Bill Greiner

UB President William R. Greiner and NY Governor Mario Cuomo at UB, Amherst, New York, September 1992

William R. Greiner (June 9, 1934 – December 19, 2009) was President of the University at Buffalo (UB) in the State University of New York (SUNY) system from 1991 to 2004, where he worked for 42 years. Prior to becoming president, Greiner served in other capacities in the University at Buffalo Law School, and in UB's administration.

Early life and education William Robert Greiner was born on June 9, 1934, in Meriden, Connecticut. An individual of Irish and German heritages, Greiner was raised in Meriden as an only child. and he worked during his time as a student. Greiner earned his baccalaureate degree in economics from Wesleyan University; and three subsequent degrees from Yale University. They then had four children - Kevin, Terrence, Susan, and Daniel - within five years. Prior to taking a position as a UB Law School faculty member in 1967, Bill was a School of Business faculty member at the University of Washington in Seattle. Among the classes Greiner taught at UB were Honors seminars, including Law and the Legal Process and Introduction to Law. and Property Law. Greiner also provided the impetus for the creation of the biomedical education and research buildings, mathematics building, natural sciences complex, School of Management additions, and others. The University at Buffalo Stadium was also constructed. Established were the Office of Public Service and Urban Affairs and the School of Public Health and Health Professions; and the College of Arts and Sciences was reconstituted. By locating a previously unused state law saying that alumni associations can utilize private monies for dormitories, Greiner's research led to the construction of five apartment-style buildings for 2,100 UB students. UB Athletics Director Warde Manuel has stated that Bill is known as "the Father of UB Division I-A athletics." The UB Honors Program was tripled under Greiner's leadership, with an increase in the number and amount of scholarships provided to Honors students, including for those studying abroad by $60,000. Turkey, and Cuba. In 1990, a formal exchange agreement was created between UB and the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, although both universities had a long-standing partnership prior to that time. By 1997, two of the team's coaches had been identified as having illegally watched and attended scrimmage games. Michael Pierce, the University Council Student Representative who penned the referendum, stated that the issue was not about confidence, or lack thereof, in Greiner, but that new directions he proposed should "get a mandate from the university." At the time, Simpkins was suing UB, having claimed that the UB clinical practice plan funds were being misused. Prior to 1977, UB's football record was .500, though budget cuts reduced the program beginning in 1977. UB's record from 1999 to 2003 was 6-39 (.153) since joining the I-A level, and 3-29 (.103) versus MAC division opponents during that time period. disclosing losses of $2.2 million associated with football as of 2003, Greiner stated that reasons for building UB's athletic program included the attraction of out-of-state students, and alumni. from the university's faculty senate, In particular was the concern that more than $10 million per year was going toward building UB's athletic programs, such monies being diverted away from academics. Greiner called Shechner's concerns about UB an exaggeration. In his editorial, Trzcinka stated that UB is performing poorly based on "many traditional measures," but is doing well by less traditional standards. for 13 years before stepping down in 2004 As UB President in 2004, Grenier earned more than $235,000 annually, and had use of the presidential residence that was paid for by the UB Foundation. In 1997, he earned $170,000 as UB President. Upon returning to teaching in the UB Law School as professor, Greiner became the highest-paid UB Law School professor, earning $206,000 per year. The $250,000 scholarship fund provides full-tuition scholarships to UB law students of merit who have evidenced community commitment to the Western New York area, leadership ability, and public service dedication. Smith had taken a Constitutional Law class, taught by Grenier at the University of Washington. At UB's Amherst Campus, a dormitory complex was named for Greiner. Greiner also received the Edwin F. Jaeckle Award, the highest award bestowed by the University at Buffalo Law School and Law Alumni Association.

Memberships

Greiner was a member of professional associations and organizations throughout his career. As a member of the Council on Competitiveness and the Business-Higher Education Forum, Greiner participated in the New York State Senate Higher Education Advisory Committee and the SUNY Chancellor's Advisory Council on State Needs. The Thursday Club is an exclusively male club of about 60 notable men, mostly educators and attorneys. There are six editions of the book in print, the first published in 1966. Greiner and Thomas E. Headrick of the University at Buffalo co-authored Location, Location, Location: A Special History of the University of/at Buffalo in 2007. Of Bill's death, his wife, Carol, stated in Buffalo Business First, "We are saddened for the future generation of UB students who will never get to benefit from his knowledge and teaching, and his gift as an educator."