BERKELEY, Calif. (KXXV) — Officials announced Friday that James B. Milliken, a veteran leader of major public university systems in New York and Texas, has been appointed president of the University of California.
According to the AP, Milliken, who has been chancellor of the University of Texas System since 2018, will assume his new role on Aug. 1. He will earn nearly $1.5 million annually.
His appointment marks the latest chapter in a higher education career that spans leadership roles at The City University of New York, the University of Nebraska, and the University of North Carolina.
“The University of California is universally regarded as the preeminent public research university in the world, and I am deeply honored to have an opportunity to join the many talented faculty, staff, and campus leaders in their vital work,” Milliken said in a statement released by UC. “It is more important than ever that we expand the education, research, health care, and public service for which UC is so widely admired and has benefited so many Californians.”
The University of California system includes 10 campuses, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC Davis, and serves more than 280,000 students.
Milliken succeeds Michael V. Drake, who has served as UC president since 2020.
