Regents of the University of California
Encyclopedia
The Regents of the University of California make up the governing board of the University of California
. The Board has 26 full (i.e., voting) members:
The Board also has two non-voting faculty members. By custom, the incoming Student Regent serves as a non-voting Regent-designate from the date of appointment (usually in September) until beginning his or her formal term the following July 1.
The vast majority of the Regents appointed by the Governor historically have consisted of lawyers, politicians and businessmen. Over the past two decades, it has been common that UC Regents appointees have donated relatively large sums of money
either directly to the Governor's election campaigns or indirectly to party election groups.
As with other public university
systems nationwide, the board of regents is treated as the real party in interest for all purposes under California
law. All actions of the university are done in their name, all degrees
are conferred in their name, all UC property is held in their name (and is marked by signs indicating "Property of the Regents of the University of California"), all bank accounts are held in their name (and all checks
must be written as payable to "UC Regents"), and all lawsuits involving the University always refer specifically to the regents. This is notable because most corporations (especially private ones) are treated by the law as a legal entity separate from their boards and employees, and lawsuits against them are addressed to the corporation or university itself, not its board of directors or trustees.
Administrative support is provided to the Regents by the Office of the Secretary of the Regents of the University of California, which shares an office building with the UC Office of the President in Oakland
.
In its early years, UC had thirteen Honorary Regents, with ten appointed in 1868. Some were appointed following service as Regent while Governor.
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
. The Board has 26 full (i.e., voting) members:
- The majority (18 Regents) are appointed by the Governor of CaliforniaGovernor of CaliforniaThe Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
for 12-year terms. - One Student Regent is appointed by the Board for a one-year term.
- The remaining 7 Regents are ex officio members. They are the GovernorGovernor of CaliforniaThe Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
, Lieutenant GovernorLieutenant Governor of CaliforniaThe Lieutenant Governor of California is a statewide constitutional officer elected separately from the Governor who serves as the "vice-executive" of California. The Lieutenant Governor of California is elected to serve a four year term and can serve a maximum of two terms...
, Speaker of the State Assembly, State Superintendent of Public InstructionCalifornia State Superintendent of Public InstructionThe State Superintendent of Public Instruction of California is the nonpartisan elected executive officer of the California Department of Education. The SPI directs all functions of the Department of Education and executes policies set by the California State Board of Education...
, president and vice president of the Alumni Associations of UC, and president of the University of California.
The Board also has two non-voting faculty members. By custom, the incoming Student Regent serves as a non-voting Regent-designate from the date of appointment (usually in September) until beginning his or her formal term the following July 1.
The vast majority of the Regents appointed by the Governor historically have consisted of lawyers, politicians and businessmen. Over the past two decades, it has been common that UC Regents appointees have donated relatively large sums of money
Money
Money is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange; a unit of account; a store of value; and, occasionally in the past,...
either directly to the Governor's election campaigns or indirectly to party election groups.
As with other public university
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
systems nationwide, the board of regents is treated as the real party in interest for all purposes under California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
law. All actions of the university are done in their name, all degrees
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
are conferred in their name, all UC property is held in their name (and is marked by signs indicating "Property of the Regents of the University of California"), all bank accounts are held in their name (and all checks
Cheque
A cheque is a document/instrument See the negotiable cow—itself a fictional story—for discussions of cheques written on unusual surfaces. that orders a payment of money from a bank account...
must be written as payable to "UC Regents"), and all lawsuits involving the University always refer specifically to the regents. This is notable because most corporations (especially private ones) are treated by the law as a legal entity separate from their boards and employees, and lawsuits against them are addressed to the corporation or university itself, not its board of directors or trustees.
Administrative support is provided to the Regents by the Office of the Secretary of the Regents of the University of California, which shares an office building with the UC Office of the President in Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
.
Current members
- Appointed by Gov. DavisGray DavisJoseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003...
:- Sherry L. LansingSherry LansingSherry Lansing is a former actress and American film studio executive. She is former CEO of Paramount Pictures, and when president of production at 20th Century Fox was the first woman to head a Hollywood studio In 1996, she became the first woman named Pioneer of the Year by the Foundation of...
(appointed 1999; reappointed 2010; term expires March 1, 2022) - Odessa P. Johnson (appointed 1999; reappointed 2000; term expires March 1, 2012)
- George M. Marcus (appointed 2000; term expires March 1, 2012)
- Monica Lozano (appointed 2001; term expires March 1, 2013)
- Richard C. BlumRichard C. BlumRichard C. Blum is an investment banker and the husband of United States Senator from California Dianne Feinstein. He is the Chairman and President of Blum Capital, an equity investment management firm that acts as general partner for various investment partnerships and provides investment...
(appointed 2002; term expires March 1, 2014) - Norman J. PattizNorman J. PattizNorman J. Pattiz is an American broadcasting executive. He is a founder and former chairman of radio industry giant Westwood One.He is also a member of the University of California Board of Regents and used to sit on the board of the Broadcasting Board of Governors...
(appointed 2001; reappointed 2003; term expires March 1, 2015)
- Sherry L. Lansing
- Appointed by Gov. SchwarzeneggerArnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
:- Frederick Ruiz (appointed 2004; term expires March 1, 2016)
- Paul Wachter (appointed 2004; term expires March 1, 2016)
- Russell S. GouldRussell GouldRussell S. Gould is an American financier, currently Senior Vice President at Wachovia. He was a member of California Governor Pete Wilson's administration, as Secretary of Health and Human Services and as the Director of Finance...
(appointed 2005; term expires March 1, 2017) - Leslie Tang Schilling (appointed 2005; term expires March 1, 2013)
- Eddie Island (appointed 2005; term expires March 1, 2017)
- William De La Pena (appointed 2006; term expires March 1, 2018)
- Bruce D. Varner (appointed 2006; term expires March 1, 2018)
- Bonnie Reiss (appointed 2008; term expires March 1, 2020)
- Hadi Makarechian (appointed 2008; term expires March 1, 2020)
- Charlene ZettelCharlene ZettelCharlene Zettel born May 26, 1947, served in the California State Assembly from 1999 until 2003. While serving in the State Assembly, Zettel worked for the passage of "Oliver's Law", which provides parents with inforrmation about day care providers. She was also the first Republican Latina elected...
(appointed 2009; term expires March 1, 2021) - George Kieffer (appointed 2009; term expires March 1, 2021)
- Student Regent
- Jesse Cheng (term expires June 30, 2011)
- Ex-Officio Regents
- Jerry BrownJerry BrownEdmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
(GovernorGovernor of CaliforniaThe Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
) - Gavin NewsomGavin NewsomGavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician who is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California. Previously, he was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, and was elected in 2003 to succeed Willie Brown, becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years. Newsom was re-elected in 2007...
(Lieutenant GovernorLieutenant Governor of CaliforniaThe Lieutenant Governor of California is a statewide constitutional officer elected separately from the Governor who serves as the "vice-executive" of California. The Lieutenant Governor of California is elected to serve a four year term and can serve a maximum of two terms...
) - John PérezJohn PérezJohn A. Pérez is a union organizer and politician from Los Angeles, California, who has been the Speaker of the California State Assembly since March 1, 2010. A Democrat, he represents the 46th district in the California State Assembly.-Early life and career:Pérez grew up in El Sereno and Highland...
(Assembly Speaker) - Tom TorlaksonTom TorlaksonThomas A. "Tom" Torlakson is an American politician from California. In 2010, he was elected to the position of California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the highest education post in California...
(Superintendent of Public Instruction) - Mark YudofMark YudofMark G. Yudof is an American law professor and academic administrator. He is president of the University of California , former chancellor of the University of Texas System , and former president of the University of Minnesota .In addition to his position as Chancellor at The University of Texas,...
(UC President) - Ronald W. Stovitz (President, Alumni Associations of UC, 2009–2010)
- Yolanda Nunn Gorman (Vice-President, Alumni Associations of UC, 2009–2010)
- Jerry Brown
Notable past Regents
- Benjamin B. ReddingBenjamin B. ReddingBenjamin Barnard Redding was a Canadian-born state official of California, politician and land agent with the Central Pacific Railroad. The town of Redding, California, was named for him....
(1880–1882) - Timothy Guy PhelpsTimothy Guy PhelpsTimothy Guy Phelps was an American business executive and politician. He was the first president of the Southern Pacific Railroad from 1865 until 1868 when the railroad was purchased by members of The Big Four, and saw the railroad build its first tracks south of San Francisco, California.-Early...
(1880–1899) - Leland StanfordLeland StanfordAmasa Leland Stanford was an American tycoon, industrialist, robber baron, politician and founder of Stanford University.-Early years:...
(1882–1883) - Phoebe HearstPhoebe HearstPhoebe Apperson Hearst was an American philanthropist, feminist and suffragist. She was also the mother of William Randolph Hearst.-Biography:...
(1897–1919) - Charles Stetson WheelerCharles Stetson WheelerCharles Stetson Wheeler was an American attorney, working in Northern California. He served as a Regent of the University of California, and was a member of the Committee of Fifty working to maintain order after the devastating fire following the earthquake of 1906 in San Francisco...
(1892–1896), (1902–1907), (1911–1923) - William H. CrockerWilliam H. Crocker-Biography:He was born in 1861 in Sacramento, California.He attended Phillips Academy, Andover and Yale University, where he was a brother of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity...
(1908–1937) - John Francis NeylanJohn Francis NeylanJohn Francis Neylan, lawyer, journalist, political and educational figure, was born in New York City on November 6 1885.After graduation from Seton Hall College in New Jersey in 1903, he went West. California was his destination, but he stopped off in Arizona and worked there for several years as a...
(1928–1955) - Paul PeekPaul Peek (politician)Paul Peek was an American attorney, Democratic politician and jurist. Peek practiced law in southern California prior to his election in 1936 to the California Assembly, where he served as Speaker during the 1939 session. He was appointed Secretary of State in 1940 and then to the Court of Appeal,...
(1939–1940) - Edwin W. PauleyEdwin W. PauleyEdwin Wendell Pauley, Sr. was an American businessman and political leader.-Early life:Born in Indianapolis, Indiana to Elbert L...
(1940–1972) - Stanley MoskStanley MoskStanley Mosk was an Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court for 37 years , and holds the record for the longest-serving justice on that court. Before sitting on the Supreme Court, he served as Attorney General of California and as a trial court judge, among other governmental positions...
(1940–1941) - Dorothy Buffum ChandlerDorothy Buffum ChandlerDorothy Buffum Chandler was a Los Angeles cultural leader.-Personal life:Born Dorothy Mae Buffum in 1901 in La Fayette, Illinois, she moved to Long Beach, California in 1904 with her family...
(1954–1968) - Thomas M. StorkeThomas M. StorkeThomas More Storke was an American politician, rancher, journalist and publisher. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Journalism in 1962....
(1955–1960) - Norton SimonNorton SimonNorton Winfred Simon , in the United States was a millionaire industrialist and philanthropist based in California. A significant art collector, he is the namesake of the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California.-Early life:...
(1960–1976) - William E. ForbesWilliam E. ForbesWilliam E. Forbes was a member of the Board of Regents of the University of California and owner of the Southern California Music Co...
(1960s) - William M. RothWilliam M. RothWilliam Matson Roth was a shipping executive, special ambassador for trade, member of the ACLU executive committee, and Regent for the University of California....
(1961–1977) - Elinor Raas Heller (1961–1976)
- Fred DuttonFred DuttonFrederick Gary "Fred" Dutton was a lawyer and Democratic Party power broker who served as campaign manager and Chief of Staff for California Governor Pat Brown, Special Assistant to U.S. President John F. Kennedy, and went on to manage Robert F...
(1962–1978) - William CoblentzWilliam Coblentz (attorney)William Kraemer Coblentz [KAHB-lenz] was an American attorney and behind-the-scenes power broker who played an important role in California politics in the years after World War II, serving as a Regent of the University of California and legal representative for the rock bands Jefferson Airplane...
(1964-1980) - H. R. HaldemanH. R. HaldemanHarry Robbins "Bob" Haldeman was an American political aide and businessman, best known for his service as White House Chief of Staff to President Richard Nixon and for his role in events leading to the Watergate burglaries and the Watergate scandal – for which he was found guilty of conspiracy...
(President, AAUC, 1967–1968) - William French SmithWilliam French SmithWilliam French Smith was an American lawyer and the 74th Attorney General of the United States.-Biography:...
(1968–1990) - Gregory BatesonGregory BatesonGregory Bateson was an English anthropologist, social scientist, linguist, visual anthropologist, semiotician and cyberneticist whose work intersected that of many other fields. He had a natural ability to recognize order and pattern in the universe...
(1978–80) - Willis HarmanWillis HarmanWillis Harman was an American engineer, social scientist, academic, futurist, writer, and visionary. He is best remembered for his work with SRI International, for being president of the Institute of Noetic Sciences in California, and for his work in raising consciousness within the...
(1980–1990) - Sheldon AndelsonSheldon AndelsonSheldon Andelson was a higher education administrator and a political fund-raiser.-Biography:Sheldon Andelson was born in Boyle Heights. He was the first openly gay University of California Regent. Andelson was appointed to the Board of Regents by Governor Jerry Brown in 1980, and served until...
(1982–1987) - Clair BurgenerClair BurgenerSinclair Walter "Clair" Burgener was an American Republican politician and member of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1973-1983.-Early life:...
(1988–1997) - John F. HenningJohn F. HenningJohn Francis "Jack" Henning was a U.S. labor leader, civil servant, and a former U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Under Secretary of Labor...
(1989–1997) - Howard H. LeachHoward H. LeachHoward H. Leach was United States Ambassador to France from 2001 to 2005. Born in Salinas, California, on June 19, 1930, he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Yale University in 1952...
(1990–2001) - Dexter Ligot-Gordon (2001–2003)
- Ward ConnerlyWard ConnerlyWardell Anthony "Ward" Connerly is an American political activist, businessman, and former University of California Regent . He is also the founder and the chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute, a national non-profit organization in opposition to racial and gender preferences...
(1993–2005) - David S. LeeDavid S. Lee (business)David S. Lee is the CEO, president and Chairman of the Board of eOn Communications Corporation, a telecom services company based in Kennesaw, Georgia. Lee was born in China around 1938.-Education:...
(1994–2006) - John J. MooresJohn Moores (baseball)John Jay Moores is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist, and the owner of the San Diego Padres.-Early years:...
(1999–2007) - Tirso del JuncoTirso del JuncoDr. Tirso del Junco-Mesa is a general surgeon, Diplomat of the American Board of Surgery, Fellow of American College of Surgeons....
Honorary Regents
In its early years, UC had thirteen Honorary Regents, with ten appointed in 1868. Some were appointed following service as Regent while Governor.
- Frederick LowFrederick LowFrederick Ferdinand Low was an American politician, US congressman and the ninth Governor of California.-Life:Born in Frankfort in 1828, Low attended the Hampden Academy in Hampden, Maine. Low moved to California, entering the shipping business in San Francisco in 1849...
(1868), 9th Governor of California from 1863 to 1867; considered the "father of the University of California" - Andrew J. Moulder (1868), State Superintendent of Public Instruction, 1862–1863; a founder of Minns’ Evening Normal SchoolGeorge W. MinnsGeorge Washington Minns was an American teacher, notable for running the Minns Evening Normal School, which was established in San Francisco, California, in 1857 in order to train teachers for the city's public school system...
in San Francisco in 1857 and of the first California State Normal SchoolCalifornia State Normal SchoolThe California State Normal School was a teaching college founded on May 2, 1862, whose original campus later became both the California State University and its San Jose State University campus....
in San JoseSan Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, approved by the Legislature in 1862 - Edward Tompkins (1868–1872)
- S.F. Butterworth (1868–1873)
- Joseph M. Moss (1868–1874)
- William Chapman RalstonWilliam Chapman RalstonWilliam "Billy" Chapman Ralston was a San Francisco, California businessman and financier, and was the founder of the Bank of California.-Biography:...
(1868–1875), founder of the Bank of CaliforniaBank of CaliforniaThe Bank of California was opened in San Francisco, California, on July 4, 1864, by William Chapman Ralston. It was the first commercial bank in the Western United States, the second-richest bank in the nation, and considered instrumental in developing the American Old West.-History:The ancestor of... - John B. Felton (1868–1877)
- Isaac Friedlander (1868–1869)
- Augustus J. Bowie (1868–1880)
- John S. HagerJohn S. HagerJohn Sharpenstein Hager was an American politician from the U.S. state of California. He served in the U.S. Senate from 1873 to 1875.-Life:...
(1868–1890), California State Senator and district judge; United States Senator from California (1873–1875) - Louis Sachs (1869–1875)
- Henry H. Haight (1872), 10th Governor of California; signed the Charter of the University of California on March 23, 1868
- Andrew Smith HallidieAndrew Smith HallidieAndrew Smith Hallidie was the promoter of the Clay Street Hill Railroad in San Francisco, USA. This was the world's first practical cable car system, and Hallidie is often therefore regarded as the inventor of the cable car and father of the present day San Francisco cable car system, although...
(1873), "regarded as the inventor of the cable car and father of the present day San Francisco cable car system"; President of the San Francisco Mechanics' InstituteSan Francisco Mechanics' InstituteThe Mechanics' Institute Library and Chess Room is a historic membership library, cultural event center, and chess club located in the Financial District of San Francisco, California at 57 Post Street...
1868–1877 and 1893–1895
Legal cases
- Regents of the University of California v. BakkeRegents of the University of California v. BakkeRegents of the University of California v. Bakke, was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States that ruled unconstitutional the admission process of the Medical School at the University of California at Davis, which set aside 16 of the 100 seats for African American...
- Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of CaliforniaTarasoff v. Regents of the University of CaliforniaTarasoff v. Regents of the University of California, 17 Cal. 3d 425, 551 P.2d 334, 131 Cal. Rptr. 14 , was a case in which the Supreme Court of California held that mental health professionals have a duty to protect individuals who are being threatened with bodily harm by a patient...
- Moore v. Regents of the University of California
- USL v. BSDiUSL v. BSDiUSL v. BSDi was a lawsuit brought in the United States in 1992 by Unix System Laboratories against Berkeley Software Design, Inc and the Regents of the University of California over intellectual property related to UNIX...
- Hamilton v. Regents of the University of CaliforniaHamilton v. Regents of the University of CaliforniaHamilton v. Regents of the University of California, was a decision of the Supreme Court of the United States that upheld the "right of California to force its university students to take classes in military training" and reiterated that "[i]nstruction in military science is not instruction in the...