UC system names former Ohio State head Michael Drake as next president

The University of California has named former Ohio State University president Dr. Michael V. Drake to be the 21st president of the state system.

Drake, 69, spent much of his academic career in the UC system, including a term as chancellor at UC Irvine and as the systemwide vice president for health affairs from 2000 to 2005. He was president of OSU from 2014 until last week.

"Much has changed in the 15 years since I was given the privilege of becoming chancellor at UC Irvine, but not my absolute belief in this great University and its time-honored mission," Drake said in a statement released by the UC system.

Drake, who is also a ophthalmologist, will become UC's first Black president.

He received his medical degree from UC San Francisco and spent more than two decades on the faculty of the medical school there.

Drake is replacing Janet Napolitano, who announced in September she would step down after seven years as president of the UC system.

The UC board approved Drake's salary at $890,000.

The UC system consists of 10 campuses and more than 280,000 students.

Gov. Gavin Newsom praised the board's selection of Drake.

"I am delighted to welcome back Dr. Michael Drake to the University of California as president, and I am confident that Dr. Drake is the leader we need to guide our world-class higher education system through this time of unprecedented challenge," Newsom said.