Richard Lyons, an economist and former dean of the University of California, Berkeley's School of Business, will become the school's next president, the university announced Wednesday.
Ms. Lyons, a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, was selected for the position following a lengthy selection process after the school's current president, Carol T. Christ, announced her retirement this summer. The University of California Board of Regents voted unanimously Wednesday to make the selection official. Lyons will take office on July 1st.
University of California President Michael Drake said, “Finding someone with the appropriate academic and research credentials, the necessary leadership experience, and an understanding of what it takes to run a successful research university in the public arena'' It's a different thing.” said at the board meeting. “It’s quite another to find a candidate who combines all of these things, along with a deep understanding of the California landscape and an inherent love for UC Berkeley itself.”
Lyons' appointment as the university's 12th president comes as universities across the country face unrest on campus over free speech, racial and political diversity, and affordability.
Protests against the war in Gaza, especially accusations of anti-Semitism on campus, have put leaders at some of the country's top universities in the spotlight, facing a barrage of fire from students, faculty and politicians. exposed.
Despite Berkeley being a public institution with a storied history of protests, Christ has largely avoided being at the center of similar controversies. But recent incidents have put the university to the test.
On Tuesday, video showed law professor Katherine Fisk taking a microphone and cell phone from a student who stood up to speak on behalf of Palestinians at a student dinner hosted by Fisk with her husband Erwin Chemerinsky at her home. He was seen trying to steal it. Dean of the Law School.
Pro-Palestinian groups claimed that student Malak Afaneh, a member of Berkeley Law Students for Palestine Justice, was assaulted and that his right to free speech was violated. Chemerinsky said in a statement that the student's actions were an inappropriate attempt to turn a social gathering at home into a forum for political discourse.
In a press conference after the board's vote, Lyons did not address the incident or other recent protests and noted that he has not yet taken office as chancellor.
But campus officials have argued that free speech protections and Berkeley's open “marketplace of ideas” violate rules designed to prevent protests and speech from infringing on the rights of others. He said he was looking at ways to balance that with the need to preserve the economy.
“The world is changing, especially in this area, and we as higher education leaders need to change with it,” he said. “I believe that if we are transparent, thoughtful, and listen to our community as much as possible, we can move forward.”
Lyons, whose only time away from Berkeley since 1993 was when he served as chief learning officer at Goldman Sachs from 2006 to 2008, was recently tapped for the top post at a Bay Area university. He is the second dean of a business school. Stanford University announced last week that Jonathan Levin, dean of its Graduate School of Business, will become its new president. He will succeed the interim leader who took over last summer after the previous president resigned over questions about the quality of academic research.
On Wednesday, Lyons highlighted his business background and said he would explore ways for the university to begin “participating in the economic value that we are creating in new ways.”
In California, state funding for public universities, including the University of California, often called the state's crown jewel, has slowed in recent decades. At the same time, housing costs are rising in areas where UC campuses are located, making life difficult for faculty, staff, and students.
Housing issues have led to clashes over the fate of Berkeley's People's Park, where the university plans to build housing for students and the homeless. (Lyons says he agrees with how Christ handled the situation.)
The University of California campus is also home to some of the most productive research institutions in the world. Lyons said he wants to expand opportunities to invest in research, where more revenue goes back to the university, and to more effectively solicit donations from wealthy alumni who made their fortunes during their time at Berkeley.
This has been met with skepticism from some teachers.
“Private funding cannot replace the scale of lost public investment,” the Berkeley Faculty Association's board of directors said in an open letter to the next chancellor this month. The letter also called for greater faculty representation and transparency in decision-making.
“If Berkeley wants to remain the world's best public university, we must improve faculty working conditions, restore faculty governance, and protect academic freedom,” the letter says. “I wish you good luck.”
And before we leave, we have some good news
San Diego-based trainer Milo F. Bryant shared ideas on how to develop an exercise habit without spending thousands of dollars. A good starting point is to build an inexpensive home gym with exercise ropes, bands, and barbells.
Another frugal training method is the rack. This is basically walking or running with your weight on your back. Instead of splurging on a special backpack just for rucksacks, you can just pack a regular backpack with books and a water bottle. Bryant says some exercises are done at local playgrounds.
thank you for reading. I'll be back tomorrow.
PS it's here today's mini crossword.
Due to an editorial error, yesterday's newsletter incorrectly referred to vacant commercial space in the Hollywood Entertainment District. The vacancy rate is not for the area as a whole, but for the above-ground portion of the area along Hollywood Boulevard, which is 30%.
Maia ColemanSofia Poznansky, brianna scalia Contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at CAtoday@nytimes.com.
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