Sacramento, California (AP) – James B. Milliken, who managed enormous public university systems in New York and Texas, was appointed President of the University of California on Friday.
Milliken plays the role of the University of Texas, where he has been a chancellor since 2018. He was also leading roles at the City University of New York, the University of Nebraska and the University of North Carolina.
The UC system has 10 locations, including Berkeley, Los Angeles and Davis. Milliken begins on August 1st. It is paid almost 1.5 million US dollars a year.
“The University of California is generally considered an outstanding public research university in the world, and it is a great honor for me to have the opportunity to join the many talented faculties, employees and campus managers in their vital work,” said Milliken in a press release from the UC. “It is more important than ever that we are expanding the training, research, health care and public service, for which UC is so widespread and so many Californians benefit.”
The announcement comes at a time when the Trump government aims at federal financing at universities in order to obtain it to comply with the political agenda of the Republican President.
The University of California, Berkeley, is one of the dozens of Colleges, which is examined by the US education department for its connections to the doctoral project, a group that aims at diversification of the faculty for business and university formation. The Trump administration also examines Berkeley for allegations of anti-Semitism, which broke out nationwide with pro-Palestinian protests against the war in Gaza last year.
In response to this, Berkeley said that it had “an unshakable commitment” to combat anti -Semitism.
The Trump administration also launched tests in three locations of the University of California via its admission guidelines to determine whether it complies with the decision of the U.S.’s Supreme Court to remove positive measures in the regulations of the universities.
Milliken succeeds Michael V. Drake as UC President. Drake was the first black person who served in the role in the more than 150-year history of the system. Drake announced last year that he would resign as President since 2020, and the system by Coronavirus Pandemic, a student strike and various protests on campus.
His announcement last July, he wanted to step down, followed a particularly turbulent spring. For several days in April and early May, Conterprotesters attacked a Pro Palestinian camp on the UCLA, which had grown on campus, and the law enforcement authorities waited hours to intervene. The next day, the authorities in Riot Gear distributed more than 1,000 people who had gathered to support the camp.
Drake said that Milliken had “the depth of wisdom and experience” in order to cope with the challenges associated with the leadership of one of the country’s largest public university systems.
“I have great confidence in his leadership and his commitment to the permanent values of the university,” he said in an explanation. “I look forward to his appointment and look forward to seeing everything he will achieve at the university.”
Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, said in a statement that he was enthusiastic that Milliken was selected for the role of “promoting the next chapter of innovation, talent and progress that will shape California and the country for future generations”.
