UCI’s No. 2 Administrator to Leave Post

UC Irvine’s No. 2 administrator announced this week that he will step down next week, a sudden decision that has left the campus bracing for more changes as a new chancellor prepares to take the helm on July 1.

In an electronic message, UCI Chancellor Laurel Wilkening notified campus officials that Executive Vice Chancellor Sidney Golub will leave his administrative duties effective July 1 to return to teaching and research in the school’s College of Medicine.

Some top officials believe the quick turn of events is a sign of a new administration coming together as Wilkening sets to leave the university on June 30. Ralph Cicerone, dean of physical sciences, will succeed her.

“It caught everyone by surprise, no doubt,” said Associate Executive Vice Chancellor William Parker. “When you have a transition in senior management, it is not unusual to expect changes in his or her own management team. But changes usually take months to a year. The timing of this decision was surprising.”

Both Golub and Cicerone were out of town and could not be reached for comment.

Golub has been asked by Cicerone to serve as a senior associate to the chancellor to advise him on issues such as planning and development of the College of Medicine and UCI Medical Center. He is also being asked to help settle claims filed against the university’s notorious fertility clinic, where patient’s eggs were allegedly stolen.

Golub, among other UCI administrators, was named in various fertility clinic lawsuits.

“As executive vice chancellor, Sid Golub has shouldered an extremely large workload with great success,” Cicerone said in the news release. “This is even more notable because he had done this during one of the most financially difficult times in the history of the University of California.”

Golub also was praised for recruiting many of UCI’s deans, revitalizing its medical program and revamping the budget process.

An interim executive vice chancellor is expected to be announced.