By Charles Lam
The Northwest Asian Weekly
Chancellor Kenyon Chan
Chancellor Chan announced that he will complete his tenure as the University of Washington Bothell’s second chancellor at the end of the 2012–13 academic year at the school’s Oct. 9 town hall meeting.
He will be stepping down from a position that pays $248,000.
In a phone interview with the Northwest Asian Weekly, he said, “We’ve accomplished a tremendous amount of work over the last five and a half years and we’ve reached all of our goals. Now, it’s time to plan for the next stage of the university, and it’s a good time for me to step aside for the next chancellor.”
He plans to stay with the University of Washington. He will return to his academic roots after 25 years of higher-education administration, pursuing research in the field of educational psychology on the effects of race and culture in the development of children.
Chan began his tenure as chancellor in July 2007. Under his leadership, the campus experienced rapid growth, doubling the number of students served and tripling the number of degrees offered. Campus enrollment grew from 1,567 to 3,500, making UW Bothell the fastest growing public university in Washington state. Researching funding and charitable giving increased tenfold.
“In the slightly more than five years that Kenyon Chan has served as chancellor, UW Bothell has grown into a renowned and valued resource for the state of Washington,” said UW President Michael Young. “The campus is particularly known as a center for innovation and creativity in higher education.”
Prior to his appointment at UW Bothell, Chan was Dean of the College and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Occidental College where he served as interim president for an academic year during a time of institutional transition. Among his accomplishments, Chan raised a record sum of over $21.1 million, strengthened trustee and alumni relations, restructured the student affairs division and student government, and initiated campus climate and diversity renewal strategies to improve relationships among students, faculty, staff, and administration.
Chan’s previous administrative positions include Dean of Bellarmine College at Loyola Marymount University, Director of the Liberal Studies Program, and Founding Chair of the Asian American Studies Department at California State University, Northridge.
In an e-mail to the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the campus, Chan wrote, “It is my great honor to be Chancellor of the University of Washington Bothell. The state of the university is excellent with a strong and vital future ahead. Therefore, it is with great confidence that I have decided to leave my role as chancellor, which allows the university to seek a new leader for the exciting years ahead.” (end)
Charles Lam can be reached at charles@nwasianweekly.com.