At approximately 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16, Paul D’Anieri announced his resignation from his post as Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost at UC Riverside effective June 30, 2017, bringing an end to what will be three years served in the position. D’Anieri will move into a role as a faculty member in UCR’s department of political science and school of public policy.
“I have come to recognize that we have significant differences in opinion on several issues, including the role of the Provost in a large research university,” stated D’Anieri in his resignation letter sent via email to UCR faculty and staff Friday. “These differences have made it difficult to achieve the level of unity that I believe we need to move forward on our ambitious agenda.”
The decision to step down comes following a Press-Enterprise report published Friday, Dec. 9 stating that UCR faculty was on the verge of issuing a vote of no-confidence for D’Anieri, many citing the current administration’s logistical failures in regards to the management of campus expansion, lack of engagement in shared governance and an overall lack of transparency. These concerns were vocalized during an academic senate meeting held Nov. 5, in which both Wilcox and D’Anieri were present.
In a Dec. 5 letter directed to faculty in response to the meeting, UCR Chancellor Kim Wilcox didn’t address the potential no-confidence vote, however he acknowledged that he and the Provost have made a commitment to more actively “solicit or listen to faculty perspectives.”
During a Dec. 6 academic senate meeting, Wilcox declared himself as the appropriate target for all concerns directed at D’Anieri, acknowledging that the provost did everything with his approval.
“Today, with regret, I accepted the resignation of Paul J. D’Anieri,” began the Chancellor’s statement sent Friday evening. “Under his leadership, the campus has … made important strides in student success, research stature, and faculty diversity.”
In his statement, Wilcox further acknowledged the campus’ growth under D’Anieri, citing the recruitment of “180 new leading scholars to faculty positions, including 40 that support priority themes identified in our strategic plan UCR 2020.”
D’Anieri, the second-highest ranked administrator on campus, was appointed to the post in July of 2014 after serving as dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Florida. Upon the conclusion of his term come June 2017, D’Anieri will serve as a professor of public policy and political science.
“It has been a privilege to serve as Provost, and I am very proud of what we have accomplished,” stated D’Anieri in his letter. “In the two-plus years I have been at UCR, every major indicator of our success is up dramatically: applications, graduation rates, research funding, and the diversity of our senior administration and our newly hired faculty.”
This story is developing.
Contact the writer: editorinchief@highlandernews.org
