The search advisory committee supporting the search for UC Riverside’s next chancellor heard from students, staff, faculty, alumni, parents, and the community at town hall meetings held on Monday, Jan. 13.

Several hundred participants took part in four separate meetings, held on Zoom, during which each constituent group provided input on what qualities they would like to see in the next chancellor.

Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox announced last fall that he will retire in the summer of 2025 after nearly 12 years leading the university. 

Earlier this month, UC President Michael V. Drake announced the formation of the search advisory committee, which includes him as chair.

The committee is in the early part of the process in the learning and listening stage, said Pamela Wu, senior director of executive search and recruitment for the UC Office of the President, at the staff town hall. At the same time, search firm Isaacson, Miller, is defining the position and developing candidate criteria and outreach strategy.

The search committee will begin building a candidate pool before winnowing down the finalists and making a selection in the spring, according to the timeline presented.

At the town halls, participants were asked to share their thoughts on what priorities the chancellor should focus on both short-term and long-term; what activities need to be sustained, enhanced, and initiated to support these priorities; and what measures of success should be used to demonstrate the chancellor has helped achieve those priorities.

The UCR community and other members of the public are invited to share suggestions, feedback, and comments on the search process at UCRchancellorsearch@ucop.edu

More information on the process including an online feedback form and answers to Frequently Asked Questions are available on the chancellor search website.