UCLA Chancellor Gene Block Announces Departure After 16 Years of Leadership

After serving as the Chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for 16 years, Gene Block has announced that he will step down next summer. Block’s leadership has been marked by significant achievements and challenges during his tenure.

Under Block’s guidance, UCLA has excelled as the top-ranked public university in the nation for six consecutive years. During his time as chancellor, student enrollment increased by 24%, and he ensured that undergraduates were guaranteed housing by building 15 residential buildings—the first and only UC school to do so.

Throughout the pandemic, Block successfully navigated the university, showcasing his leadership skills during trying times. He also emphasized the university’s research prowess, resulting in five Nobel Prizes awarded in the past decade, and nearly doubling external annual research funding.

Despite these achievements, Block faced a major scandal during his tenure when a former UCLA gynecologist was sentenced to prison for sexually abusing patients. The incident cost the UC system nearly $700 million in settlements.

As he prepares to step down, Block plans to work on UCLA’s new strategic plan and further develop initiatives such as UCLA South Bay and UCLA Downtown properties.

Following his departure, Block will continue to contribute to UCLA’s academic community by returning to the lab and conducting research as a member of the faculty in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences within the David Geffen School of Medicine and the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology within the UCLA College.

The UC Office of the President will initiate a national search to find UCLA’s next chancellor, who will continue the legacy of academic excellence and leadership established during Block’s tenure.