Provost Brian Jersky announced Monday he is retiring from his role at Long Beach State.
“It has been my honor to work at CSULB with amazing students, staff and faculty,” Jersky said in an email. “I appreciate the many key initiatives, goals and strategies we accomplished to better serve our community. Our students represent hope for a better tomorrow, and I am thankful I was able to be a part of their journey.”
Having served in the position for four years, Jersky’s career has been defined by “exemplary leadership,” according to President Jane Close Conoley.
Jersky recently came under scrutiny when the Department of Academic Affairs announced that students would not be offered a credit or no credit grading option for the fall 2020 semester.
In response to the announcement, CSULB Students United, a collective formed in December, organized a drive-thru protest on Dec. 12 to demand students be offered the alternative grading option in light of the struggles faced due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The protest took place in lot E1, in front of Brotman Hall, and encouraged participants to remain in their vehicles and bring masks.
“As a collective, we agreed that the answers we received from the provost were not reasonably accurate,” said fourth-year communication major Christina Huerta, a member of the collective, at the demonstration. “Our situation has not changed. We are still in the middle of a pandemic, but they chose not to be receptive to our reality.”
According to Conoley, the search process for a new senior vice president and provost will begin “as soon as possible.” Conoley encourages the campus “to ignite your diverse national and international networks of fellow academics across all disciplines to build interest in being the next senior vice president and provost of CSULB.”
“I want us to maintain our momentum in facilitating success for our students and in supporting the work of our talented faculty and staff members,” Conoley said.
Jersky has offered to continue to serve in his role until his replacement is selected. He said that his projected last day as provost of the university is June 30.
“I will forever cherish my four years on campus, but I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life,” Jersky said. “My husband, Ben, and I are looking forward to new adventures, traveling and having the time to visit family.”
Calls for a member of the BIPOC community to be selected as his replacement have been made on social media.
Jersky said that he hopes his successor shares his love for the campus.
“I am confident that the new provost will have the same feeling that I do about CSULB — it’s the best,” Jersky said.