John B. Simpson University at Buffalo President John B. Simpson on Monday announced he will retire effective Jan. 15.

The university’s 14th president, Simpson said he will be returning to California to spend more time with his wife, Katherine, and their family.

Scott D. Nostaja, UB’s senior vice president and chief operations officer, will serve as interim president.

UB Council Chairman Jeremy Jacobs praised Simpson’s leadership, which helped establish the UB 2020 strategic plan to become a model 21st century research university.

Jacobs said he will lead a national search for UB’s next president after Jan. 15.

A native of California, Simpson, 63, was appointed president on Jan. 1, 2004, bringing with him more than 30 years of experience in higher education.

Prior to his appointment, Simpson held the post of campus provost and executive vice chancellor of the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he served from 1998-2003.

Simpson said his decision to retire was difficult, but said he feels confident that UB can become the premier public research university.

“Together, we have embarked on a comprehensive, university-wide process of self-assessment and strategic planning that led to the very robust strategic vision we call UB 2020,” Simpson said. “And together we have already made significant progress in implementing this vision.”

He said that while his retirement plans are motivated by a personal desire to be closer to family, the decision was made somewhat easier by Albany’s failure to give UB and SUNY the policy tools and stable support needed to fully achieve this university’s great potential.

“UB’s promise, and its potential to transform this community, have been threatened severely by repeated budget cuts and, most recently, by the latest setbacks from Albany,” he said.

Simpson said as a result of the New York State Legislature’s failing to pass reforms, known as the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act, it is difficult for UB to generate the funding it needs to move ahead with the UB 2020 plan in the wake of the $60 million state budget cut.

Despite these obstacles and setbacks, Simpson said he remains steadfast in his belief that given the proper state support and flexibility it needs to thrive, this university has all of the necessary ingredients to achieve greatness in the 21st century.

His accomplishments as president include:

• Leading UB’s faculty and administration in a university-wide process of self-assessment and strategic planning that led to the UB 2020 strategic vision.

• Creating UB’s first comprehensive physical plan in more than three decades and initiating major building and construction projects totaling more than $500 million on UB’s three campuses.

Simpson said it has been an honor and great pleasure to serve as president of UB.

“Katherine and I have been proud to make our home in this community, and I personally have been grateful to benefit from my rewarding relationships with my colleagues in the higher education community — locally, nationally and globally.”

Simpson said that he and Jacobs believe Nostaja is the ideal person to guide UB as interim president during the transition to a new UB president.

“Chairman Jacobs and I feel strongly that he is the ideal individual to guide the university in an interim capacity during this pivotal transition period,” he said.

e-mail: kmockler@beenews.com