Dear Colleagues, 



After a national search, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Richards as Associate Chancellor. His first day will be August 1, 2023. 

Richards is currently the Senior Advisor & Chief of Staff in the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost at UC Merced. In his position he serves as the principal staff advisor for the chief academic officer on matters of strategic planning, resource allocation, personnel, and policy. He provides guidance and analytical support on a broad range of complex subjects while partnering with campus constituencies to address issues related to planning and budget, equity, human resources, risk services, audit and compliance, procurement, information technology, and external relations. 

Prior to his tenure at UC Merced, Richards served as the Chief Student Affairs & Compliance Officer at Lim College. Richards also served as Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at Otis College and Area Director/Assistant Director of Campus Life at University of Redlands. 

At UCR, Richards will work closely with the UC Office of the President and Board of Regents, coordinate strategic goals and implementation among Vice Chancellors and campus leadership, and provide analysis and guidance related to UCR’s external priorities, including national reputation, philanthropy, and regional economic development. 

Thank you to the members of the search advisory committee (listed below) for their work on this important search.

Search Advisory Committee Members

Lorena Peñaloza, Chief Campus Counsel (Chair)

Songling Chen, Graduate Student

Jay A. Farrell, KA Endowed Chair and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering; and Academic Senate Representative

Mariam Lam, Vice Chancellor and Chief Diversity Officer

Alex Najera, Associate Vice Chancellor & Chief Human Resources Officer

Agam Patel, Associate Director, Palm Desert Center

Marko Princevac, Vice Provost for International Affairs

Raquel Rall, Associate Professor of Education Policy Analysis & Leadership; and Academic Senate Representative

John Warren, Director of News and Content

Staff support: Tanya Adams (ASSET)