Regent Stephen Nakashima leaves board after 11 years

By Shauna Mecartea
Daily Bruin Contributor

Chairwoman S. Sue Johnson announced the recent resignation of
Stephen Nakashima from the University of California Board of
Regents Friday.

Nakashima, 79, said he resigned because of recent heart
complications and the loss of his wife of 52 years less than a year
ago.

“Stephen Nakashima has been a dedicated representative of
the people and University of California,” said Johnson in a
statement. “The entire UC community is extremely grateful for
his many years of devoted service, and we wish him well.”

Nakashima, a San Jose lawyer, received his bachelor’s
degree in accounting at UC Berkeley and his law degree from Boalt
Hall School of Law.

First appointed to the board for a partial term by Gov. George
Deukmejian in 1989, Nakashima was reappointed by Gov. Pete Wilson
in 1992, this time for a 12-year term.

Nakashima served on the regents’ educational policy and
investments committees and on the Special Committee on UC Merced
prior to his resignation.

Currently, three positions are available on the board. Regents
Howard Leech and Meredith Khachigan recently finished their
terms.

“The governor has a big opportunity to appoint three
members to make a significant change in all aspects of the
university,” said student Regent Justin Fong.

The appointment of three new regents could impact the general
consensus on the regents’ controversial 1995 measures, SP-1
and SP-2, which banned the use of affirmative action in admissions
and faculty hiring, respectively.

While Nakashima voted in favor of SP-1 and SP-2, the impending
regents might sway the vote either way in the upcoming May
meeting.

But Gov. Gray Davis does not have to appoint the regents within
a certain amount of time.

The 26-member board consists of 18 regents who are appointed by
the governor, one student regent who is appointed by the regents
and seven ex officio members which include the governor.

While many regents acknowledge Nakashima’s resignation as
a loss, the question of who will replace them is also on their
minds.

“I’m excited to see who (Davis) is going to
appoint,” Fong said. “It would be great to have two
student regents.”

But a constitutional amendment would have to be made to make
that change, Fong said.

Article IX, Section 9 of the state constitution was drafted in
1878 to isolate the university from political influence. It
outlined the composition of the board of regents and stipulated
that the board was subject only to very specific legislative
control.

As of now, there are three Asian Americans sitting on the board.
Regent David S. Lee said Nakashima should be replaced with another
Asian American.