University of California President Janet Napolitano made the following statement today (Oct. 2) after the announcement that Arne Duncan will step down as U.S. Secretary of Education in December:
"Secretary Arne Duncan has been a tremendous advocate for students at all educational levels. As a former Secretary who worked with him in President Obama's Administration and now as President of the University of California, I have witnessed first-hand his tireless efforts to advance our nation's educational progress, increase investments in student financial aid, break down barriers to educational access and attainment, and ensure stronger accountability for the federal financial investment in education.
“Secretary Duncan has been a valuable partner in advancing excellence in education across the nation and in addressing the many challenges and opportunities facing our institutions of higher education, particularly public universities. I wish Arne, his wife Karen and their family all the best, and I look forward to working with him in the next few months on the critical issues facing education in America."