Bruce B. Darling became senior vice president for university affairs in May 2002 with the added responsibility for integrating internal as well as external activities across all areas of planning and policy at the University of California. His responsibilities also include the acquisition of UC's operating and capital budgets; the university¹s governmental relations programs in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.; communications with the news media and public; and alumni and fundraising. He was appointed senior vice president for university and external relations in May 2000 after serving as vice president for university and external relations since November 1996. Previously, he had served as vice chancellor for development and university relations at UC San Diego.

Darling joined UC in 1980 as special assistant to the chancellor at the San Diego campus after having served in a variety of administrative positions at the National Science Foundation. He was assistant vice chancellor and associate vice chancellor for university relations before being named vice chancellor in 1993. Darling graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor¹s degree in political science from UCLA in 1974. He speaks Spanish and Portuguese, having lived in South America and the Caribbean for much of his childhood.

Darling has received several scholastic and professional honors and is active in numerous professional and civic activities. He serves on the boards of the California Council on Science and Technology and Californians for Higher Education. Additionally, Darling is a member of the New York Academy of Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.