When Ralph Cicerone became UC Irvine’s chancellor in 1998, he quickly realized the campus had a dull reputation.

“We would go into dorms on the weekend and find that most of the students had gone home or gone to a friend’s home,” he recalled.

While it was the kind of problem that some university heads might ignore, Cicerone forged deals with local businesses to provide student discounts, expanded athletics and supported the arts.

“I surprised the hell out of them and got a tremendous response when I told them the No. 1 issue I had was student life on campus,” Cicerone said. “We did a number of things to get students to stay more.”

Cicerone’s actions reveal how much a chancellor can influence not just the student experience but engage the broader community. So, as the search continues for UCI’s sixth chancellor, the question is: What will the new chancellor’s priorities be?

UC President Janet Napolitano plans to nominate a new UCI chancellor at the Board of Regents’ mid-September meeting. If approved, the candidate could take the helm in time for the start of fall classes.

Whom Napolitano will nominate is anyone’s guess. Calling the search for UCI’s chancellor confidential, both Napolitano and UCI officials declined to comment.

But whoever takes the position will face a variety of immediate challenges. Rising student fees, catering to a wider campus diversity and the downsides of turning 50 years old are just some of the issues waiting on the chancellor’s desk.

Here is a closer look at eight issues competing for the new chancellor’s attention.

WIELDING POWER

The challenge: “The person does have to have gravitas. It’s probably easier lost than to be gained,” Cicerone said. “Abusing the position, it can be written off. I’m always worried about that.”

Why it matters: Chancellors aren’t typically household names, but they can wield influence beyond university affairs. When Cicerone was UCI’s chancellor, he led a campaign to keep a public TV channel and pressured newspapers to write more about local government.

“I was furious that the local newspapers had not covered the elections,” said Cicerone, now president of the National Academy of Sciences. “I never would have gotten in to see them if I wasn’t the chancellor of UCI.”

Cicerone also stepped into the public spotlight after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

“We had a rally in the center of campus to talk about what had happened and what would be required of us from now on,” Cicerone said. “We invited nearby businesses, people who had never been to the campus before, because people were looking for sanity.”

ENROLLMENT GOALS

The challenge: Ten years ago, UCI produced a strategic plan that included the goal of enrolling 32,000 students by the following fall. The goal aimed to meet increased demand with population growth.

This year, UCI received 82,450 applications for the fall quarter, an 18 percent increase from just two years ago.

Why it matters: As much as it has grown, the university is short of reaching that goal. It enrolled 29,600 students last year and anticipates enrolling 30,400 this fall.

Campus administrators blame the stunted growth on inadequate state support. Though UCI’s annual spending has grown by 64 percent to $2.3 billion in the past eight years, state funding has stayed relatively flat.

SKYROCKETING TUITION

The challenge: Students have experienced the steepest jump in university tuition in recent years.

Annual tuition and fees for in-state undergraduates grew to $14,600 this year from $8,800 in 2008.

The followup: In an effort to soften the pinch on in-state students, UCI and other campuses have expanded admissions for out-of-state and international students who pay more than twice as much in tuition and fees than in-state students.

Why it matters: Preliminary data for this fall show the most non-Californian admissions in at least six years. Non-Californians represented about 1 in 15 admitted freshmen in 2008. The ratio this fall is about 1 in 4.

ENGAGING STUDENTS

The challenge: Reza Zomorrodian, undergraduate student president, said the next chancellor should be more involved in student affairs and “pivot away from spending a majority of their time” with off-campus interests.

“There’s a sentiment, especially in the UC System, that chancellors are more external figures,” Zomorrodian said. “I think students feel sometimes that chancellors are disengaged from direct contact.”

Why it matters: Zomorrodian’s predecessor, Nicole Hisatomi, said former UCI Chancellor Michael Drake would “hear them but wouldn’t really listen. When it came to student activism and protest, there was a general feeling he wanted everything to be quieted down.”

UCI RANKING CHANGE

The challenge: With UCI’s 50th anniversary next year, the university falls out of a national ranking’s “under 50” category and must compete against older, more established institutions. In the current ranking for all American universities, the Times Higher Education places UCI below 43 others.

Why it matters: The university has long promoted that the Times twice ranked it No. 1 in the nation among universities under 50 years old. Among other places, this ranking has been mentioned in the job posting for UCI’s next chancellor and materials shared with prospective donors.

DIVERSITY

The challenge: The demographics of UCI’s faculty and students have become more diverse, presenting its next chancellor with an array of voices to consider.

Due in part to a shift in admission policies, the number of Latinos enrolled at UCI has particularly climbed in recent years.

Latinos represented about 17 percent of the student body in 2012, up from 10 percent a decade earlier.

Why it matters: Despite the rise in Latino students, the number of Latinos in academic jobs hasn’t seen similar growth, according to the UC System. Latinos represented 6.8 percent of those in academic jobs in 2012, about the same ratio as a decade earlier.

In outlining the desired qualities of his successor, the UC system said candidates should put a “continuing emphasis on diversity.”

FUNDRAISING

The challenge: In 2005, the university foundation set a goal to raise $1 billion for campus programs by next year. Recent reports show fundraising is on track, with more than $900 million already raised, but it will be the next chancellor’s job to cross the finish line.

Why it matters: Under Drake, who received $401,000 last year, private donations to the UCI’s foundation more than doubled.

UC officials reported $25.9 million in the 2003-04 fiscal year and $52.6 million in the 2012-13 fiscal year, the most recent available.

CASH COW

The challenge: Whoever the regents select for chancellor will oversee the medical center – the university’s biggest revenue source – and pick a new vice chancellor to oversee health services and replace Ralph Clayman, whose resignation as dean of the medical school took effect in July.

Why it matters: UCI’s medical center has seen tremendous expansion over the past decade, including the new Douglas Hospital in Orange and Gavin Herbert Eye Institute in Irvine. Between 2005 and last year, the number of patient discharges grew to 19,400 from 17,500.