WILLIAM R. GREINER ’56

WILLIAM R. GREINER, 75, who spent 42 years at the University of Buffalo as president, provost, and longtime law school faculty member, died Dec. 19, 2009. He was a member of Sigma Chi and received his degree with honors. He received master’s, law, and master’s in law degrees from Yale University. He joined the law faculty at the University of Buffalo in 1967 and rose through the faculty and administrative ranks, culminating with his appointment as the university’s president in 1991. He served until 2003, when he was named president emeritus by the SUNY Board of Trustees. During his 13 years as president he oversaw the construction of new buildings and the creation of an increasingly residential university. He tried to connect the university to the community and boost its economic impact on the region, and he focused on the creation of research centers and how to translate research into commercial applications. Among those who survive are his wife, Carol Morrissey Greiner, four children, and 13 grandchildren.