Remarks by Dr. Timothy P. White
Chancellor, California State University
CSU Board of Trustees Meeting – Chancellor’s Report
Long Beach, CA
July 24, 2018
Thank you, Adam, and congratulations on a successful first meeting as board chairman.
I appreciate and echo your comments on the importance of inclusivity… and I, too, am proud of our collective efforts to ensure that Cal State’s students, faculty, staff and administrators ultimately reflect the dynamic diversity of California.
Certainly, this includes our 23 presidents… who celebrate the diversity of viewpoints, backgrounds, circumstances and beliefs through steadfast leadership on campus, in their communities and across the Golden State… indeed the nation.
As Chairman Day mentioned… we are an agent of socioeconomic success. California has been and will continue to be a global beacon for innovation, social justice, equity and prosperity largely
because of our commitment to inclusive excellence.
Today we welcomed three more campus leaders who embrace and embody Cal State’s mission, vision and values. All three – like many of us – are products of the California Master Plan.
And all three – in their prior leadership roles in the CSU, UC and elsewhere – have already made remarkable contributions to public higher education in the Golden State.
Welcome again,
Adela,
Lynnette and
Thomas. I speak for our colleagues here in this room and throughout the university when I say that we look forward to working with you to further student, employee and alumni successes.
As we continue to think deeply on inclusive excellence, I must thank this board… and our colleagues in student, faculty, staff and alumni leadership... for your vocal support and insight.
In particular, I must thank trustees Wenda Fong and Jean Picker Firstenberg for their work with Cal State staff to share more on our philosophy of inclusive leadership… and for organizing an event to honor Cal State’s women presidents during the ACE Women’s Leadership Forum at Cal State San Marcos this October.
I know that the CSU philosophy of inclusive excellence is an exemplar for colleges and universities across the United States.
Finally… in my report last month, I closed with a story of a CSU team that defied all odds to become national champions. Today, I have another… and this time, the winning team channeled Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh.
Intrigued?
I am of course talking about Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s concrete canoe team… that, for the second year in a row, earned national championship honors this past June at the
31st Annual National Concrete Canoe Competition in San Diego.
In total, 200 colleges and universities competed to design and produce a canoe made of concrete. Cal Poly’s team of civil and mechanical engineers finished in first place with 95 points… 17 points clear of their nearest competitors.
Cal Poly’s canoe won in nearly every category, including a design that honored the post-impressionist painter with fifteen different colors of concrete.
Who knew there was more than one color?
President Armstrong, please convey our congratulations to the
national champs and entire Cal Poly San Luis Obispo community.
Chairman Day, that concludes my report.