University administrators can be difficult to judge from the outside looking in, so I will reserve judgement for the people (especially faculty) that worked under her. That said, if she is hanging her hat on DEI I would be disappointed, not because it's not a noble cause but because pretty much every university and most companies are heavily vested in DEI measures, and nothing is worse than university administrators that just follow the trendy stuff (there are many, many administrator drones out there who are busy putting stuff on paper that looks good and costs lots of money but has limited impact). I would assume the extent to which she was able to stabilize the budgetary problems will be her real legacy.
I must admit I skimmed over the part about her efforts towards establishing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging on campus. Every major company, including mine, is all over that. No, what I will remember is what happened to the major sports while she was chancellor. Cal is just irrelevant on that subject right now, and she was at the top of the food chain when her AD made the worst single decision I have seen since becoming a Cal football fan in the mid 80's. That being the contract extension of one Justin Wilcox after two consecutive pitiful seasons. The reverberations from that will be felt for years to come.
While some may say it's indifference, I think it's patience that Carol Christ have in waiting for the college sports landscape to change before making any major moves (which is possibly something like cutting/downgrading 12+ programs and make some big monetary investments in football by hiring a named head coach). NIL is likely just the first of many things to change in college athletics, and now it will be her successor's problem to deal with that.
I don’t know that Cal needs to look outside the university for its next chancellor. I think that Rich Lyons (former Haas dean and current Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer) would make an excellent Chancellor of the university.
Ha ha. I was a student at Haas when Rich Lyons was dean and he was one of the most inspired and well-loved leaders of the school at a time when Tom Campbell couldn’t decide if he wanted to work for the governor, run the school or live on the Stanford campus.
Lyons took over in my second year at Haas. Seemed very solid, and he was a good listener at the one lunch-with-the-Dean event that I attended. We could certainly do worse.
She was an upgrade over Nicholas Dirks, whose support was lukewarm and he appeared out of his element in dealing with big time athletics.
That said, she presided over the COVID fiasco over multiple seasons which led to Cal's descent into mediocrity. She should have taken on C of B with more gusto.
The decision to save the athletic department from onerous debt service on memorial was a rather charitable move if an unavoidable one.
Wow! I think that this thread has the most removed comments that I have ever seen at WFC! Why all the hate on Chancellor Christ?
University administrators can be difficult to judge from the outside looking in, so I will reserve judgement for the people (especially faculty) that worked under her. That said, if she is hanging her hat on DEI I would be disappointed, not because it's not a noble cause but because pretty much every university and most companies are heavily vested in DEI measures, and nothing is worse than university administrators that just follow the trendy stuff (there are many, many administrator drones out there who are busy putting stuff on paper that looks good and costs lots of money but has limited impact). I would assume the extent to which she was able to stabilize the budgetary problems will be her real legacy.
acknowledged
Housing is an old problem which seems never to be remedied.
I must admit I skimmed over the part about her efforts towards establishing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging on campus. Every major company, including mine, is all over that. No, what I will remember is what happened to the major sports while she was chancellor. Cal is just irrelevant on that subject right now, and she was at the top of the food chain when her AD made the worst single decision I have seen since becoming a Cal football fan in the mid 80's. That being the contract extension of one Justin Wilcox after two consecutive pitiful seasons. The reverberations from that will be felt for years to come.
Unfortunately, she gets a failing grade for 3-29 alone. Men’s basketball literally set national records for futility under her stewardship…
Completely wish her the best in retirement, but for Cal’s sake, this is a move that needed to happen.
While some may say it's indifference, I think it's patience that Carol Christ have in waiting for the college sports landscape to change before making any major moves (which is possibly something like cutting/downgrading 12+ programs and make some big monetary investments in football by hiring a named head coach). NIL is likely just the first of many things to change in college athletics, and now it will be her successor's problem to deal with that.
Buh bye
I don’t know that Cal needs to look outside the university for its next chancellor. I think that Rich Lyons (former Haas dean and current Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer) would make an excellent Chancellor of the university.
I found Rich Lyon's burner account.
Ha ha. I was a student at Haas when Rich Lyons was dean and he was one of the most inspired and well-loved leaders of the school at a time when Tom Campbell couldn’t decide if he wanted to work for the governor, run the school or live on the Stanford campus.
Lyons took over in my second year at Haas. Seemed very solid, and he was a good listener at the one lunch-with-the-Dean event that I attended. We could certainly do worse.
I got my mba when Lyon’s was there as well. Really impressive man and would be happy to see him as Chancellor.
You will be missed! 😞
She was an upgrade over Nicholas Dirks, whose support was lukewarm and he appeared out of his element in dealing with big time athletics.
That said, she presided over the COVID fiasco over multiple seasons which led to Cal's descent into mediocrity. She should have taken on C of B with more gusto.
The decision to save the athletic department from onerous debt service on memorial was a rather charitable move if an unavoidable one.
Better a naif than unnecessarily crass.
If you want an accurate descriptor, here's one. You're truly a piece of work.
This comment is really gross.
"fat, useless ass"? No need for that.