Dear students and colleagues,
I wanted to inform you of Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jane Lawrence’s decision to step down this summer from the day-to-day responsibilities as vice chancellor. As a founding vice chancellor, Jane has been an enthusiastic and tireless voice on behalf of our students even before the first class of undergraduates arrived in 2005. A visionary and passionate leader for 12 years at UC Merced, she lead the way from a blank slate to all of the programs we have today from undergraduate curricula and student life activities to housing, financial aid and judicial affairs, among many others.
As she transitions to a part-time role this summer, I’ve asked Jane to chair a committee on the undergraduate experience in 2020. As we plan for the physical and academic development of our campus, we must simultaneously design the experience we want our students to have in 2020. Jane will also continue to work with Vice Provost Elizabeth Whitt on retention issues, on the ASCEND conference and several other projects.
I will soon begin seeking input on an interim vice chancellor. My hope is to identify a current senior level UC Merced student affairs administrator for this role as soon as possible to ensure a smooth transition. Among the many qualifications I will seek, here are some at the top of our list: significant senior level management experience in student affairs with a broad array of responsibilities, substantial direct and positive work with students, and strong collaborative and communication skills.
Please join me in thanking Jane for her wonderful contributions to the university and in wishing her and Pope the very best in the next chapter in their lives.
Sincerely,
Dorothy Leland
Chancellor
