UB moves forward with 2020 plan

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Times are tough, that's for sure with all sorts of budgets being slashed. But the University of Buffalo is looking ahead, and moving forward with its 20-20 plan.

The University of Buffalo wants to dramatically overhaul its three campuses, and Wednesday morning unveiled the draft plan to redesign and reconfigure them.

Dr. John Simpson, UB President said, "We have an outline for a plan now that looks at the University as having three principle campuses. The North Campus will primarily undergraduate. This campus, south campus will be center for graduate professional education. Downtown will be an academic health center."

The development of a comprehensive physical plan is part of an ambitious effort to grow the University by 40 percent by the year 2020. UB's President believes that investing in the campuses makes sense, even during these tough economic times, because the University's growth is projected to add more than a billion a year to the local economy.

"Because of the growth you need the kind of definition provided for by the five campuses," said Simpson.

Wednesday's presentation drew hundreds of people including residents, business leaders, and students. The changes proposed to the North Campus seem to appeal to Undergrads.

Robert Pape, Undergraduate Student said, "Right now an undergraduate with one lecture on southcampus and one lecture on north campus hops a bus and hopes to make it or has to accomodate traveltime with schedule. It makes sense to keep things together."
And UB's President says it makes sense to invest, not only to secure UB's place as a top public research University, but to bring jobs to WNY.

UB's 20-20 plan relies heavily on State Funding which as you know is uncertain at this time. The University is still moving forward, knowing that it has a lot of support from the WNY business community and others.