12:04 PM: Top federal and state officials sang the praises of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano today following her nomination as president of the University of California.
Napolitano was unanimously recommended by a special UC Board of Regents selection committee for a new president after a review of more than 300 candidates, regent Sherry Lansing said this morning.
She will be the first-ever female president of the UC system if approved by the full board of regents, which will consider her nomination at its meeting on Thursday in San Francisco.
“Secretary Napolitano is a distinguished and dedicated public servant who has earned trust at the highest, most critical levels of our country’s government,” said Lansing, who chaired the committee.
President Barack Obama issued a statement thanking Napolitano for her work as the head of Homeland Security, including the department’s response to natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy and efforts to protect U.S. borders and improve the county’s immigration system.
“The American people are safer and more secure thanks to Janet’s leadership in protecting our homeland against terrorist attacks,” Obama said.
“I’ve come to rely on Janet’s judgment and advice, but I’ve also come to value her friendship,” he said.
Gov. Jerry Brown praised Napolitano’s nomination today.
“Secretary Napolitano has the strength of character and an outsider’s mind that will well serve the students and faculty,” Brown said.
“It will be exciting to work with her.”
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein described Napolitano as “both smart and competent.”
As a former governor of Arizona and leader of an organization with 22 departments and more than 240,000 employees, Napolitano would bring a “distinguished record of executive experience” to the position, Feinstein said.
“Her recent support for immigration reform—particularly the bipartisan Senate bill—aided its strong 68-vote passage in the Senate,” Feinstein said.
Napolitano’s Bay Area ties include graduating from Santa Clara University as the school’s first female valedictorian, according to UC officials.
Current UC president Mark Yudof announced earlier this year that he was stepping down at the end of August after more than five years in the post.
Napolitano said in a statement, “I am both honored and excited by the prospect of serving as president of the University of California.”
She said, “If appointed, I intend to reach out and listen to chancellors, to faculty, to students, to the state’s political leaders, to regents, to the heads of the other public higher education systems and, of course, to President Yudof and his team, who have done so much to steer the University of California through some extremely rough waters.”
7:46 AM: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has been nominated for appointment as president of the University of California, UC officials said today.
UC Regent Sherry Lansing, who chaired the special selection committee for a new president, said in a statement that Napolitano was recommended by the committee in a unanimous vote after a review of more than 300 candidates.
“Secretary Napolitano is a distinguished and dedicated public servant who has earned trust at the highest, most critical levels of our country’s government,” Lansing said.
Prior to serving as Homeland Security Secretary, Napolitano was governor of Arizona.
Her Bay Area ties include graduating from Santa Clara University as the school’s first female valedictorian, according to UC officials.
The full UC Board of Regents will consider the recommendation at its meeting on Thursday in San Francisco.
Current UC president Mark Yudof announced earlier this year that he was stepping down at the end of August after more than five years in the post.
If appointed, Napolitano would be the first female president in the 145-year history of the University of California.
“I am both honored and excited by the prospect of serving as president of the University of California,” Napolitano said in a statement.
“If appointed, I intend to reach out and listen to chancellors, to faculty, to students, to the state’s political leaders, to regents, to the heads of the other public higher education systems and, of course, to President Yudof and his team, who have done so much to steer the University of California through some extremely rough waters,” she said.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
