Report of the Chair

As a proud alumnus of the California State University, I am excited to provide my first report as chair.

I learned of the Board of Trustees while serving as a student leader from Cal State San Bernardino. I could not have imagined then that someday I would have the chance to serve with all of you.  To borrow a slogan from the California State Student Association, I am “Made in the CSU.”  I have benefited from the extraordinary learning environment created every day by CSU faculty, staff and administrators. Thank you all for your work on behalf of students, alumni and the people of California.

Many of my fellow trustees also graduated from the CSU. Our new Vice Chair, Rebecca Eisen, earned her master’s at San Francisco State. Becky, I appreciate you taking on this additional responsibility and look forward to working with you.

It is a pleasure to welcome the newest member of the board, student trustee Kelsey Brewer of Cal State Fullerton. Kelsey is an intern and clerk with a premier law firm, student leader, and nationally competitive scholar. Kelsey, you have a great colleague in Talar Alexanian of Cal State Northridge, who now assumes the role of voting student trustee. Kelsey, I would offer you the opportunity to address those gathered here today.

(Kelsey Brewer remarks)

The beginning of the academic year brings many new faces to this meeting.

I am pleased to welcome Dr. Steven Filling, professor of accounting and finance at Cal State Stanislaus, as chair of the Academic Senate.

In addition, please join me in congratulating the president and chair of the California State Student Association, President Daniel Clark of Fresno State and Chair Devon Graves of Cal Poly Pomona.  This is Devon’s second year as chair. We appreciate your continued presence and voice in CSU policy. Daniel also served as an executive officer with CSSA last year, so we can look forward to a strong year of student representation.

I am grateful for the extraordinary effort of students in keeping the CSU a budget priority in Sacramento.  CSSA, along with labor partners and the Chancellor’s Office team here and in particular in Sacramento, made a strong and united case for why the university matters to the future of California.  Your efforts laid the foundation that we will build on in this year’s advocacy.

Work has begun on the search for a new president of Cal Poly Pomona. The Trustees’ Committee and the Advisory Committee held a well-attended open forum in May. I appreciate all those who are serving in the search process.  I especially thank Trustees Day and Alexanian for attending the forum, along with Chancellor White, President Haynes, Devon Graves and Lars Walton.

I was struck by the great affection for President Ortiz expressed during the forum. You have set a high bar for this search.  Thank you for your excellent leadership at Cal Poly Pomona.

I enjoyed reading the Los Angeles Times article about the success of CSU Summer Bridge programs in general, with special focus on the program at Cal State Fullerton. Thank you to President García and the Cal State Fullerton community for your work in creating a smooth transition from high school to college.

Congratulations as well to Professors Walter Oechel and Forest Rohwer, both Biology faculty at San Diego State University. They were identified as two of the “World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds” by Thomson Reuters based on their highly cited research.

I also want to acknowledge the work of CSU staff in providing mental health training for campus police officers and other law enforcement professionals. Monterey Bay, Sacramento, San Diego, San José and the Chancellor’s Office each hosted training sessions during the past two months.

Hot off the presses:  CSU San Macros was named one of the best colleges to work for by the Chronicle of Higher Education.  It was the only public 4-year university in California that was acknowledged.

That concludes the Chair’s Report.  And now for the Chancellor’s Report.