Pages

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Dr. Michael Drake is the New UC President

From the LA TimesMichael V. Drake, a national champion for access and equity who previously headed Ohio State University and UC Irvine, (is) named the new president of the University of California and first Black leader in the system’s 152-year history...

Under his tenure, (OSU) boosted the number of students who are low-income, underrepresented minorities and the first in their families to attend college. Black students, however, remain underrepresented at Ohio State, accounting for 6.8% of enrolled students in a state where Black residents make up 13% of the population. That’s a larger gap than at UC campuses, where Black students account for about 4% of enrollment compared with the state’s proportion of Black residents at 6%.

At Ohio State, Drake also worked to lower the cost of attendance and increase financial aid — issues that loom large for UC students. He introduced a financial model that raises costs for tuition, mandatory fees, housing and dining once for incoming freshmen, then locks them in for four years. Under his tenure, Ohio State boosted financial aid to low- and moderate-income Ohioans by more than $200 million since 2015, twice his initial target, and increased grants and scholarships.

He is also credited with helping Ohio State hit record highs in applications, graduation rates and sponsored research awards. Last year, he announced a $4.5-billion fundraising campaign, the largest goal in the school’s history.

While some faculty at both Ohio State and UC Irvine said he was not the most visible or hands-on academic leader, he was popular with students. Alexis Gomes, an incoming fifth-year Ohio State student in neuroscience, said students appreciated his initiatives to cut fees, lower textbook costs and provide all students with an iPad, Apple pencil and a notetaking app...

Full story at https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-07-07/michael-v-drake-is-expected-to-be-named-uc-president-first-black-leader-in-systems-152-year-history

Note: We will archive the audio of the special Regents meeting of today where the announcement was made when it is available.

No comments: