UC Board of Regents approves new UC Davis chancellor
February 27, 2017 •
Gary May – courtesy Georgia Tech
On Feb. 23, the UC Board of Regents unanimously approved Gary May, dean of Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering, as the seventh chancellor of UC Davis.
“I am honored that the president and the regents have entrusted me with the responsibility of leading UC Davis,” May said in brief remarks after the vote at a special meeting held at UCLA. “I am confident that with the cooperation of the entire Davis community, we can accomplish even more and make UC Davis one of those very few institutions that have become household names in our nation. Go Ags!”
In welcoming May to the UC community, Board of Regents Chair Monica Lozano said, “We’re certain your leadership will contribute greatly to UC Davis’s strong momentum. We recognize and applaud your commitment to quality and equity, your passion for diversity, your respect for shared governance and your collaborative, student-centered leadership style.”
President Napolitano said she was confident that May is an exceptional leader who will take UC Davis to even greater heights. “Dr. May is absolutely committed to building strong and open relationships with students, faculty, and staff, to increasing UC Davis’s already impressive prowess in STEM fields, agriculture, social sciences, and the arts and humanities, and deepening the ties between UC Davis and the larger Davis and Sacramento communities,” she said.
The board also approved May’s compensation, which includes a base salary of $420,000 — less than his predecessor — and an endowed faculty chair that pays $75,000 in privately donated funds.
May will take up his new role on Aug. 1, and Ralph Hexter will continue to serve as interim chancellor until May arrives.
May, 52, is a native of St. Louis, Missouri, who has been at Georgia Tech for nearly three decades, most recently as dean of the College of Engineering. As dean, he serves as the college’s chief academic officer, leading more than 400 faculty members and more than 13,000 students. Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering graduates more engineers than any other college in the United States.
