Heads turned as Susan Green, a California Faculty Association member, rolled out a 76-page report with the results of a survey that questioned 1,200 CFA members on what they wanted in a new chancellor. Many were not surprised by the numerous qualities faculty members are looking for in Charles B. Reed’s successor.
The open forum, held Thursday at the Cal State University Chancellor’s Office, marked the commencement of the search process for a new chancellor by the CSU Board of Trustees’ eight-member committee. Reed announced his retirement in May, ending his 14-year tenure with the CSU.
Transparency and experience in higher education were reoccurring themes addressed by the students, alumni and faculty from the 23-campus system.
Speakers also noted the qualifications that the new chancellor should have, including academic qualification and the ability to share knowledge of CSU measures with the public.
According to Green, the chancellor should have a minimum qualification of academic achievement and the chancellor should be someone with an earned doctorate.
“They don’t have to follow a corporate business model,” she said.
The CFA survey results showed that 70 percent of the 1,200 CFA members agree that the next chancellor should have the academic credentials of a full tenured professor while 57 percent said “professional experience as a CEO” was “not important.”
Graduation rates and student access to higher education were issues mentioned to the Board.
Audrey Dow, part of communication affairs for Campus College Opportunity, said the next chancellor should look to improve enrollment rates and close the equity gap between Latinos and blacks so they have a better chance to graduate and earn a college degree.
Yesenia Ramirez, a student from Cal State Los Angeles, spoke on behalf of Students for Quality Education, a group that recently participated in a hunger strike demanding lower tuition costs, decreases in executive pay and the elimination of car and housing allowances. Ramirez said she was concerned about student representation during the search process with only one student trustee, Jillian Ruddell from the Chico campus, on the Board committee.
“It was a good opportunity to come and speak in representation of the students,” she said. “The next chancellor should commit to a more public term, agree to adequate pay rates and understand the needs of the students.”
Cal State Northridge student Edgar Ramos said Reed never fought for the students directly but sent them to Gov. Jerry Brown for issues and concerns.
“The chancellor would not give a stance on what we want to do,” Ramos said. “The [next] chancellor can fight for students and work for us.”
CSU Spokesman Erik Fallis said he found it encouraging that numerous student leaders and representatives from the California State Student Association were present at the meeting.
“Most of the people speaking were stakeholder groups,” he said. “The main goal was to get feedback and advice, and I think that was certainly accomplished.”
The next chancellor will be voted on by the full Board of Trustees. Reed will serve as chancellor until a successor is found.
A determination of when the next chancellor will be selected is not clear.
“It depends on the dynamic of the search,” Fallis said. “When you are selecting a leader for the largest university system in the nation, a lot of time and thought goes into it.”