University at Buffalo President, Satish Tripathi, gave his final State of the University address Friday.
Tripathi will step down from the position in July 2026 after 15 years at the helm.
In his speech, he said the state of UB is strong.
As the University at Buffalo’s longest serving president since the university joined the SUNY system in 1962, Tripathi oversaw the expansion of UB’s campuses, growth in the university’s research portfolio and the launch of seven academic departments, including the new Department of AI and Society.
He insisted those accomplishments were a team effort.
"We have really changed how we work together. We have really attracted some of the top faculty. We have attracted some of the best students and guided them to get the best award nationally," Tripathi said, speaking after his address.
Research funding for U.S. universities has declined under the Trump administration. While Tripathi admits there are challenges with access to research grants, he’s confident UB is on solid ground.
"If you look at the agenda for where really the funding is going to come from, it's all about technology, AI semiconductors and and few other areas. And we are very well positioned, actually to compete nationally and get those grants," he said.
Tripathi first came to campus in 2004 as a provost and executive vice president for academic affairs where he led the recruitment of faculty and oversaw research expenditures and grants. He was made university president in 2011.
A computer scientist by trade, Tripathi will return to his faculty role in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He said the search for his replacement will begin soon.
