California University President Faces Leave For Meeting Gaza Protesters’ Demands Against Alleged ‘Insubordination’

DEBARYLIFE – California State University placed President Mike Lee of the Sonoma State campus on leave on Wednesday, following his acquiescence to the demands of demonstrators seeking divestment from Israel and participation in university decision-making.

On Tuesday, Lee sent out a statement to the entire university stating that he had given in to the demands of those living in a pro-Palestinian camp on campus.

Chancellor of CSU Mildred García said in a statement that the memo was sent “without the appropriate approvals,” and that the board of the 23-campus CSU system is “actively reviewing the matter.”

According to García, President Lee has been placed on administrative leave for the time being due to his insubordination and the effects on the system.

This is arguably the worst penalty a California university president or chancellor has ever received for managing anti-Gaza protests.

Additionally, it highlights the resistance of the CSU system and its sister University of California system to divesting from Israeli weapons makers, which has been increasingly demanded by pro-Palestinian protestors across the nation in recent months.

SEE MORE – Hawthorne Road Crash Results In Fatality Of Gainesville Man, Serious Injury To Another

While some East Coast universities have committed to studying divestment, none have gone as far as Lee, including California universities like UC Riverside, UC Berkeley, and Sacramento State.

In addition to other actions, Lee announced to the campus that he would launch an academic boycott of Israel, which would involve removing references to study abroad opportunities in Israel from university brochures.

In addition, he consented to collaborate with a nearby branch of Students for Justice in Palestine to establish an advisory committee for certain choices.

In addition, Lee promised to check for connections to Israel in the school’s contracts and in the Sonoma State Foundation, a campus-specific investment fund, “to determine a course of action leading to divestment strategies that include seeking ethical alternatives.”

In a follow-up email sent on Wednesday to campus community members, Lee stated, “In my attempt to find agreement with one group of students, I marginalized other members of our student population and community.”

“I accept full responsibility for this, and I acknowledge the hurt it has caused. I sincerely apologize for any unforeseen repercussions of my behavior.

A request for comment from Lee was not answered right away.

In the 24 hours after he announced the agreement with protesters, which included them disassembling their campsite, his choice to interact with them was swiftly met with criticism. Using harsh language, Democratic co-chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus Scott Wiener denounced Lee’s surrender to the “Boycott, Divest and Sanction” movement.

SEE MORE – Georgian Rights Leader Resists Government’s “Foreign Agent” Law Amid Smears!

“Sonoma State University’s president associated the institution with BDS yesterday—a movement whose purpose is the annihilation of Israel, home to seven million Jews,” Wiener wrote on X on Wednesday.

More quietly, this is being done on several other UC and CSU campuses. Sonoma State just stated the silent portion aloud. I’ve taken off the mask.

After placing Lee on leave, Wiener and colleague Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, Co-Chair of the Caucus, released a statement applauding the action, stating that Lee had been “unfit to lead one of our great state institutions.”

In the fall of 2022, Lee was initially appointed president of the institution in Wine Country, Northern California. In the interim, Nathan Evans, a vice chancellor in García’s administration, will take his post.

García, who assumed the role of chancellor at the start of the academic year, expressed her deep concern about the impact the statement has had on the Sonoma State community and the difficulty and suffering it will cause many of our students and community members to see and read.

“Creating a warm and inviting environment for everyone we serve—rather than favoring one community over another—is the core purpose and goal of the CSU.”