Tirso del Junco, a Los Angeles surgeon and long-time member of the University of California Board of Regents, was elected today (June 21) as chairman of the university's governing board.

The Regents, meeting in San Francisco, also elected Meredith J. Khachigian as vice chairman. Both will serve one-year terms beginning July 1.

A Regent since 1985, del Junco succeeds Regent Clair Burgener as chairman of the 26-member board. Del Junco has served on all seven of the Regents' standing committees, including 10 years on the Committee on Health Services. He was chair of the committee for three years.

Del Junco earlier this year was elected to a one-year term as chairman of the board of governors of the U.S. Postal Service. He is a founder and former chairman of the Los Angeles National Bank and a member of numerous medical, teaching and professional organizations.

Khachigian, a Regent since 1987, has been chairman of the board twice. She is a southern California consultant in community and public affairs and a graduate of UC Santa Barbara. She has been active for many years in matters related to public education, especially those regarding the University of California.

The board also named the following Regents as chairs of the board's standing committees:

Howard H. Leach (audit); Alice J. Gonzales (educational policy); Roy T. Brophy (finance); Velma Montoya (grounds and buildings); John G. Davies (health services); David S. Lee (investments); S. Sue Johnson (oversight of the Department of Energy laboratories).

In addition, the Regents appointed Lee as the board's representative to the California Postsecondary Education Commission and Regent Tom Sayles as the alternate representative. Each will serve two-year terms beginning July 1.