Brennen stepping down as VP for student affairs

After four years as vice president for student affairs, Christopher Brennen will step down at the end of this month and return to teaching and research in mechanical engineering.

Throughout his 33 years at Caltech, Brennen has been involved in improving the quality of student life, not only as dean of students and master of student houses, but by serving on many committees during his time as associate professor and full professor. In 1992, grateful students thanked him with a bench situated between Ricketts and Fleming houses.

Student Affairs includes a wide range of offices and programs, from athletics, admissions and financial aid to the registrar’s office and residence life. The office of the vice president for student affairs oversees the undergraduate and graduate deans, the counseling and health centers, minority student affairs, and other offices that provide services for undergraduate and graduate students .

Brennen’s immediate predecessor was Professor Gary Lorden, who held that position for eight years. President David Baltimore has asked Lorden to assume an interim role while the Institute searches for Brennen’s successor.

Lorden said that the position is one with which he’s quite familiar.

“I really enjoyed the eight years as vice president, but—no understatement—I was thrilled to return to the life of a math professor at Caltech,” he said.

Although he had made arrangements for a spring term sabbatical and an April trip to Paris with his wife, Lorden gave up those plans and agreed to tackle this demanding job. He noted with pleasure the prospect of working again with Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Sharyn Slavin Miller, who has responsibility for a large part of the organization.

“I expect to spend the next half year working with Dr. Miller and my other colleagues in the administration to help Caltech get through an important transition period,” Lorden said. “I will help in any way that I can to make sure that we keep finding effective ways to address issues.

“There’s a lot going on at Caltech, and I want to contribute what I can, but obviously it will be up to Chris’s successor to lead Student Affairs in establishing long-term plans.”

Lorden had nothing but praise for Brennen. “I greatly admire what my friend Chris Brennen brought to the job and what he has accomplished in four years, not to mention the personal sacrifices he has made to serve Caltech and our students.”
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