In his 20 years as vice chancellor of student affairs, Winston Doby has built a solid reputation as a champion for all UCLA students with his unwavering commitment to enhancing their quality of life.

In recent years, he has become the driving force behind UCLA's outreach efforts to improve educational opportunities for California students.

After an affiliation dating back to his student days in 1958, UCLA's longest-serving vice chancellor will assume Jan. 1 the position of vice president of educational outreach for the University of California, becoming one of the highest-ranking African Americans in the UC system.

Said Chancellor Albert Carnesale: "Now the entire University of California system will have the benefit of Winston's knowledge and experience in preparing students to meet the challenges of higher education."

Doby said he hadn't intended to ever leave UCLA until Sept. 11. "The events of Sept.11 made me realize that I was caught in my own comfort zone here. I needed to reassess my life and take on new challenges," said Doby, who decided to delay retirement.

Foremost among those will be overseeing systemwide outreach efforts aimed at preparing more students for admission to UC. His office will coordinate UC's work with K-12 and community college educators to improve the quality of teaching, curricula and student performance.

"The university -- and outreach, in particular -- is going to be hard-pressed to maintain support from the state, given this difficult budget climate," Doby said. "We need to be more creative in rethinking how we go about doing the things we do to have a greater impact."

Doby's initiation as a Bruin was purely happenstance. A track standout and city champion from Fremont High, he had planned on attending Compton College. On the last week of school, however, his track coach -- aware of his athletic talent and academic prowess -- drove him to UCLA, urging the coaches there to award him a scholarship.

Doby went on to earn three degrees at UCLA: a bachelor's in mathematics, a master's in education and a doctorate in higher education administration.

As vice chancellor of student affairs, he heads an organization responsible for providing programs and services to 34,000 students -- encompassing such units as undergraduate admissions, financial aid, the registrar's office, dean of students, residential life, health services and outreach. Under his direction, the Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center and the Tom Bradley International Hall were built, and the Wooden Center renovated.

Said alumna Jennifer Poulakidas, legislative director of UC Federal Relations in Washington, D.C.: "As a member of student government, you tend to take an adversarial position with the administrators. But Winston was different. I always felt I could trust him because he always had our best interests at heart."

Doby's greatest contribution to UCLA remains his commitment to educational equity for all students. That commitment was never more evident than in the difficult years following the ban on affirmative action. As co-chair of UCLA's Outreach Steering Committee, he established the Career-Based Outreach Program to strengthen the academic preparation of college-bound students in educationally disadvantaged schools. Today, Doby oversees an expansive program that has the potential to benefit nearly 250,000 students in 94 schools across Los Angeles.

"I hope that when people think of me, they will remember me as one who remained committed to the campus's quest for greatness and committed to ensuring that this quest for greatness included a commitment to equity and justice," Doby said.