Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security chief, to head UC

[brooklynite]

Source: LA Times

Janet Napolitano, the U.S. secretary of Homeland Security and former governor of Arizona, is being named as the next president of the University of California system, in an unusual choice that brings a national-level politician to a position usually held by an academic. Her appointment also means the 10-campus system will be headed by a woman for the first time in its 145-year history.

Napolitano’s nomination by a committee of UC regents came after a secretive process that insiders said focused on her early as a high-profile, although untraditional, candidate who has led large public agencies and shown a strong interest in improving education.

UC officials believe that her Cabinet experiences –- which include helping to lead responses to hurricanes and tornadoes and overseeing some anti-terrorism measures -- will help UC administer its federal energy and nuclear weapons labs and aid its federally funded research in medicine and other areas.

“While some may consider her to be an unconventional choice, Secretary Napolitano is without a doubt the right person at the right time to lead this incredible university," Sherry Lansing, the regent and former film industry executive who headed the search committee, said in a statement being released Friday. "She will bring fresh eyes and a new sensibility -- not only to UC, but to all of California. She will stand as a vigorous advocate for faculty, students and staff at a time when great changes in our state, and across the globe, are presenting as many opportunities as challenges.”

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-uc-president-20130712,0,83979.story

[n2doc]

1. How appropriate

Maybe she can hire this guy back as part of her security detail:

[dusty trails]

5. Why him?

He had nothing to do with Janet Neapolitano or the UC system.

[WinkyDink]

8. Gee, let's think: Campus cop pepper-spraying "terrorist" student. Hmmmm. What POSSIBLE

relation to the policies of J. Napolitano could there BE??

[KamaAina]

28. Yes, he did

he was part of the UC Davis police force.

[dusty trails]

31. If I recall correctly

Last edited Sat Jul 13, 2013, 01:52 PM - Edit history (1)

Wasn't he later fired for what he did? And it seems there was some financial compensation to those who were sprayed?
I don't see how it'd affect the new President of the UC system.

[KamaAina]

32. The point was that she'd welcome him back

since he's shown himself to be so good at Homeland Security.

[AllINeedIsCoffee]

2. I'd like to see Janet Reno replace her.

Or Cass Sunstein.

[Cleita]

3. So we can look forward to more of this?

Please let's get some new faces. Enough with the revolving door of retreads.

[dusty trails]

6. Waco ?

Had nothing to do with Janet Neapolitano or the UC system.

[Cleita]

7. No, it doesn't. It's about Janet Reno.

Read post I was replying to.

[geek tragedy]

9. Which UC campus is run by apocalyptic serial child rapists with machine guns? nt

[Cleita]

10. The one in your head, no doubt. n/t

[geek tragedy]

11. Well, I don't see how Janet Reno would be a problem then.

Janet Reno was a very good AG. The Davidians decided to burn themselves alive, that's on them.

[Cleita]

12. May I also remind you of Ruby Ridge and Elian Gonzalez?

No matter how right she may have been in her decisions, her subsequent actions were heavy handed. What happens when the students decide to protest or have sit ins? What is going to be her response? I agree with another poster on this thread that an academic who has been with the University and has tenure should be considered for the post, not an outsider. Of course Janet Reno is not being considered, but Janet Napolitano who is also an outsider.

[geek tragedy]

14. Two more RIGHT WING grievances. The Elian Gonzalez case was the CORRECT

approach. The boy belonged with his father, period.

[Cleita]

16. Do you read all the words in a post?

I said she was right but heavy handed in the way she handled things. Also, it so happened that I lived both in Texas and Idaho right after those two incidents. I talked to many of the locals who had witnessed what was done. The FBI goons under Reno's dictate were out of line and over the top in their actions. They treated the townspeople like trash, who really had nothing to do with the people they were trying to arrest. The people who died in those incidents really didn't need to die if the situations had been handled better. They were ready to surrender before the first life was taken.

[geek tragedy]

20. FBI 'goons?'

The Branch Davidians were shooting at the FBI with machine guns. They burned themselves alive rather than surrender.

re: Elian Gonzalez--the rightwing goons holding that child weren't going to surrender him peacefully. An inconvenient fact you overlook--the only way that kid was going to back to his father was with a forceful removal from the house.

[Cleita]

21. That's absolutely wrong about Elian. He could have been removed peacefully.

It would have taken longer and more effort but it could have been done instead of terrorizing a child with a cowboy stampede that could have resulted in his death. It was very irresponsible.

[geek tragedy]

22. "that could have resulted in his death"

Please. Are you familiar with the anti-Castro Cubans in Florida? Hardcore rightwing nutjobs.

[Cleita]

23. So let's put them in a violent situation then and see how

they behave then.

[geek tragedy]

26. Violent? No one was hurt. The kid was removed.

There was no negotiating to be done, they were not going to obey lawful orders to return the kid, and that was that.

[KamaAina]

29. UC-My Point.

[AllINeedIsCoffee]

15. Jane Harman's name is being floated. nt

[Cleita]

18. I still would prefer that an academic who has had tenure with the university instead.

They have a better understanding of what is needed. I worked for UCLA and I don't think outsiders do what is best for the university.

[AllINeedIsCoffee]

19. Jane Harman is being floated for DHS. nt

[Igel]

30. Or at least an academic or somebody from within.

Not necessarily both.

I don't think this is a good fit.

Sounds like a bad pre-emptive kind of compromise for all kinds of reasons, none of them tied to the mission of the university but all of them tied to who she has to deal with externally--Calif. governor, various people in the Federal government, politicians in the statehouse. individual regents. Might even defang the UCSA, if it's still around as an active force in student/administration politics.

[frazzled]

4. University presidents should be academics

I like Janet Napolitano well enough, and it would be good for the UC system to have a woman president for the first time. But I strongly believe that presidents of universities should come from the academic community.

Perhaps with a system so vast and a budget so complex, people with purely administrative credentials should be considered. After all, there are academic deans and chancellors. But still, there must be academic administrators who also understand the complex world of faculty and students and curricula that would be available.

Mark Yudof is a talented, smart guy; sorry to hear he's retiring.

[rsmith6621]

13. Find Someone who Understands The 1st and 4th Amendment

And respect them. The OWS movement really showed that even the Obama administration had respect for those.

Do not replace her with a former Clinton or Bush/Cheney cronies either.

Find someone who will put humanity back in to NATIONAL SECURITY.

[Lee-Lee]

17. I would like to see

Kieth Ellison in the office.

Seriously. He is a lawyer, he is a Muslim so he doesn't harbor this irrational fear of them that they use to justify all the abuses under the Patriot Act, plus I really think having a Muslim in there would go a long way toward improving relations with the Islamic community that have been severally damaged since 9/11, both domestically and abroad.

[alp227]

24. Probably had to do with her speaking about cybersecurity at my CSU.

& her connections with silicon valley that way.

Now, WHEN IS ERIC HOLDER STEPPING DOWN?

[Paladin]

25. Matt Drudge must be in mourning over this.

He won't be able to use that snide, hypocritical "Big Sis" term nearly as much on his site.

[dusty trails]

27. Not to worry

Drudge always finds someone to mock and call names. It's the right (wing) thing to do.