The following statement can be attributed to CSU Chancellor Mildred García:
“Since her appointment as Cal Poly Pomona's president in September 2014, President Coley has served as a bold, purposeful and ethical leader. Under her leadership, the university has been relentless in its work to advance student success through critical investments in academic advising, programs to increase belonging and promote well-being, and through the development of the CARE Center, essential basic needs services and other vital resources. A fierce advocate for the CSU, Cal Poly Pomona and its students, she has been a tireless champion of the university within the region it serves. She has inspired vital community and business partnerships, as well as robust philanthropic support. Perhaps most significantly, under President Coley's leadership, Cal Poly Pomona has consistently challenged and defied misconceptions regarding who pursues and succeeds within a polytechnic environment, opening doors of opportunity to diverse and historically underserved communities across Southern California and beyond.
“President Coley's extraordinary service to the CSU spans 40 years. Prior to her current role, she served as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at CSU Bakersfield. At Cal State Fullerton, she served as dean of the College of Human Development and Community Service, as an administrative fellow, and as professor and chair of the Human Services department. Throughout her long and distinguished career, President Coley has served as a valued leader and trusted mentor within the CSU system and as an influential and respected voice across higher education more broadly.
“Her legacy of student-centered service is truly remarkable – and its impact will span generations."
On February 4, 2025, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona President Soraya M. Coley announced that she will retire at the end of July 2025. Coley is the university's sixth president, and first woman and first African American scholar to be appointed to the role. She has served as president since 2015. The CSU will soon launch a national search for Coley's successor. Under university policy, the chair of the CSU Board of Trustees and the chancellor will select a committee comprised of campus and community stakeholders to lead the search.
About the California State University
The California State University is the nation's largest four-year public university system, providing transformational opportunities for upward mobility to more than 460,000 students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. More than half of CSU students are from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, and more than one-quarter of undergraduates are first-generation college students. Because the CSU's 23 universities provide a high-quality education at an incredible value, they are rated among the best in the nation for promoting social mobility in national college rankings from U.S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal and Washington Monthly. The CSU powers California and the nation, sending nearly 125,000 career-ready graduates into the workforce each year. In fact, one in every 20 Americans holding a college degree earned it at the CSU. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU newsroom.