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While the University of California guidelines do not dictate how much time should be allocated to any one aspect of managing the university, the distribution and raising of funds tend to occupy most of the chancellor’s time.

Because the organization of the administration is such that managing different aspects of the campus are divided among vice chancellors and deans who update the chancellor on their progress, the chancellor is not directly involved with most activities.

Though the job description set forth by the UC expects the chancellor to act as the “executive head of all activities on campus,” an occasion that necessitates the chancellor’s direct involvement rarely surfaces.

Chancellor Albert Carnesale, who is planning to leave at the conclusion of the academic year, continually meets with advisory committees that help him stay updated on the many campus activities occurring simultaneously.

And, because financial issues affect campus activities, actions the chancellor must take to relieve the stress of budget constraints for those respective groups burdened by state budget cuts is also a perpetual duty.

Carnesale said maintaining and enhancing the excellence of the university is his top priority, but he recognizes the principle barrier to accomplishing this is the lack of financial resources.

Carnesale said UCLA must not only raise funds, but do so on a large scale to continue to compete with leading private universities which match the research and academic excellence of UCLA.

“My job is to make sure we make the very best use of the money we have ... It’s how you allocate the resources that’s important,” Carnesale said.

During Carnesale’s tenure, there have been several occasions that called on him to reassess the budget allocations.

In 2000, he exercised his budgeting power and in the process directly affected the Student Initiated Outreach Committee.

The SIOC, which was created in response to the ban on affirmative action in the UC system, sponsors five student-run programs which work to increase the number of underrepresented minorities at UCLA.

SIOC was experiencing financial hardship because of their dramatic budget cut from the state and the chancellor responded by allocating $25,000 to the group.

While the chancellor is able to allocate additional funds, he is also able to take measures to cut back on costs.

Faced with budgetary challenges due to cuts in state funding in 2004, Carnesale asked deans and vice chancellors to prepare to implement 5 percent spending reduction.

But budgetary issues extend beyond balancing and allocating the budget. Fundraising is a large part of the finance-related activities the chancellor is involved in.

Campaign UCLA, a 10-and-a-half-year long fundraising campaign which Carnesale oversaw most of, reached an end recently.

Before Carnesale took office, fundraising levels averaged about $100 million a year at UCLA.

In the duration of his term, that amount rose to more than $300 million a year.

A national survey conducted by the American Council on Education asked 2,594 college and university chancellors what areas demand most of their time.

Public school chancellors who participated in the survey ranked budget and fundraising at the top of the list with respect to time commitment.

Last September, Carnesale announced his plans to step down as chancellor at the conclusion of this academic year. He has said he intends to return to teaching at UCLA following a paid sabbatical.