We are pleased to announce an addition to the Business and Administrative Services leadership team. Walter Branson will serve as interim Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Administration, effective Jan. 3.
The BAS portfolio is broad and the unit provides services and activities critical to the successful pursuit of our teaching, research and public service mission. As interim Senior Associate Vice Chancellor, Walter will have direct responsibility and oversight for Physical Planning, Development, and Operations, and for Audit & Management Services. With this oversight authority, Walter will partner with Biju Kamaleswaran, interim Vice Chancellor for BAS, in his leadership of the division. Biju has stepped into this leadership role at an important time for BAS and this partnership will lay the foundation for greater success as we prepare to launch a search for a permanent leader.
Walter brings to UCSC a career in finance and administration executive leadership in public universities. Most recently, Walter was Interim Vice President for Administration and Finance at Arkansas Tech University. Prior to this, he was Vice President, Finance and Operations and Chief Business Officer at Wright State University from 2017-2019, Vice Chancellor, Finance and Administration at Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2013-17, and Vice Chancellor for Financial Affairs at Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, 1993-2013. He has a Masters of Science in Industrial Administration from the Krannert School of Management, Purdue University and a B.S. in Forest Management from Purdue University.
We arranged for Walter to join us in this interim capacity through The Registry, an interim placement firm for U.S. higher education institutions. The Registry is a selective membership-based firm that provides higher education organizations with potential candidates who have had successful careers as vice chancellors, deans, vice presidents, and presidents. Walter’s engagement with us will continue through August 2022.
The search process for a permanent Vice Chancellor will begin later this quarter. CP/EVC Kletzer will chair the search and we anticipate a fall 2022 start. Details about the search process will be shared as they become available.
Please help us welcome Walter to campus.
