Debra Friedman selected as chancellor of UW Tacoma

Interim UW President Phyllis Wise has announced the selection of Debra Friedman as chancellor for the University of Washington Tacoma, effective July 1. The appointment is subject to approval of the UW Board of Regents.

Friedman has been dean of the College of Public Programs and professor of public affairs at Arizona State University since 2005. Since 2008, she also has served as university vice president at ASU, responsible for its Downtown Phoenix campus.

Friedman holds her master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the UW in sociology. She worked at the UW from 1994 to 2005: As assistant dean (1994-5) and associate dean (1995-7) of Undergraduate Education, associate provost for academic planning (1998-2003) and director of special projects in development and alumni relations (2003-5).

“We are very excited to have Dr. Friedman returning to the University of Washington,” said Wise. “She is an intelligent and gifted administrator with a proven track record of leading a vibrant urban campus in Phoenix. Her background and experience, and her commitment to student learning are a perfect match for UW Tacoma.”

Friedman served as the chief administrator of the Downtown Phoenix campus, ASU’s newest, which serves more than 8,000 students. She has served on many major councils and organizations in Phoenix, including the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the Heard Museum and the Downtown Phoenix Partnership.

As dean of the ASU College of Public Programs, Friedman led the relocation of the college to downtown, refined its vision and strategic plan and secured new funds for the college. She mobilized a community advisory board of influential and highly-visible leaders. Four schools and ten centers, as well as six university-wide initiatives, comprise the College of Public Programs, the anchor college of the Downtown Phoenix campus, including the Schools of Public Affairs, Social Work, Criminology, and Community Resources and Development. More than 40 undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees or certificate programs are offered through the college. The College of Public Programs has more than 700 ongoing community partners in public, nonprofit and private sectors where students intern and faculty advance research relationships. Under her leadership, the college has achieved the highest student retention rate at the university, has the most diverse undergraduate student body, and has created a vibrant undergraduate research program. Two of the college’s four schools have achieved high national rankings and the college faculty have created a productive external research program.

Friedman represents ASU in Urban Serving Universities, a national group that advances urban universities’ agenda in Washington, D.C. In 2008, Friedman accepted on behalf of ASU the C. Peter Magrath/W.K Kellogg Community Engagement regional award for the partnership between ASU Downtown Phoenix campus and the City of Phoenix, presented by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

Her annual salary will be $240,000.