Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano has been nominated to become the first-ever female president of the University of California, according to a statement released Friday.
If approved by the UC Board of Regents, Napolitano would be the first high-profile political figure to head the UC, a post that has typically been held by academics.
She received a unanimous vote from the special UC search committee designated to appoint the next president, according to the statement.
“While some may consider her to be an unconventional choice, Secretary Napolitano is without a doubt the right person at the right time to lead this incredible University,” said Sherry Lansing, chair of the special committee that selected the president, in the statement. “She will bring fresh eyes and a new sensibility – not only to UC, but to all of California.”
The Board of Regents will act on Napolitano’s recommendation after its regular board meeting Thursday, according to another UC statement released Friday.
[Updated at 10:15 a.m. President Barack Obama wished Napolitano luck on her next career move in a statement released today.
“Since day one, Janet has led my administration’s effort to secure our borders, deploying a historic number of resources, while also taking steps to make our immigration system fairer and more consistent with our values,” Obama said in the statement. “… And as she begins a new chapter in a remarkable career of public service, I wish her the best of luck.”
In her own statement, Napolitano said she was honored to have served President Obama as head of homeland security for the past four years, during which she addressed immigration, anti-terrorism and natural disasters.
“I thank President Obama for the chance to serve our nation during this important chapter in our history, and I know the Department of Homeland Security will continue to perform its important duties with the honor and focus that the American public expects.”
Napolitano acknowledged she is a non-traditional candidate. She said she will focus on listening to others and reaching out to the regents, campus leadership and students.]
[Updated at 12:48 p.m. UCLA Chancellor Gene Block also issued a statement, expressing his support of the nomination.
Compiled by Kristen Taketa, Bruin senior staff.
absolutely ridiculous choice!!! she was a failure at homeland security….sherry lansing, who headed the search committee, is a big obama supporter….it’s politics as usual for this pathetic state and country…..obama probably pulled strings to get her here….disgusted!!!!
Are we really going to let someone who has multiple discrimination lawsuits, controversies, failures to count run the UC? UC Davis people were pepper sprayed and by Yudof and nothing happened. What is Napolitano going to allow to happen to us now? Better yet what will she force upon us? I’m pretty sure she actually backed the mass data collection of immigrants in the “Secure Communities” program, so what will this mean for all the Dream Act students that are finally getting help- or better yet some fare treatment instead of threats from the UC?
She is such a horrible choice. There has to be a way students can stop this, not only from UCLA, but from all UC campuses.
I defended a Tax Suit a while back by noting that the entertainment industry had stolen dozens of phrases and ideas from my copyrighted work–many poem titles and lines, and other creative expressions converted directly to film titles. The list of intellectual property violations numbers in the hundreds or thousands, including naming the following from my poems, without my consent or prior knowledge: Vantage Point (2007), Idiocracy (2006), The Aura (Spanish: El Aura) (2005), Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus, Sky High (2005 film), The Perfect Score (2004); The Score, Wake of Death (2004), Torque (2004), You Wish! (2003), (2003), Big Fish ( 2003), The Ring (2002 ), I Am Sam (2001), The Sixth Sense(1999), Beowulf (2007), Gryphon (2007), Stomp the Yard (2007), Made of Honor (2008) Felon (2008), Box Elder (2008) and Fata Morgana (2007) Avatar (2008/2009) Daybreak (2008) Vantage Point (2008). All these words and titles come from my copyrighted work Tribute Anthology (2007), unmarketed, meaning the information was actually taken directly from my computer or discs.
I’ve filed several federal suits, one of which was in litigation for a decade before the intelligence community–through extensive battery and fraud–made false accusations and created new issues to prevent a just public condemnation of the community for eviscerating my rights over the course of decades. The worst liars, and the worst of these criminals–they are actually violating criminal codes daily–are on the right. A good thing to note when you’re dealing with the manipulative sociopaths in the right wing intelligentsia, never accept the explanation they give you, always go back a step or two in time, and dig a little deeper. They’re invariably lying.
The FBI for its part would be quite content to use a citizen as bait in FBI stings over the course of a lifetime. There isn’t any shortage of sting opportunities, given the unending string of lawbreaking in the intelligence community, including their vast corrupt network in Los Angeles and Ventura, stretching into many businesses here, and obviously involving some government employees.These parties are all violating RICO , careful lies they believe are legally protected, with an obvious motive to attack an informant. Examine my federal cases, Central District of California Case Numbers, 01-4340, 03-9097, 08-5515, , 10-5193, US Tax Court 12000-07L –though I think you want to view my US Tax Court Appeal to the 9th Circuit for a good account of the day to day assaults, over the course of years.