As a large institution, UC Davis has an extensive and complex system of academic and administrative leadership. The first four links below give an overview of that structure. It is characterized by the system of shared governance. By order of the Regents, the major academic administrative functions of the university: admissions, course approval, degrees, etc. are the responsibility of the faculty and are handled by them through the structure of the Academic Senate. In other matters such as budget, hiring, and promotion, the primary responsibility is with the administration. However, in most areas (including those just mentioned) that directly affect the academic mission, there is extensive consultation between the faculty and the administration. The significance of each aspect of the organization is elucidated only through long experience on the campus.

The effectiveness of a large and complex structure depends upon accountability and performance review. The remaining documents show that there is such a system of review in place for administrative leaders. In other Criteria summaries, the review procedures for faculty, academic units, and administrative units are described.

Closely related topics appear in Standards 3 and 4, and we have provided additional evidence of the effectivenes of our leadership, organization, and decision-making there.

The leadership of the University and indeed its history and culture are very effective in articulating the traditional mission of the university: teaching, research, and service to society. This is very broadly understood on our campus and across the system. These values are central to the system of academic personnel review.