University of California (UC) President Michael V. Drake announced on Wednesday plans to step down from the role at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year. Drake will complete a five-year tenure as the 21st president after beginning his appointed role in July 2020.
Drake began his presidency during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and led UC schools during their first full academic year of online instruction. His administration also faced the largest union-led education strike in 2022 and pro-Palestinian protests and encampments across several UC campuses in the spring.
Starting as a medical student at UC San Francisco, Drake assumed multiple positions within the UC early on in his career. He served five years as the UC vice president for Health Affairs beginning in 2000 and served as chancellor of UCI for nine years thereafter. Before becoming UC’s first Black president, Drake was the 15th president of Ohio State University from 2014 to 2020.
Drake proposed multiple initiatives during his presidency with a focus on “preserving and improving educational quality and research excellence, maintaining access and opportunity through new student support initiatives, growing enrollment of California students from all backgrounds, and expanding access to quality health care across California,” according to the UC Office of the President press release.
These initiatives included a five-year funding contract with California state legislation, the development of the Tuition Stability Plan and the UC Native American Opportunity Plan.
“His legacy of service in higher education has undoubtedly helped us grow the next generation of extraordinary California leaders, and it’s been an honor to work alongside him,” California Governor Newsom said in the press release.
In a letter to the community, Drake announced plans to take a sabbatical and then return to UC as faculty.
“I am immensely proud of what our students, faculty, and staff have accomplished these past several years,” Drake said. “It has been my honor to serve as your president.”
UC Regents Chair Janet Reilly will initiate a committee to search for the 22nd UC president. The national search committee will include representatives from students, faculty, alumni, staff and the UC Regents.
Skylar Paxton is the 2024-2025 Co-Managing Editor. She can be reached at paxtons@uci.edu.
