Dear Colleagues:

I am pleased to announce that Associate Provost Ken Baerenklau will take on the role of Interim Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education, effective March 19. Jennifer Brown’s last day at UCR is March 18; we wish her all the best in her new role as Provost at Cal Poly Pomona!
 
Ken has kindly agreed to serve in this capacity, in addition to continuing as Associate Provost, until the successful conclusion of a national search for a permanent VPDUE. Ken has informed me that he will not be a candidate for the permanent position. 
 
Ken joined UCR in 2002, rising through the ranks to become professor of environmental economics and policy.  From 2008-12, he served as Associate Dean of the Graduate Division. In 2015, he was appointed Associate Provost, the only one in the UC system to come from the faculty. Over the years, Ken has been highly engaged with Undergraduate Education, serving in the past as the University Innovation Alliance liaison and chair of the Enrollment Management group, and currently as the WASC Accreditation Liaison Officer and co-chair of the Senate-Administrative joint committee on teaching evaluation implementation. He also worked closely with the Exploration Center for Innovative Teaching and Engagement (XCITE) team as the chair of the Instructional Continuity workgroup during the pandemic. 
 
Ken shares my deep commitment to UE and its vital role at UCR. During this interim period, he and I will work closely with the leadership and staff of Undergraduate Education and their campus partners to ensure the success of all of the programs and initiatives run by that organization. 

Sincerely,

Liz

Elizabeth Watkins, PhD (she / her / hers)
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
Professor of History
University of California, Riverside
951.827.1129 | Elizabeth.Watkins@UCR.edu