From its founding, the Center has offered a home for research on the history of the University of California. In 1989, Center Research Associate Carroll Brentano organized and convened the University History Seminar. The Center’s first historical publication, Chapters in the History of the University of California, was co-edited by Brentano and Rothblatt and co-published with UC Berkeley’s Institute for Governmental Studies. The Center subsequently published a UC history series under Brentano’s editorship, the University of California Chronicle: a Journal of University History, from 1998 to 2009.
In 1996, Arnold Leiman (Psychology) became Director, immediately following his service as Chair of the Academic Council of the university-wide Faculty Senate. Most unfortunately, he became ill soon after taking office and passed away in 1999. He was followed by two short-term interim Directors, Michael Heyman (Law, former Berkeley Chancellor, former Secretary, Smithsonian Museum) and Karl Pister (Civil Engineering, former Santa Cruz Chancellor). Then in 2004 Judson King (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, former universitywide Provost and Senior Vice President – Academic Affairs, former Berkeley Provost – Professional Schools and Colleges) became Director, serving through 2014. During these years, the Center moved to Evans Hall when South Hall Annex became slated to be demolished because of structural defects.
Several major programs were launched during this period:
The Clark Kerr Lectures program
The Clark Kerr Lectures program became fully established in 2001, endowed by grants from both the UC Office of the President and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. At two-year intervals, the program brings eminent figures from higher education to UC Berkeley for a week or more for discussions and talks.
Student Experience in the Research University (SERU)
University historian John Douglass was appointed to the Center in 1997 as Senior Research Fellow to undertake studies on a variety of issues. In concert with UC Santa Barbara Sociology Professor Richard Flacks, he identified the need for improved information on the student experience throughout the UC system as it entered a new era of enrollment growth and financial constraints. In late 2001, the Center proposed the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey, funded by the Office of the President and UC campuses and piloted in 2002. In 2008, SERU expanded the number of institutions administering the Survey, forming a consortium of large research universities that included several Association of American Universities (AAU) institutions in addition to the nine undergraduate UC campuses. The project consortium has become international and is under the leadership of SERU Consortium Director Igor Chirikov.
UC History Digital Archive (UCHDA) and the Research and Occasional Paper Series
Douglass also founded the UC History Digital Archive (UCHDA) in 1999 with funding from UC President Emeritus Richard Atkinson. The project digitized a wide swath of archival materials and books that the California Digital Library (CDL) then incorporated. Under Douglass’ editorship, the Center also initiated an on-line Research and Occasional Paper Series.
Studies of Doctoral Education
Doctoral education expert and German historian Anne MacLachlan was appointed Senior Researcher by Director Arnie Leiman in 1996. She continued her work on access, success and employment of women and underrepresented minorities in doctoral programs and beyond as well as for her comparative work on German and U.S. graduate programs. She was awarded a Spencer Foundation Major Grant, May 2000-May 2004 for “A Longitudinal Study of Minority Ph.D.s from 1980-1990, Progress and Outcomes in Science and Engineering at UCB,” developed programs on and for doctoral students, women in science (funding the Packard Foundation), took charge of the CSHE Visiting Scholars program and the CSHE library.
Higher Education in a Digital World
A large research project during this period concerned the changing nature of scholarly communication (i. e., publishing, etc.), overseen by Center researcher Diane Harley and Director King. This project was carried out with major funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and was preceded by other research by Harley on higher education in a digital world.
eScholarship
In a related project, the Center’s open-access eScholarship site was initiated with book-length memoirs and historical studies. The Center also made use of the site when creating and housing President Emeritus David Pierpont Gardner’s presidential website. Content development for the site was supported by Karen Merritt with technical support provided by Kim Karl.
The Berkeley Institutes on Higher Education
Short courses of two natures were developed and offered. The Berkeley Institutes on Higher Education covered aspects of characteristics of research universities and university governance, given both as single courses for national and international enrollees during the summer, and as courses for organized groups from universities in other countries, tuned to their interests. Ellen Switkes acted as program coordinator.
The Executive Leadership Academy
Founded in 2011 by Josefina Castillo Baltodano, who served as Executive Director through 2025, the Executive Leadership Academy(ELA) prepares higher education administrators for senior leadership roles, including dean, vice president, provost, president, and chancellor. In 2014, ELA established an Advisory Board to help guide the program's strategic direction and continued growth. In 2017, Samantha A. Rushing joined ELA and later became its first full-time employee and Associate Director, helping expand the program's reach and impact. In 2026, Pardis Mahdavi became Executive Director, ushering in a new chapter for ELA. Designed for a time of profound change in higher education, ELA equips leaders to think strategically, lead boldly, and act globally. Participants develop the skills to navigate complexity, align mission with strategy, and guide their institutions through uncertainty and transformation with a systems-level perspective.