Remarks by Lou Monville
Chair, CSU Board of Trustees
Report to the Board of Trustees
Long Beach, CA
March 9, 2016
I would like to begin my report today by taking a moment to remember a world-renowned pioneer in coastal science and oceanography… and leader in higher education in California, Douglas Inman… who passed away on February 11th at the age of 95.
As a member of the CSU
Class of 3 Million, Dr. Inman graduated from San Diego State College – today known as San Diego State University – in 1942, with a bachelor’s degree in physics and geology… went on to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve during World War II… and later, attended graduate school at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography… now part of UC San Diego.
Dr. Inman became a professor at UC San Diego… and is credited with many discoveries and innovations in oceanography and coastal science, including his revolutionary theory regarding the role of plate tectonics in coastal processes.
And, perhaps most importantly… Dr. Inman inspired a new generation of scientists… and leaves behind an incredible legacy of scientific curiosity, innovation and excellence.
Our thoughts are with Dr. Inman’s wife, Patricia Masters and his family… along with all who knew and revered this great scientist and educator.
I would like to congratulate the presidents-select for Channel Islands and for Chico…. and thank the members of the presidential search committees for their hard work. The reward and the payoff is just beginning.
And as we have heard over the past two days… I’d like to again welcome our newest trustees to the board… as well as congratulate Trustee Kimbell for her reappointment by Governor Brown… and Trustees Abrego, Day and Taylor for their Senate confirmations.
As you may know, March Madness is officially upon us… and I’d like to congratulate all of the women’s and men’s basketball teams representing the CSU in postseason play.
On the women’s side… CCAA champions Cal State East Bay, joined by Dominguez Hills… are set to compete in the NCAA Division II women’s basketball tournament… And CCAA champions Humboldt State, along with Cal Poly Pomona and Chico State, are taking part in the Division II men’s basketball tournament.
Of course, we’ll also be rooting for our Division I men’s and women’s basketball teams in their Big West and Big Sky conference tournaments... and hopefully we’ll be able to cheer them on during the NCAA tournament as well.
I’d also like to congratulate three Cal State campuses for making the Peace Corps’ List of the Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities for 2016.
The Peace Corps ranked Humboldt State number nine on the list of medium-size campuses, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and San Diego State ranked number 21 and 24, respectively, for large campuses.
San Diego State also ranks number 28 for all-time highest volunteer-producing campuses and number five among the top Hispanic-Serving Institutions. Congratulations to our colleagues at San Diego State.
This recognition from the Peace Corps identifies a founding principle that defines the CSU… a university dedicated to the public good of California and of our nation.
And two Cal State East Bay graduate students – Stephanie Haro and Masiel Morales – have received federal paid internships through the highly-selective Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ National Internship Program, the nation’s largest of its kind.
Stephanie and Masiel will join 50 other students from across the country as they work with federal agencies and corporations in the internship program… and I’m sure they will represent Cal State East Bay, and the CSU community, very well.
You know, we often use this word…
community… as a way to describe the diverse gathering of students, faculty, staff, alumni, stakeholders and friends of our campuses… brought together under shared values and goals… to solve society’s greatest problems and challenges... educate new generations of students… and enrich ourselves through common understanding.
And we know that our campus community is at its strongest when it is –
as the chancellor might say – woven into the fabric of the surrounding community and region.
I’m sure many of you saw the February 21st article in the New York Times, titled
A Bruised San Bernardino Shows Cultural Stirrings.
The article highlights the work of Cal State San Bernardino professors, Juan Delgado and Thomas McGovern, as they document a historic 178-year-old city following three decades of decline.
Juan, is
a poet at CSUSB and its interim provost, and Tom,
a photographer, are combining their artistic talents in order to – as Tom told the New York Times – to
validate that our community is worth knowing.
If you haven’t read the New York Times article on professors Delgado and McGovern, I encourage you to do so… and I invite you to come and visit one of Juan and Tom’s photo-poetic exhibitions.
Their work exemplifies what we mean by
community-based… These are the threads of the Cal State community that we weave into the successes and achievements of all Californians.
From Turlock to San Marcos, Bakersfield to San Jose… indeed, all 23 campuses throughout this state… they are a multitude of examples of the power of our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends to make positive, consequential change… to reinvigorate the communities that sustain us all...
And to make good on the founding promise of this university: Higher education that works for the public benefit of all Californians.
With that I conclude my report. Chancellor White?