UC Davis Students Stage Sit-In Demanding Chancellor Resign
UC DAVIS (CBS13) — UC Davis students staged a sit-in at Mrak Hall on Friday as they demanded Chancellor Linda Katehi resign.
The chancellor is under fire for her service as a paid director for two for-profit boards while working at the university. The controversy recently led to her resignation from one of those board.
The 62-year-old apologized last week for accepting paid corporate board positions with DeVry Education Group and textbook publisher Wiley and Sons.
In a statement, she said, "I have resigned from the DeVry board and intend to donate all the stock proceeds I made from serving on the John Wiley and Sons board to a scholarship fund for UC Davis students."
Maile Hampton is among the dozen students staging a sit-in at the chancellor's office.
"We have a responsibility to stand up when we know bad things are happening. You know? We're here to say: resign now and we want to have a say in the next chancellor," Hampton said.
With plenty of food, books and sleeping bags to get them through the night, the group plans to occupy until their message brings change.
"She's incapable of doing her job as a public servant," said student Chase Caligiuri. "And as a public servant, we are her employer. Our tuition pays her salary. Our taxes also pay for her."
Katehi earns $424,000 a year as university chancellor. The DeVry post would have given her $70,000 a year, plus stock had she not resigned. That's in addition to six-figure pay and stock from Wiley and Sons.
Students believe their demands will be met with more time and pressure.
"It is possible for students to rise up and get rid of corruptness on their university," Hampton said.
Two California assemblymen have called on Katehi to step down, though University of California President Janet Napolitano says it would ultimately hurt the university if she resigned.
