Chancellor, California State University
CSU Board of Trustees – Chancellor’s Report
Long Beach, CA
March 26, 2014
Thank you, Chair Linscheid. I, too, want to join you in welcoming our Trustees Day and Kimbell and congratulating Trustee Farar for her reappointment to the board.
Bill Hauck
I echo your thoughtful remarks on the passing of Trustee Bill Hauck. We had a chance to say a few words in his praise at our last meeting when he was here with us, but no amount of words seems adequate.
Bill was an alumnus, an advocate, and a friend to the CSU. He was a tireless champion of students…In fact, one of his defining characteristics was his passion for higher education and his commitment to the CSU.
To quote Bill, “I’m very dedicated to the system; I’m proud of it. I feel strongly that the CSU system and its graduates really drive the California economy. We are the people’s university.”
When he chaired the search committee for a new chancellor, Bill was one of the main people who helped me make the decision to come to the CSU. He spoke very eloquently about the ability of the CSU to change individual lives and to shape the future of California.
We are each diminished by his loss. We will be keeping Padget and his family and friends in our thoughts and prayers. We will endeavor to live up to his ideals and expectations.
State of the CSU
Since we last met, I have been sharing the message that I shared with all of you during my State of the CSU address. I have spoken to groups in Bakersfield and Sonoma, and I will be speaking soon to a community group in Long Beach.
I feel that our message has been very well received and that both education and business communities are embracing the priority of student success and completion.
Also last month we had a successful Hill Day in Washington D.C. Â It was a very positive, constructive visit thanks to team of more than 85 advocates, including trustees, campus presidents, alumni, and students.
We had terrific meetings with White House officials, numerous California congressional delegation members, and key members of education committees. Overall, among federal policymakers, there was a very strong interest in and support for the CSU mission and “State of the CSU” graduation goals.
On that trip back east we also had an alumni reception in New York City that drew more than 200 alumni from 20 CSU campuses. They were all very interested to learn more about the CSU’s priorities going forward.
Super Sunday
We had an incredible month of Super Sunday events in February. This year, we held more than 100 events and reached more than 100,000 people.
Deacon John Wilson III of West Angeles Church tells us that this year, nearly all of the church’s 12th grade students applied to a CSU campus. He credits the CSU’s partnership with the church through Super Sunday and through our African American initiative.
We are proud, as we are every year, to lead this model program that inspires more young African-American students to apply to and attend college.
PIQE Study
Also relating to our outreach programs, there is a new study out about the success of students and families in the PIQE program, which the CSU has been working with to support low-income and ethnically diverse parents of school-age students.
The study found 90% of the students whose parents participated in PIQE graduated from high school in 2010-2011, compared to 77% statewide. Also, 70 percent of students from PIQE families enrolled in college.
It is important and gratifying to see these quantitative measures of the success of our efforts. Â
Wang Family Excellence Awards
I am pleased to announce that Trustee Emeritus Stanley Wang is renewing the Wang Family Excellence Awards to honor four faculty members and one staff member each year who have distinguished themselves through exemplary contributions and achievements in their academic disciplines and for the CSU.
Stanley has committed $100,000 per year for three years, funding five annual awards at $20,000 each.
The Wang Family Excellence Award was originally created in 1998, when Stanley provided a $1 million gift to recognize faculty and staff. The program was sustained for ten years through this gift. He has committed to an additional three years of support for the award program, starting in 2014.
He and I are exploring ways to secure the program in perpetuity.
CalStateTEACH Award
I am proud to announce that the CSU received the Best Practice Award for the Innovative Use of Technology for CalStateTEACH from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) earlier this month.
This prestigious national award honors the program’s success in preparing high-quality teachers through the use of technology.
CalStateTEACH uses online technology to prepare teacher candidates for the Preliminary Multiple Subject Credential. The online platform makes earning a teaching credential more accessible to those in underserved areas of California.
Congratulations to our teacher education team for its cutting-edge innovations that bring people and technology together.
California Student Aid Commission Representative
I want to note that William Gregory Sawyer, vice president for student affairs at CSU Channel Islands, has been confirmed as the California State University representative on the California Student Aid Commission.
The commission provides financial aid policy analysis and leadership in partnership with California’s colleges, universities, financial institutions, and financial aid associations.
Thank you, Dr. Sawyer, for representing the CSU. You now have over 430,000 new friends.
Chair Linscheid, that concludes my report.