Sonoma State University President Retires Amidst Controversy over Anti-Israel Concessions

Sonoma State University President Mike Lee has announced his retirement just days after being placed on administrative leave for making concessions to anti-Israel student groups on campus.

Sonoma State University President Mike Lee has announced his retirement following a series of controversies surrounding his concessions to anti-Israel student groups on campus. Lee was placed on administrative leave earlier this week after making a number of agreements with Students for Justice in Palestine without the approval of other school administrators.

These agreements included the creation of a Students for Justice in Palestine advisory council, an academic boycott of Israeli universities, expansion of Palestinian Studies programs at the school, and a demand for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The university's chancellor, Mildred García, said in a statement that Lee made the concessions "without the appropriate approvals" and that the university system's board is "actively reviewing the matter."

García also said that Lee had been placed on administrative leave "because of this insubordination and the consequences it has brought upon the system."

In a statement following his leave, Lee expressed regret for his actions, saying, "In my attempt to find agreement with one group of students, I marginalized other members of our student population and community."

Lee's actions were met with criticism from local lawmakers. State Sen. Scott Wiener called the memo "horrific and wrong" and said that Lee was "basically blacklisting Israel."

Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs and Chief Academic Officer Nathan Evans was appointed as acting president in wake of Lee's leave.

In her statement on Lee's retirement, García said, "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."

Evans provided his own statement upon taking up the role, which read, "We will create spaces and places to process President Lee's retirement and other recent developments as a community in the coming days and weeks. For now, I encourage all of us to focus on our graduates and their supporters."

When asked for comment by Fox News Digital, reps for Sonoma State University simply pointed the outlet to García's initial statement on Lee's retirement.