The University of California at Berkeley — no stranger to provocative corporate partnerships, considering its previous relationship with Novartis and its current one with BP — has just hired a Wall Street financier to help it forge additional ones.

The university has named Frank D. Yeary as a new vice chancellor. Mr. Yeary, a Berkeley alumnus who is resigning as global head of mergers and acquisitions for Citigroup, will report directly to the chancellor, Robert J. Birgeneau, and will advise him, the executive vice chancellor and provost, and their senior staffs on strategic planning and financial issues important to the campus.

“The critical purpose for bringing Frank Yeary into this position is to strengthen our financial position through strategies that blend public and private support and that take advantage of opportunities, partnerships, and alliances,” said Mr. Birgeneau, according to a university news release. Mr. Yeary said he would donate his $200,000 salary to the university.

In announcing the appointment, Mr. Birgeneau said that Berkeley was not prepared for the financial challenges of declining government support five years ago, according to The Contra Costa Times. With Mr. Yeary and other new additions, the university will be able to deal with obstacles, he said. —Goldie Blumenstyk