Professor Phil Kass has been named to the new post of associate vice provost for faculty equity and inclusion in the Office of Academic Affairs.

Kass, chair of the Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, has already taken up his new duties. He said he will step down as chair as soon as a replacement is named, to make time for his 50 percent appointment in Academic Affairs.

“He has been an excellent campus citizen and has great passion for helping faculty members thrive,” Vice Provost Maureen Stanton said in announcing Kass’ appointment.

Kass is a faculty adviser for Academic Affairs’ Work Life program and formerly served as chair of the investigative side of the Academic Senate’s Committee on Privilege and Tenure.

He will assist Stanton on issues of equity and diversity, including but not limited to processes and procedures to help recruit and retain the best faculty members, and serve as her backup on decision related to advancement, leaves, off-scale requests and more.

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Milton Lang has joined the Division of Student Affairs as an associate vice chancellor, providing leadership on student activism and campus climate issues, and overseeing the many offices and centers that deal with student life, campus community and retention services.

In his more than 20 years of work in higher education, Lang has supported and developed initiatives that foster a diverse and inclusive community and that help ensure students are fully engaged in campus life.

He came here from Washington State University, where he served for 19 years in a range of positions, most recently as the senior associate vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment. He also held roles as the special assistant to the president for campus climate initiatives and as the development director for diversity and scholarships.

Lang said his new colleagues impressed him quickly with their “commitment to advancing a student-centered approach to the work we do.” In partnership with faculty and staff, he said, he aims “to enhance the persistence, achievement and graduation rates of our students.”

His Student Affairs unit includes the Center for Student Involvement; Cross Cultural Center; Internship and Career Center; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual Resource Center; Student Academic Success Center; Student Recruitment and Retention Center; and the Women’s Resources and Research Center.

He also has oversight and leadership responsibility for the Student Affairs officers in ethnic studies units, and the student assistants to the chancellor, Campus Media Board and ASUCD Business Office. In addition, he is the Student Affairs liaison to the ASUCD, the Graduate Student Association and the Law Student Association.

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Binnie Singh has moved up in the Office of Academic Affairs, to assistant vice provost, and Matilda Aidam is returning to the Davis campus to replace her as the director of faculty relations and development.

Singh’s appointment came after a formal recruitment process. “Binnie brings tremendous experience and integrity to this position,” Vice Provost Maureen Stanton said in announcing Singh’s advancement.

Singh joined UC Davis in 2002 after having worked for the City and County of San Francisco for the previous 12 years. Here, she developed and expanded the faculty relations and development post, and served as interim assistant vice provost from November 2012 until March 2013 when she received the appointment on a permanent basis.

As assistant vice provost, she is the primary liaison between Academic Affairs and other units and organizations, both campuswide and systemwide, and assists the vice provost in strategic planning, implementation and innovation for all matters affecting academic personnel at UC Davis.

Aidam formerly served as the director of Mediation Services on the Davis campus, before moving to the UC Davis Health System as manager of mediation and training services. She is scheduled to join the Academic Affairs unit on Nov. 14.

She will be responsible for coordinating development opportunities and workshops for faculty, department chairs and other academic appointees, such as the Chairs 2 day workshop, brown bag series for new chairs and new faculty, Leadership Development Program, Work Life and more.

She also will work with chairs, deans and associate deans on conflict management and problem solving to help minimize the number of formal grievances and complaints.   
  


“Matilda has an excellent background and experience in conflict management, training, mediation and general human resources,” Singh said in announcing the appointment, noting Aidam’s 20 years of experience in the field.

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