Regent John Moores’ sudden resignation has made waves throughout the University of California.
Moores, 63, resigned in a one-line letter to UC Board of Regents Chairman Richard Blum Monday without any further explanation.
Many students expressed concern over the timing of Moores’ resignation, which comes in the middle of the search for a new UC president but said they were optimistic about the possibility of a new perspective on the Board of Regents.
Originally appointed to the board in 1999, Moores chaired the Board of Regents in 2002 and was expected to serve as a board member until the end of his term in 2009.
Moores declined to comment on the reason for his resignation.
Justin Hotter, external vice president on the Undergraduate Students Association Council, said Moores should have given an explanation for his resignation, especially since, as a member of the regents’ special committee for the selection of the next UC president, Moores would have had an active role in helping shape the UC’s stance on current hot topics such as diversity and university fees.
In addition to being involved in the search for the new president, Moores has historically opposed affirmative action policies.
In a confidential report on admissions that was leaked to the media in 2003, Moores criticized UC Berkeley’s acceptance of applicants with subpar SAT scores.
At the time, Moores was the subject of widespread censure from his colleagues and members of the California educational community for his allegations that comprehensive review is in direct defiance of Proposition 209’s prohibition against discrimination on the basis of race, sex or ethnicity.
But, according to the Diversity Work Group Report, released this year by the Council of University of California Staff Assemblies, lack of diversity has been a continuing problem at all levels of the UC.
Some students have also expressed concerns over steadily increasing fees at the UC in addition to issues of diversity.
“Not only was that report just released to look at increasing diversity in the UC system, there’s a fee increase slated for next year of 7 to 10 percent,” Hotter said. “The UC Regents have to look at that, but now they’re one regent short. It would be nice to have an explanation for that.”
D’Artagnan Scorza, the student regent-designate, said Moores’ resignation could have a negative impact on the Board of Regents.
“Moores’ expertise and experience is definitely a loss to the university since he brought a lot to the table,” Scorza said.
Scorza added that Moores’ departure from the committee to select the new UC president can also be seen as positive.
“They do have to bring in another regent,” Scorza said. “But that will bring in another perspective.”
Student Regent Ben Allen said he sees Moores’ resignation as an opportunity to revitalize the Board of Regents.
“Every time a regent leaves, it opens up a chance for a fresh face, new energy, new ideas,” Allen said. “I just hope the governor chooses wisely and picks someone who believes in the public mission of this university.”
Scorza, Allen and Hotter declined to comment on whether they saw Moores’ resignation as an opportunity to increase the university’s commitment to diversity, but they all said they supported affirmative action as a way to increase diversity.
“The anti-affirmative action movement has had a significant negative impact on diversity at the UC,” Scorza said. “We’re where we were 100 years ago.”