April 16, 2008
TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY
Dear Colleagues:
It is with a sense of regret as well as sincere appreciation that I write to share with you that after three years as the dean of our Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, Dr. Ernst von Weizsäcker has indicated his intention to step down as dean by the end of this calendar year. He will return to Germany and from there, in addition to writing and lecturing, pursue two major new assignments, as co-chair of the United Nations Environment Programme’s International Panel on Sustainable Resource Use, and as co-chair of the China Council’s Task Force on Economic Instruments for the Environment.
We are all so very proud of our Bren School. In the years since its founding, the school has been blessed by a very high level of philanthropic support—especially the generosity of Donald Bren—as well as by the extraordinary contributions of dedicated deans and outstanding faculty, staff, and students.
I want to take this opportunity to thank Dean von Weizsäcker for his tremendous contributions to our Bren School. Under his leadership, the school has grown significantly in stature, earning an international reputation as one of the top schools of its kind. In line with the Bren School’s interdisciplinary approach to environmental problem solving, Ernst has successfully sought close cooperation with many other departments on our campus.
Since finding our next dean for the Bren School will be such an important step for its future, we are beginning our search process now. I am pleased to announce that a search advisory committee has been formed, and that Professor Thomas Dunne has graciously agreed to serve as the chair for the committee. The roster of the committee is listed below.
I thank all those who have been part of the consultation process in the formation of this committee. I also thank the members of the committee in advance for their generous commitment of time, energy, and wisdom to help our university.
Sincerely,
Henry T. Yang
Chancellor
Search Advisory Committee for the Dean of the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management
Thomas Dunne, Committee Chair
Professor of Geomorphology and Hydrology and Chair of Bren School Faculty Executive Committee
Richard Appelbaum, Professor of Sociology and Global and International Studies
Fred Chong, Professor of Computer Science and Institute for Energy Efficiency
Carla D’Antonio, Schuyler Professor of Environmental Studies
Catherine Gautier-Downes, Professor of Geography
Patricia Holden, Professor of Environmental Microbiology, Bren School
Gary Libecap, Professor of Corporate Environmental Management, Bren School
Mo Lovegreen, Staff Representative; Executive Officer, Department of Geography
Dominique Monie, Representative of Graduate Students Association
Violetta Muselli, Representative of Associated Students
Constance Penley, Professor and Co-Director of Carsey-Wolf Center for Film, Television and New Media
Sara Poot-Herrera, Professor of Spanish and Portuguese
Richard Rogers, Former Chair of Bren School Advisory Board
Jeffrey Stewart, Professor and Chair of Black Studies
Matthew Tirrell, Richard A. Auhll Professor and Dean of College of Engineering
Robert Weber, Chair of Bren School Advisory Board
Ex officio:
Ricardo Alcaíno, Director of Office of Equal Opportunity
John Flynn, Member of Bren School Advisory Board