The new president of the University of California, James Milliken, is from Texas

The system of the University of California announced on Friday that the new President James B. Milliken would be, an old public university leader who currently serves at the University of Texas system and previously led the City University of New York and the University of Nebraska.

In a loaded time in higher education, Mr Milliken, 68, is considered an experienced and relatively safe choice to lead the most prestigious public university system of the nation.

Mr. Milliken, known as JB, will take over the system of nearly 300,000 students at a time when the Trump administration focuses on the elite universities of the nation -and the UC system has in the crucifixion. All 10 campuses from the University of California are investigated by the administration for various reasons, including admission methods and accusations of anti -Semitism.

Until now, the Californian system has escaped some of the deep federal financing reductions that the White House has announced that it imposed it at other universities. However, the system is confronted with a proposed reduction of approximately 8 percent in its share in the state budget, since California will manage projected will long -term deficiency.

In the announcement of Mr Milliken’s selection, the University of California Board of Regents said that the new president “understands how critical UCs contribute to the state and the country, and he has decades of experience in leading public institutions in times of unprecedented change in higher education.”

The Regents emphasized Mr Milliken’s dedication to students with a low income, referred to his stewardship of the City University of New York System, where he served from 2014 to 2018.

He was known for improving the graduation figures at Cuny, even when cuts on state financing led to deteriorating facilities. He supervised the opening of the Cuny School of Medicine, which focused on the disadvantaged communities of New York.

When he announced that he would take place in 2017, he was treated for throat cancer. He stayed at the Cuny faculty before he joined the University of Texas in 2018 as Chancellor.

At UT, Mr. Milliken was known for an attempt to offer a free tuition fee to students whose families were income lower than $ 100,000. He also supervised the implementation of a state law that abolishes and testified diversity, fairness and inclusion offices of the legislative power of Texas that 21 offices were closed in the system and that 311 positions were eliminated.

In a statement Gov. Gavin Newsom of California that the new president “needs years of experience and stable, strategic leadership to expand the impact of UC.”

“The future of California depends on the power of our institutions, and few are more vital than the University of California,” said Mr. Newsom.

Mr. Milliken, which was introduced on the Board of Regents meeting On Friday in San Francisco noted that “we are confronted with unprecedented times for many reasons in higher education, and I think we all acknowledge what they are, in terms of financing the federal government, in terms of perceptions and postures of the public.”

“We have to do everything we can to straighten that ship,” he said.

At the same time, he added, universities have to keep pace with the progress in artificial intelligence and other technological developments.

“We know that higher education is experiencing challenges and changes,” he said. “What will not change is the historical mission, education, research, health care and public services of the University of California.” He concluded his comments with the motto of the university, “Fiat Lux”, which means “let it be light.”

Mr. Milliken was born in Fremont, Neb., And obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Nebraska in 1979 and a diploma at New York University in 1983. Before he came to the academic world, he practiced rights in New York with the Legal Aid Society and Taft.

His selection follows Michael V. Drake’s decision to resign from the track in July. Mr. Milliken assumes the leadership of the University of California on 1 August with a salary of $ 1,475,000.