The leader UC needs right now

Re “UC names its 1st Black president,” July 8

I applaud the University of California Board of Regents for its diligence in seeking and selecting President-elect Michael V. Drake. He has the experience, dedication and collaborative leadership style that will be essential to guiding the UC system through the challenging days ahead.

As a former UC regent, I have had the privilege of working with Drake when he was chancellor of UC Irvine. I know that his long and distinguished career in higher education and medicine gives him the necessary skills to lead a system that is vital to California.

As the first president of color in UC’s history, Drake brings a demonstrated record of supporting access and racial equity. He is the right person to lead the UC system.

Joanne Kozberg

Los Angeles The writer is a California Coalition for Public Higher Education board member and a UC regent emeritus.

I was pleased to read of Drake’s new appointment, and I wish him great success as he leads UC.

Soon I will turn 71, and I hope I live long enough to read the Los Angeles Times headlines without that special designation of the “first” black person, woman, transgender person or Jewish person to hold a position of prominent leadership.

That being said, I would not sigh and say “tsk tsk” if on Nov. 4, I read your frontpage, above-the-fold headline that proclaims, “First Black woman elected vice president.”

Rosemary Chiaverini

Sherman Oaks

Congratulations to UC and to Drake.

It was 50 years ago that Clifton Wharton Jr. was designated as president of Michigan State University, becoming the first Black American to head up a predominantly white public research university.

I was a graduate student at the time and sat on the search committee as a founding member of the MSU Black Student Alliance.

Drake was 20 years old at the time of that appointment, and I am sure Wharton inspired him as he did many others who became leaders in universities and in society at large.

Philip S. Hart

Los Feliz