Denice Denton
Denice Denton | |
|---|---|
| File:DeniceDenton.jpg | |
| 9th Chancellor of the University of California, Santa Cruz | |
| Assumed office February 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Martin Chemers |
Denice Dee Denton (1960? - June 24, 2006) was the ninth Chancellor of the University of California, Santa Cruz. She took over on February 14, 2005 from Acting Chancellor Martin Chemers, who had run the campus since former Chancellor M.R.C Greenwood was appointed to a higher position within the University of California. In the midst of her second year of service as Chancellor, Denton died after jumping off the roof of a 42-story-tall apartment building in San Francisco, California. [1]
Denton was no stranger to controversy. Her appointment received widespread attention because of her openness about her lesbian orientation. There was also significant criticism from UC service and clerical worker's unions when her partner Gretchen Kalonji was hired to work for the UC system at $192,000 a year. In 2005, Denton received media attention due to the university's response to the "Tent University" event being held at the base of campus, where 20 students were arrested using pain compliance techniques. In late 2005, it was revealed that an antiwar group on campus, S.A.W., was being spied on by the U.S. Department of Defense as revealed in papers released by the National Broadcasting Company. Denton took action against such activity. Eyebrows were also raised when she missed UCSC's 2006 commencement ceremony; the university, at that time, announced that she was ill.
Chancellor Denton was formerly the Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Washington. She was the first woman to hold such a position. She also held positions on committees that chose recipients of the Medal of Science and of the Waterman Award.