Carol Christ appointed Berkeley Chancellor

Carol Christ sitting in her new office.

Carol Christ, who joined the UC Berkeley faculty in 1970 as an assistant professor of Victorian literature, has been confirmed by the UC Board of Regents as the campus’s 11th chancellor. Her tenure as chancellor was effective July 1.

A popular, highly regarded administrator and scholar, she will be the first female chancellor in Berkeley’s 149-year history. During her first three decades at Berkeley, Christ (rhymes with “list”) served in a wide range of leadership roles, rising from English department chair to executive vice chancellor and provost, the campus’s No. 2 administrative position.

She headed east to lead Smith College as president from 2002 to 2013, then returned to Berkeley in 2015 to direct the Center for Studies in Higher Education. She reassumed her former role as second in command last May on an interim basis.

Since resuming her former duties as executive vice chancellor and provost, Christ has been instrumental in tackling what had been a $150 million budget deficit, working tirelessly with constituencies across the campus to identify efficiencies and new income streams.