The University of California’s administrative structure
was shaken Friday when Provost M.R.C. Greenwood, the
university’s second highest-ranking official, resigned in the
midst of an investigation into possible conflicts of interest in
two university hiring decisions.
Part of the investigation centers around the hiring of Lynda
Goff, who owned rental property jointly with Greenwood until
recently, according to a statement on Friday by UC President Robert
Dynes.
Greenwood hired Goff as a faculty associate and later made her
director of the UC’s new Science and Math Initiative, which
aims to get more math and science teachers into California’s
classrooms.
In his statement, Dynes said Greenwood “may have been
involved in Dr. Goff’s hiring to a greater extent than was
appropriate.”
The university is also investigating the hiring of
Greenwood’s son, James Greenwood, who was employed as a paid
senior intern at UC Merced. Winston Doby, UC vice president for
student affairs, hired James Greenwood, and he has been put on paid
leave while the university determines whether his role in selecting
James Greenwood was appropriate.
One UC official said Greenwood’s resignation was a blow to
the university.
Cliff Brunk, chairman of the UC Academic Senate and a UCLA
professor of cell and molecular biology, said Greenwood was an
talented administrator whose resignation is analogous to a strong
baseball team losing its star pitcher.
“You ask if this a big deal. You bet it’s a big
deal. … She is a wonderful person and we so desperately need
people of her quality,” Brunk said.
During her time as provost, Greenwood, the first female provost
for the university system, increased the power of her position, and
she was very responsive to the concerns of the Academic Senate,
Brunk said.
“I have greatly appreciated working with her, and she has
earned my respect and still has it,” he added.
Greenwood’s resignation and the investigation, which began
in response to inquiries from the San Francisco Chronicle, should
not negatively affect the quality of education at the university,
said Eric Juline, vice president of the UC Alumni Association and
an alumni representative to the UC Regent’s Board.
“We are going to move on. … There is just no impact at
all when it gets down to the campus level,” he said.
For the time being, Wyatt R. Hume, executive vice provost and
vice president for academic and health affairs, will serve as
acting provost and UC vice president of student affairs.
Juline said though the positions require more than one person
for the long-term, he is sure that Hume ““ who was
UCLA’s executive vice chancellor from 1998 to 2002, and was
president of the University of New South Wales in Sydney,
Australia, for several years ““ is up to the job.
“I have known Rory Hume for many years, and I am confident
in his ability to fulfill all of the immediate needs,” Juline
said.
Brunk expressed a similar sentiment, adding that the appointment
of an “exceptional” administrator like Hume would help
mitigate the effect of Greenwood’s departure.
The regents will likely discuss the investigation at their
meeting, which will take place at UC Berkeley on Nov. 16 and
17.
As of yet, there has been “no presumption of
wrongdoing,” Dynes said in his statement. Neither Goff nor
James Greenwood’s job performances are in question.
Brad Hayward, a spokesman for the UC Office of the President,
said in an e-mail that in light of the investigation, Dynes’
statement is the only response UCOP will make at this time.
Though officials would not comment on the specifics of the
investigation, Brunk, who has been working with Goff on the Science
and Math Initiative, said Goff was an obvious choice for the
directorship.
But that does not take away from the gravity of the allegations
being investigated, Brunk said.
“This is a public institution and any question about
inappropriate behavior is a big deal,” Brunk said. “The
administration of the University of California takes all
allegations seriously.”