University of California president to step down following 5 years marked by pandemic, campus protests

3 months ago 9

The president of the University of California announced Wednesday he would step down after five years of leading one of the nation’s largest public university systems through the coronavirus pandemic, labor strikes and campus protests.

Michael V. Drake, the first Black person to serve in the role in the system's more than 150-year history, said he would step down at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. He called serving in the post “the honor of a lifetime.”

“I am immensely proud of what the UC community has accomplished,” Drake said in a statement. “At every turn, I have sought to listen to those I served, to uphold our shared UC values, and to do all I could to leave this institution in better shape than it was before. I’m proud to see the University continuing to make a positive impact on the lives of countless Californians through research, teaching, and public service.”