The University of California Office of the President (UCOP) has appointed Christopher Witko as executive director of the University of California Center Sacramento (UCCS).
Witko is a distinguished political scientist from Pennsylvania State University (PSU), where he teaches public policy and political science and is the director of a program in the College of Liberal Arts that prepares graduate students for careers in the public and private sectors. He previously served as PSU’s associate director of the School of Public Policy.
“We are thrilled that Chris Witko will be joining the UCCS program in September,” noted system Provost Katherine Newman. “His record as an institutional leader, a program builder, and a champion of public service is exactly what we were hoping for when we set out on this search. These attributes, combined with his experience as a mission-driven leader and passion for student success, make him a great fit for this role.”
Operated by UC Davis, UCCS offers a distinctive academic program in public policy to students from throughout the university’s 10-campus system. UCCS prepares UC undergraduate and graduate students for leadership careers in politics and policy-making. The program advances UC’s public service mission by integrating rigorous course work with hands-on internships in legislative offices, state agencies and nonprofit organizations in the state capital. With space for 400 students a year, it is a major venue for students to gain experience in real-world policy settings. Founded in 2004, UCCS offers students community connections and networking opportunities that have led to employment at Sacramento’s leading policy organizations, with several now serving in the state legislature.
Witko has extensive experience as a university leader and scholar. He directed the public administration program at the University of South Carolina and served as director of the graduate program in political science at Saint Louis University. In these roles, he has been successful at expanding enrollment and opportunities for students who aspire to public service careers.
As an expert in the adaptation of state governments to changing economic conditions and the policy process in the federal and state governments, Witko is well-suited to the UCCS role. His 2018 book “The New Economic Populism: How States Respond to Economic Inequality,” won the 2018 Virginia Gray Best Book Award, given by the State Politics and Policy Section of the American Political Science Association, for the best book on state politics and policy. His most recent book, “Hijacking the Agenda: Economic Power and Political Influence,” won the Gladys M. Kammerer Award for the best book on U.S. national policy in 2022 from the American Political Science Association. He is widely published in major political science journals with over 40 articles in the past 20 years.
UCOP offers UCCS support for paid internships, student housing and opportunities for participants to engage with policy leaders and faculty researchers who are solving the state’s most urgent problems.
“UCCS is a tremendous asset to this state and the UC system,” said UC Davis Provost Mary Croughan. “I am grateful that Chris has agreed to serve as the next executive director. I look forward to welcoming him to the Davis and Sacramento campuses and seeing his vision for the center unfold.”
Witko’s appointment begins September 1. He will also join the UC Davis political science department.