University of California names first Black president in system's 152-year-history: Michael V. Drake to succeed Janet Napolitano

Elinor Aspegren, USA TODAY
·2 min read
Dr. Michael Drake has been named president of the University of California, the first Black leader in the system's 152-year history.
Dr. Michael Drake has been named president of the University of California, the first Black leader in the system's 152-year history.

Dr. Michael V. Drake has been chosen as president of the University of California, the first Black leader in the 280,000-student system's 152-year history.

Drake said Tuesday that he was ready to face the university system's challenges, including the coronavirus pandemic, and “the wounds of social injustice,” in addition to long-term threats like climate change.

“The UC is among the few institutions worldwide best equipped, really, to meet these challenges,” he told the board

Drake will succeed Janet Napolitano, who announced last fall that she planned to step down this August. Napolitano, who was the UC system's first female president, said in the announcement that she has "full confidence" in Drake.

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"I am excited to see how his fresh infusion of ideas and new perspectives will shape the University in the months and years ahead," she said.

The UC Board of Regents unanimously approved Drake’s appointment.

UC students had petitioned for a president who would prioritize issues of equity and fairness and be "a powerful advocate at the state and national level," Regent Gareth Elliott said in the announcement.

The Tuesday announcement by the UC Board of Regents comes just a week after Drake retired as president at Ohio State University, where he made “access and affordability” a focus of his presidency, according to The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network.

He implemented a comprehensive tuition freeze for in-state students, the first in decades. The university also broke records for graduation and retention rates, research expenditures, annual fundraising, and academic talent and diversity among incoming classes.

Before going to Ohio State, Drake served as president at UC Irvine from 2005 to 2014 and was previously vice president for health affairs for the UC system.

Ahead of the board’s approval, chair John A. Pérez called Drake’s presidency a homecoming, The Dispatch reported.

“We wanted a new president who could both lead UC through these unprecedented times, and who could position the university to expand on its excellence in the years ahead,” Pérez said.

Contributing: Jennifer Smola, The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch; The Associated Press.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: University of California names first Black president: Michael V. Drake