Chancellor's Memo (April 1974; Vol. 12, No. 2)

              Chancellor's Memo
University of California Santa Cruz
Volume 12, Number 2
INTRODUCING CHANCELLOR-ELECT MARK N. CHRISTENSEN
The telephone in my study rang on Saturday afternoon. I recognized
President Hitch's familiar voice.  The Search Committee for Chancellor, he said, had reached a conclusion.  The tension was great,
because I had invested 13 years of my life in building this campus
and wanted to see it in strong and skilled hands.  Then he said:
"Mark Christensen."  I responded, "Great!"  On April 4 The Regents,
in special session, approved the appointment and a vital sector of
Santa Cruz destiny was secure for some time to come.
Page Smith and I first met Mark at the All-University Faculty Conference in Riverside in April 1965.  We were greatly impressed by the
tall, handsome young geologist.  Indeed, if we had not already decided
to exclude Geology from the initial cadre, we would have tried to
persuade him to join us.  Christensen took an extraordinary interest
in our plans for Santa Cruz then.  Over the years we have kept in
touch.  He has been particularly helpful to UCSC as chairman of the
Berkeley Academic Senate and, later, after he became The Vice Chancellor at Berkeley.
apt of be of his great friendliness.  He likes students and respects
from a field that has always fostered close student-faculty relations.
His success as a leader of the Academic Senate was due in no small part to his extraordinary
sensitivity to faculty viewpoints and feelings.  As an administrator, he quickly establishes
liaison with the different constituencies with which he deals: students, alumni, faculty, town,
legislative and others.
Some may think it odd that Santa Cruz should turn to a scientist for its second Chancellor.  Did
not Clark Kerr and Dean McHenry refer to UCSC as "the social sciences and humanities campus"?  We
did try to begin that way, but always aspired to a balanced campus.  The initial imagery was so
complete that we still have trouble convincing the community that we have extensive science
teaching and research.  Indeed, among UC campuses, UCSC stands fourth in members of the National
Academy of Sciences — exceeded only by UCB, UCSD, and UCLA.  Mark's leadership, while symbolizing
our interest in science, will be devoted to even-handed development of all the arts and sciences.
I hope also that he will lead the campus in a major thrust into the areas of professional schools
and organized research centers.
But what about the colleges?  Dr. Christensen has not been involved in a collegiate University
previously, but this may prove to be an advantage.  He may be able to see our problems more
clearly than those of us who have been closely involved in college founding.  The colleges must
be made more vigorous forces in the intellectual and cultural life of the campus.  They should
do this in diverse ways.  Only through this accomplishment will Santa Cruz be significantly
different from other new universities.
What about Santa Cruz in the UC system? Christensen is ideal to represent the campus in University-wide affairs. He knows the system, its central administration and The Regents so well that
he can be effective from July 1, if not before. Clark Kerr once advised multicampus universities
to "Select chief executives, in part, for their ability and willingness to be cooperative members
of the system."  Mark Christensen is such a man.
Today I filed my application for retirement. It is a time of mixed emotions. But I can say that
it is much easier to leave now that I know Mark Christensen will be my successor. Aloha.
[Signed: Dean E. McHenry]