Available From UC Press

Richard C. Atkinson was named president of the University of California in August 1995, barely four weeks after the UC Regents voted to end affirmative action. How he dealt with the admissions wars—the political, legal, and academic consequences of that historic and controversial decision, as well as the issue of governance—is discussed in this book. Another focus is the entrepreneurial university—the expansion of the University’s research enterprise into new forms of scientific research with industry during Atkinson’s presidency. The final crisis of his administration was the prolonged controversy over the University’s management of the Los Alamos and Livermore nuclear weapons research laboratories that began with the arrest of Los Alamos scientist Wen Ho Lee on charges of espionage in 1999. Entrepreneurial President explains what was at stake during each of these episodes, how Atkinson addressed the issues, and why the outcomes matter to the University and to the people of California. Pelfrey’s book provides an analysis of the challenges, perils, and limits of presidential leadership in the nation’s leading public university, while bringing a historical perspective to bear on the current serious threats to its future as a university.

Patricia Pelfrey is a Research Associate at the Center for Studies in Higher Education at UC Berkeley. She is the author of A Brief History of the University of California (UC Press, 2004).

"This engaging book is blessed with a special chemistry. It is, first, a

revealing story of one of the most intelligent, adaptive, and creative

leaders in the history of the University of California. It is, second, a

superb account of the knottiest problems—affirmative action, relations

with the national laboratories, for example—faced by the University during

the Atkinson presidency. It is, third, remarkably enriched by Patricia Pelfrey's talents, long experience, keen judgment, and objectivity as the storyteller."--Neil J. Smelser, Professor of Sociology, Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley and author of Reflections on the University of California

“This book has a wide range of appeal, from University of California loyalists to scholars of public higher education, its governance, administration and politics.”--Karl S. Pister, Chancellor Emeritus, UC Santa Cruz and Dean and Roy W. Carlson Professor of Engineering Emeritus, UC Berkeley