This is President Jolene Koester's Blog. The following page is a three column layout with a header that contains a quicklinks jump menu and the search CSUN function. Page sections are identified with headers. The footer contains update, contact and emergency information.
Dr. Jolene Koester is President of California State University, Northridge.
Comments on topics of interest to the Cal State Northridge and broader community will be posted here on a periodic basis. Due to the demands of the President’s schedule and her diverse responsibilities, however, readers of this site should not expect “real time” commentary on university issues and incidents that may arise.
The Campus Budget News FAQ website has been updated. An update to the section on the State and CSU Budgets (2010-11 and 2011-12), has been added, regarding actions taken by the CSU Board of Trustees at its most recent meeting. A new Miscellaneous section also has been added with a question and answer that explain why more money is being withheld from University paychecks for state taxes.
My thanks to everyone who contributed ideas to the Campus Budget Suggestion Website to help the campus achieve savings and efficiencies to deal with the current budget crisis while continuing to fulfill our mission. The site was closed in mid-October and we are in the process of reviewing and organizing the many suggestions we have received. The suggestions affirmed how fortunate we are to have a campus community that is creative, innovative, and fully engaged.
Below is a snapshot of the range of suggestions that were submitted, organized by the major categories outlined in the initial call for contributions (questions 1 and 2 are combined below since they generated similar suggestions for both short- and long-term savings). Suggestions were offered which can be adopted personally by individuals, which require action by specific departments or campus units, and which would require action at the all-University level. Suggestions that involve a specific department or unit are being forwarded to the appropriate vice president and those most directly responsible for implementation. We will soon provide a comprehensive summary of the suggestions.
Ways to reduce or eliminate expenditures to save money in the current fiscal year and to create longer-term administrative or technology changes over the next three years:
Energy, water and utilities
Expenditures and purchasing
Academic and administrative processing
Organizational structure and academic scheduling
Technology, paper, printing, mailing costs
Personnel, staffing and compensation
Adjustments to enrollment practices to save money or generate additional revenue:
Fees
Outreach/recruitment and admissions
Academic standards and remediation
Course offerings and enrollment
Calendar
Online courses
Academic and administrative processing
Student services
After we have completed our review, I look forward to sharing with the campus community more specific suggestions we received and moving forward on their implementation.
On Thursday, November 5, I attended the 2009 Volunteer Service Awards. Organized by the Alumni Association, the annual event is the University’s way of expressing thanks and appreciation to the many volunteers who enrich the campus community through their generous contribution of time, energy and enthusiasm, often through the efforts of distinguished campus support organizations like the CSUN Arts Council and the Friends of the Oviatt Library. The contributions and service of our volunteers are especially apparent in a time like today when the University faces serious fiscal challenges. Because they are volunteers, their support of the institution is genuine and self-evident, and we are very fortunate to have the benefit of their attention and services.
Numerous awards are given during the banquet ceremony that recognize outstanding service and leadership at the college and University levels, and within the Alumni Association.
The “Granny” Heitz award is named for the late Dorothea “Granny” Heitz who, as one of the University’s greatest boosters through her work and her leadership of the “Granny Girls,” defined what CSUN spirit is all about. The award is presented to individuals who serve as outstanding volunteer role models and leaders. This year’s “Granny” Heitz award went to Gene Detchemendy, an alumnus of Cal State Northridge who has remained a visible and dedicated alumni leader. He has served nearly 15 years as a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, including a two-year stint as the Association’s president beginning in 2004. His leadership has re-connected numerous alumni to the campus and strengthened the Alumni Association’s support for Cal State Northridge.
BELOW: Video tribute about “The Legend of Granny Heitz,” which was produced for presentation at this year’s banquet. For more information and credits, visit the University’s YouTube Channel site.
The Peckham Award is named for Vice President for Student Affairs Emeritus Edmund Peckham, who served with distinction for many years as the University’s vice president for student affairs and dean of students before retiring in 1991, and who has continued to remain active in serving and advancing the campus through myriad ways well into retirement. This year’s Peckham recipient was Professor Emeritus of Child and Adolescent Development Carol S. Kelly. Dr. Kelly served with distinction on the faculty for 40 years before retiring in 2007. Known for her leadership in developing the campus’s innovative interdisciplinary major in child development, she has continued to remain engaged at the University, particularly in advancing her discipline, securing scholarship support for students, and continuing her work in creating opportunities for and protecting the rights of children.
The event was a wonderful celebration of the people who make Cal State Northridge such an outstanding institution. My thanks to the organizers, particularly the Alumni Association under the leadership of the Alumni Association president, Tammy Tolgo, and the staff of the Alumni Relations office, who made the event a success. My deepest gratitude as well goes to the many volunteers who were honored at the event and to the many people who continue to serve the campus with pride and distinction.
Please note that a new Campus Budget FAQ page has just been posted and can be found here. As with the previous FAQ page, this new FAQ will be updated on an ongoing basis as conditions change and new information becomes available regarding the campus budget.
The previous Campus Budget FAQ that was launched June 9 and last updated October 20 has been closed to further changes and will remain accessible here. Both pages can also be accessed at the Campus Budget News main page.
