Report of the Chair

Today is the first meeting of our newest trustee, Margaret Fortune. Welcome Margaret.

Trustee Fortune acknowledged the introduction and expressed her pleasure on joining the Board of Trustees.

Chair Achtenberg continued her report.

On Monday afternoon, the search for president of San José State University concluded with the selection of Dr. Jon Whitmore, president of Texas Tech University. Dr. Whitmore will assume the presidency on August 1. Details of the terms of his appointment will be on the board’s agenda at its July meeting. On behalf of the board and San José State, I congratulate Trustees Bill Hauck, Ken Fong, and Glen Toney and the chancellor for a job well done.

This is the last meeting for student trustee Jennifer Reimer, whose term expires on June 30. Jennifer, we appreciate your viewpoints and how effectively you presented them throughout your term. In July, Curtis Grima will assume the position of the voting student trustee, and, Curtis, we look forward to your active and creative participation.

This is the time of the year that we begin the transition of the constituent group teams. Thank you to the executive committee of the academic senate, the board of directors of the CSSA, the president of the Alumni Council for working with us throughout the year. In July and September, I expect some of you to return your respective tables and be joined by new representatives.

On May 2, Mildred García was inaugurated president of California State University, Dominguez Hills. It was a wonderful celebration for Dr. García and the campus. I want to thank members of the board and the university presidents who attended this special event.

The Monterey Peninsula Foundation awarded a grant to CSU Monterey Bay in the amount of $500,000 toward completion of the new library and $120,000 for athletics scholarships. The library is slated to open in fall 2008.

Speaking of libraries, the new library at the Channel Islands campus had its grand-opening on April 4 before an enthusiastic crowd of nearly 1,000.

A number of CSU student delegations participated in the National Model United Nations competition in New York City this spring. Teams from Chico, Fullerton, Northridge, Pomona and San Bernardino took top honors for having Outstanding Delegations.

The “Outstanding Delegation” honor is given for overall performance, which included exercising leadership, active participation, collaboration and staying in the character of their country.

The delegations from Cal State L.A. and from Cal Poly also received recognition.

Two CSU campus teams captured awards at the WESTEC 2008 Manufacturing Challenge. A team of students from Chico won the Grand Prize for designing and manufacturing an off-road vehicle chassis. This is Chico’s fifth Grand Prize in the last six years.

Cal State L.A.’s technology student team placed first in the university category for its boundary-layer turbines.

Congratulations to the student teams and their faculty advisors.

CSU San Bernardino’s new student recreation and fitness center was selected by the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association as recipient of one of five awards given nationally to recognize outstanding recreation facilities.

Two San Francisco State alumni won Pulitzer Prizes. Philip Schultz won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry for his book “Failure.”

Jose Antonio Vargas won the Pulitzer in Breaking News Reporting as part of the Washington Post’s team coverage of the Virginia Tech shootings.

This is my last meeting as chair. I am optimistic being succeeded by Jeff Bleich and Herb Carter; the chair’s gavel is being passed to good hands. It has been fulfilling and, at times, challenging. I have learned from my fellow trustees, from Chancellor Reed, from presidents, from students, from the academic senate, and from labor leaders and their membership. This board is a team of equals and a cooperative and collegial group. I thank you for the opportunity to have served as chair. Thank you very much.

That concludes my report.

Now let’s hear from Chancellor Reed.