Gene Block, the lively and rosy-cheeked provost from the
University of Virginia, was named the next chancellor of UCLA
during Thursday’s UC Board of Regents meeting, ending a year-long
search for UCLA’s ninth chief executive.
Block earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stanford
and both his master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology from the
University of Oregon.
His expertise lies in the areas of cellular and neural
mechanisms of sleep and wake cycles, with research into the effects
of aging on cells in the brain that form the biological clock.
Block’s annual salary is set at $416,000, which is almost
$100,000 more than his predecessor, Albert Carnesale, and current
Interim Chancellor Norman Abrams. Block’s salary makes him one of
the two highest-paid campus leaders within the University of
California system, as he makes as much as UC Berkeley Chancellor
Robert Birgeneau and more than UC President Robert Dynes. Dynes
recently declined a pay raise amid a scandal in which the UC was
accused of granting millions of dollars of unreported compensation
packages to university employees.
Quick to share his excitement with those present at the meeting,
Block expressed his gratitude for the offer and spoke about a
recent incident that reassured him in his decision to accept the
chancellorship.
Block said a month ago, at a time when he was still thinking
about the position, he was having dinner with his wife at a
restaurant and he recalled reading the fortune from his cookie at
the end of the meal.
"The fortune cookie said that in order to cross a great river,
you can’t do that in two small jumps, you have to take a great
leap, and I think this is a great leap," Block said, referring to
his move to UCLA.
And Block has made a similar leap in the past as he already has
administrative experience. In 1978, Block was appointed assistant
professor of biology at the University of Virginia and later became
the vice president for research and public service.
In 2001, he was named provost at the University of Virginia, the
second-highest position at the university.
While Block said it may be too early to specify the details of
any proposals or changes he would like to see, Block said it was
necessary to "make progress and diversify our faculty and students
… (and) develop new and important relationships that are mutually
beneficial with the city of Los Angeles."
Continuing fundraising efforts and catering to the increasing
popularity of travel abroad programs are also points of focus for
Block.
But he said this may shift with time as he becomes more familiar
with the specific needs of the campus.
"I rely a lot on consultation. … I believe the sum is greater
than its parts, so if you lead by consultation, you can become a
more effective leader," he said.
Though Block said his initial reaction was fear and performance
anxiety, those feelings were not enough to stop him from moving to
Los Angeles to become a part of the UCLA community with his wife, a
medical technologist, who he said is close to retirement.
Block has already begun talking to the current chancellor about
some aspects of the chancellorship, and said he plans to continue
some of the initiatives Abrams has begun.
In his few months as interim chancellor, Abrams has proposed
changes to the admissions process and has actively been involved in
protecting faculty research initiatives. He plans to move forward
with his plans until his tenure ends.
Abrams referred to the chancellorship as analogous to a relay
race in which he will carry the baton until his portion of the race
is completed at the end of the 2006-2007 academic year.
Block also mentioned the smooth transition, saying he plans to
continue discussions with Abrams.
"This is a wonderful transfer of baton. (Abrams) has started
some very strong initiatives that I’d like to continue,"
Block said.
Students were also present at the regents meeting to express
what they want to see in a chancellor.
Among them was Jenny Wood, former Undergraduate Students
Association Council president, who also served on the advisory
committee to UC President Robert Dynes for the selection of the new
chancellor. Wood was the first of seven to speak during the public
comment session.
Wood said she wants the new chancellor to "make a commitment to
improving access to higher education to all Californians and
actively work to increase access to underrepresented communities
… and low-income communities here at UCLA."
Increasing diversity among the faculty and student body would be
a priority, Block said in a later interview.
Training faculty to recruit a more diverse applicant pool is an
important part of developing a more diverse staff, but it will be a
slow process, because faculty can be offered tenured positions and
usually stay for longer periods of time, Block said.
To increase student diversity, Block said he plans to continue
the work of Interim Chancellor Abrams and continue to work toward
making changes when needed.
During the public comment period, Block appeared to be listening
attentively, and later said he values student input but does not
think the current means are the right mechanisms for gauging broad
student opinion.
"I think working more with our student council is important,
because they speak to a large student body," Block said.
Block’s appointment was welcomed at the meeting by both regents
and members of the public, who said Block has many positive
qualities to bring to the UCLA community.
John Oakley, a faculty representative to the regents, said the
board considered attributes besides Block’s scholarly contributions
and academic expertise.
"You look for a cluster of things, and you can’t give pride or
place to any ““ all of them have to be there," Oakley
said.
"(Block) has the right kind of style and California sunniness to
fit in well with UCLA and to make the most of its unique attributes
including the world-class cultural city UCLA is centralized in,"
Oakley said.
Citing similar attributes as Oakley, Vivek Shetty, the chairman
of the Academic Senate, said it was appropriate of the board and
advisory committee to chose a scholar with administrative
experience rather than just choosing an administrator.
"Everything (the chancellor) will do as administrator will be
viewed in that prism of scholars. And that is exactly what UCLA
needs," Shetty said.