Patricia Turner, UC Davis’ Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, will be joining the Bruin team as Dean and Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education at UCLA. Turner will be succeeding Judith L. Smith, UCLA’s current Dean and Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education, who will be retiring after 16 years of service to the University.
Turner has been active within the University of California system, beginning her career as a Ph.D. graduate student from UC Berkeley in 1985.
“We all recognize that undergraduate education is of paramount importance to UCLA, and I am confident that Pat will provide outstanding leadership as vice provost and dean,” said UCLA Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Scott Waugh in announcing the appointment on July 11 in the UCLA Newsroom.
Turner joined the UC Davis faculty in 1990 as a faculty member in African American and African studies. She has held her current position as Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education for 10 years, serving as interim dean of Humanities, Arts and Cultural studies (HArCS) for a short time during from 2004 to 2006, before returning to the position of Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education in the spring of 2007, her biography on the UC Davis Undergraduate Education website states. In addition, Turner served as director of the American studies program from 1997 to 1998 and director of African American and African studies from 1998 to 2000.
Turner’s research is focused on racial dynamics as reflected in folklore and popular culture, states Cynthia Lee of the UCLA Newsroom. Turner’s fourth book, Crafted Lives: Stories and Studies of African-American Quilters, was published in 2009.
Turner maintains two additional positions in the UC system as chair of the UC Education Abroad Program and as a member of the UCDC Academic Advisory Council.
“Pat has been a tireless advocate for our students, and one of the most effective. It is hard to see her go, but there is some consolation in knowing that her talents will remain in the University of California,” said UCD Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter.
Though her move to UCLA will likely face new, difficult challenges under the limited UC budget, Turner is pleased to continue her work within the UC system.
“I’m delighted that the next chapter of my career will be at a UC campus. I’ll be keeping all my Aggie T-shirts, just adding some Bruin shirts to the mix,” said Turner in UC Davis’ Dateline News for Faculty and Staff.
GHEED SAEED can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
