University of California President Richard Atkinson on Thursday spoke about his tenure as UC president and issues the university system faces in the future. Atkinson made his farewell comments at a meeting of the UC regents in San Francisco.
Atkinson, who is stepping down as UC president Oct. 1, has directed the UC system since 1995. Robert Dynes has been selected as the university's 18th president.
"As I reflect on my time as president and look to the future of the university, two major themes become apparent. First, the things that have been achieved at the University of California are nothing short of stunning. The UC system today is one of the world's leading centers of higher learning, and its accomplishments as a public university in the United States are unsurpassed," Atkinson said.
"These accomplishments are not attributable to any individual president - they are far too great for any one person to claim responsibility - but rather are the product of a talented and committed community of faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, regents, friends, and supporters. The skill and energy of this community of people is reason alone for optimism about the University of California's future," said Atkinson.
"Second, however, it would be a mistake to discount the challenges that lie ahead. In particular, the state of California's fiscal distress, and the threat of a downward spiral of state financial support for the university, will make the next few years a period of great consequence for the University of California. What we are, and how valuable we are to the people of the state, will be thoroughly tested. This is a great university, astonishing in many respects. It also is, today, a university facing great risk. We are confronting a number of individual challenges, each of which could be survived in isolation, but when taken together, they threaten to undermine UC's foundation of quality, accessibility, and affordability."
Atkinson also made brief remarks about Los Alamos and the other two UC-operated national laboratories. "A final point about the challenges ahead concerns the national laboratories we manage for the federal government. The Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore, and Los Alamos national laboratories have played a decisive role in the modern history of our nation, and I am extremely proud of their association with the university," said Atkinson. "Their achievements across a broad spectrum of scientific inquiry - national security, the environment, astronomy, human health, and countless other areas - are thoroughly impressive. For its part, the university has never gained financially from the relationship but has managed the laboratories as a national service.
"During the last year, we have been working through a series of management problems, particularly at Los Alamos. The result has been a needed intensification of the university's presence and guidance at the laboratories, along with a range of improvements to the business and administrative practices of the laboratory system. These changes are a significant accomplishment, and I am in the debt of all who worked to make them happen.
"In the coming months, the university will be faced with the choice of whether to compete for one or more of these contracts with the Department of Energy. I want to see the relationship continue. But we must assess objectively the terms of the competition to ascertain if they are fair and meet the requirements for an effective relationship. I have no doubt that if the university chooses to compete for these contracts, it will do so successfully," said Atkinson. "Whether that outcome will be in the university's interest - whether the terms of the competition will make continued management of the labs consistent with our mission - is yet to be determined."
In closing, Atkinson said "I am deeply honored to have had the opportunity to serve the University of California, and I remain optimistic about its future. I believe in California, its people, and their capacity to make the right choices. And in today's knowledge-based society, the University of California is key to the prosperity and well-being of our people. But the future holds many challenges, and the university must plan effectively to meet these challenges. My successor, Bob Dynes, is superbly qualified to lead this effort. He will need the support and assistance of all who are a part of the University of California."
To read the text of Atkinson's comments, click here.