California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees Chairman Adam Day announced that CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White, California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) President Leroy M. Morishita and California State University, Northridge (CSUN) President Dianne F. Harrison will postpone their pending retirements and continue in their respective roles through fall 2020.
“As the world faces an unprecedented crisis, now more than ever, it is crucially important for stable and experienced hands to provide thoughtful guidance on all areas affecting the operations of the university," said Day. “I am pleased and relieved that Chancellor White and Presidents Morishita and Harrison will continue to provide their leadership for the immediate future."
In October 2019, White announced that he would retire from his position in July 2020. White has served as CSU Chancellor since 2012 and led the university's restoration and resurgence from Great Recession-era cuts to achieve unprecedented heights for student enrollment and graduation.
On September 20, 2019, CSUEB President Morishita announced his intent to retire as campus president effective at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. Morishita has led CSUEB since July 2011, first as interim president and subsequently as president after his appointment in January 2012. He has held a variety of administrative positions within the CSU, since beginning his career at San Francisco State University in 1978.
On November 21, 2019, CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison announced her plan to retire as campus president effective June 30, 2020. Harrison has served as president of two CSU campuses, first at CSU Monterey Bay from 2006 to 2012 and since then at CSUN. Harrison joined the CSU after nearly 30 years of service in a variety of roles at Florida State University.
Subsequently, Day also announced that searches for the new chancellor, and CSUEB and CSUN presidents will recommence later this year.
“We will engage in a brief pause of the searches and resume activities at a later date. I am grateful for all of the tremendous work done by the related committees, and for the feedback provided by the public and other interested parties."
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The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 53,000 faculty and staff and 482,000 students. Half of the CSU's students transfer from California community colleges. Created in 1960, the mission of the CSU is to provide high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity, and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 127,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 3.8 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter