Board votes in new dean at UC Merced

By Danielle Gaines
Merced Sun-Star

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MERCED — A key University of California Regents committee approved the appointment and compensation of a new dean at the largest school on the UC Merced campus.

Anthropological archeologist Mark S. Aldenderfer of the University of Arizona will take over as the second dean of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts on Jan. 1, provided a full slate of regents fall in line with the committee members today.

"We are very excited to welcome Dr. Aldenderfer to the UC Merced family," Chancellor Steve Kang said in a news release. "It is my belief that he has both the skills and vision required to lead the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts to reach its full potential as our university grows in the coming years."

Aldenderfer received his doctorate from Pennsylvania State University in 1977 and most recently worked as an anthropology professor at the University of Arizona, researching the emergence of social inequality and ancient cultures in Central America, the Andes and Africa.

Before that, he worked as professor of anthropology at the University of California at Santa Barbara and added a part-time administrative position as director of the Office of Information Technology for four years before he left the campus in 2004.

For now, he doesn't plan to teach at UC Merced.

Aldenderfer's appointment was approved by leaders at the Merced campus in August, and his salary package was approved Wednesday by the Regents' Committee on Compensation.

As dean, Aldenderfer will receive an annual salary of $200,000, which is between the midpoint salary of $195,200 and the average UC Merced dean salary of $203,000. He will receive a $50,000 relocation stipend, moving expenses and standard health, pension and senior management benefits, UC Merced spokeswoman Tonya Luiz said.

When Aldenderfer begins work at Merced this winter, he will be subject to the mandatory work furloughs affecting all UC employees, Luiz said.

The School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts enrolled 918 undergraduates last year, the most of any school on campus. Majors that will fall under Aldenderfer's supervision include anthropology, cognitive science, economics, history, literature and culture, management, political science and psychology.