UC President Drake to Step Down, Ending a Tenure Filled With Challenges

The UC chief took the job during the pandemic and dealt with protests against campus policing and in favor of Palestinians.

UCLA students protest the Israel-Hamas conflict on April 25, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

University of California President Dr. Michael V. Drake, whose tenure overseeing the 10-campus system included the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the more recent protests over the Israel-Hamas war, announced July 31 that he will step down from his post after the 2024-25 academic year.

Drake, 74, has been president of the UC system since July 2020.