The president of Sonoma State College has retired from his position after being positioned on depart for issuing a controversial campuswide message on the Israel-Hamas struggle.
California State College chancellor Mildred Garcia stated in a press release Thursday that President Ming Tung “Mike” Lee knowledgeable her of his resolution to retire. Garcia positioned Lee on depart for “insubordination” on Wednesday, in the future after he launched a message in assist of a boycott towards Israeli universities and stated that the college would pursue “divestment methods.” Garcia stated Lee didn’t obtain approval for the message.
In a letter to the neighborhood, Lee apologized for the “unintended penalties of my actions” and acknowledged that his message had not been reviewed by CSU officers.
“I need to be clear: The message was drafted and despatched with out the approval of, or session with, the Chancellor or different system leaders. The factors outlined within the message have been mine alone, and don’t characterize the views of my colleagues or the CSU,” Lee wrote.
Amy Bentley-Smith, Cal State director of strategic communications and public affairs, stated “there isn’t a written coverage” on the subject of approval from the chancellor’s workplace over campus management’s communications associated to the Israel-Hamas battle.
“The chancellor and presidents have been in fixed communication throughout protest actions on campuses with the intent that choices on the college degree are made in session with the chancellor’s workplace and align not solely with shared college values and mission, however with relevant CSU system insurance policies, and state and federal legal guidelines,” Bentley-Smith stated.
Whereas the college system’s 23 campus presidents report to the chancellor, they’re thought of the govt officers of their respective campuses and have some autonomy over campus choices.
Additionally Friday, Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) despatched a letter to Garcia and College of California President Michael V. Drake, calling for accountability when a campus chief appeals to “antisemitic calls for of encampments.”
“There’s an pressing want for system-wide motion in each the UC and CSU techniques to revive order on campus, cease the adoption of [Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions] insurance policies, and, the place acceptable, appoint new campus management,” wrote Kiley, who beforehand referred to as on Lee to resign.
Different state lawmakers had raised considerations over Lee’s message. Sen. Invoice Dodd’s (D-Napa) workplace reached out to the chancellor’s workplace Wednesday to ask if Garcia had authorised the message, press secretary Paul Payne informed The Occasions.
Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) additionally expressed opposition.
“That is horrific and improper,” Wiener informed KRON-4 this week.
The chancellor stated she is going to proceed to work with appearing President Nathan Evans and the Board of Trustees throughout this “transitional interval.” In a assertion to the Sonoma State neighborhood, Evans stated that Lee’s retirement is not going to overshadow Saturday’s graduation actions.
“We’ll create areas and locations to course of President Lee’s retirement and different current developments as a neighborhood within the coming days and weeks. For now, I encourage all of us to concentrate on our graduates and their supporters,” Evans stated.
Lee labored at Sacramento State for 28 years. He got here out of a short retirement in 2022 to grow to be Sonoma State’s president after Judy Sakaki resigned amid outcry over sexual harassment and retaliation allegations towards her and her husband.
Occasions employees author Jaweed Kaleem contributed to this report.
