Charley Hess, who even in retirement is one of the most-recognized and respected figures at UC Davis, has been called back to campus service—again, for the third time—to serve as interim vice chancellor for research, as the university conducts a nationwide search to fill the position on a permanent basis.

The UC Board of Regents approved Hess’s appointment on September 16. He will replace Barry Klein, who is stepping down as vice chancellor after nine years in the position.

Chancellor Linda Katehi sought the interim appointment to provide continuity of leadership in the Office of Research and to assist the office in its eventual transition to a new permanent vice chancellor.

Katehi consulted with and received the endorsement of the chair of the Academic Senate, Bob Powell. The Senate Executive Committee also weighed in on and approved her choice of Hess.

“Charley Hess is as respected as he is liked by his colleagues across this campus,” Katehi said. “He is known for being a decisive, collaborative and effective leader. We could not be better served at this important time.”

Katehi also praised and thanked Klein for his service to the university and the Office of Research. “Barry has been invaluable to UC Davis in raising the profile of research on this campus,” she said, “and in helping to raise the funds necessary for the research excellence that has become the hallmark of this campus.”

Research funding up

Just this week, UC Davis announced that it had received almost $679 million in research funds in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2010. The total marked a record for the campus and double what it was a decade ago.

As vice chancellor for research, Klein has been a staunch proponent of interdisciplinary research and a dedicated advocate for UC Davis in the halls of Congress and with federal and state funding agencies, private foundations and the industrial sector. Preceding his tenure as vice chancellor for research, Klein served as vice provost for academic affairs for three years, and as chair of the Department of Physics before that.

Klein plans to take an earned year of paid administrative leave, to help prepare himself for his return to a faculty position in the Department of Physics. But during that year of administrative leave, Klein will be directing the McClellan Nuclear Radiation Center.

With Hess taking the interim post, he is being recalled to service for the third time since he retired in 1994.

Hess came to UC Davis as dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in 1975. He served as dean for 14 years. In 1989, he left UC Davis when President George H.W. Bush appointed him assistant secretary of science and education in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Upon his return to campus in 1991, Hess served as the director of International Programs until he retired in 1994. Then-Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef recalled Hess to serve as a special assistant to the Provost and Chancellor to facilitate the move of the USDA Western Human Nutrition Center from San Francisco to UC Davis, and to chair the campus Outreach Committee that led to the establishment of the position of vice provost for Outreach and International Programs.

In 2007, Vanderhoef recalled Hess again to serve as chair of the Department of Nutrition, until 2009. At the time, the chancellor called on Hess to help the department develop new leadership after a period of transition.

During his tenure as chair of nutrition, Hess developed a revised academic plan, recruited three new faculty members and mentored a faculty member who would become chair in 2009.

Retiree, emeriti involvement

Hess has been active on campus outside academic administration, too. In 2004, he served on the Retiree Center Planning Committee and became the first chair of the Retiree Center Advisory Committee, serving for two years from 2005 to 2007. He is a past president of the UC Davis Emeriti Association, and is immediate past chair of the Council of UC Emeriti Associations, and has been appointed to the Retiree Center Advisory Committee.

As interim vice chancellor, Hess’ annualized appointment salary will be $237,400; he has been recalled from retirement at an average of 43 percent time over a 12-month period. Per policy, Hess plans to sign and accept the Rehired Retiree Waiver Form, meaning he will decline participation in the UC Retirement System but will be allowed to continue receiving his retirement annuity while receiving compensation related to this appointment. In addition, his health and welfare benefits will be based on a 43 percent limited-time appointment. Additional details about his compensation will be available online, universityofcalifornia.edu/news/compensation/salaryactions.html.

Regents' other actions

In other matters on Thursday, the UC Board of Regents:

• Authorized UC Davis to launch the public phase of a campaign to raise $1 billion in private support. The university will now finalize its plans for a formal public announcement of The Campaign for UC Davis on October 22.

During the public phase of the campaign, UC Davis will seek to attract philanthropic support broadly, from UC Davis alumni and other friends throughout the state, nation and world. The campaign is considered “comprehensive” because the entire university is involved.

Private support raised for all purposes across the university will be included in the campaign total. This includes student scholarships, graduate student fellowships, faculty support, research, programs, facilities, patient care and unrestricted support for the university. The campaign’s fundraising priorities flow from UC Davis: A Vision of Excellence, the university’s recently completed strategic framework.

The “quiet” phase of the campaign began on July 1, 2006 with the approval of the UC Office of the President. So far, more than $590 million has been raised toward the $1 billion goal.

• Approved the appointment of Shelton J. Duruisseau as associate vice chancellor, diversity and inclusion, and chief external affairs officer at UC Davis Health System.

The associate vice chancellor position is part of a comprehensive restructuring and streamlining initiative to strengthen the health system’s culture of inclusion by integrating diversity and external-relations activities across all health-system operations, including the schools of medicine and nursing, the medical center and the physician practice group. As part of the initiative, the health system is eliminating the School of Medicine’s associate dean of diversity position, saving the health system $200,000 per year, and reassigning to Duruisseau all leadership responsibilities for external affairs and diversity and inclusion. Duruisseau had been the medical center’s associate director for administrative and professional services, and its diversity and external affairs officer.

As associate vice chancellor, Duruisseau will receive an annual base salary of $290,000. Additional details about his compensation package are available online, universityofcalifornia.edu/news/compensation/salaryactions.html