In addition to his responsibilities as provost, Hume had been serving as chief operating officer for the university during the presidential transition. Hume, a longtime administrator and faculty member both in the UC system and in his native Australia, said that after a break he intends to continue working to advance higher education and health care in the United States and internationally, though he has not announced specific plans.
"I reached this decision some months ago but had not made it public because of my responsibilities through the transition period as chief operating officer," Hume said. "I am very confident that President Yudof will provide strong and inspired leadership for UC into the coming years. By letting him know at this stage that I will be leaving, I hope to increase his ability quickly to complete and make stable the management team that he will need to support that leadership."
Yudof said he accepted Hume's decision with regret. "I respect the decision Rory has made to pursue new professional ventures, though I regret very much that we will not continue to have the benefit of his talent and perspective in the UC system administration," Yudof said. "Rory has performed a great service for the UC system, taking on a series of difficult assignments and moving the institution forward during the recent transition period. I know the entire UC community joins me in expressing gratitude for the enormous contribution he has made."
Hume, now 63, came to the UC systemwide administration in September 2005 as vice president for academic and health affairs. He was named provost and executive vice president for academic and health affairs in June 2006. In August 2007 he was asked to serve as chief operating officer for the university for a transitional period following the announcement of former President Robert C. Dynes' resignation.
"I am grateful to Rory Hume for the tremendous leadership he demonstrated, both over the course of his career and in navigating the University of California through this most recent transition period," said Richard C. Blum, chairman of the UC Board of Regents. "Without him, we literally could not have achieved what we have. Rory is a man of high standards, good judgment and unflagging commitment to the role that public higher education plays in our society. We will miss him greatly at the University of California."
Professor Michael Brown, chair of the UC Academic Senate, said: "Provost Hume stepped in at a difficult time and helped steer UC through some rough waters with skill and good humor, all the while demonstrating a keen understanding of UC's academic mission and its importance to the prosperity of California. On behalf of the Academic Senate, I thank Rory for his excellent service to UC and wish him and his wife, Jenny, the greatest joy and satisfaction in the future."
As provost, Hume led a major long-term strategic planning effort for the UC system, oversaw a comprehensive review of California's needs for growth in the health professions, and undertook a systematic campus-by-campus academic planning process. As chief operating officer he developed an aggressive action plan, now largely implemented, for strengthening core university operations and oversaw an organizational restructuring that has led to a 10 percent cut in the Office of the President budget and a shift of another 10 percent of the budget to other locations.
In recent months he also has been the lead spokesman for the UC system in a collaborative effort with the leaders of the California State University system and the California Community Colleges to build understanding and support across the state for the contributions and funding needs of public higher education.
"It has been a personal delight for me to be with you over the last three years, and an honor to serve again in the University of California," Hume said in the email announcing his resignation. "These years have been fascinating, challenging and, largely because of your collegiality and positive spirit, very rewarding. My greatest pleasures have been in working with many of you to help refine the vision of how this great university can continue to excel in the future, and most recently in collaborating with colleagues from the California State University system and the California Community Colleges to seek the support necessary to realize that vision."
Prior to joining the Office of the President, Hume served as executive vice chancellor of UCLA from 1998 to 2002 and as president of the University of New South Wales, in Australia, from 2002 to 2004.
Born in South Australia, Hume was trained in dentistry at the University of Adelaide, from which he holds B.S., B.D.S., Ph.D. and D.D.S. degrees. He came to UCLA in 1975 as a postdoctoral research fellow and then faculty member, earning outstanding teaching awards four years in a row and receiving significant research support from the National Institutes of Health. In addition to his faculty service, Hume since 1984 has served as an academic administrator in Australia and in the UC system. He chaired the Department of Dentistry at the University of Adelaide and was dean of the University of Sydney's School of Dentistry. He then chaired the Department of Restorative Dentistry at UC San Francisco prior to service as dean of UCLA's School of Dentistry.
Hume was a member of the Australian Research Council from 2002 to 2005, was chair of the Australian Research Information Infrastructure Committee and from 2004 to 2005 led the planning process for future investments in Australia's national research infrastructure as chair of the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy. This spring he was one of 16 prominent Australians living in the United States who were invited to a meeting in Washington to advise Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on key emerging issues for Australia.
Hume's biography is available at www.ucop.edu/acadaff/wrhbio.html. The text of Hume's email to colleagues is reprinted below.
June 16, 2008
Dear Colleagues,
This morning I informed President Yudof that I will step down as Provost by September this year. I reached this decision some months ago but had not made it public because of my responsibilities through the transition period as chief operating officer. This will be announced publicly a little later today, but I wanted to write to let each of you know.
It has been a personal delight for me to be with you over the last three years, and an honor to serve again in the University of California. These years have been fascinating, challenging and, largely because of your collegiality and positive spirit, very rewarding.
My greatest pleasures have been in working with many of you to help refine the vision of how this great university can continue to excel in the future, and most recently in collaborating with colleagues from the California State University system and the California Community Colleges to seek the support necessary to realize that vision. It has also been both inspirational and very satisfying to interact with Regents; the system-wide Academic Senate; the chancellors, provosts and many faculty and staff from all ten of our great campuses; the health science deans and hospital directors; brilliant student leaders; and the hardworking, dedicated and creative staff in the Office of the President.
I am very confident that President Yudof will provide strong and inspired leadership for UC into the coming years. By letting him know at this stage that I will be leaving, I hope to increase his ability quickly to complete and make stable the management team that he will need to support that leadership.
As you may know, I retired from UC several years ago, and suspended that retirement to join UCOP, where I contributed initially both to health affairs and to academic planning for the system, then to broader management matters. From the UC perspective, I will now return to simple professor emeritus status, something hard earned and of which I am proud.
After a break I plan to continue to work to advance higher education and health care both in the US and internationally. Jenny and I will maintain a family home in the Bay Area and we look forward to continuing our friendships and associations with you into the years ahead.
Best wishes,
Rory