Chancellor, California State University
CSU Board of Trustees Meeting - Chancellor's Report
Long Beach, CA
January 24, 2007
Thank you, Chair Achtenberg.
Interim President
You reported that the search committee for president of CSU Dominguez Hills is working to find a replacement for Jim Lyons.
I want to share with everyone that yesterday President Lyons was appointed Secretary of Higher Education for the State of Maryland, effective March 14. He will leave Dominguez Hills on February 28.
I have named Dr. Boice Bowman as the interim president, effective March 1. Compensation for Dr. Bowman will be considered by the trustees at the March meeting.
Budget
This morning you heard about the governor’s budget from Patrick and Richard. I would like to follow up that report with a brief comment:
I want everyone to remember that the budget process provides for continuing work with the legislature and the governor through the May Revise and beyond. This is the opening season, and it’s a long season.
This board has made a five-year plan to improve salaries and I know that we all feel strongly about this commitment. That is why we will pursue our budget recommendations as actively and vigorously as we possibly can.
Financial Services Audit
In other reports we have heard at this meeting, I want to highlight the outstanding audit that we received on our financial statements. This is one of the best audits I have seen in my 22 years as a chancellor.
I know that our presidents put a great deal of work, time and resources into this audit. Thank you to all of you for your efforts to get this in top shape.
Minority Applications
Also, you heard in this morning’s presentation about our efforts to partner with various groups to attract students from under-served populations.
I want to call to your attention the positive results we received at the end of the priority application period for 2007. Latino applications were up by 15 percent, and African American and Native American applications were both up by 12 percent.
Now our job is to make sure that those students enroll in September, and that they are on track for graduation.
International Programs
In November, the Committee of the Whole and in December the ad hoc committee on International Programs heard issues related to an international program in Cyprus sponsored by San Diego State.
Responding to the direction of the ad hoc Committee, I issued a new executive order governing international programs. The executive order, among other aspects, stresses student and faculty safety considerations and notifications of embassies.
Other News
Congress
Yesterday you heard about the new lineup in Congress. We are looking forward to working with many of our old and new friends: George Miller as chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, continuing to work with Buck McKeon, and Senator Ted Kennedy as the new chair on the Senate side.
We would especially like to see the Higher Education Act reauthorized.
National Voluntary System of Accountability
I also want to call your attention to a new project by the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC) and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). These two groups are working to coordinate a National Voluntary System of Accountability. The CSU has more leaders on this group’s planning committees than any other university.
The CSU is currently working to put together its own VSA plan, which would be the first in the country. Again, we continue to be national leaders in terms of university accountability.
Community Colleges Initiative
Last, I want to call your attention to a new community colleges initiative that is proposed for the ballot, probably for early 2008. It now has enough signatures for the ballot.
The initiative would lower community college fees and make them subject to a constitutional limit of $15 per unit. This would take away funding from the CSU and the University of California.
This initiative is something for which I want us all to be prepared. I have spoken about this initiative with President Dynes and I hope to come back in March to share more information on it.
Chair Achtenberg, that concludes my remarks.