UW News

April 13, 2007

Kenyon S. Chan selected as chancellor of UW Bothell

News and Information

University of Washington President Mark A. Emmert and Provost Phyllis Wise have announced that Kenyon S. Chan has been selected as the next chancellor of the University of Washington Bothell. His appointment will be effective July 1, 2007, subject to approval by the UW Board of Regents.

Chan served in 2005-6 as interim president of Occidental College in Los Angeles. He has been dean of the college, vice president for academic affairs and professor of psychology since 2003.

“Kenyon Chan is a gifted educator and leader,” said Emmert, “and we are very fortunate to have found him. He brings exceptional leadership skills to the university, along with a natural affinity for innovation and a great deal of enthusiasm. Growing our programs at Bothell is a perfect match for his talents, and I look forward to having him on board. We expect great things from him and UW Bothell.”

As interim president at Occidental, Chan raised a record of over $21.1 million in external funds for the college. He restructured and renovated the student affairs division and student government. He also oversaw the completion of a 20-year facilities master plan, submitted to the city of Los Angeles.

As dean and vice president, he recruited and hired 28 new tenure-track faculty over the past three years. He oversaw the creation of the college’s academic plan.

Prior to his work at Occidental, Chan was dean at the Bellarmine College of Loyola Marymount University from 1998 to 2003. He was responsible for planning, development and evaluation of all programs in the college, and development and review of all departmental budgets.

Chan received a bachelor’s in sociology from University of California, Los Angeles, in 1970, a master’s in special education from UCLA in 1972, and a doctorate in educational psychology from UCLA in 1974. He was an assistant professor in the School of Education at UCLA from 1973 to 1981. He was on the clinical faculty in behavioral sciences in the Family Practice Residency Program of the UCLA School of Medicine and Santa Monica Hospital Medical Center from 1983 to 1990. He served as chair and professor of the Asian American Studies Department at California State University, Northridge from 1990 to 1998.

Chan’s research has focused on the effects of race on the emotional development of children and sociocultural factors that influence motivation, learning and schooling. Most recently he has been conducting research on social and higher education policy. He also has consulted on the impact of television on children, with particular attention to the implications of violence and racial stereotypes in children’s television.

Chan’s salary will be $205,700.

Founded in 1990, UW Bothell moved to its permanent location in autumn 2000. It is co-located with Cascadia Community College on 127 acres, 58 acres of which is an acclaimed wetlands restoration. It currently offers classes leading to a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies, business administration, nursing, environmental science, and computing and software systems. It also offers master’s degrees in business administration, policy studies, nursing and education, as well as initial and professional certificate programs for K-8 teachers. It currently enrolls 1,700 students. It recently inaugurated its first international faculty and student exchange program with Ehime University in Japan. The business program is one of the founding partners of the Bellevue Entrepreneur center.

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