(Newswire.net — February 2, 2018) — San Francisco, CA – Last week, the University of California board of Regents honored Dr. William De La Pena for his professional and academic accomplishments, and presented him with a heart-felt “resolution of appreciation” officially giving him the prestigious title Regent Emeritus after twelve years of distinguished service.
“…the Regents of the University of California wish to commend their good friend and esteemed colleague, William De La Pena, for his 12 years of devoted service to higher education and to the University of California, during which time he has exemplified the best in public service, with unwavering loyalty and commitment to the mission of the University and the people of California… his leadership over many years as a Chair and Vice Chair of the Health Services Committee has strengthened both the governance and operations of the University’s clinical enterprise… his long service on several Committees of the Board… in addition to the Health Services Committee, where his wise counsel was always informed by a heartfelt dedication to the long-term welfare of the University and the nation; and… in recognition of his loyal service as a member of the Board of Regents of the University of California and in the hope that he will remain a vital part of the University of California family, the Regents do hereby confer upon William De La Pena the title Regent Emeritus…
“Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Regents of the University of California express to William De La Pena their genuine appreciation for his dedicated service to the University… that the Regents extend to Bill their affectionate good wishes for continued happiness in the years ahead…”
He was initially appointed to the Board of Regents by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006, and has served in different capacities as a member of committees organized to make administrative decisions in regards to health services, lab oversight, audit, investments and University policy.
His involvement with the University of California has a long history stemming back to his time as a resident in ophthalmology at the Irvine campus. He went on to open his own ophthalmology practice in 1984 which has since become one of the largest in the state; the De La Pena Eye Clinic. During the ceremony honoring Dr. De La Pena’s service, he offered some parting words.
“It has been an honor and privilege to serve as a Regent with such an extraordinary group of people at one of the finest public universities in the world; the University of California. I will miss it.”
Dr. De La Pena sat as Vice Chair and later Chair of the Health Services Committee for much of his time in service. He particularly enjoyed helping shape policy to ensure that Student Health Centers were among the best in the country. The formal resolution expressed their thanks,
“…his experience as a medical doctor, unique to the Board, has enhanced and deepened the Board’s understanding of issues in the rapidly changing health sciences environment, and his leadership over many years as a Chair and Vice Chair of the Health Services Committee has strengthened both the governance and operations of the University’s clinical enterprise, resulting in improvements in patient care, efficiencies in operations and innovations in research that will be influential for decades to come…”
He also sat as Vice Chair of the Labs Oversight Committee helping to make sure the three national labs of the University of California continued to run optimally. Said the resolution,
“…he has ably represented the Regents as an Executive Committee Governor of the Boards of Governors of the Los Alamos National Security, LLC, and Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, employing the expertise he garnered from his many years of leadership as Vice Chair of the Committee on Oversight of the Department of Energy Laboratories in support of the scientific and national security missions of the national laboratories…”
Though, Dr. De La Pena will no longer be in active service as a Regent, his commitment to contributing to education and academic excellence in the medical world will not taper. He has been involved in the international community including his position as Chairman of the Latin American Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, as an executive board member of the Pan-American Ophthalmological Foundation, and as a Member of the Board of Advisors of the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine where he has helped improve the quality of education offered to medical students where his own education as a physician began.