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

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. As UC president, Drake also oversees six academic health systems and three nationally affiliated labs, in addition to the university campuses. Prior to assuming his role as the 21st UC president, he served as Ohio State University president for six years from 2014 through June 2020. Born in New York City and raised in New Jersey and Sacramento, Drake attended Stanford University before moving to UC San Francisco for medical school....