University of California President Michael Drake promised to work toward improving staff wellness and providing a salary increase for University employees when reflecting on his tenure during a Feb. 19 systemwide town hall.

During the meeting, which received over 15,000 registrations, Drake spoke with Council of UC Staff Assemblies Chair Jen Bowser of UC Santa Barbara and former CUCSA Chair Dennis Mclver. The staff webinar was the last of Drake’s presidency ahead of his departure from the role at the end of the 2024-25 academic year.

The discussion focused on faculty- and staff-related issues, with a particular emphasis on the UC’s next steps in light of recent executive orders issued by President Trump and proposed funding cuts for the University in next year’s state budget.

Drake said each federal directive is being thoughtfully analyzed as they are announced. He added that, despite what appears to be a reworking of the national agenda, the UC system continues to stay committed to the same goals it has had since its founding.

“Our values as a University remain the same,” he said. “The changes in policy that come are things that we need to understand, process and adjust to, and that’s the work that we’re doing.”

UC employees also expressed concerns about inflation and campus housing crises. Drake said the UC intends to instate a salary increase to policy-covered members this year, though he does not know how large the increase will be.

A staff member also asked Drake about the extent to which the UC is protecting vulnerable staffers – like transgender or undocumented people – amid changing federal policies. Drake responded by saying that the UC aims to uplift the quality of life of all people in the community.

“It’s incumbent upon us to treat staff members fairly,” he said.

Staff members on the webinar also raised concerns about their wellness, saying they find it difficult to achieve work-life balance.

Drake said he is actively working with the UC Health System to implement new programs that target staff health and well-being. He added that those who are happier and healthier typically have the capacity to be more involved at work.

“We looked at a study a few years ago, and it said that people who were more engaged at work were happier and healthier, and I think that people who are happier and healthier then also have the space to be more engaged at work,” he said. “It’s all a continuum.”

Bowser also highlighted an opportunity to become staff advisor to the UC Board of Regents. The two-year appointment would include sitting in for certain committees for the Board of Regents and representing a community of over 200,000 staff members within the UC.

The meeting also called attention to Drake’s departure, with Bowser and Mclver asking about challenges he encountered, memories and advice for his successor.

Drake said he is proud the UC is recognized as one of the most prestigious and competitive research institutions in the world, but he added that this standing would not be possible without reliable partners like the National Institutes of Health.

Drake also said he hopes he made people feel that they matter and that the UC administration respects them.

“I hope that the University feels like a place where one can come and, by being engaged, make a difference,” he said. “Bringing us all together allows us to contribute in ways that are meaningful and better than we – any of us – could do on our own.”