The Regional Oral History Office (ROHO) recently published an interview with Robert Birgeneau, the Chancellor at UC Berkeley from 2004-2013. The interview is part of the Oral Histories on the Management of Intercollegiate Athletics at UC Berkeley: 1960 – 2014 series, conducted by John Cummins, and focuses on Birgeneau’s contributions to the management of Intercollegiate Athletics at Berkeley during his tenure.
Birgeneau was Chancellor during the one of the worst economic downturns following the Great Recession. His leadership guided UC Berkeley through this financial crisis, dealing with the challenges of student protests over tuition hikes while he was creating a long-term financial model for the campus. He also successfully launched the largest capital campaign in campus history. This critical period also involved controversial issues associated with intercollegiate athletics, such as construction of the Simpson Student Athlete High Performance Center and the renovation of Memorial Stadium.
Full interview: Robert Birgeneau Oral History (PDF)