Sonoma State University President Ming-Tung “Mike” Lee is retiring after he was placed on leave for announcing an agreement with a pro-Palestinian encampment that he was not authorized to make.
CSU Chancellor Dr. Mildred García announced on May 16, “President Ming-Tung ‘Mike’ Lee has informed me of his decision to retire from his role at Sonoma State University. I thank President Lee for his years of service to the California State University — starting at California State University, Sacramento — and to higher education overall. I wish him and his family well. I will continue to work with Acting President Nathan Evans and our Board of Trustees leadership during this transitional period. Additional information will be forthcoming.”
“President Ming-Tung ‘Mike’ Lee has informed me of his decision to retire from his role at Sonoma State University. I thank President Lee for his years of service to the California State University — starting at California State University, Sacramento — and to higher education overall. I wish him and his family well.” – CSU Chancellor Dr. Mildred García
The day before, Lee announced that he was going on leave because his May 14 statement announcing an agreement between the university and the encampment did not go through the proper CSU channels. “The message was drafted and sent without the approval of, or consultation with, the Chancellor or other system leaders. The points outlined in the message were mine alone, and do not represent the views of my colleagues or the CSU,” he said on May 15. Lee also acknowledged that his May 14 statement “marginalized other members of our student population and community. I realize the harm that this has caused, and I take full ownership of it. I deeply regret the unintended consequences of my actions.”
SSU Acting President Nathan Evans also said in a May 16 statement, “Dr. Mike Lee, who came out of retirement to take the helm as interim SSU President in 2022, and was named president in 2023, has informed the Chancellor that he has decided to go back into retirement, effective immediately.” Evan lauded Lee for implementing “measures that have helped put SSU back on the path toward growth” and developing “an academic master plan and reorganization that better aligns university resources with current enrollment and positions the campus’ program portfolio for innovation and enrollment growth … He was an effective and enthusiastic spokesperson for stewardship of place and the value of a Sonoma State education, and in a short period of time developed community partnerships and philanthropic opportunities that connected the campus more closely to the people and workforce needs of the region. He will be missed.”
Evans added that “our focus also is on fully celebrating Commencement and the activities surrounding it” and that he will be “presiding over Commencement on Saturday.”
Lee’s May 14 statement had stated that the university would be forming an Advisory Council of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) that would consult with the university on possible divestment strategies. The May 14 statement also said that the university “will not pursue or engage in any study abroad programs, faculty exchanges, or other formal collaborations that are sponsored by, or represent, the Israeli state academic and research institutions.” Lee also called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and declared that “none of us should be on the sidelines when human beings are subject to mass killing and destruction.”
On May 15, García issued a statement saying that Lee was placed on leave “because of this insubordination and consequences it has brought upon the system,” adding “our role as educators is to support and uplift all members of the California State University … I want to acknowledge how deeply concerned I am about the impact the statement has had on the Sonoma State community, and how challenging and painful it will be for many of our students and community members to see and read. The heart and mission of the CSU is to create an inclusive and welcoming place for everyone we serve, not to marginalize one community over another.”
