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Denice Denton, UC Santa Cruz’s late chancellor, died Saturday morning.

In what was an apparent suicide jump, UC Santa Cruz Chancellor Denice Denton fell to her death from the 43rd floor of a San Francisco apartment building Saturday morning, authorities said.

Denton, 46, who was the first openly gay University of California chancellor, was known for being an advocate for women in science and engineering. But in her year as a chancellor, she was also under much criticism for seeking expensive compensation packages, some of which were not disclosed. This included creating a job in the university system for her partner Gretchen Kalonji.

Though the cause of her death is still under investigation, police said they believe she jumped from her partner’s apartment building around 8 a.m. while Kalonji was away on a business trip.

University spokesman Jim Burns said Denton requested a medical leave for unnamed reasons since June 15 and was expected back at work today.

Students said she was recognizably absent from campus activities within the past month from campus events, such as the graduation commencement exercises and practices.

During her career, Denton worked to advance the position of women in traditionally male-dominated fields.

But as chancellor, her prominence in the fields seemed to be overshadowed by scrutiny surrounding her compensation package and the hiring of her partner, Kalonji, into the university system, instigating protests and concerns from students and labor unions.

As the news of the chancellor’s reached the campus and the UC, administrators and students were stunned to hear of her death. University officials learned of her death shortly after it occurred, but since school was not in session, information was not immediately widely distributed.

When he learned of the chancellor’s death, UCSC third-year biology student Christopher Jordan was shocked.

“Wow,” he said, before pausing for a moment to digest the information.

In a statement released Saturday, UCSC Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor David Klinger noted a show of sympathy from the local and national community.

“There has been an outpouring of concern by those who knew and worked with her here at UCSC and nationally, and words do not adequately convey our feelings of sorrow, loss, and compassion,” Klinger said.

Klinger said he has seen the impact of the chancellor’s actions, as she opened doors for young people, women, and minorities.

At her swearing-in ceremony as UCSC’s ninth chancellor early last year, Denton emphasized her commitment to diversity within the academic and college community.

“For me, excellence is achieving the best possible results by engaging the strengths and talents of people from varied backgrounds and personal experiences,” Denton said.

Some of her priorities for the campus included expanding education opportunities, increasing national and international recognition of the innovations and contributions of the UCSC community, and renewing the university’s commitment to the community by increasing affordable housing and promoting on-campus cultural activities.

“Our campus was born of a pioneering vision, which yet endures, replete with stellar achievements. UC Santa Cruz is but a brilliant intimation of even more greatness to come,” Denton said.

After earning engineering degrees at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she became the first tenured woman in engineering at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

At the University of Washington, Denton was the first woman in the nation to lead an engineering college at a major university.

Students said Denton seemed to be under scrutiny about compensation and other financial matters.

“She always seemed like she was under a lot of pressure. She was consistently under slack from students,” Jordan said.

Denton had been under much scrutiny since she was appointed to lead UCSC, receiving a salary of $275,000, which is about one hundred thousand dollars more than the previous chancellor, M.R.C. Greenwood, who had been promoted to UC Provost.

Other benefits included providing her partner a newly created position in the UC system for an annual salary of $192,000 and adding a $30,000 dog run as part of $600,000 in renovations to the chancellor’s UCSC home. Along with other administrators, in the UC executive compensation issue, her financial packages were under investigation, as she received benefits that were not publicly transparent when originally hired.

UC and UCSC have not yet released information regarding Denton’s successor or an interim chancellor.

But despite the scandal and controversy that plagued Denton in her last months, in her past year as the chancellor, UC President Robert Dynes said she had been ambitious in plans she had for the campus and emerged as an important voice in national higher education issues.

“We have lost a wonderful and talented person,” Dynes said.

With reports from Bruin wire services.