Now that summer is here, it feels as if the campus's pace has slowed a bit and we are taking time to catch our breath after a busy and productive academic year. Despite appearances, I know that faculty and staff are working hard to support our many summer activities, as well as preparing to welcome new students who will be arriving next month. Work continues in my office as well, and I write today to keep you informed on several administrative changes taking place:
In August of 2005 I had the pleasure of appointing Professor Carl Walsh to the position of Vice Provost for Silicon Valley Initiatives. Vice Provost Walsh has served admirably in this role. He has provided excellent leadership to our Silicon Valley programs during his two-year tenure, advancing our activities at the Silicon Valley site in a number of areas, including interim senior management responsibility for University Extension. He has made the decision to return to his research and teaching responsibilities in the Department of Economics and his term as Vice Provost will be ending August 31. Please join with me in thanking Carl for his outstanding service to the campus and his many contributions to the Silicon Valley Center.
A search is now underway to appoint a successor to Vice Provost Walsh. Vice Chancellor Bruce Margon has been appointed to chair the search committee. I look forward to receiving the report of the search committee and finalizing an appointment in the near future.
In response to this transition in leadership, Chancellor Blumenthal and I are pleased to announce the following appointments and administrative assignments:
- Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Alison Galloway has assumed responsibility for the administration of University Extension. Oversight of this program will be included within her responsibilities in the Office of Academic Affairs. As Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Alison is among the principal academic advisors to the Campus Provost, and her office is responsible for campus academic administration, including coordination and implementation of campus academic planning, review of academic programs, resource allocation, and academic personnel processes.
- Professor of Economics Nirvikar Singh will serve a one-year appointment as Special Advisor to the Chancellor for the School of Management. Nirvikar joined the UCSC faculty in 1982. He has served as the Undergraduate Programs Director for the Department of Economics and as codirector of the Santa Cruz Institute of International Economics. As Special Advisor to the Chancellor he will continue the work of assessing the feasibility of a School of Management and finalizing a program proposal for campus review. An immediate focus will be to continue discussions with the Jack Baskin School of Engineering and Carnegie Mellon West to explore opportunities to leverage the presence of both institutions at the NASA Research Park through integrated course offerings.
- Lynda Rogers has been appointed to the position of Assistant Vice Provost for Silicon Valley Initiatives, effective July 1, 2007. As Assistant Vice Provost, she will serve as the senior staff member to the Vice Provost, overseeing the academic and administrative affairs of the office. Her responsibilities will include furthering the instructional, research, and administrative goals at the Silicon Valley Center and providing policy direction in areas of program growth and development, public information, internal and external relations. Lynda was formerly the Executive Director of the UC Online Academy. Prior to joining UC she was a science educator, serving as the Science and Technology Coordinator for the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, as a consultant for the California Department of Education and as a teacher for the San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District. Further information about the UCSC Silicon Valley Initiatives can be found at http://svi.ucsc.edu
