University of California President Mark G. Yudof has named a committee of university faculty, staff, students, alumni and community representatives to advise him in the national search for the next chancellor of UC Merced. Russell S. Gould, chairman of the UC Board of Regents and a member of the committee, appointed five regents to serve.

Sung-Mo "Steve" Kang, who has been chancellor of UC Merced since March 2007, announced in September that he plans to step down on June 30, 2011. He will continue in his current position throughout the search process, and return to teaching and research as a member of the University of California faculty.

Kang, 65, became the second chancellor of UC Merced after serving as a university faculty member or administrator for 25 years, including more than six years as professor of electrical engineering and dean of the Baskin School of Engineering at the University of California, Santa Cruz. During his tenure, Kang oversaw the growth of both enrollment and the campus. UC Merced was designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, and made solid progress toward securing initial accreditation status, expected to be awarded in July 2011.

Named to serve on the advisory committee are:

• UC Regents Rex Hime, Sherry Lansing, Hadi Makarechian, Frederick Ruiz and Jesse Cheng;
• Faculty representatives Dan Simmons, chair of the Universitywide Academic Senate and UC Davis professor of law; Henry C. Powell, former chair of the Universitywide Academic Senate and UC San Diego professor, Department of Pathology; Evan Heit, chair of the UC Merced Academic Senate and UC Merced professor, School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts; Michael Colvin, UC Merced professor, School of Natural Sciences; and Martha Conklin, UC Merced professor, School of Engineering;
• Staff representative Erin Webb, president of the UC Merced Staff Assembly;
• Student representatives Katherine Harris, campus affairs officer, UC Merced Graduate Student Association; and Lamar Williams, president, UC Merced Associated Students;
• Alumni representative Josh Franco, former president of UC Merced Associated Students;
• UC Merced Foundation representative Josh Becker, chair of the foundation board; and
• Ex-officio members of the committee — President Yudof, convener of the committee; and Russell S. Gould, chairman of the UC Board of Regents.

Advisory committee to meet with campus groups Nov. 1

The committee's first meeting will be held on Monday, Nov. 1, at UC Merced, where committee members will meet in closed session with invited faculty, staff, administrators, students and community representatives to gather ideas and comments about the search and learn the distinct needs of the Merced campus.

The daylong forum will include remarks by President Yudof, followed by a series of separate sessions with the various campus constituency groups. The president and committee members also will participate in a luncheon with alumni, donors and community leaders.

The advisory committee also will be involved in recruiting, screening and conducting interviews with candidates for the position. The committee's work will be scheduled so that candidates can be presented to President Yudof for consideration and a recommended nominee submitted to the Board of Regents tentatively in spring 2011.

In addition to presentations by those constituency representatives who will meet with the committee on Nov. 1, public comments also are encouraged throughout the search process. Comments may be submitted via e-mail at chancellorsearch@ucmerced.edu.

The nationwide search will be assisted by Isaacson, Miller, a firm previously retained by the University of California to assist with campus and medical center searches.

Please note: The advisory committee includes five regents who also serve on the regents' standing committees on compliance and audit and on grounds and buildings, which would constitute a quorum of these two committees. No Board of Regents committee business will be considered at the Merced meeting.

More information about the search from the UC Merced campus: www.ucmerced.edu/chancellor-search/

Copies of the regents' policy on the appointment of chancellors: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/regents/policies/7102.html

For more news and information about the University of California: www.universityofcalifornia.edu

UC Merced media contact: Patti Waid Istas (209) 228-4483, pistas@ucmerced.edu