University of California president to step down after five years marked by pandemic, campus protests

The president of the University of California has announced he will step down after serving in the role for five years. Michael V. Drake was the first Black person to lead the system in its more than 150-year history. He began the role during the coronavirus pandemic, and he led it during labor strikes and campus protests. Drake secured increased state funding for the system to boost enrollment and to make its colleges more accessible to underrepresented students. He came to the role after spending decades working in higher education. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom lauded his accomplishments as president.