UC Santa Barbara’s Donna Coyne named staff advisor–designate
May 28, 2013 •
Donna Coyne of UC Santa Barbara has been selected as the 2013–15 staff advisor–designate to the UC Regents, President Mark G. Yudof announced.
Coyne, associate director of admissions for application services at UC Santa Barbara, joins Kathy Barton of UC Riverside, 2012–14 staff advisor, after a months-long systemwide search. She is the first UC Santa Barbara staff member to be appointed staff advisor to the Regents.
“Donna’s energy and commitment to staff issues ensures she will well represent their concerns,” Yudof said in his announcement last week. “In addition, her perspective as a staff member working with students will be valuable in her new role.”
Yudof, in consultation with Chair of the Regents Sherry Lansing, selected Coyne from finalists recommended by a selection committee that included current and former staff advisors, campus leaders and other UCOP staff.
Coyne replaces Kevin Smith of UCLA, whose two-year appointment ends June 30.
“I am excited to engage with staff across the system on issues that matter to them,” Coyne said. “I will strive to represent well the concerns, views and hopes of my colleagues and work to find the compromises that will help to move us forward.”
Coyne said she has a personal interest in professional development and sees it as a retention issue. “Our young hires have very different expectations for their careers than those who have been here for 20 and 30 years,” Coyne said. “They expect to have three or four careers, so we have to help them see how they can build a career within UC, or they will move on.”
Coyne brings extensive experience working with staff organizations and systemwide and university committees to the position. She formerly served as chair of the Chancellor’s Staff Advisory Council and as a member of the UC Santa Barbara Staff Assembly Executive Board.
As associate director of admissions, Coyne oversees several units that support the evaluation and selection of undergraduate applicants as well as services to current undergraduates. She joined UC Santa Barbara in 1997 as an admissions counselor and has served as comprehensive review coordinator and business officer prior to her current position. She holds a B.A. in history, M.A. in educational leadership and organizations and a Ph.D. in education, all from UC Santa Barbara.
As staff advisor–designate, Coyne will bring the voice and perspective of staff and non-Senate academic employees to Board of Regents deliberations. She will participate as a non-voting advisor on several Regents’ committees.
Coyne was born in Natick, Mass., and grew up in Santa Barbara. She and her brother Michael, who are lifelong Boston Red Sox fans, are attempting to see a Red Sox game in a different major league ballpark annually with the goal of visiting every ballpark in the country.
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