UC names interim chancellor for Merced campus

University of California at Merced faculty and administrators are praising Thursday's interim appointment of longtime educator Roderic Park to the university's highest post, pointing to Park's distinguished tenure with UC and his service at the local campus.

"He really has some terrific experience with the University of California," said vice chancellor of student affairs Jane Lawrence. "He knows our campus and I think this will help keep UC Merced moving in the right direction until we get our next chancellor."

Park will serve as chancellor — a position left vacant by the August departure of founding chancellor Carol Tomlinson-Keasey — until the search for a permanent chancellor is completed.

The appointment, made by UC President Robert Dynes, was confirmed by the UC Board of Regents during a Thursday morning meeting at UC San Francisco; it is effective immediately.

"He has great connections with the UC Office of the President," said Shawn Kantor, a professor of economics at UC Merced and chair of the university's academic senate. "I think he also understands well the challenges that UC Merced faces."

It's the challenges of the job that Park, 74, says he's looking forward to the most.

"I certainly don't think it will be easy," said Park, who plans to arrive in Merced this weekend. "Keeping all the various parts of the university moving in a productive way will take work."

Among the biggest challenges he says he expects to face are enrollment, state funding and the expansion of the campus.

Park says he'll rely on the strong foundation built by Tomlinson-Keasey, as well as cooperative efforts with students, faculty and the community, to move the campus forward.

"I'm looking very forward to putting my total energy into this," Park said. "UC Merced has the chance to do more things right than most universities at this point, and that makes it a very exciting place to be."

In addition to the decades he spent at UC Berkeley as a professor and administrator, Park helped guide UC Merced's early growth from 2000 to 2001 as the university's senior associate for academic development.

"Rod is a tremendously skilled and seasoned academic leader, and he brings to this position a rich knowledge of UC Merced and its development," Dynes said in a statement.

The UC Office of the President says there is no timetable for the selection of UC Merced's permanent chancellor, but Park said he expects to be in the temporary seat from three months to a year.

"There's not a huge amount one can accomplish in that time, but a lot can go wrong if you're not paying attention," Park said. "It will be my job to maintain the campus's momentum and ward off any problems that might arise."

UC Merced executive vice chancellor and provost Keith Alley said he believes Park is well-equipped to take the university's helm.

"Since he left, he's kept an eye from afar on what's been going on here," Alley said. "I think his interest in UC Merced's success is very genuine."

Inadditiontohislongacademic career, Park has distinguished himself in winemaking, where his research in plant physiology, biochemistry and photosynthesis has proven useful, he said.

Since 1990, Park and his wife, Cathy, have owned and operated the Rockpile Vineyard in Sonoma County. The couple ran a Napa County vineyard for 16 years. They have four children and seven grandchildren. Park said his wife will continue to oversee operations at Rockpile.

Park will fill the chancellor's position on an 80 percent schedule. His annual salary is set at $200,000. He will live in the chancellor's residence in Merced.

This story was originally published September 22, 2006 at 8:30 AM with the headline "UC names interim chancellor for Merced campus."