University of California President Michael Drake announced Wednesday that he will step down as president at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year.
Drake took over as the first Black president of one of the nation’s largest public university systems in July 2020, at the start of the pandemic.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as UC president these past few years, and I am incredibly proud of what the UC community has accomplished,” Drake said. “I have always listened to the people I served, upheld UC’s shared values, and done all I can to leave this university better than we found it. I am proud that through research, teaching and public service, UC continues to positively impact the lives of countless Californians.”
During his tenure as president, Chancellor Drake had many accomplishments: he implemented the UC Native American Opportunity Plan, increased the number of students in the system, created a tuition stabilization plan and secured a 5% funding increase over five years.
“Over the next year, we will continue the work that has been the focus of my tenure, including expanding student support, creating a debt-free path to a UC education so more California students can benefit from a UC degree, further advancing the university’s academic and research excellence, and working to foster a safe, respectful community that fosters the free exchange of ideas,” Drake said.
Drake’s tenure was also turbulent, as he had to navigate many labor and political issues.
He joined the university system in July 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and had to balance competing opinions about what restrictions should be in place on campus.
In 2022, he faced the nation’s largest higher education strike, as well as other union disputes.
Late last year, UC campuses were thrown into turmoil when pro-Palestinian encampments were set up on the campuses, leading to clashes between protesters and the arrest of hundreds at the University of California, Los Angeles.
The University of California Board of Regents will soon form a committee to select the next chancellor of the University of California system.
