Rapid Response: Janet Napolitano is new UC president

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Friday that she will leave the federal government to become president of the University of California system.

Politicians and officials were quick to issue statements on Napolitano’s decision. Here’s a few of their reactions:

President Barack Obama

“I want to thank Secretary Napolitano for her outstanding work on behalf of the American people over the last four years. At the Department of Homeland Security, Janet’s portfolio has included some of the toughest challenges facing our country. She’s worked around the clock to respond to natural disasters, from the Joplin tornado to Hurricane Sandy, helping Americans recover and rebuild. Since day one, Janet has led my administration’s effort to secure our borders, deploying a historic number of resources, while also taking steps to make our immigration system fairer and more consistent with our values. And the American people are safer and more secure thanks to Janet’s leadership in protecting our homeland against terrorist attacks. I’ve come to rely on Janet’s judgment and advice, but I’ve also come to value her friendship. And as she begins a new chapter in a remarkable career of public service, I wish her the best of luck.”

Kathryn Lybarger, President of UC union AFSCME 3299

“While UC staff, students and patients were largely excluded from the secretive process that led to Secretary Janet Napolitano’s appointment, we appreciate her years of public service and congratulate her on becoming the next President of the University of California. Secretary Napolitano’s tenure at UC begins at a time of skyrocketing student tuition, degraded patient care quality, increased privatization of public university resources, unprecedented debt, unrivaled executive excess, and declining taxpayer trust in top University leadership. While this will be the unfortunate legacy of her predecessor, it is our hope that Secretary Napolitano will work to arrest the UC’s continuing modesty problem, and restore the spirit of cooperation and respect that’s needed to meet its core public research, academic and health delivery missions in the years to come. If she does, she can be assured that she will find a willing partner in AFSCME 3299.”

[Source]: Sacramento Bee – To read more responses from other officials and politicians click here