John B. Simpson's announcement Monday that he will retire as president of the University at Buffalo leaves an important question: What's next?

While saying his retirement, effective Jan. 15, is motivated by a desire to be closer to his family on the West Coast, Simpson added that his decision was made easier by the State Legislature's recent failure to approve an ambitious expansion plan.

Known as UB 2020, the plan called for $5 billion in construction over a couple of decades, including a new downtown Buffalo campus with 14,000 additional students, staff and faculty. It was seen by many as a potential economic boon to the region.

UB 2020 was tied to a larger statewide effort by the State University of New York to permit the nation's largest public college system to raise tuition annually, keep the funds raised by those increases for its own operations and enter into partnership and leasing deals with private companies, as permitted in other states.

But critics, including Democratic leaders in the Assembly and some State Senate Democrats, contended the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act pushed by SUNY supporters would raise tuition too high for low-income students.

The defeat of the state university financing plan -- and with it, UB 2020 -- accompanied a state reduction of $210 million from this year's SUNY system budget, including $18.5 million at UB.

"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," Simpson said, reading a statement at a news conference but declining to take questions.

Simpson, 63, described his decision as difficult. He said he was greatly satisfied with what the university and its community partners had achieved in recent years but noted that those achievements were made in areas under UB's control.

"Despite these obstacles, I remain steadfast in my 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," Simpson said.

Local leaders highlighted Simpson's achievements, including new campus construction, growth of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, development of a comprehensive physical plan for the institution and his work to build widespread support for UB 2020.

But Simpson leaves with UB 2020 largely unfulfilled; its name this month was changed to UB 2030 to reflect the likelihood that any conclusion is decades away. His announcement also provoked angry reactions and questions about where UB goes from here.

"John Simpson is the first victim of [Assembly Speaker] Sheldon Silver and the Assembly Democrats, and their unwillingness to create a strong university system," said Andrew Rudnick, president of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.

"You hope this is a kick in the butt to the people in Albany who have kept UB 2020 from progressing, but in this state you just don't know," he said.

One veteran UB administrator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, wasn't surprised given the length of Simpson's tenure at UB and his age.

"He was going to retire from UB. He wasn't going to go anywhere else," this official said. "But there's no question that every year, [hearing the] same thing from Albany, he doesn't see anything changing."

The administrator credited Simpson with adding energy and direction to the campus.

"The question as he departs will be, 'OK, we've got a plan, but in the world in which we live today, is it a plan that can be followed?'" he said.

Others offered a similar critique -- that Simpson was worn down by efforts to win support in Albany for the UB expansion plan.

"It's not a surprise," said Angelo M. Fatta, a local philanthropist and chairman of the UB Foundation board. "It would take a superman to continue that good fight."

Regardless, Fatta said he believes UB 2020 won't fall by the wayside. "UB 2020 is a compelling plan," he said. "UB 2020 is bigger than any one person."

Leaders of the State Legislature have not given SUNY and UB the support they need, said Diane R. Christian, an English professor and member of the search committee that recommended Simpson as UB's president in 2003.

UB 2020, nevertheless, is a realistic plan, and Simpson and his team approached it the right way by winning over the business community and local elected officials, she said.

The outsider president from California impressed a faculty that can be prickly and critical about a vision for a "wonderful educational future," Christian said.

"I think he's been a magnificent president. I'm very sad," she said.

The insistence of Sen. William T. Stachowski, D-Lake View, that the state budget include a plan to give UB more autonomy delayed budget passage until he backed off early this month August while insisting that a "framework" for UB 2020 had been established.

He continued Monday to predict a deal is imminent that will show some progress for UB 2020, noting that those who express disappointment fail to understand the glacial pace of business in the State Capitol.

"This was a major lift in Albany. The fact that [Simpson] got something this big so far is remarkable," Stachowski said.

Other political leaders offered a different perspective.

"It's a terrible blow to UB and Western New York," said Assemblyman James Hayes, R-Amherst. "It's shocking and unfortunate, but a direct result of the Democratic Assembly majority and their refusal to allow a vote on UB 20/20 and the wider SUNY empowerment plan."

Assemblyman Mark J.F. Schroeder, D-Buffalo, a longtime Silver critic, also blamed the speaker for the Simpson resignation.

As a result, Schroeder said he is considering challenging Silver for the speakership when the Assembly convenes in January. Though he acknowledged he would be "crushed" should he mount such a move, he said it would be worth the attention focused on the short shrift he says upstate has received under Silver's leadership.

Simpson said he wanted to return to the West Coast with his wife, Katherine, to spend more time with his family. A native of California, Simpson became UB's 14th president on Jan. 1, 2004. Before his appointment, he had been campus provost and executive vice chancellor of the University of California, Santa Cruz, from 1998 to 2003.

Presidents of doctorate-granting colleges and universities hold that job for an average of 7.6 years, according to the most recent survey of American college presidents conducted by the American Council on Education.

Jeremy M. Jacobs, UB Council chairman, said he will soon name and lead a committee to immediately conduct a "global" search for UB's 15th president.

Jacobs said he and Simpson had been discussing the possibility of retirement for several weeks. He praised Simpson's leadership, calling him an administrator of "intellect, passion and determined focus."

Jacobs said he appointed Scott Nostaja, senior vice president and chief operations officer, to serve as interim president after Simpson's departure.

hdavis@buffnews.com ; rmccarthy@buffnews.com ; swatson@buffnews.comnull