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.
At the President’s Convocation at the beginning of the fall semester, I noted that at my request the vice presidents were developing a three-year budget plan for 2009 through 2012. This plan will ensure that the University can maintain academic quality and excellence for what we project will remain a tight budget environment in the coming years.
An important component of this effort due to declining resources is to methodically continue reducing the University’s enrollment over the next two years while also maintaining a strong infrastructure if conditions and expectations change.
Under the leadership of Vice President for Student Affairs Terry Piper, an enrollment management plan for 2010–11 and 2011-12 has been submitted that meets these goals, which I have approved. I am pleased to share this plan with the campus community, which you will find linked at the Campus Budget News website and which can be downloaded directly from here as a PDF document.
More than a year ago, in spring 2008, following campus consultation and the recommendation of the Student Fee Advisory Committee, I approved the implementation of the Campus Quality Fee for California State University, Northridge. The purpose of the fee and the means by which the funds would be managed are fully described at the Campus Quality Fee website, but the main focus of the fee has been to benefit and enhance the learning experience of our students.
A year later, I am pleased to report that the fee has given the University an opportunity to provide programs and services for students that would not have been otherwise possible. The current budget environment has made the availability of these funds especially crucial and timely. Students have expressed appreciation for the enhanced services and opportunities that the Campus Quality Fee has made possible.
A complete list of the Campus Quality Fee allocations for 2008-09 and the current academic year, 2009-10, can be found at the program’s website, but below are a few that particularly have made a difference in the lives of students:
24/7 Library access: This allocation allowed the Oviatt Library to remain open 24 hours during finals week to give students an opportunity to focus on their exams and final projects.
Computer access: Fee money has been made available to upgrade computers in places like the Library and Music Technology Lab.
Wi-Fi access: Last year, funding was provided to enhance wi-fi access in outdoor areas and campus facilities not covered by state funding; this year, funding was allocated to upgrade wireless support in housing.
Academic support services: Allocations have been provided to support peer learning assistants, professional writing support and tutoring services, and a graduate assistant for a technology lab.
Spirit and environment: Funding has been made available for the Matador Spirit Plaza, the USU North Quad Student Gathering Space, and the College Student Facilities Enhancement Project.
The University is committed to offering a high quality of support for students as they progress toward graduation. However, especially in a constrained budget environment like the one we are currently experiencing, it’s difficult to fund every worthwhile project and initiative that would serve to advance this goal. The Campus Quality Fee provides a much needed and flexible supplement for the University’s efforts that directly benefit students.
During the last recent Board of Trustees meeting of the California State University (CSU) on September 22, I had the great pleasure to attend the Trustee dinner honoring the 2009-10 student recipients of the William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. A student recipient is selected from each CSU campus and receives a scholarship award. Recipients are selected for outstanding academic performance, exemplary community service, and significant personal achievements in the face of adversity.
Cal State Northridge’s award recipient this year is Megan Saracini. This extraordinary young woman overcame serious challenges as a young child—including cancer and a home family life that provided little support and nurturing—to become a focused individual who is committed to personal success and serving the community.
As an example of her work, she is a peer counselor in the Counseling Center for Joint Advocates on Disordered Eating on campus, as well as a peer educator in the Counseling Center. She volunteers with Upward Bound, which helps give underprivileged high school students the skills and discipline to succeed in college. Through her leadership as survivorship chair of the Colleges Against Cancer Committee on campus, her club has raised more than $22,000 for the American Cancer Society. She spent spring break helping to rebuild New Orleans. This amazing young woman also identifies 9/11 as another turning point in her life, which occurred just three weeks after she moved to New York City. She spent the next several months after the tragedy volunteering to provide assistance to police, firefighters, and emergency responders.
Amazingly, even with her numerous activities and commitments, and the serious personal obstacles she has had to overcome, she has become a top student at the University! At the reception, Megan told me she loves being at Cal State Northridge—her goal is to become a psychologist specializing in art therapy and to teach on campus.
While Megan is an amazing role model for all of us, her story is also representative of many of our students, who place a value on hard work, the value of education, and the need to give back to the community.
Please join me in congratulating Megan on receiving this distinguished award and for being so exemplary of Cal State Northridge.
On September 25, I joined with many friends and guests—including alumni and past faculty of California State University, Northridge—to celebrate Founders Day at the University Club (now known as the Orange Grove Bistro).
Founders Day is a new annual tradition that began last year as part of the University’s 50th year anniversary celebrations. As noted in my blog last year, Founders Day commemorates the date in 1958 when classes commenced on campus at what was then known as San Fernando Valley State College. It is an opportunity to recognize the University’s past while also building tradition and a sense of pride for Cal State Northridge.
Celebrating Founders Day at the University Club had particular meaning since many of the founding faculty who were present at this year’s event had a hand in building the facility. During the event, we inducted the newest members of the “50 Year Club”—alumni who graduated and faculty and staff who began their service to the University at least 50 years ago.
I’m delighted to have this new tradition that celebrates Cal State Northridge’s history in such a way. Everyone who attended had a wonderful time hearing and sharing stories about the early days of the campus, learning about how much has changed, and looking in anticipation to the future!
The Campus Budget News FAQ has been recently updated. The revisions include news about the outcome of the vote of the Service Employee Trades Council and updates to the responses in the section on “The State and CSU Budgets” that reflect the most current available information.
As part of its ongoing commitment to encourage even greater pride for Cal State Northridge, Associated Students has instituted “Matatude Tuesdays!” Every Tuesday will be an opportunity for all members of the campus community to show school spirit by wearing the University’s colors—Matador red and black—on that day.
I am delighted to support this activity being led by A.S. under the leadership of its president, Abel Pacheco. It is a wonderful way to demonstrate pride for Cal State Northridge and I hope it will also encourage people to think about other ways they can show pride for the University, such as by attending athletics events, taking advantage of our rich cultural and performing arts programming, and giving back to the University.
I encourage everyone in the campus community to embrace this effort and look forward to seeing a sea of red and black on Tuesdays throughout campus!
