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Cambridge to California

By Daily Bruin Staff

March 6, 1997 9:00 p.m.

Friday, March 7, 1997ANNOUNCEMENT:

Challenges of running public university face private school
officialBy Gil Hopenstand

Daily Bruin Staff

The University of California Board of Regents confirmed news
leaks and ended months of speculation Thursday by appointing
Harvard Provost Albert Carnesale as UCLA’s eighth chancellor.

In a teleconference meeting attended at six different sites
across the state, regents approved UC President Richard Atkinson’s
recommended candidate and awarded him the same $222,700 salary as
retiring Chancellor Charles Young.

"I am honored and excited by this prospect of joining the
University of California community and leading UCLA," said
Carnesale, 60, via telephone from Cambridge, Mass.

A nuclear engineer by training, Carnesale is an expert on U.S.
foreign policy, nuclear weapons control and international security.
He will assume the chancellor post July 1.

Carnesale was one of four candidates Atkinson interviewed for
the position. The eight-month search process also included public
hearings last fall, a private committee comprised of regents that
reviewed candidates, and the compilation of a "short list" for
Atkinson.

"The president and his people did a wonderful job," hailed
Regent Roy Brophy at the conclusion of the teleconference.

"From what I understand, this was an exhaustive and thorough
job," added Lt. Gov. Gray Davis, along with further accolades for
Atkinson and the search committee members.

In fact, good wishes poured in even from those who hesitated to
approve Carnesale.

"His background and experience speak for themselves," said
Regent Frank Clark, who also praised the new chancellor’s future
contributions to UCLA’s $1.2 billion fund-raising campaign.
"Harvard does an outstanding job in that area and … he couldn’t
have that job without fund-raising ability."

"He is a fund-raiser par excellence, and right now, just
entering into this campaign, we need this time of leadership in the
fund-raising arena," agreed regent-designate Judith Levin.

"Harvard has a long tradition of alumni giving. We do not have a
tradition of alumni giving, and maybe he can bring that ethic and
make alumni feel responsible to the campus for their
education."

But Atkinson stressed that it was not one issue or criterion
that won Carnesale the nod but rather that he was the
best-qualified candidate. Levin spoke at length about many of
Carnesale’s positive attributes.

"Harvard is well known for its excellence in undergraduate
education, as is UCLA. There are some efforts to change
undergraduate education, changing G.E. (general education)
requirements … and he will bring very positive support of
undergraduate education," she said.

"He is a very generous, warm, charismatic gentleman, so I think
he will be open to meeting the faculty, students, alumni and
administrators and want everyone to come to him and give him their
take on where UCLA should be going and help him formulate his
vision for the campus," Levin continued.

"I don’t think he’s walking through the door with a vision fully
stamped and formed. One would hope that he would take something
from Chuck Young’s vision and try to continue the implementation of
that."

In fact, Carnesale admitted that he’s not entirely familiar with
UCLA’s strengths and weaknesses but, as the former dean of
Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, he would lend his
advice to UCLA’s School of Public Policy and Social Research and to
the campus at large.

"That is one thing that is very near and dear to my heart,"
Carnesale said.

With so much work to be done, Young said he will be active in
Carnesale’s transition to UCLA.

"We agreed to work together to develop a smooth transition and
we should have a long talk by telephone in the next two to three
days and begin to set up some further meetings," Young said. "He
agreed that he would want my advice."

But is Young worried that Carnesale will alter strongly held
university policies?

"I’m sure he will make some changes in some things. I wouldn’t
expect that he would make any changes in terms of substantial
programmatic activity, but we haven’t discuss any of those things,"
Young said, adding that he and Carnesale only talked about the
School of Public Policy, where they may both hold faculty positions
by winter of next year.

But change from one administration to another does not
necessarily breed conflict, Levin suggested.

"The prospect of change, I think, threw everyone for a loop. But
change also, in my mind, always equates to opportunity," she said.
"So here is the new opportunity, here is a new individual, here are
some moments where UCLA can continue to grow and increase in its
international reputation."

And with issues such as maintaining campus diversity and
affordability already before him, Carnesale said he is ready for
the challenge.

"I’m grateful to Chancellor Charles Young, who in his
inauguration speech in 1969, pledged to move UCLA to the first rank
of excellent universities. And he’s done that. I want to keep it on
that path and make UCLA a great university."

CONTINUED COVERAGE: Cambridge to California

Harvard Provost Albert Carnesale named UCLA’s eighth
chancellor

CARNESALE: Young’s successor praised by most campus leaders

REACTION: Carnesale’s impact on governance, access prompts
worries

COMMUNITY: Praise for fundraising, business skills offset
concerns about outsider status

CAMBRIDGE: University’s students feel indifferent to provost’s
appointment

LEADERS: UCLA Leaders through the yearsPAST COVERAGE: Search for
new ChancellorYoung to retire from UCLA

Uneasiness follows chancellor’s announcement

Young plans active retirement

New UC chancellors appointed

UCLA faculty holds forum to honor retiring chancellor

Chancellor finalists confirmed

Benefit dinner honor’s chancellor’s 29 years of service

New chancellor to be announced Thrusday

Carnesale next chancellor

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