New Staff Advisor-Designate Selected for 2014-16 Term

Following a systemwide search, Deidre “De”Acker of UC Merced (and formerly of UC Santa Barbara) has been selected as the staff advisor-designate to the UC Board of Regents.

Acker, who will serve a two-year term beginning July 1, joins Donna Coyne, associate director of admissions for application services at UCSB, the 2013-15 staff advisor. Coyne replaces Kathy Barton of UC Riverside, whose two-year appointment ends June 30.

 “De’s depth of understanding of staff issues and her broad experience as a UC staff member make her an ideal candidate for the Staff Advisor role,” Napolitano said.  “I look forward to working with her during the next two years.”

Napolitano, in consultation with Chair of the Regents Bruce Varner, selected Acker from finalists recommended by a selection committee that included current and former staff advisors and other staff from campuses and the Office of the President.

“I care deeply about the experience of all employees in the UC system, and I’m interested in working to help UC be the place where people want to work and build their careers,” Acker said.

Acker, a UCSB alumna, brings a long and deep connection to UC to the position.  She has been a UC employee for more than 25 years, first at UCSB where she held a variety of positions including that of director of the Women’s Center for 12 years. In that role she supervised the sexual harassment and violence prevention education programs, helped to establish a campus mediation service, served as co-president of the Professional Women’s Association and established a campus resource center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.

She moved to UC Merced first as a volunteer, helping to coordinate staff from around the system, who helped with the campus’s first student move-in day.  Soon after, she took a position as assistant dean of the School of Natural Sciences, and in 2012 was named the first ombuds for the university.

Acker has also served as a volunteer mediator, mentor and investigator at both UCSB and UC Merced.  “I’m very interested in improving climate for staff,” she said. “Having worked on two campuses, in three divisions and as a student employee, I’ve seen a lot. I’m very interested in creating and supporting inclusive environments for our increasingly diverse population.”

As staff advisor-designate, Acker will bring the voice and perspective of staff and non-Senate academic employees to Board of Regents deliberations. She will participate as a non-voting advisor on seven Regents’ committees.

More information about the role of the Staff Advisor to the Regents is available at http://staffadvisors.universityofcalifornia.edu.