Meredith Michaels named UCI vice chancellor, planning and budget
Structuring a budget that balances affordability and quality is among her challenges
Meredith Michaels, vice chancellor for planning & budget at the University of California, Santa Cruz since 2000, has been named vice chancellor for planning & budget at UC Irvine, effective Aug. 17. She replaces Roy Dormaier, who retired June 30 after 35 years of service at UC Irvine.
Michaels will act as the campus’s chief financial officer, managing five campus units including academic budget, budget office, campus asset management, capital planning and institutional research. She will develop long-range financial, enrollment, asset management and institutional plans in coordination with the Academic Plan, the Long Range Development Plan, and other university and campus objectives.
“I have watched UC Irvine grow and develop over the years as an extremely well-planned campus of increasing depth and breadth and am thrilled to join its leadership team,” she said. “I understand the importance of campus resource management and planning in the context of the state’s current fiscal situation.
“Today, we face challenges ranging from securing basic infrastructure to structuring a budget that will help address access, affordability and opportunity, while continually improving quality,” she continued. “This position enables me to apply the breadth of my UC experience to these issues.”
In her capacity as vice chancellor at UCSC, Michaels oversaw the campus’s financial planning and budgetary operations, facilities planning and capital budgets, and institutional research and analysis.
She served as director of the budget at the UC Office of the President from 1995 to 2000, overseeing development, preparation and coordination of the UC operating budget; allocations to the campuses and systemwide divisions; and analysis of state legislation. She participated in the development of advocacy plans and strategies for operating and capital outlay budget issues, and represented the vice president for budget on systemwide and state task forces.
She also served as assistant director of budget for UCOP from 1991 to 1995, responsible for securing state funds for UC’s annual capital improvement program; and as director of community and government relations at UC San Francisco from 1988 to 1991.
Michaels received a bachelor’s in speech pathology from Hofstra University in 1973, a master’s in communicative disorders from California State University Long Beach in 1974 and a master’s in public policy analysis from Claremont Graduate School in 1981.
“Ms. Michaels’ two decades of experience with the University of California, combined with her leadership and management skills and her ability to translate and communicate complex budget issues to a campuswide audience, uniquely qualify her for this position,” Chancellor Michael Drake said. “The depth and breadth of her experience will greatly benefit UCI in these challenging budget times and beyond.”
Michaels will earn an annual base salary of $225,000. In keeping with UC policy, additional compensation will include moving expenses, participation in the Mortgage Origination Program, standard pension and health and welfare benefits and standard senior management benefits, including a 5 percent monthly contribution to the Senior Management Supplemental Benefit Program.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UCI is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,200 staff. The top employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.
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