A step in the right direction

Deirdre Newman

“How can we do it better?”

That’s the question Susan Wilbur is posing as she prepares to make

the leap from director of admissions at UC Irvine to director of

undergraduate admissions for the entire University of California

system.

After working for the past 23 years at UCI, Wilbur will now focus

on developing and enhancing admissions policy for all 10 UC campuses.

“Doing admissions work has been a lifetime professional goal of

mine, so you’re always happy when you’re able to be selected for a

position where you can do what you [enjoy],” Wilbur said.

Wilbur became director of admissions at UCI in 1993. During her tenure, the total number of freshmen and community college transfer

applications increased from 19,758 to 37,288.

Wilbur will be based at the bustling UC Office of the President in

Oakland starting in January. Since 1997, undergraduate applications

to the UC System have increased by 32%.

“UCI has seen immense growth in application and admissions,” said

C. Judson King, UC provost. “That prepares [Wilbur] well for UC

systemwide growth. ... She will represent UC well in admissions,

which is of great interest to all California, and will be sensitive

to all the issues.”

As head of UCI’s office of admissions, Wilbur presided over some

major changes in the admissions process.

The first was the pilot program of the UC system’s electronic

application in 1995, which more than half of prospective UCI students

are expected to use this year. Also in 1995, the UC Regents voted to

eliminate affirmative action and not consider race, ethnicity or

gender in the admissions decisions.

One of the results of this decision was comprehensive review,

which UCI started using in 1997, ahead of the UC system.

In this process, all the criteria defining a candidate, not just

academic achievement, are taken into consideration for students who

meet the minimum eligibility requirements.

In her new position, Wilbur will work with faculty members in

their discussion of policies, programs and ways for improving

admissions.

“I’ll be making sure the policies and procedures we do implement

are done uniformly and fairly across all the campuses,” Wilbur said.

While Wilbur is excited about the challenges of her new job, she

said she will miss the chance to work on a personal level with

prospective students.

“When you interact with students and are able to make a match

between their interests and what you can offer at the university,

it’s a very rewarding profession,” Wilbur said.