Widespread rumors last month suggested that Chancellor Marye
Anne Fox may be in the running for the top position at the
of
who was recently named president of the
of
Fox has neither publicly confirmed nor denied the rumors.
While she said she was flattered by the suggestion of
returning to
where she first began her career in higher eductaion, Fox stressed her
obligation to UCSD.
“I have made a commitment to UC San Diego and am eager to
guide a new leadership team in continuing the rise of our university,” Fox said
in an e-mail. “Top-notch research universities require strong leadership and
management skills, in addition to a strong academic background. The people who
have the experience, appreciation, understanding and ability to balance the
many competing elements of the 21st century research university are not easy to
find — especially those who embrace and will uphold the value of shared
governance.”
Fox has served as chancellor of UCSD since April 2004 but
maintains deep ties to
spent 22 years as a faculty member of the
of
professor of chemistry.
Fox was a candidate to lead UT in 2002, but withdrew due to
previous commitments to
Although her comments appear to suggest a long-term
association with UCSD and a desire to work with Yudof within the UC system,
some of Fox’s colleagues believe that a move to
would be beneficial for her.
John Gilbert, who worked with Fox at the
of
campus as a chemistry professor, said that a move to the UT system would be a
step up for Fox.
“Fox has served as president/chancellor of two
research-extensive institutions,” Gilbert said in an e-mail. “A next
professional step for her, in my opinion, would be to go to an even more
prestigious public or private institution, for example Berkeley, Michigan,
Harvard, etc., or to assume leadership of a major university system, like [the]
UT system.”
Gilbert added that accepting the UT position would be a
pivotal career choice for Fox, entailing a similar amount of work with a higher
degree of respectability.
“Moving from being a chancellor in the UC system to being
chancellor of the UT system is not a lateral move with respect to
responsibility,” he said. “It’s a big move up.”
The UT system encompasses nine college campuses and six
health institutions, and enrolls more than 160,000 students.
Gilbert did not comment on how Fox’s potential departure to
would affect UCSD, only saying that chancellors are replaced “all the time.”
The UT Office of Public Affairs has made no comment
validating the rumors.
The UT System Board of Regents will soon conduct a national
search for a new chancellor, the details of which have yet to be announced.
