UCI picks humanities dean, medical center CEO

UCI named a new dean of the School of Humanities at a meeting of the UC Regents at UC San Francisco on Wednesday.

Also Wednesday, the school named a new chief executive officer of its medical center.

UCI professor and historian Vicki Ruiz, 52, was appointed as the dean of humanities, a school that oversees 2,600 students and 180 faculty members.  

Chancellor Michael Drake described Ruiz as a pioneer who has broken down barriers for Latinos in academia.

Ruiz will receive an annual base salary of $221,300 for her new position.

UCI named Maureen Zehntner chief executive of the UCI Medical Center as well as the vice chancellor for medical center affairs.

She has been UCI Medical Center’s chief operating officer since 1996 and was working as the interim chief executive since 2005.

Zehntner will earn $550,000 annually as her base salary.

— Daniel Tedford