The search for a successor to outgoing University of California
President Richard Atkinson may not only yield a new president
““ it may also make history. Every UC president in the past
has been a white male, but there is a greater chance now than in
earlier years for a woman or a underrepresented person to emerge on
top. “It’s gotten to that point in time where women and
(minorities) have plenty of opportunities, and I think it’s
going to be a great competition,” said Lt. Gov. Cruz
Bustamante, a regent by virtue of his office. A minority or female
president would serve as a “tremendous symbol of
diversity,” Bustamante added. Monday, UC students, staff and
alumni had a chance to publicly discuss what qualities they want in
the university’s next leader and neither race nor gender ever
came up in open session. Important qualifications mentioned
included a strong academic background, skills to negotiate with
Sacramento lawmakers, and a commitment to diversity. Though not at
the meeting, there has been some talk suggesting the selection
process may for the first time ever choose a non-white or non-male
as president. The selection process cannot formally include race or
gender as stated by the California constitution. “First of
all … it’s illegal,” said UC press aide Michael
Reese, when asked if race or gender would be taken into account.
The regents will look at a broad spectrum of candidates including
people of all races and both genders, he said. Of the eight public
and private schools UC officials use to compare policy, only three
have ever had a non white-male as president. The University of
Michigan is currently headed by a woman, Mary Sue Coleman, who was
hired in 2001. The University of Virginia and Yale have each had
two female presidents.
What to look for The UC Board of Regents is not expected to
formally decide on criteria for picking a president until their
March meeting. Student, staff and alumni advisory committees were
invited to attend Monday’s meeting to suggest general
criteria in the public, though any mention of specific candidates
was relegated to closed session. One of the points raised by the
student committee was that a candidate with university teaching
experience would benefit from having knowledge of faculty-student
and faculty-administrative relations. “As students, we are
united in saying we would like a person that has a faculty
background,” said Stephen Klass, chair of the student
committee. A scholastic background will also help candidates get
past one of the most critical steps in the application process, as
a faculty committee screens all applicants before consideration by
the regents. With the UC facing an uncertain financial future,
alumni and students emphasized the need for a university president
to be able to negotiate in the state capitol. “It means a lot
to the legislature when the president walks into the room and
starts to talk about our budget problems,” said alumni regent
Alfredo Terrazas, who is also a member of the alumni committee.
Students also placed high importance on making sure the next UC
president takes steps to ensure a diverse university student body.
With reports from Ayelet Ifrah, Daily Bruin Contributor