Janet Napolitano , the president of the University of California system and former U.S . Homeland Security secretary , publicly apologized Thursday for calling chants by students protesting tuition hikes 'crap , ' a remark overheard on an open microphone at a board of regents meeting . Napolitano , also a former Arizona governor , opened a regents meeting by expressing contrition , a day after the university 's recording of a Wednesday gathering captured her saying , 'We do n't have to listen to this crap , ' when she leaned over to the board chairman who had just activated his microphone . The comment came after several dozen students in the University of California system stripped off their shirts at Wednesday 's meeting , tossed fake money in the air and stood on chairs chanting 'egregious , step off it , put people over profits ' . University of California president Janet Napolitano talks with Gov . Jerry Brown during a UC Board of Regents meeting in San Francisco . University of California Berkeley student Kristian Kim throws fake money while starting a protest during a UC Board of Regents meeting in San Francisc . Students were protesting tuition increases of up to five per cent in each of the next five years , what they say is a lack of support for black students at UC Berkeley and concern that a possible new campus in Richmond would displace low-income residents . The proposed increase would see next year 's base cost for students rise from $ 12,192 up to $ 12,804 and to $ 15,564 by 2019 . Napolitano apologized Thursday 'for using a word that she does n't normally use , which was picked up on the mike ' , Dianne Klein , spokeswoman for the University of California Office of the President , said in an email . She added : ' [ Napolitano ] suggested that many of us have been in similar situations where an inadvertent comment was overheard ' . Klein said the time allotted for public comments had ended Wednesday when protesters interrupted . 'This went on for quite some time and when the participants ignored police instructions to end their protest , the board chair began following the established procedure to temporarily shut down the meeting , ' Klein said . Napolitano 's comment reflected her personal frustration with disruptions that hinder discussions on topics 'vital to the future of the university and the education of its students , ' Klein said . University of California Berkeley student Kristian Kim stands on a chair while taking off clothing to start a protest during a UC Board of Regents meeting in San Francisco . Governor Jerry Brown has opposed University of California President Janet Napolitano 's plan to increase tuition by up to five per cent in each of the next five years . Janet Napolitano speaks while giving a briefing on the progress she and Gov . Jerry Brown have made in ironing out their differences over UC 's budget .
Comment came after UCLA students stripped off their shirts in a meeting . They were protesting tuition increases of up to five per cent in next 5 years . They tossed fake money in the air and chanted 'put people over profits ' Napolitano , president of the UCLA system , called the chants ' c**p ' On Thursday the former San Francisco governor apologized for the remark .