UC President Richard Atkinson — who has led a national reform in SAT admissions testing and guided the university through an era of innovative approaches and unique challenges — is looking forward to a new project once he retires in a couple of weeks.

Writing a book.

An expert in the field of classroom learning, Atkinson recently told the Council of UC Staff Assemblies that there’s “a lot of catching up to do” in his chosen intellectual field after 28 years in administration. More than 30 staff delegates from across UC heard Atkinson talk at the council’s quarterly meeting Sept. 4 at Mondavi Center.

An unpredicted future

As a young academic, Atkinson recalled, “I never wanted to work in administration.”

So he didn’t imagine he would ever become an administrator himself — especially one who would face leading the university through unprecedented budgetary challenges and who would openly confront the educational establishment.

His visit came only a few days after the UC system announced it would be unable to consider the applications of about 1,500 transfer and freshman students.

It was “stunning,” Atkinson said, for the university to have to make the announcement.

“For the last 40 some years the UC system has been able to grant admission to any eligible student,” he said, referencing the state’s 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education. “This is very disturbing. I feel bad for those students who are being turned away, and their parents, too.”

This year, legislators displayed an almost “cavalier” attitude toward the UC system in budget negotiations, Atkinson said. “The budget cuts were unconscionable,” he noted, adding, “This situation could get worse next year given the budget constraints.”

Atkinson said people had told him that the UC system should have made political contributions to smooth over the budget turmoil in Sacramento. The problem is that the UC system “can’t make political contributions,” he said.

Resuming his research

Atkinson entered scientific and university administration in 1975. Along the way and before arriving at UC San Diego, he had directed the National Science Foundation under President Jimmy Carter. In 1995, he took office as the 17th president of the UC system at a time when the university was still recovering from the budget crisis of the early 1990s.

Ultimately, Atkinson’s presidency turned out to be longer than even he had planned and the fifth longest of any UC president. Perhaps that’s why he hears a certain muse calling these days.

“I have a book contract from back in 1975,” he told the delegates, laughing and noting, “and maybe the publisher isn’t around any longer.”

Regardless, he said, “In the last couple decades, many significant developments have occurred in the cognitive sciences and instructional environments.” So that’s what he plans to examine for the new book.

It won’t be Atkinson’s first book. In 1971, he co-authored the psychology text “Hilgard’s Introduction to Psychology” with his wife Rita, who holds a doctorate in psychology.

President Atkinson’s research has dealt with problems of memory and cognition. His theory of human memory has been influential in shaping research in the field. And this spring he was named recipient of the National Science Foundation’s 2003 Vannevar Bush Award for lifetime contributions to the nation in science and technology.

Atkinson’s last day in office is Oct. 1, at which time Robert Dynes, a distinguished physicist and chancellor of UC San Diego, will assume the president’s post.

As the two delegates from each UC campus introduced themselves Sept. 4, Atkinson noted, “I’m not here to give a speech but to be part of an open exchange.”

Keeping constituencies plugged in

Beyond budget issues, delegates were interested in increasing the voice of staff in the UC system.

Linda Brewer, a staff delegate from UC Irvine, asked Atkinson whether he thought a staff representative might be admitted to the Board of Regents as a non-voting member.

“I’m in favor of it,” Atkinson said. “There’s no real opposition to it, but some regents do, however, have a concern about the board becoming too large.”

That progressive, inclusive approach is reflected in Atkinson’s other achievements, which were briefly summarized at the meeting.

On his watch — even with voter passage of Proposition 209 and the elimination of race-conscious admission policies — UC pursued initiatives to preserve access and student-body diversity. The university launched outreach efforts to K-12 schools through an array of mentorship programs, guaranteed a spot in the system for eligible students who graduate in the top 4 percent of their high-school classes, and enacted a “comprehensive review” system for all undergraduate campuses — ensuring that students from all backgrounds receive individual assessments that go far beyond simply tallying up grades and test scores.

During his tenure, Atkinson also boldly challenged the SAT as the best test for college admissions. After much debate nationwide, the outcome is that students will take a new, modified version of the test across the country beginning in 2005.

Many delegates were surprised to hear Atkinson even has a mountain in Antarctica named in his honor. The distinction was given to him as former National Science Foundation director. “I was reading Climbing magazine the other day and it was mentioned,” he noted.

Hassan Ghamlouch, a staff delegate from UCLA, applauded Atkinson’s work on the SAT changes. “He brought up a controversial issue and worked to improve the admissions process, and this will benefit not only UC students but those attending other universities across the country.”

David Bell, the chair of the council and a staff delegate from UC San Francisco, welcomed the discussion. “It’s of paramount importance for staff to have a connection with UC leadership. I think we need this type of relationship as we’re in a new era with all the changes taking place in the UC system,” he said.

The Council of UC Staff Assemblies is an advisory body made up of staff delegates from each of the 10 campuses, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Office of the President. CUCSA meets on a quarterly basis, rotating among campuses and laboratories, to discuss issues of importance to staff and to provide feedback to the Office of the President and the UC regents.

Zack O’Donnell, chair of the UC Davis Staff Assembly, agreed with Bell. “It’s good to put a human face on the Office of the President.”