Daily Bruin File Photo Winston Doby
By Robert Salonga
Daily Bruin Staff The University of California Office of the
President announced Wednesday the appointment of Winston Doby,
UCLA’s vice chancellor for student affairs, as UC vice
president for educational outreach. “I hope to bring passion
and complete commitment to the educational outreach mission,”
Doby said. He will officially take the post on Jan. 1, leaving
behind a 43-year stay at UCLA as both a student and administrator.
In his new role, Doby will head an outreach effort to prepare a
growing number of students for university admission. He will
coordinate activities between the UC and K-12 public school system
to improve teacher and student performance. “I’m deeply
rooted in K-12 education and believe that the UC has a special role
it can play,” he said. Upon graduating from UCLA in 1963 with
a degree in mathematics, he returned to Fremont High School in Los
Angeles ““ his alma mater ““ to teach. He later served as
a consultant to the L.A. Unified School District. Doby does not
have a specific policy agenda set because, he said, he wants to
acclimate to his new home at UCOP. “Initially, I have to be a
listener and a learner and get a better sense of (the office) and
issues that are there,” he said. Many working in UCOP are
confident with Doby’s appointment. “Dr. Doby brings a
wealth of knowledge in the field of educational outreach,” UC
President Richard Atkinson said in a statement. Chancellor Albert
Carnesale said Doby’s appointment would benefit all UC
campuses. “The entire UC system will have the benefit of
Winston’s knowledge and experience in preparing students to
meet the challenges of higher education,” Carnesale said in a
statement. Accepting the appointment signals a change of heart for
Doby, who has declined past opportunities to work outside UCLA.
“I always thought I would end my career at UCLA,” he
said. Entering UCLA as an undergraduate in 1958, Doby watched the
university transform before his eyes. In addition to his
bachelor’s degree, Doby earned a master’s degree in
education in 1972 and later a doctorate in higher education
administration in 1974 ““ all from UCLA. The terrorist attacks
on the World Trade Center and Pentagon sparked a series of events
that led to his accepting the vice president position, Doby said.
“In a strange kind of way, the experience of Sept. 11 played
an indirect role in my decision,” he said. While teaching a
seminar in the “Perspectives on Sept. 11″ honors
series, his students helped him come to his decision during one of
their sessions. “Our discussion focused on the issue of
courage to step out and aggressively pursue what you believe even
in the face of difficulty and adversity,” he said. “It
helped me realize that I was captured in my own comfort zone at
UCLA.” “It allowed me to look at the challenge through
a different lens,” he said. “I thought about the
contributions I can make in that role and not remain in a comfort
zone at UCLA.” Doby will replace Manuel Gómez, the
current interim vice president for educational outreach. Gómez
will return to his position as vice chancellor for student affairs
at UC Irvine. According to UCOP, the search for Doby’s
long-term successor will take place during the 2003-04 year. His
interim successor will be Claudia Mitchell-Kernan, current vice
chancellor and dean of the Graduate Division. “She is a
natural choice,” Doby said. “All the key leaders are in
place, and there should be a natural blend of her experience and
theirs.” There is no question he will remain loyal to UCLA
even though he will now work for the entire UC, Doby said.
“Once a Bruin, always a Bruin,” he said. “At
least I won’t have to change the color of my underwear; I can
still wear blue and gold.”