RONALD W. TOBIN
ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR
(Bio Dr. Ronald W. Tobin, AVC )

Welcome to the THE OFFICE OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS (OAP), a unique campus-wide unit created to promote quality teaching within the research university that is UCSB. It also serves as the administrative control point to monitor the overall operations for the departments of Instructional Development, Extended Learning Services, Instructional Computing, Summer Sessions, and the Education Abroad Program.

The diverse agencies under the aegis of OAP impact the campus in a variety of ways but always within the goal of advancing the instructional mission of UCSB. We strive to support first-year programs that provide opportunities for students to launch their college careers successfully and enthusiastically, for example, under the direction of a faculty member in the Residence Halls. Our Instructional Development department, winner of a 1998 Hesburgh award for contributions to undergraduate education, offers counsel and media to faculty and graduate students seeking to enhance their teaching. We are also the agency that assists the faculty with assessment of courses and curricula. We are responsible for Classroom Design and Renovation to assure state of the art instruction. We urge students to acquire a truly liberating education through study abroad during the school year or, more recently, through one of our summer programs. We extend the resources and talent of the research university to the wider public as a major provider to UCTV and through Extended Learning courses for the lifelong pursuit of knowledge.