Sonoma State University President Judy Sakaki will step down amid a scandal involving sexual harassment reports about her husband and alleged retaliation by Sakaki against a school provost, according to a news report Monday.
Sakaki said in a statement that she will depart on July 31, calling her tenure as university president “an honor,” the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported.
“After thoughtful reflection and discussions with my family, I made the decision to step away as president of this wonderful campus,” she said.
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Sakaki, 69, has been embroiled in controversy since April, when the Press Democrat reported that the California State University system paid a $600,000 settlement to a former Sonoma State provost. The payment was intended to resolve a dispute related to sexual harassment complaints from several female university employees against Sakaki’s husband, Patrick McCallum.
