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Administrative Message

April 3, 2006

To: UC Santa Cruz Students, Staff, and Faculty

From: Denice D. Denton, Chancellor

Re: Spring message from Chancellor Denton

Welcome to Spring Quarter!

This note is the first in a series of occasional messages to the campus community through which I will underscore our progress toward reaching the priorities outlined in my inaugural address. In this message, I report on priorities that focus on investing in people and on building community partnerships. I also preview major events.

PRIORITY: Invest in people. Develop new strategies to attract, recruit, retain and promote outstanding and diverse students, staff, and faculty.

-- $1 million to support faculty recruitment and retention has been committed from central administrative funds. We are working with Senate and divisional leadership to determine specifically how funds will best be used.

-- Equity monies will be invested to increase some staff salaries. The 2005-06 Regents Budget included funding for market parity and equity compensation adjustments for non-represented UC employees. The funds received by UCSC will be used to adjust the salaries of the lowest-paid employees with a current annual salary at or below $45,000 and who are in positions identified as having the most significant lags compared to market.

-- The diversity study by the Senate's Committee on Affirmative Action and Diversity has advanced with completion of an online survey. Results are being compiled and a report is due this quarter. 

-- The Ad Hoc Committee on Partner Hire Policy, convened last fall, has presented its report, which is now under review. I extend my thanks for their work to committee co-chairs Professor Bettina Aptheker and Interim Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Alison Galloway and the other committee members.

-- The UC systemwide Task Force on Faculty Diversity will provide a preliminary report of its findings and recommendations to the chancellors this spring. At the completion of the task force's work, President Dynes will convene a President's Summit on Faculty Diversity for systemwide participation. Vice Provost and Graduate Studies Dean Lisa Sloan, who represented UCSC on the task force, deserves special thanks for her leadership.

-- A key new leader has joined us recently, and we will welcome others in the near future.

* Donna Murphy, Vice Chancellor for University Relations, arrived in February from Tulane University, where she was Senior Associate Vice President for Advancement at Tulane's Health Sciences Center. Donna has a distinguished national and international record in advancement in higher education and the non-profit sector.

* Deans for the Divisions of Humanities, Physical and Biological Sciences, and Social Sciences will be selected this quarter. Many thanks are due to all the members of the search committees and the campus community, who participated in these important recruitments.

* Search processes are underway for the new Vice Chancellor, Research; the Vice Provost, Academic Affairs; and the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Human Resources. It is expected that all positions will be filled by the end of this quarter.

PRIORITY: Increase productive partnerships, both within and beyond our campus.

-- Chancellor's Office Hours. As I did last quarter, to further increase communications I have set aside time on my calendar each month during which any campus member can meet with me. To make an appointment, please call Ciel Benedetto at Ext. 9-4380 or e-mail cbene@ucsc.edu. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.

-- College Night visits. With Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education William A. Ladusaw, I have visited all 10 colleges over the past two quarters. These meetings have been very informative, and I have greatly appreciated the opportunity to meet with students and to engage in discussion with them.

-- My meetings with numerous corporate leaders and prospective partners in Silicon Valley have included discussions with representatives of IBM, Google, and Hewlett-Packard. To represent UCSC's interests, I also am serving on the boards of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and Joint Venture Silicon Valley.

PRIORITY: Renew UCSC's commitment to its community, while honoring the university's commitment to the people of California by offering access to the students of tomorrow.

-- The Draft EIR for the Long Range Development Plan 2020 is under final review, with staff compiling and responding to each of the comments made during the extended review period. A committee of faculty, staff, and community members developed the plan over an 18-month period, and it reflects UCSC's ongoing commitment to provide opportunities to the future leaders of California. The plan outlines how to prepare for and accommodate potential program and enrollment growth in keeping with our mission.

-- As has been the case since my arrival, I am reaching out to members of the City Council, and I am working closely with Cynthia Mathews, the new mayor. In addition, I meet every other month with the mayor and members of the Council. The annual City/University Public Meeting is Monday, May 15, from 3 to 5 p.m., at the City Council Chambers.

-- The latest edition of a community newsletter was distributed in March to approximately 50,000 residents of Santa Cruz County. It featured information about UCSC's engagement with K-12 and Cabrillo College, including programs that support students' success and facilitate transfers to UCSC.

UPCOMING EVENTS

UCSC is a beacon for intellectual pursuits, and April is an important month to demonstrate that aspect of our mission.

During April, approximately 10,000 prospective students and their families will visit campus. We have agreed that attracting diverse and excellent students is a shared priority, and we all can encourage the best students to join us by welcoming these visitors. 

April 22 -- We welcome back alumni during the Banana Slug Spring Fair. The continued commitment of our alumni reflects the lifelong impact that UCSC has on all those who study here.

April 24 -- Former U.S. ambassador to Iraq Joseph Wilson -- the husband of outed CIA operative Valerie Plame -- will be among the featured speakers at "The War on Terror: A Credible Threat," an all-day teach-in organized by a coalition of faculty and co-sponsored by the Chancellor's Office and Student Affairs, with support from the Humanities Division. It will take place in the UCSC Quarry Amphitheater. (Currents story)

May 5 -- The second annual Graduate Research Symposium, organized under the leadership of Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies Lisa Sloan, will shine the spotlight on the outstanding and diverse research being done on campus by graduate students across all disciplines.

In closing, I wish you a productive and pleasant quarter. I look forward to working with you to continue advancing our campus's priorities, and I appreciate all that you do to ensure that we achieve our common goals.

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