Chancellor Search

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the timeframe for the chancellor selection process?

  UC President Michael V. Drake, M.D. is forming a search committee to conduct a national search for a new chancellor to lead UC Riverside.

  Selecting the next chancellor for UCR is a critically important endeavor. The entire process will take several months and is anticipated to conclude in the spring of 2025. While time is a factor, ultimately the most important goal is to find the best individual to lead UCR.

• Who will select the next chancellor? Who makes the final decision?

  UC President Michael V. Drake, M.D. will soon announce the formation of a search advisory committee of University faculty, staff, students, alumni and foundation representatives and Regents to help in the national search for a new chancellor to lead UCR.

  Per Regents Policy 7102: Policy on Appointment of Chancellors, the search advisory committee has been charged with advising the President during the chancellor selection process, working through a several month endeavor of listening to input from the community, considering potential candidates, and sharing feedback and evaluations with the President. After the committee has completed committee interviews of prospective candidates, it will recommend finalists for interviews with the President.  He will make his final recommendation to the Regents for their consideration and approval.

• How is the membership of the search advisory committee determined?

  Consistent with Regents Policy 7102: Policy on Appointment of Chancellors, the President requests UC Board of Regents chancellor search appointments, and nominations and appointments from additional key stakeholder groups to form the search advisory committee.

• Is there broad representation on the search advisory committee?

  Yes. Per Regents Policy 7102: Policy on Appointment of Chancellors, the search advisory committee consists of:

  • The President of the University, who will serve ex-officio;
  • The Chair of the Board, who will serve ex-officio;
  • Five Regents appointed by the Chair of the Board;
  • Five faculty – one being either the Chair or Vice Chair of the systemwide Academic Senate; one faculty member from a campus other than the one that is the subject of the search, chosen from a panel submitted by the Academic Senate’s Universitywide Committee on Committees; and three campus faculty members chosen from a panel submitted by the campus Academic Senate Committee on Committees;
  • One graduate and one undergraduate student appointed by the respective graduate and undergraduate student associations of the campus;
  • One alumni representative appointed by the alumni association of the campus;
  • One Foundation representative chosen by the President from a panel of names submitted by the campus foundation; and
  • A staff employee representative of the campus chosen by the President from a panel of no less than three names submitted by the campus Staff Assembly.

  All members of the search advisory committee are expected to attend and fully participate in all committee search processes and meetings.

• What is the role of the search advisory committee?

  The search advisory committee will be involved in recruiting, screening, and conducting committee interviews with candidates for the position. The committee participates in Campus Day, town halls, and listening sessions to garner constituent feedback and gain a broad understanding of the needs and requirements for this chancellor. They consider criteria and outreach strategy, and work together with the President – building on the initial review of the nomination review subcommittee – to identify a pool of candidates for search advisory committee interviews. The committee conducts candidate interviews, then provides feedback to the President including a recommendation of finalists who will progress in the search process.

• What is the role of the nomination review subcommittee?

  Search advisory committee members may volunteer to serve in the search process as members of the nomination review subcommittee. After the search firm conducts the initial screening of potential candidates, the nomination review subcommittee completes a secondary screening to ensure they meet the required position qualifications. The nomination review subcommittee recommends qualified candidates for the full search advisory committee’s consideration.

• How is the UCR Chancellor position profile developed?

  The chancellor position profile is developed through a collaborative effort by the search advisory committee by listening to and gathering feedback from stakeholders, campus constituents and community groups.

• How will the UCR community be informed about the progress of the selection process?

  The chancellor search website serves as the official, central hub of news and information related to the search and includes an overview of the search process and timeline. The chancellor search process is confidential and progress updates will not be provided.

  It is a common national practice to preserve the confidentiality of nominees and candidates during and after chancellor or president searches for colleges and universities and produces the best outcome for the campus. For many prospective candidates, particularly sitting chancellors and presidents at other institutions, participating in a process that is not confidential would put their professional standing at risk. As a result, many such candidates will not participate in a process that does not preserve the confidentiality of their candidacy. By maintaining a confidential search process, UC ensures it can successfully engage the largest and most diverse set of candidates and maximizes its competitive position among other similar searches that may be occurring nationally.

• Will there be opportunities for input from the UCR community?

  Yes. On Thursday, January 9, the search advisory committee will convene in person for the first time. The committee’s first in person meeting is Campus Day, where the committee receives presentations from a wide range of campus constituencies, including campus leadership, faculty, students and staff. 

  In addition to Campus Day, town hall sessions will be held virtually on Monday, January 13, 2025, to provide additional opportunities for input into the search advisory committee’s work. During these sessions, members of the search advisory committee receive input from students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The community and the public are also invited to share their input via an online survey or email through the end of January, and nominations and referrals via email through the end of February.  All input, nominations and referrals are confidential and will be shared for use only by the search advisory committee and the search firm.

• How are prospective candidates identified?

  The nomination review subcommittee will review nominations and applicants’ materials. The nomination review subcommittee forwards prospective candidates that meet all position profile identified required qualifications and are most aligned to the position profile to the full search advisory committee for review. These prospective candidates emerge in a number of ways:

  Nominations
  If you are interested in nominating a potential candidate, please submit their name to: ucrchancellor@imsearch.com.
  
  Advertisements
  An advertisement announcing the position will be posted online to various job boards that include, but not limited to, the Chronicle of Higher Education, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, American Association of Blacks in Higher Education, Asians in Higher Education, Hispanic Outlook, Women in Higher Education, Insight into Diversity, Hire Veterans as well as the search firm’s website.

  Research Strategy
  With assistance from the search advisory committee, the search firm utilizes a robust research strategy to identify qualified individuals. The research strategy includes: chancellors/presidents and provosts at Association of American Universities, top research institutions, flagship state universities, top ranked national and public universities, top ranked international universities, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander and Hispanic Serving Institutions,  Historically Black Colleges and Universities; deans and other leaders at top ranked national and public universities; civic leaders at the federal and state level; and chief executives of large foundations and non-profits.

• Can I nominate a candidate?

  Yes. The President and the search advisory committee strongly encourage all members of the UCR community to nominate individuals, whether from the campus, the UC, or external to UC. All nominations are confidential and will be reviewed and considered.  

  Please see Inviting Input and Nominations on this site for more information on how to nominate a candidate.

• Who makes decisions about which candidates to move forward?

  The search advisory committee and the President will work together to identify candidates for committee interviews. Following the interviews, the search advisory committee will provide feedback to the President about each candidate and recommend finalists to progress in the search process. Once UC President Michael V. Drake, M.D. has selected a final candidate to bring to the UC Board of Regents for approval, the President shall meet with the Regent members of the Committee to inform them of the candidate, prior to making the recommendation to the UC Board of Regents for consideration and approval. 

  The President is anticipated to make a final candidate recommendation to the UC Board of Regents in the spring of 2025.

• When will we know who the potential candidates are?

  This is a confidential search, and the names of candidates will only be known by the search advisory committee. Once UC President Michael V. Drake, M.D. has selected a final candidate to bring to the UC Board of Regents for approval, the President shall meet with the Regent members of the Committee to inform them of the candidate, prior to making the recommendation to the UC Board of Regents for consideration and approval. After UC Board of Regents approval, the UC Office of the President will send a press release that will be shared on the UCR chancellor search website. 

  It is a common national practice to preserve the confidentiality of nominees and candidates during and after chancellor or president searches for colleges and universities and produces the best outcome for the campus. For many prospective candidates, particularly sitting chancellors and presidents at other institutions, participating in a process that is not confidential would put their professional standing at risk. As a result, many such candidates will not participate in a process that does not preserve the confidentiality of their candidacy. By maintaining a confidential search process, UC ensures it can successfully engage the largest and most diverse set of candidates and maximizes its competitive position among other similar searches that may be occurring nationally.

• Has a search firm been selected?

  Information forthcoming

• What is the role of the search firm?

  The search firm serves as staff to the search advisory committee and plays no role in deciding what candidates should move forward in their search process. Their role is to help identify potential candidates; reach out to potential candidates to determine interest (with permission from the search advisory committee); to conduct research and due diligence on candidates; and to help facilitate the work of the search advisory committee, including posting advertisements, preparing materials, and assisting with meeting logistics.

• What if I have questions about the chancellor selection process?

  For general questions please contact UCRchancellorsearch@ucop.edu.

• Has a search firm been selected?

  Yes. The search will be assisted by the executive search firm Isaacson, Miller, a national firm with considerable experience in university chancellor and presidential searches.

  Across thousands of searches, Isaacson, Miller has served nearly every sector of the academy, including the most distinguished public and private research universities and selective liberal arts colleges at the presidential level and critical roles throughout these institutions. The firm has conducted numerous executive searches for UC Riverside and other UC campuses and has long been a trusted partner of University of California.

  Cati Mitchell-Crossley, Partner at Isaacson, Miller, will be leading a team of experienced executive search consultants in executing the search. Cati is a member of the Executive Committee at Isaacson, Miller and serves as Office Lead of the firm’s California office. Since joining the firm in 2012, Cati’s practice has focused on filling leadership roles within higher education, as well as for healthcare, scientific research, and nonprofit organizations. Her portfolio of work includes presidents, vice presidents, provosts, deans, chairs, and board members at leading public and private institutions. Over the course of more than 150 searches, Cati has developed extensive experience advising search committees and boards during times of leadership transition.