UC President Michael Drake discusses federal policy, state budget impacts

Photo by Gmartineau86 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

University of California (UC) President Michael Drake and leaders from the Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) discussed the impact of recent federal policy and the California state budget on the UC system at Drake’s final UC staff town hall on Feb. 19. Drake reflected on his tenure as president since 2020 as he prepares to step down at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year.

CUCSA is an organization that advocates on behalf of policy-covered staff across the UC system. The council focuses on areas such as total compensation, staff engagement and workplace sustainability. 

Jen Bowser, CUCSA chair and sustainable procurement program manager at UC Santa Barbara, asked Drake how the “UC is working to address the [federal] policy changes and advocate for the university” following President Donald Trump’s executive actions.

Last month, Trump signed several executive orders with impacts ranging from banning diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to rescinding support for minority-serving institutions. On Jan. 27, the Office of Management and Budget placed a temporary pause on federal financial assistance programs to ensure federal programs “are being executed in accordance with the law and the new President’s policies,” according to a memo. The pause has since been rescinded and U.S. district judge John McConnell Jr. blocked the freeze last month.

“[Federal orders] are coming quickly, and there are many of them, so we have to react to and appropriately guide ourselves — be guided by each — and that’s something that’s an ongoing process,” Drake said. “If we get an executive order or some other direction or directive from the government, we analyze it carefully and then we decide how we can respond.”

Bowser also asked about the UC’s commitment to upholding diversity, equity and inclusion principles and protecting vulnerable community members, such as undocumented and transgender students. 

In response, Drake said, “Our values haven’t changed,” adding that the university remains a place that is open to all people to pursue knowledge. 

Another topic of discussion was how staff can manage the uncertainties from federal policy changes.

“We take the circumstances we have, the things that we’re seeing, and then work on what we can do to be a supportive community for everybody,” Drake said. “What we believe we’re here to do is not going to change. We have to just continue to be about our work.”

Bowser asked about the California state budget shortfall and its potential impact on the university system. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed California state budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year projects a positive balance of $363 million after a $46.8 billion deficit in the 2024-25 budget and a shortfall of more than $30 billion in the 2023-24 budget.

“We all see the state budget constraints, the difficulties that the state is having with this budget year and some difficulties perhaps even into the future,” Drake said. “I will say that the legislature and the governor are very supportive of the University of California and what we do.”

Drake said he has worked closely with colleagues in the state legislature and the governor’s office “to try to do the best we can to support the university” and is “hopeful and optimistic.”

Dennis McIver, former CUCSA chair and current equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging program manager at the UC Office of the President, asked if there were plans for a “salary increase for our policy-covered staff” as employees remain concerned about their financial situations due to inflation and a housing crisis impacting campus areas. This comes after the UC and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees engaged in a months-long bargaining process following the expiration of contracts for the Patient Care Technical Unit and Service Unit.

“We have to see how the budget request comes out at the end of June until we know exactly, but we are planning on having an increase for policy-covered staff this year,” Drake said. “That’s always been in our budget, something that we think is important.”

Drake also answered several questions regarding his tenure as an educator for more than 50 years and UC president for five years. 

Bowser asked what accomplishment or commitment he would like to be most remembered for as UC president.

“I hope that people feel valued and respected and appreciated,” Drake said. “We’re so much stronger by having people with different backgrounds and different points of view.”

Camelia Heins is a News Intern for the winter 2025 quarter. She can be reached at cheins@uci.edu. 

Edited by Jaheem Conley.