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January 31, 2000

Third annual Leadership Convocation will address growth issues

By Barbara McKenna

For the past two years, some 200 campus managers and administrators have gathered for the annual Leadership Convocation. The purpose of the convocation is to address issues and policies of campuswide concern and to foster a common vision for UCSC. Presentations and discussions have focused on such subjects as use of resources, growth management, and goal development.

This year, the group is poised to gather again when, on March 6, the third annual Leadership Convocation takes place. This year, according to convocation chair Catherine Faris, the gathering will address issues and goals identified in the previous two years. "The first two convocations were really focused on the fact that the campus is growing and changing and preparing for growth," says Faris, assistant vice chancellor for Business and Administrative Services. "I think it's fair to say that this year the campus no longer has the luxury to prepare for growth--it's here."

As enrollments increase at UCSC (responding to the systemwide mandate for each campus to serve more students), the infrastructure must expand to accommodate the growing student body. Everything from staff and equipment increases to new construction must be considered.

Faris says that the Leadership Convocation Administrative Council is committed this year to focusing on the cohort of managers who are responsible for supporting the expansion. "We will be identifying what managers need and how can they be supported in order to make the campus vision a reality," she says.

"We haven't had this experience before and so we have to create a blueprint. There is no recognized formula in use at UC to tell us, for example, at what point you add a new police officer to the department, or when changing the way we provide services is more effective than adding staff."

The convocation's administrative council is chaired by Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor John Simpson and includes Francisco Hernandez, vice chancellor of Student Affairs; Tom Vani, vice chancellor of Business and Administrative Services; Ron Suduiko, vice chancellor of University Relations; Julia Armstrong-Zwart, assistant academic vice chancellor of Faculty Relations and assistant chancellor of Human Resources; Assistant Chancellor Leslie Sunell; Meredith Michaels, associate vice chancellor of Planning and Budget; and Assistant Provost Beau Willis.

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