Appointment of David K. Yoo as Vice Provost of the Institute of American Cultures

UCLA Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

To: Administrative Officers, Deans, Department Chairs, Directors, Faculty, Staff in the Institute of American Cultures, Vice Chancellors and Vice Provosts

Dear Colleagues:

I am pleased to announce the appointment of David K. Yoo as Vice Provost of the Institute of American Cultures, effective September 1, 2016.

Since his arrival to UCLA in 2010, Professor Yoo has served as professor of Asian American studies and director of the Asian American Studies Center. He is currently a member of the Academic Senate Committee on Development and a university-wide committee on community engagement. In addition, he serves on executive committees for the Institute of American Cultures and the University of California Asian American and Pacific Islander Policy Multicampus Research Program. Previously, Professor Yoo served on the faculties of Claremont McKenna College and the Claremont Colleges, including service as chair of the Department of History at Claremont McKenna College and the Intercollegiate Department of Asian American Studies at the Claremont Colleges.
 
A social historian of the United States, Professor Yoo has authored or edited seven books and numerous journal articles, most recently serving as lead editor of “The Oxford Handbook of Asian American History” and authoring “Contentious Spirits: Religion in Korean American History, 1903-1945.” Among his many awards and honors, Professor Yoo has been a Senior Fulbright Scholar (Korea) and received fellowships from the Rockefeller Foundation, Huntington Library, and the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation. He is currently a member of the standing committee on ethnic studies for the American Studies Association, and a series editor for the University of Illinois Press and the University of Hawaii Press. Professor Yoo has also been active in community-based work, serving on the boards of the Little Tokyo Service Center and the Korean American Scholarship Foundation. Professor Yoo received a B.A. magna cum laude in political science from Claremont McKenna College, an M.Div. from Princeton Seminary, and M.A., M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in American studies and history from Yale University.

I would like to thank members of the advisory committee who reviewed nominations, met with candidates, and provided me with their observations and recommendations. The committee was chaired by Vilma Ortiz, professor of sociology. Other members were:

• Mishuana R. Goeman – associate professor and vice chair of gender studies; affiliated faculty of American Indian Studies
• Tyrone Howard – professor of education; associate dean for equity and inclusion, GSE&IS; faculty director, Center X; director, Black Male Institute
• Rachel C. Lee – professor of English and gender studies; director, Center for the Study of Women; member, Institute for Society and Genetics
• Robert T. Teranishi – professor of education; Morgan and Helen Chu Endowed Chair in Asian American Studies; co-director, Institute for Immigration, Globalization, and Education

I also want to recognize and thank M. Belinda Tucker for her distinguished service since 2011 as the institute’s inaugural vice provost.

Chancellor Block and I are confident that the Institute of American Cultures will continue to thrive under David’s capable leadership. Please join me in congratulating him and welcoming him to this new role.

Sincerely,

Scott L. Waugh
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost