The UC Systemwide Academic Senate has announced the recipients of the 2026 Oliver Johnson Awards for Distinguished Leadership in the Academic Senate: Robert Horwitz, professor emeritus of communication at UC San Diego, and Adrienne Lavine, professor emeritus of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UCLA.

About the awardees

Robert Horwitz

Professor Emeritus of Communication
UC San Diego

Professor Robert Horwitz’s career reflects more than four decades of distinguished scholarship and extraordinary service to UC. (Credit: UC San Diego)

Robert Horwitz’s career reflects more than four decades of distinguished scholarship and extraordinary service to the University of California. A political sociologist by training, his academic work has examined democracy, communication, and political reform.

Professor Horwitz’s service to the Academic Senate has been extensive and impactful, and includes substantial leadership at both the campus and systemwide levels. At UC San Diego, he served multiple terms as department chair and played a central role in undergraduate education, while also contributing extensively to Senate committees, including chairing the Committee on Academic Personnel. He went on to serve as vice chair and chair of the UC San Diego Academic Senate (2017–19), where he led major initiatives on faculty welfare, academic planning, and shared governance, and successfully advanced key proposals, including new colleges and the School of Public Health.

His leadership extended systemwide as vice chair and chair of the systemwide Academic Senate (2020–2022), where he represented faculty across the university and served as faculty representative to the Regents. During this period, he guided the Senate through complex challenges, including pandemic-related policies and impacts, transfer pathway reform, climate action, and the defense of academic freedom. Known for his analytical rigor, collaborative leadership, and tireless commitment, Professor Horwitz consistently brought diverse stakeholders together to achieve meaningful outcomes.

Even in retirement, he continues to serve the university through leadership on climate initiatives and advisory roles. His depth of service, principled leadership, and lasting institutional impact make him richly deserving of the Oliver Johnson Award for Distinguished Leadership in the Academic Senate.

Adrienne Lavine

Professor Emeritus of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
UCLA

Professor Adrienne Lavine has made lasting contributions to the Senate, undergraduate education, and the advancement of teaching and learning over decades of UC service. (Credit: UCLA)

Adrienne Lavine’s career reflects exceptional leadership in faculty governance and institutional innovation. Over decades of service, she has made lasting contributions to the Senate, undergraduate education, and the advancement of teaching and learning.

Professor Lavine served as vice chair and chair of the UCLA Academic Senate (2004–2006), where she was widely respected for her principled, inclusive leadership and her ability to elevate faculty voice in major university decisions. Her work on admissions policy was particularly significant: Through her service as chair of the UCLA Committee on Admissions and Relations with Schools in 2016–2017 and as a member of the systemwide Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS), she helped guide thoughtful, equity-focused approaches to undergraduate admissions during critical periods.

Beyond the Senate, Professor Lavine has played a transformative role in shaping teaching and learning at UCLA. As associate vice provost for the Center for the Advancement of Teaching since 2017, she built strong partnerships between faculty, Senate committees, and the administration, expanding professional development and advancing inclusive teaching practices. Her leadership of the Holistic Evaluation of Teaching initiative stands as a particularly significant contribution: Through a multi-year, consultative process, she developed a widely adopted framework that broadens how teaching is assessed and valued across campus and nationally.

Known for her collaborative approach, steady leadership, and commitment to shared governance, Professor Lavine has strengthened Senate processes and institutional culture. Her enduring impact on faculty governance and teaching excellence makes her a deserving recipient of the Oliver Johnson Award.

About the Oliver Johnson Award

Professor Oliver Johnson, who died in 2000, was a professor of philosophy and longtime Senate activist. He served as chair of the Assembly and Academic Council in 1981-1982; as vice chair of the Assembly and Council in 1980-1981; and as chair of the Riverside Division of the Academic Senate from 1963 to 1966, performing with great distinction in every post. He brought to his Senate work a combination of outstanding character, keen insight, and great understanding of the University. In 1996, Professor Johnson made a substantial gift to the systemwide Senate, the earnings from which fund the award that bears his name.

The Oliver Johnson Award is given biennially to a UC faculty member or members who have performed outstanding service to the Academic Senate. Its broader goal is to honor all faculty (including emeriti/ae Senate members) who have contributed their time and talent to the Senate. The award is presented at the Annual Academic Council dinner and carries a small honorarium for faculty members who receive it.

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