Fresno State community members will have an opportunity to voice their suggestions regarding the qualities and experience they wish to see in the next California State University (CSU) Chancellor.
An open forum on Dec. 5 from noon to 2 p.m. in the Satellite Student Union will provide a platform for the public to share their thoughts on the CSU Board of Trustees search for the system’s next chancellor.
A special committee of trustees known as the Trustees’ Committee for the Selection of the Chancellor has been appointed to lead the process of selecting a new chancellor, according to a CSU news release.
The selection process includes a listening tour and forums across the state during the months of November and December. This is the stage the committee is currently engaged in.
The selection committee will work alongside an Advisory Committee, which is made up of leadership from the statewide academic senate, California State Student Association, alumni council, campus presidents and staff.
The current CSU chancellor, Timothy P. White, announced in October his plan to retire in 2020. The CSU Board of Trustees has begun its search for a new chancellor and aims to appoint a successor by the end of the current academic year, according to the release.
“Chancellor White has helped guide the CSU through a period of restoration and ensured that the state’s renewed investment in the university is repaid by creating opportunity for more students and preparing more graduates for California’s workforce to help power our economy,” said Adam Day, chairman of the CSU Board of Trustees, in the release.
White was appointed chancellor in 2012 and has aided in increasing the university’s general fund allocation from $2.3 billion to $3.6 billion during his tenure. Also, during the time of his service, overall student enrolment has increased and graduation rates are at an all-time high, the release stated.
White’s connection to the CSU system extends beyond his tenure as chancellor, having obtained his bachelor’s degree from Fresno State before pursuing his master’s degree at Cal State Hayward and his doctorate at UC Berkeley.
“The CSU is deeply woven into the fabric of California, having created opportunities for so many people who now play critical roles in our economic, social and political life,” White said in the release. “It has been my great honor to work with our state’s elected leaders, our Board of Trustees and our campus, faculty, staff and student leaders to reinvest in our university to expand access and improve academic outcomes for the future.”
The release also stated that White will continue as chancellor through June 30, 2020, or soon thereafter, depending on the timing of the search process and the availability of the successful candidate to begin.