Sonoma State President Placed On Leave, Acting President Appointed
ROHNERT PARK, CA — The California State University Chancellor's Office appointed an acting president for Sonoma State University this week after placing President Mike Lee on administrative leave after Lee seemingly agreed to concessions requested by a pro-Palestinian group that had set up an encampment on campus."On Tuesday evening, Sonoma State University President Mike Lee sent a campuswide message concerning an agreement with campus protesters," wrote California State University Chancellor Mildred Garcia in a statement Wednesday. "That message was sent without the appropriate approvals."Garcia said she and the board were "actively reviewing the matter," but that due to Lee's "insubordination," Lee had been placed on administrative leave.Nathan Evans, deputy vice chancellor for academic and student affairs for the CSU system, has been made acting president of the school, Garcia said.Lee sent a message Tuesday to faculty and students addressing the demands of the pro-Palestinian protesters on campus that had been in an encampment since late April in protest of the Hamas-Israel war. The group — Students for Justice in Palestine — had demanded that the school divest and disclose any ties to Israel, carry out an academic boycott of Israel, recognize Palestinian identity and introduce a historic curriculum, and officially support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.In Lee's message, he addressed all four demands. He also said the school would establish an Advisory Council of Students for Justice in Palestine comprised of the encampment protesters, Palestinian alumni, and faculty, staff and school administrators to monitor "accountability for agreements" made between the protesters and the school.Lee then said that the school was in the process of reviewing its investments and would work with the Advisory Council on "determining a course of action leading to divestment strategies," though he did not mention Israel by name.Lee did bring up an "academic boycott" of Israel, however, stating that "SSU will not pursue or engage in any study abroad programs, faculty exchanges, or other formal collaborations that are sponsored by, or represent, the Israeli state academic and research institutions."He also agreed to bolster the academic curriculum concerning Palestinian identity and history.The backlash was swift, with both state Sens. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, and Scott Wiener, D- San Francisco issuing statements Wednesday evening in opposition to Lee's memo."I appreciate Chancellor Garcia's quick response to this situation," said Dodd in a statement released by his office. "We need stability and thoughtful leadership at Sonoma State."Wiener, who is co-chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, issued a joint statement with co-chair Sen. Jesse Gabriel, D-Encino."We thank and applaud Chancellor Garcia and the California State University Board of Trustees for taking immediate action rejecting the decision by former President Lee to boycott Israel. His endorsement for an academic boycott was totally unacceptable and evidence that former President Lee is unfit to lead one of our great state institutions."Lee also issued a statement Wednesday responding to the situation and apologizing."My goal when meeting with students at the encampment was to explore opportunities to make meaningful change, identify common ground, and create a safe and inclusive campus for all," Lee wrote. "I now realize that many of the statements I made in my campuswide message did just the opposite."Lee said he had marginalized other members of the student population and community."I realize the harm that this has caused, and I take full ownership of it," he wrote, adding that his message had been sent without the approval of the chancellor and did not represent the views of anyone but himself.Lee was appointed president of Sonoma Statein May 2023 after serving as interim president since August 2022 when former President Judy Sakaki resigned. A provost accused Patrick McCallum, then-husband of Sakaki, of sexual harassment and alleged that Sakaki retaliated against her for going to top officials in the chancellor's office with her complaint.Sakaki was the first Japanese American woman to serve as a university president in the United States. Dr. Nathan Evans Appointed Acting PresidentEvans comes to Sonoma State from the California State University Chancellor's Office, where he has served in numerous leadership roles. In April 2023, he was appointed deputy vice chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs and was co-leading the division with Dr. Dilcie Perez while the CSU conducted a national search. Most recently, Evans served as associate vice chancellor and chief of staff, acting as senior designee in the Executive Vice Chancellor’s absence as well as principal advisor on policy development, strategic planning, interdivisional collaboration, and organizational development to accomplish division goals and objectives. Evans has held leadership positions in ASA since 2011 and previously served as interim assistant vice chancellor for Student Academic Services and director of Enrollment Management for the CSU. In those capacities, he was responsible for systemwide student academic services, enrollment management, transfer programs and academic advising. He has also served in leadership posts in all three segments of public higher education in California—including San Diego State University, CSU San Marcos, the University of California, San Diego and the San Diego Community College District as well as Arizona State University. He serves as chair of the California College Guidance Initiative Advisory Board and as a member of California’s Intersegmental Coordinating Council Executive Committee and California’s Cradle to Career System Governing Board.Evans earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Fresno State University. He also attended Arizona State University where he earned a master’s degree in Higher and Adult Education and a baccalaureate degree in Intercultural and Organizational Communication.ALSO SEE: Sonoma State University To Graduate 2,000 At 2024 CommencementBay City News Service contributed to this report.The article Sonoma State President Placed On Leave, Acting President Appointed appeared first on Rohnert Park-Cotati, CA Patch.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings