Aug 13, 2007

UC President Robert Dynes to resign

He says 'direction of my personal life has changed'
Charles Burress, Chronicle Staff Writer
Monday, August 13, 2007

(08-13) 11:06 PDT OAKLAND -- UC President Robert Dynes announced his resignation today, bringing a surprising end to his tenure.

He said he will serve until June 2008 or until a new president is named. However, he also disclosed that he has asked Provost Wyatt Hume to step in as the university's chief operating officer, effective immediately.

In a letter today to the governing Board of Regents, Dynes wrote: "Since it was my original intent to serve in this post for approximately five years, and as the direction of my personal life has changed substantially in the last couple of years, I write to inform you that I intend to step down in June 2008 or upon the appointment of my successor."

[Read Robert Dynes' letter of resignation and UC Chairman Richard Blum's letter to the Board of Regents. (PDFs)]

Dynes' acknowledged that his administration has endured "difficult pressures" because of public scrutiny of hidden executive compensation for top administrators, but he said generous pay packages were needed to attract top talent and that abuses occurred in "only a few instances."

Various audits of UC's executive compensation practices found scores of abuses over the years. One internal audit cited 113 cases where senior managers received extra pay or benefits as exceptions to established university policies. The same audit cited the cases of fourteen senior managers received incentive payments in violation of UC policy.

Dynes said he intends to return to his prior job on the faculty and resuming research in physics.

Dynes, a noted physicist, was the 60-year-old chancellor of UC San Diego in June 2003 when was picked to lead the university. He replaced President Richard Atkinson, who served eight years at the helm.

E-mail Charles Burress at cburress@sfchronicle.com

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Most memorable moment:

"Pleeeeeeeeease help us help you!" [translation: "We're in DEEP SHIT!! You need to help pull me out even if I never said a peep while I could have defended or even proactively salvaged this Lab's reputation!"

Anonymous said...

All part of the plan. Dynes is the UC sacrificial lamb. Slaughtering him further marginalizes the UC presence within LANS, allowing Bechtel more autonomy to impliment DOE's pit prodiction plans for LANL.

Anonymous said...

So how will his absence aid the LLC's at both labs. Does this mean less involvement by the UC and more hitler tactics to come from the business end intervention? If so what do you expect will happen next at both labs?

Anonymous said...

When I see how well this guy was appreciated out here on this blog it makes me want to never take a positon like his not matter what the salary is. I wonder what will be said about Mikey when he and the fantasy four leave once and for all. I can't wait to see those post.

Anonymous said...

who gives a shit about Dynes?

Rotten Rove took a hike today... The Bush administration continues to rot from the inside....

I hope they all get tried for war crimes and get hanged in public

Dynes is a fly speck on the wall....

Anonymous said...

If Dynes is gone, can Rich Marquez be far behind?

Anonymous said...

And now back to our local programming...

It's an opinion - a person's viewpoint - not necessarily everyone's perspective but an estimation of the person's character or leadership.

Much of what has been stated has depended upon how the person responded to the opportunities as they were presented and whether their actions appeared to have any inkling of integrity or leadership associated with the response or if the response appeared to be self-serving rather than being an above-board effort that might have done more toward being honest or helping the majority or entire population of LANL.

Anonymous said...

Much of what has been stated has depended upon how the person responded to the opportunities as they were presented and whether their actions appeared to have any inkling of integrity or leadership associated with the response or if the response appeared to be self-serving rather than being an above-board effort that might have done more toward being honest or helping the majority or entire population of LANL.

As the Caveman said to the TV "debate" moderator: What????

Anonymous said...

Obviously there is shit about to hit the fan again....

Anonymous said...

Caveman, I should have said, "The opinions shared here are due to Dyne's having the opportunity to respond to events or reports and not doing so."

Is that easy enough that a caveman can get it?

Anonymous said...

Today's San Francisco Chronicle article headline "UC President was pushed out..." Check it out.