Judy K. Sakaki

Judy K. Sakaki (born c. 1953) is an American academic administrator serving as the seventh president of Sonoma State University. She spent most of her previous academic career as a student affairs administrator in the University of California system. She is the first Japanese-American woman to head a four-year college or university in the United States as well as the first Asian American woman hired as a university president in California and the second woman to serve as president of SSU.[1]

Judy K. Sakaki
7th President of Sonoma State University
Assumed office
July 1, 2016
Preceded byRuben Armiñana
Personal details
Bornc. 1953 (age 68–69)
Oakland, California, U.S.
EducationCalifornia State University, East Bay (BA, MS)
University of California, Berkeley (PhD)

Early life and education

Sakaki's maternal grandparents, her mother and her uncle were held in the Topaz Internment camp in Delta, Utah, during World War II.[2]

Sakaki was born and raised in Oakland, California.[3] A first-generation college student, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in human development and Master of Science in educational psychology from California State University, East Bay.[4] She then earned a PhD in education from University of California, Berkeley.[5]

Career

Before becoming the president of Sonoma State, Sakaki served as vice chancellor of student affairs at University of California, Davis, vice president and dean of student affairs at California State University, Fresno, and vice president for student affairs at the University of California system. In 2009 Sakaki co-chaired a task force to award honorary degrees to approximately 700 Japanese American UC students who were unable to complete their degrees due to their internment during World War II.[6]

Sakaki succeeded Ruben Armiñana, who emphasized capital projects including the $145 million Green Music Center. Sakaki shifted her focus to students and faculty, cancelling plans to construct a 10,000-seat outdoor concert pavilion adjacent to the Green Music Center, estimated to cost $10.6 million, and stating that the money would be better spent on academic programs.[7]

Sakaki is a former American Council on Education fellow, and an executive fellow of the California State University.

In 2018, then Sonoma State provost, Lisa Vollendorf, reported allegations of sexual harassment involving Sakaki's husband, Patrick McCallum, who often volunteered at university events.[8] Vollendorf reported that several university employees alleged that they were sexually harassed by McCallum.[8] Vollendorf further alleged that Sakaki engaged in retaliatory conduct against Vollendorf upon finding out that Vollendorf made such reports.[8] In January 2022, Cal State University paid $600,000 to settle Vollendorf's claims against Sakaki and McCallum.[8][9] In a statement, Sakaki stated that claims of retaliation were "utterly without basis," and that she was "saddened and surprised" by the sexual harassment allegations against McCallum.[10]

Personal life

On October 9, 2017, the home of Sakaki and her husband, Patrick McCallum, was destroyed by the Tubbs Fire.[11]

On April 18, 2022, amid criticisms of her handling of sexual harassment allegations against her husband, Sakaki announced that she and McCallum were separating.[12]

References
  1. Meg Mcconahey, "Daring new president shifts focus to getting students, faculty to dream big," The Press Democrat, December 4, 2016, pp. A1, A14-A15.
  2. Meg Mcconahey, "Daring new president shifts focus to getting students, faculty to dream big," The Press Democrat, December 4, 2016, pp. A1.
  3. "Women in Business Awards: Judy K. Sakaki, Sonoma State University". The North Bay Business Journal. 2017-06-22. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  4. "President". Sonoma State University. 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  5. Meg Mcconahey, "Daring new president shifts focus to getting students, faculty to dream big," The Press Democrat, December 4, 2016, pp. A1, A14-A15.
  6. 'Biography: Judith K. Sakaki." The California State University, November 18, 2016.
  7. J.D. Morris,"SSU halts new pavilion," The Press Democrat, September 30, 2016, pp. A1-A2.
  8. Shalby, Colleen; Lopez; Robert (2022-04-13). "CSU provost faced retaliation after reporting harassment by president's husband, records say". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  9. "Former SSU administrator got $600K settlement over retaliation for reporting sexual harassment claims". Santa Rosa Press Democrat. 2022-04-13. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  10. "SSU President Judy Sakaki: 'Surprised and saddened' by SSU sexual harassment allegations". Santa Rosa Press Democrat. 2022-04-14. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  11. Sernoffsky, Evan (October 10, 2017). "Sonoma State president's husband describes harrowing escape from Tubbs Fire". San Francisco Chronicle.
  12. Shalby, Colleen (2022-04-18). "Sonoma State president separates from husband amid sexual harassment, retaliation scandal". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-04-19.
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