UCLA Early Care and Education’s executive director to resign
By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde
Feb. 5, 2017 9:52 p.m.
The executive director of the UCLA Early Care and Education program will step down from her position in March, university officials announced in late January.
Jayanti Tambe will leave the center March 20 to pursue a doctoral degree in transformative social change, according to a letter sent by university officials to faculty and student parents. She will transition out of her role as executive director and work on special assignments for the campus until May 31, the letter said.
The ECE is a daycare for children of UCLA faculty and students. Tambe, who was hired in February 2015, has faced criticism by some faculty and student parents for creating a hostile environment for parents and teachers and poorly managing the center.
After parents complained, Scott Waugh, UCLA executive vice chancellor and provost, commissioned a task force to investigate the center and propose recommendations to solve its problems. During a town hall meeting in December, parents asked Waugh to place Tambe on administrative leave to maintain a transparent investigation process.
Waugh said the task force would release a report on their investigation in January.
According to the letter by university officials, Tambe broadened the art and music curriculum at ECE and ensured the center was in compliance with standards and regulations that govern early childhood education centers during her tenure.
University officials did not specify in the letter when they would begin the search for a new executive director for the center.
