Chancellor Gary S. May has launched national searches for two vice chancellors (Human Health Sciences and Office of Research) and chief campus counsel.

All three positions report directly to the chancellor. The vice chancellor positions became vacant last year, but the university delayed its searches for replacements pending the arrival of May as UC Davis’ new chancellor. He started Aug. 1.

Chancellor May has appointed a recruitment advisory committee for each search, and the university has secured the services of national executive search firms to assist the committees in identifying potential candidates. The committees are soliciting comments from the campus community about the qualifications the university should be looking for in the candidates for each position (send your comments via email addresses that you can find on the individual recruitment pages).

Human Health Sciences — UC Davis formerly had a Human Health Sciences vice chancellor who also served as dean of the School of Medicine. After Julie Freischlag stepped down last spring, the university decided to split those duties between two people. The university will hire the vice chancellor, then the medical school dean.

According to the position description, the vice chancellor has primary responsibility for the UC Davis Medical Center, a 627-bed acute-care hospital, and a 1,000-member physician practice group, as well as responsibility for coordinating the entire UC Davis Health, which includes the School of Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing. 

The description states: “The successful candidate will have an M.D. degree, appropriate board certification or comparable professional recognition, and the credentials to qualify as a tenured full professor at UC Davis.”

The recruitment committee comprises primarily faculty, staff and students. Chancellor May named Ralph J. Hexter, provost and executive vice chancellor, as chair of the Human Health Sciences vice chancellor recruitment committee. David Bellshaw of Isaacson, Miller will assist the committee.

See the full position description and the nomination process.

Office of Research — This vice chancellor’s position became vacant when Harris Lewin, a professor in the College of Biological Sciences, decided last year to return to full-time research and teaching.

The research vice chancellor, in close collaboration with the chancellor and the faculty, has responsibility for ensuring the research preeminence of UC Davis, according to the position description. “The successful candidate will have national or international distinction as a scholar, researcher and educator with a scholarly and teaching record appropriate for a position as full professor at UC Davis,” the description states.

Ken Burtis, faculty advisor to the chancellor and provost and former dean of the College of Biological Sciences, chairs the recruitment advisory committee, which is composed primarily of faculty, staff and students. Bellshaw of Isaacson, Miller will assist the committee (as well as the recruitment advisory committee for the vice chancellor of Human Health Sciences).

See the full position description and the nomination process.

Chief campus counsel — This position became vacant earlier this year when Jacob Appelsmith returned to work in Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration.

Charles Robinson, general counsel and vice president of Legal Affairs, UC Office of the General Counsel, chairs the recruitment advisory committee. Jay Kim, Carol Simon and Paul Williams of Major, Lindsey & Africa, which specializes in recruitment of legal professionals, is assisting in the effort.

See the full position description and the nomination process.

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