Karla Fox, professor of business administration, has been appointed associate vice chancellor, effective January 15. She will fill a vacancy resulting from various transfers and retirements in the chancellor's office.

Fox, who joins the chancellor's immediate staff and will move to an office in Gulley Hall, is charged with serving as liaison between faculty members and the administration.

She will have responsibility for the master planning committee, academic and administrative program assessment, the Board of Trustees distinguished professor selection committee, and the parking advisory committee. She also will be the University's liaison with the state Department of Higher Education.

"We have an excellent management team that has addressed many issues identified in the Strategic Plan," she says. "One of the challenges is to encourage the various units to work together."

Fox sees her role largely as one of coordination and communication. "Administrators are very busy working in their areas and faculty are very busy working in their areas. We need to facilitate communication between the various constituencies," she says. "Communication is an ongoing issue that has to be nurtured and addressed."

Fox's experience and qualifications ideally suit her for the position.

A faculty member for more than 20 years, she came to UConn in 1976 as an assistant professor in the School of Business Administration, specializing in business law, employment law and business ethics. She received tenure in 1982 and became a full professor in 1988. She has published two textbooks and numerous articles.

She also has served the University in a variety of other capacities. From 1989 to 1996 she served as associate dean of business administrati on. She has served on the University Senate and its executive committee, and as the Senate representative to the Board of Trustees and its institutional advancement committee. In addition, she is a past president of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP).

"Not only does Karla bring important and impressive credentials to this position, she brings as well a record of accomplishment as a constructive and productive University citizen," said Chancellor Mark Emmert in a memo announcing the appointment.

"She has brought her knowledge and ability to a multiplicity of University endeavors over the years - accreditation, strategic and master planning, athletic advisory, continuous quality improvement, assessment, promotion, tenure and reappointment, and various other University entities."

Fox will continue to teach a course on legal regulation of health care in the MBA program. "It's a hot issue right now," she says, "with the patients' bill of rights and HMO legislation."

Fox holds a bachelor's degree in history and a J.D. from Duke University. She has worked as a staff attorney for the Durham, N.C., legal aid clinic, as legislative legal advisor to the Connecticut General Assembly, and as a lawyer in private practice with a Willimantic law firm.

Elizabeth Omara-Otunnu