Regional History Project Oral Histories

In 1971, David Kliger arrived at UC Santa Cruz as a young chemistry professor and affiliate of Kresge College. In 2010, he stepped down from his position as Campus Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor (CP/EVC), although he is still a faculty member in chemistry and remains very engaged with his Kliger Research Group. Over the past forty years, Kliger has served the campus in a variety of administrative capacities: as chair of the Board of Studies (Department) of Chemistry from 1985-1988, chair of the academic senate from 1988-1990, dean of the Division of Natural Sciences (now Physical and Biological Sciences) from 1990-2005; and finally as CP/EVC from 2005-10. This oral history, conducted as part of the Regional History Project’s University History Series, provides Kliger’s unique perspective on forty years of UCSC’s history from the vantage point of these diverse administrative positions, as well as a member of the chemistry faculty and of two different UCSC colleges.