October 17, 2003
TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY
Dear Colleagues:
It is with reluctance that we announce that Raymond Huerta will retire on December 31, 2003 after 30 years of distinguished service as Affirmative Action Coordinator. Prior to his appointment at UCSB, he served the Berkeley campus, the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, and the Office of the President in various positions that steadfastly advanced the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action. Ray received his Bachelor’s Degree in history from UC Berkeley and a J.D. in Law from UC Davis.
Ray recently guided the campus through a successful fifteen-month audit of the campus Affirmative Action Personnel Program (AAP) with the United States Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (DOL/OFCCP). Last March, UC Santa Barbara partnered with the Department of Labor to conduct a training session for local employers with federal contracts. The session provided employers with new updates to federal regulations affecting equal employment opportunity and affirmative action. For the last several years, Ray also served as the Campus Public Records Information Coordinator. In addition to his administrative duties, Ray has for the last 20 years lectured in the Department of Chicano/a Studies on the Civil Rights of Chicanos/as in the United States. He has also lectured at the Law School at the Autonomous University of Queretaro, in Queretaro, Mexico on legal issues affecting the Chicano/a community in the United States. During the last nine years, he has directed a very successful Travel Study Abroad program through Summer Sessions for our students in Queretaro, Mexico.
During his tenure with UCSB, Ray has published articles on California's Initiative process, North American Free Trade Agreement, and the civil rights of Chicanos/as in the United States. He also has been instrumental in developing closer ties with our Mexican communities through the Center for Chicano Studies. In total, Ray has dedicated 39 years to the University of California and we are grateful for his service.
To create a new synergy between campus outreach and affirmative action related initiatives and reduce administrative costs, the Office of Campus Outreach Initiatives will merge with the Office of Affirmative Action and Public Records Information Office by the end of the calendar year. The merged offices will continue to report to the Executive Vice Chancellor and, through its outreach functions, will also report to the Chancellor’s Outreach Advisory Board. The administrative merger will enable our campus to strengthen its commitment to outreach and affirmative action during a time when state resources are severely constrained.
Joseph Castro has been appointed to direct the newly merged offices. Dr. Castro has served as Executive Director of Campus Outreach Initiatives since 2001. He has served the UC system for 13 years, including as Founding Director of Academic Programs for UC Merced, as Assistant Dean of the Richard and Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, and as a Legislative Analyst for the UC Office of State Governmental Relations in Sacramento. Dr. Castro has also been an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education where he has taught courses and conducted research on educational leadership, policy and diversity issues. His most recent research on educational leadership will be published as a chapter in a forthcoming book titled The Challenge and Promise of Principals Sharing Leadership edited by GGSE colleague, Janet Chrispeels. Dr. Castro has a Ph.D. in education from Stanford University, a Masters Degree in Public Policy and a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from UC Berkeley.
In light of the merger, it is an appropriate time to consider a new name for the office. We will be consulting with Dr. Castro, other administrators and with faculty from throughout the campus on the appropriate name for this dynamic new campus department.
Ray will be on campus until October 31 and then will take a well-earned vacation until the end of the calendar year. We deeply appreciate Ray's dedicated service to the campus and we thank Joe for taking on these additional responsibilities at this critical juncture in the evolution of our campus outreach and affirmative action programs.
Sincerely,
Henry T. Yang Gene Lucas
Chancellor Acting Executive Vice Chancellor