Monroe Gorden, Jr., J.D. Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs he, him, his
Having spent more than 30-years in or around the UCLA campus as a student, alumnus, patron, educator and administrator, Monroe is an advocate of the three pillars of the University of California: Teaching, Research, and Public Service.
UCLA Student Affairs, through its more than 20 departments, strives to support student academic excellence, develop student leadership skills and commitment to life-long learning, advance student inclusion and belonging, and promote student health and wellbeing. In his role as Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Monroe puts this Student Affairs mission into action by leading a team of campus educators who touch the foundational aspects of each UCLA student’s development and experiences at the university.
Among the many important initiatives offered throughout Student Affairs, Monroe is passionate about student leadership development; one of many examples of the organization’s broad outreach and support which. bolsters the skillsets of UCLA students. These programs allow Student Affairs educators to connect directly with students, instill strong leadership lessons and build critical life skills. The programs reflect Monroe’s values and commitment to student success through the transformative power of higher education.
A Bruin alumnus, Monroe spent his years before coming to UCLA practicing law, first as a civil litigation attorney and then as in-house counsel for two publicly traded companies. He began his professional career at UCLA in 2006 as the Chief Administrative and Financial Officer for Student Affairs, overseeing all aspects of budget, human resources, compliance and strategic planning for the organization. Next, Monroe assumed heighted leadership roles as the Assistant and then Associate Vice Chancellor in Student Affairs. In these positions, Monroe directly supervised nearly all of the departments within the organization, and when necessary, served as the Interim Director until a unit head could be identified. Finally, for over 15 years Monroe served as either the campus ADA/504 Compliance Officer or directly supervised the coordinator hired for this work. In this role, Monroe was able to advocate for and implement critical programs and services that allowed for greater campus accessibility for students, faculty, staff and visitors with disabilities.
Monroe earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UCLA, a Juris Doctorate from the Pepperdine University School of Law and completed the UCLA Anderson School of Management Executive Certificate Program. With his decades long experience with the campus and the city of Los Angeles, Monroe feels blessed to lead a UCLA organization that is dedicated to development, belonging and growth. When asked, Monroe sums up his excitement in two words: “GO BRUINS!”