Appointment of Monroe Gorden, Jr. as Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs

UCLA Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

To: Administrative Officers, Deans, Department Chairs, Directors, Student Affairs Staff, Vice Chancellors and Vice Provosts

Dear Colleagues:

Chancellor Block and I are very pleased to announce that Monroe Gorden, Jr. has accepted our offer to become UCLA’s Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs.

As interim vice chancellor since July 2016, Monroe has provided exceptional leadership for UCLA Student Affairs, a vital part of our administration that provides academic services, health care, development and critical support to our students. Touching virtually every student on campus as well as prospective students, parents and families, community members and alumni, UCLA Student Affairs ensures our students’ academic success and personal growth.

Monroe is valued and respected as a versatile and innovative leader. Prior to his interim appointment, Monroe served as associate vice chancellor for administration in UCLA Student Affairs, with direct responsibility for more than a dozen Student Affairs departments. He maintained the organization’s budget stability during turbulent times, increased administrative efficiencies, managed initiatives on topics such as health insurance and graduate student career services, and chaired a campus-wide committee to develop our Bruins for Life program. Monroe has also served as UCLA’s compliance officer for the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 for nearly 11 years, providing guidance to the campus on disability related issues, including reasonable accommodation. A licensed attorney in the State of California with experience in business and healthcare law, Monroe served as manager of legal contracting at United Healthcare and assistant general counsel at Tenet Healthcare prior to joining UCLA in 2006. Monroe is also a dedicated alumnus who earned his B.A. in political science from UCLA and completed the executive program in management at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Monroe also holds a J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law.

As interim vice chancellor, Monroe has been deeply involved in both long-term planning and day-to-day oversight of student support services. This includes working with campus partners on several new student affairs initiatives that promote student resiliency, internship opportunities and respectful dialogue across areas of difference. Monroe has also been particularly engaged in issues surrounding immigrant, international and undocumented students; developed and implemented two new Student Affairs priorities, to foster growth and development for students and to provide professional development opportunities for staff; increased donor-related funds by more than 60 percent in his first year; and coordinated a successful student engagement trip to Washington, DC.

Prior to asking Monroe to become the vice chancellor of student affairs, Chancellor Block and I created a working group chaired by Vice Chancellor Michael Beck to advise us on this appointment. Following consultations with faculty, staff, students, campus leadership and others, the committee noted Monroe’s close working relationships with campus administrative, academic and student leaders and described him as a responsive, thoughtful and effective partner. The committee enthusiastically recommended that Monroe be appointed as vice chancellor. Chancellor Block and I wish to thank Vice Chancellor Beck and his fellow working group members (Professors Joseph Bristow, Robert Cooper, Dana Cuff and Beth Lazazzera; Vice Provost/Dean Robin Garrell; and Vice Chancellor Jerry Kang) for their thorough work, as well as the many UCLA community members who provided helpful input.

We are grateful to Monroe for his more than 12 years of exceptional service supporting UCLA students, and we are confident that with his capable leadership, keen analytic abilities and knowledge of UCLA, Student Affairs will continue to thrive and support our students effectively. Please join us in congratulating Monroe and welcoming him into the vice chancellor role.

Sincerely,

Scott L. Waugh
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost