October 2003

 

NEUROSURGEON, ASTROPHYSICIST Fill Top Senate Posts for 2003-04

 

Academic Senate Chair, Lawrence Pitts (right), with Senate Vice Chair, George Blumenthal

Consistent with past years, two accomplished scholars are at the helm of the Systemwide Senate for AY 2003-2004. On September 1, Lawrence Pitts, professor of neurological surgery at UCSF and for 20 years chief of neurosurgery at SF General, took over as the Academic Senate Chair; and George Blumenthal, UCSC professor of astronomy and astrophysics, became the vice chair.

 

In addition to their many professional accomplishments, both men bring an extraordinary level and quality of service to the Academic Senate. Pitts served as vice chair and chair of the UCSF Senate and chaired both the divisional and systemwide committees on Faculty Welfare. Blumenthal served on a wide variety of committees and chaired the Santa Cruz Senate and the University Committee on Privilege & Tenure. He was also instrumental in revising and modernizing the Senate’s Systemwide Bylaws.

 

Issues related to the dire state of UC’s budget and its potential effect on academic quality will claim a significant amount of the Senate’s attention this year. Among the many challenges confronting UC are deciding whether and how to limit enrollment growth, and both attracting and retaining faculty when no funding is available for increases in salaries that already lag nearly nine percent behind the average at comparison institutions.

 

The Academic Senate has enjoyed a dynamic and productive relationship with the University’s senior administration during the tenures of President Richard Atkinson and Provost C. Judson King. With the departure of these two key leaders, Professors Pitts and Blumenthal will have the important additional responsibility of forging ties with the new president and in-coming provost to ensure that UC’s system of shared governance remains equally vital in the years ahead.