RE: New Vice Chancellor and Division of Enrollment Management

To: All employees

January 12, 2024

Dear UC Merced community,

In order to accelerate UC Merced’s continued growth and upward mobility, and after consultation with campus and system leaders, we are announcing the formation of the Division of Enrollment Management. This new structure of existing units will focus intensely and dynamically on admitting and retaining the most ambitious students while adhering to our core principles of access, success, and inclusive excellence.

The new division will encompass admissions, enrollment communications and marketing, enrollment management systems, the office of the registrar and the Students First Center. It will share leadership of the international affairs office with the executive vice chancellor and provost and share the financial aid and scholarships office with Vice Chancellor Charles Nies, who oversees student affairs.

Dr. Brenda Amenson-Hill will be joining us as interim vice chancellor of enrollment management until a permanent vice chancellor is selected. Dr. Amenson-Hill was selected through The Registry, a placement agency for leaders in higher education that matches interested retired professionals with critical temporary leadership needs. These placements are not intended or eligible to serve as permanent positions. In previous roles, she has served as vice president for enrollment management and student affairs at Minnesota State University, Moorhead as well as senior administrative roles at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, and Aurora University, and earned her Ed.D. from Benedictine University.

We have engaged executive search firm Isaacson, Miller to conduct a national search for the vice chancellor of enrollment management and a search advisory committee chaired by Vice Chancellor Nies will soon begin reviewing candidates. The committee will include:

• Vice Chancellor E. Edward Klotzbier, External Relations and Strategic Communications
• Interim Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education Brian Utter
• Dean of Extension Annette Roberts-Webb
• Interim Dean of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts Heather Bortfeld
• Director of Admissions Dustin Noji
• Associate Director of Athletics Payton Williams
• Academic Senate faculty named member – TBD
• Shauna Bennett, Non-Senate faculty, School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts.
• Associated Students of UC Merced named member – TBD
• Graduate Student Association named member -- TBD
• Craig Harmelin, Staff Assembly representative
• Deputy Chief of Staff to the Chancellor Cori Lucero, ex officio

Dr. Amenson-Hill will assume her interim role at UC Merced on Jan. 15. Please join us in welcoming her to campus as she begins to prepare our new division for even more success.

Fiat Lux, 

Juan Sánchez Muñoz, Ph.D.

Chancellor

Charles Nies, Ph.D.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs