To Teach Physics : UCI Vice Chancellor Quits Under Pressure

A UC Irvine administrator in charge of seeking more research funds for the university has resigned under pressure.

Lewis H. Nosanow, 56, vice chancellor for research and dean of graduate studies at UCI since the post was created about 1 1/2 years ago, confirmed Tuesday that he is stepping down Sept. 1. Nosanow also confirmed that he is resigning under pressure, but he declined to elaborate.

He said he will return to teaching and become a professor of physics at UCI.

“I’m looking forward to teaching physics,” Nosanow said. “I think teaching is quite a fine thing to do.”

University spokeswoman Linda Granell said that the resignation is a personnel matter and that neither she nor Chancellor Jack W. Peltason would comment on the circumstances.

Granell said that the university will retain the vice chancellor’s post but that it will not be filled until this fall, when newly appointed Executive Vice Chancellor Chang Lin-Tien arrives on campus. The executive vice chancellor traditionally has a major role in recommending people for various administrative vacancies.

Before coming to UCI in February, 1987, Nosanow was director of the materials research division at the National Science Foundation in Washington. That division distributes about $105 million a year in grants. Nosanow had been with the National Science Foundation for 12 1/2 years.

Nosanow was selected for the newly created vice chancellor for research position at UCI because the university hoped that he could continue and expand UCI’s aggressive national search for more research money, university officials said. The position required cooperation and a good working relationship with other UCI faculty. Nosanow acknowledged that his “relationship with the faculty” was among the “complex” reasons he decided to resign.

“I’m very disappointed it didn’t work out,” Nosanow said.

In a message to Nosanow, after he submitted his resignation, Peltason said, “I very much appreciate your service to the university and am looking forward to working with you in the fall in your new role as professor of physics.”

University officials said that Nosanow’s salary as vice chancellor is $90,000 a year. They said when he returns to teaching in September his salary will be $64,500.

A native of Philadelphia, Nosanow holds a doctoral degree in chemical physics from the University of Chicago. Since coming to UCI, he has lived in housing on the university campus.