universities in the United States.
Under Dr. Tripathi's leadership, the academic profile of UB's undergraduate and graduate students improved significantly. The university enrolled its most academically talented freshman class in each of the past three years, achieved record enrollment in its graduate and professional degree programs, and increased the enrollment of highly accomplished students in these programs.
Dr. Tripathi is the first international-born president in UB's history, a fitting distinction for one of the most international universities in the U.S.
A resident of Amherst, N.Y., Dr. Tripathi and his wife, Kamlesh, have two adult sons.
Jeremy M. Jacobs, Chairman of the UB Council, issued the following statement.
I am delighted to share that the SUNY Board of Trustees met this morning and confirmed the appointment of Satish K. Tripathi as the 15th president of the University at Buffalo.
Dr. Tripathi, an internationally distinguished researcher and transformative higher education leader, is now officially UB's president and takes office immediately.
Dr. Tripathi, who served as UB's provost and executive vice president for academic affairs from 2004-11, has led the university to achieve significant academic growth through the recruitment of many prominent faculty in key areas of research and scholarly activity, enhanced student quality and diversity, and an expanded international presence. We look forward to the strengthening of UB's legacy of excellence under his leadership as president.
The university will celebrate this historic occasion with a reception this afternoon. All faculty, staff and students are warmly invited to come meet and congratulate Dr. Tripathi and his wife, Kamlesh Tripathi, Monday, April 18, 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Center for the Arts Atrium, UB's North Campus.