"President"

University at Buffalo

President

The University at Buffalo (UB) invites nominations and applications for the position of President. The chief executive officer of the university, the President reports directly to the Chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY) and oversees a university with 30,400 students, 6,800 full-time equivalent employees, and 1,700 full-time faculty members. The largest, most comprehensive institution in the SUNY system and a flagship university, UB has been a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU) since 1989. Evidence of UB’s vibrancy and stability, recent presidents have enjoyed longer than average tenures, with only five presidents serving in the last 55 years.

Over the last 15 years, UB has experienced remarkable growth: Sponsored research expenditures grew by 65%. Full-time faculty increased by more than 15%, including 140 new faculty positions created since 2023. Nearly half of faculty promoted to SUNY’s Distinguished Academy—the highest academic ranks in the system—were promoted since 2010, and in the last decade, faculty honorifics have more than doubled. The percentage of incoming students reporting a GPA of 3.75 or higher nearly tripled.

At the same time, demand for a UB education surged, even during periods of declining enrollment nationally. For the current academic year, UB received a record number of first-year applications and welcomed the largest first-year class in its history. Philanthropy has soared to unprecedented levels, with the Boldly Buffalo campaign raising $1.1 billion. A combined 25 major renovations and new buildings have reshaped the living-learning environment; additional construction, planned or underway, totals $1 billion.

As impressive as each achievement is on its own, their cumulative significance is unmistakable. UB has risen 22 spots in U.S. News and World Report’s rankings of U.S. public universities and 44 spots among U.S. public and private universities—momentum that has significantly enhanced this flagship university’s national stature and global reach.  Recognizing the critical role public higher education plays in the state’s vitality and economic success, SUNY has received a $400 million increase in state support since January 2023.

With an operating budget of more than $1 billion, UB is comprised of 12 schools and colleges: School of Architecture and Planning; College of Arts and Sciences; Graduate School of Education; School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; School of Law; School of Management; School of Dental Medicine; Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; School of Nursing; School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; School of Public Health and Health Professions; and School of Social Work. These latter six health sciences schools have empowered UB to be a pillar of western New York’s healthcare delivery, education and research enterprise. University-wide, UB boasts $542 million in annual research expenditures.

UB is the designated home of Empire AI, a visionary economic development project supported by $565 million in public and private funding that is establishing New York State as a global leader in artificial intelligence. This supercomputing center is set to become one of the most advanced academic supercomputers in the world. The center’s computing power is currently operational through its initial “Alpha” system, with significantly more powerful “Beta” and “Gamma” systems to come. Ultimately, Empire AI will offer computing power previously available only to private tech giants.

Eighty-eight percent of first-year students are from New York State. Thirty percent of undergraduates are first-generation college students, and 34% are Pell-eligible. Seventeen percent of students are international. UB offers 16 Division I intercollegiate sports that compete in the NCAA and Mid-American Conference.

As the chief executive officer of the University at Buffalo, the next president will play a critical role in articulating the university’s vision and leading the university’s strategic direction; growing research; raising UB’s profile; enhancing the student experience and promoting student success; securing financial resources, growing the endowment, and ensuring long-term financial sustainability; building upon UB athletics success; building impactful partnerships across the Buffalo-Niagara region and beyond; elevating UB’s global presence; and promoting an inclusive community where all stakeholders feel a sense of belonging.

The ideal candidate will have a high-level leadership position in a large, complex environment and deep appreciation for the significance of UB’s role as a global institution and for its academic, research and engagement missions as a public research university. The strongest candidates will demonstrate most of the following: strategic vision and leadership; talent development; passion for higher education; global mindset; student-centered approach; resource development; financial management; communication and community building; inclusive excellence; community engagement; change management; integrity and academic values. Candidates should have an earned doctorate or comparable academic degree and a record of significant research and scholarship sufficient for appointment as a tenured full professor; non-traditional candidates with an exceptional leadership record and a record of accomplishment commensurate with appointment as a tenured full professor in an academic department may also be considered.

The full Prospectus can be found at https://bit.ly/4s4XYjf.

Inquiries, nominations, and applications are invited. Interested candidates should submit confidentially, in electronic form (Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF files preferred), a curriculum vitae and a letter of interest to:

Jett Pihakis, Joi Hayes-Scott, and Steve Newton
Consultants to the Search Committee
Russell Reynolds Associates
UB.President@russellreynolds.com
(202) 654-7800

Though all materials received will be reviewed, please submit materials by January 26, 2026 for priority consideration.

*The University at Buffalo is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic university community committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. Potential applicants who share this goal, including veterans and individuals with disabilities, are encouraged to apply.*