A top UC official who has been heading university operations for the past year announced on Monday his intent to resign by September.

Wyatt R. Hume, the university provost and executive vice president for academic and health affairs, announced that he would be stepping down from his post after two years of serving as provost.

"It has been a personal delight for me to be with you over the last three years, and an honor to serve again in the University of California," said Hume in an e-mail to his colleagues at the UC Office of the President. "These years have been fascinating, challenging and, largely because of your collegiality and positive spirit, very rewarding."

The announcement came on UC President Mark Yudof's first day in office. Hume said in his e-mail that he did not previously want to announce his intention to resign because of his responsibilities as chief operating officer.

Hume took over the day-to-day operations of the university after former UC President Robert Dynes announced in August his intent to resign this year. Although Dynes continued his presidency until Yudof assumed the post on Monday, Hume has been the chief operating officer of the university since last year.

During his tenure as provost and as an executive vice president, Hume was involved in collaborative efforts to restructure the UC Office of the President and to navigate the university's budget.

"I think he led the university through a difficult transition period and put his heart and soul into the university," said Student Regent Benjamin Allen. "It was not an easy job to step into, and Rory stepped into it."

At the UC Office of the President, Allen said Hume dealt with budget and structural matters with professionalism and grace, and handled the long search for Dynes' replacement in the same manner; he also dealt with some strong personalities on the UC Board of Regents.

After receiving a second doctoral degree in dentistry from the University of Adelaide in his native Australia, Hume began his career at the University of California in 1975 as a postdoctoral research fellow at UCLA.

From there, he taught and held academic and administrative positions at UCLA, University of Adelaide, UC San Francisco and University of New South Wales before retiring from the University of California.

However, in 2005, Hume suspended his retirement to become the university's vice president of both academic and health affairs. The two divisions came together when Hume took over the roles, according to UC spokesperson Brad Hayward.

Hume was then named provost and executive vice president for both academic and health affairs in 2006.

Many who worked with Hume said they thought he was very helpful.

"This year we really fostered a good relationship with him," said UC Students Association President Louise Hendrickson. "He was really receptive."

Tags: WYATT R. HUME, UNIVERSITY PROVOST, VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AND HEALTH AFFAIRS