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 President’s Convocation address from August 25, 2011, titled “California State University, Northridge: A Place of Abundance,” is now online here.
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The President’s 12th Annual Convocation address to faculty and staff is scheduled for Thursday, August 25, 2011, on the Oviatt Library’s south lawn. The event will begin with the traditional coffee with light refreshments at 8:30 a.m., followed by the President’s Convocation address at 9 a.m.
The Convocation address is entitled, “California State University, Northridge: A Place of Abundance.” Please note that this is President Koester’s final Convocation before she steps down at the end of the calendar year.
The Convocation traditionally kicks off the new academic year for University faculty and staff.
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A closed captioned video of the address in its entirety is also available on the page and is embedded below.
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As a reminder, the President’s Annual Convocation is scheduled for Thursday, August 19, 2010, on the lawn south of the Oviatt Library. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the traditional welcome back coffee. The Convocation will commence at 9 a.m.
The President’s Convocation traditionally marks the start of the new academic year.
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I had the privilege of addressing this year’s annual faculty retreat and, in keeping with the meeting’s theme of “Educating Through Uncertain Times,” I spoke about “Dialogue Through Uncertain Times.” Though the text of my remarks is available online, it was originally composed for a faculty audience. Given the uncertainties we still face as a campus community primarily because of the budget—which I expect will continue to affect many members of the broader campus community at work and on a personal level in the coming year—I thought there was value in discussing this topic in a broader way at this blog.
Many observers of culture and society have noted the changing norms of dialogue and communication in society. We seem to live in a more polarized world in which talk show hosts and commentators present dogmatic views and opinions as fact without any accountability or proof, or with what we in the academic community would consider reasoned logic after a careful consideration of the data and evidence. And while some may consider entertaining television shows that feature guests who shout at each other without listening or responding directly to other legitimate points of view, it should not serve as a model for how people deal with each other, particularly when it comes to problem-solving the serious challenges and setbacks that threaten the well-being of a community.
With this in mind, as we move forward as a community in dealing with the uncertainties of the coming year, I hope we can continue relying on the strengths and characteristics that have historically distinguished academia and, more specifically, Cal State Northridge. Many of us are attracted to higher education because of our love of ideas, the joy of sharing those ideas with others, and the sharpening that comes through having those ideas challenged. Engaging in discussions and debate—which can be vigorous and passionate while remaining civil and respectful—is critical to the learning process.
A contemporary and rich lay definition of dialogue that I found online captures, I think, the value of true “dialogue” for a community: “Dialogue is a shared exploration towards greater understanding, connection, or possibility” (http://www.co-intelligence.org). The goal of greater understanding and possibility is a core aspiration of academic study, and the key to Cal State Northridge being able to achieve its objectives and fulfill its destiny even in a time of uncertainty.
As we look forward and prepare to address the difficult challenges that lie ahead, I hope that all members of the Cal State Northridge community will continue to emphasize and strengthen our use of dialogue to both sustain us and to problem solve. I hope, too, that as a community committed to learning and growth, we will each strive to nurture ourselves to be active and informed listeners and to engage in dialogue around campus. In my remarks at the faculty retreat, I provide a list of concrete suggestions to help achieve this goal which you can read here; these include active learning, true engagement, the candid exchange of ideas, the learning of facts, and respecting the realities and points of view of others.
At Cal State Northridge, we have done well in sustaining dialogue over the past year and have the advantage of many positive models of dialogue that already exist on campus—such as the Faculty Senate, Associated Students, and a tradition of shared governance and consultation—that have served the University well over the years. As a higher education institution, all of us inherently share a commitment to dialogue and a commitment to hold ourselves to the highest standards of dialogue because it is our responsibility to lead by example—by modeling what we hope to receive from and see in others, particularly the students we are charged with educating.
Thus, for the benefit of our students and the continued excellence of our University community, I ask each of you to be an active participant in the ongoing dialogue at Cal State Northridge.
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President Jolene Koester’s address at the 2010 Faculty Retreat at California State University, Northridge has just been posted here. A PDF version of the speech may be downloaded at this link.
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One of my goals with this blog is to point to more detailed information and resources for those who wish to delve more deeply into the various issues facing Cal State Northridge and gain a fuller understanding than can be provided here. It’s important for a public institution like Northridge to be transparent, and I encourage everyone to avail themselves of this information.
Two new documents have just been posted at the website that many of you may find of interest.
The first is an update to the FAQs on the 2008-09 Budget Situation. Originally posted on October 17, 2008, we have continued to update the FAQ in response to the changing state budget situation. (Previous updates to the document were added on October 23, November 13 and December 5, 2008.) With the FAQ, I have tried to answer questions and address concerns that faculty, staff and students may have about the evolving budget situation and how it affects our work at Cal State Northridge.
It is my hope that having a good understanding about the facts and the University’s ongoing efforts will provide reassurance that Cal State Northridge remains focused on its mission and goals. All around us we see continued evidence of the University’s good work, and the impact we make on the lives of students and the people in the community. We should always remember and take great pride in the fact that our work here is an investment in the future, and the success and excellence of our students bears this out every day.
The second document is my prepared remarks for my address at this year’s faculty retreat from January. It is always a privilege for me to attend the annual faculty retreat and to interact with our outstanding faculty. The theme of this year’s retreat, “Fifty and Fabulous: Foundations for the Future,” was an opportunity to celebrate what the institution has accomplished and to look ahead to the future. During my address, I had the opportunity to speak about the five features that have been part of the Cal State Northridge story since the beginning: stewardship of place, a distinguished faculty, a commitment to academic quality, partnerships with our region, and a carefully planned approach to our physical campus. I then was given the task of predicting what we might expect at the institution in the next 50 years! While I describe this task in my address as a risky endeavor, the exercise nonetheless gave me an opportunity to see how much change the University has undergone in just the past few years and to also understand that we can determine our destiny with good foresight and planning. My thanks to Faculty President Jennifer Matos and the members of the Faculty Retreat Planning, co-chaired by Terri Lisagor, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, and Mike Rivas, Department of Secondary Education, for their fine work in organizing this year’s very productive and memorable faculty retreat.
I hope you find these recent communications, and the others posted at the President’s Office website, of interest.
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Yesterday, I had the pleasure to deliver my ninth convocation address as president of Cal State Northridge. This annual event brings together faculty and staff for a morning coffee and is a wonderful way for everyone to come together as a community as we prepare for a new academic year. The new academic year, 2008-09, is especially significant because it marks Cal State Northridge’s 50th anniversary. So this year’s convocation address was an opportunity to talk about how far we’ve come since our founding and what lies ahead in our future.
The title of this year’s convocation address is “California State University, Northridge: 50 Years of Life-Changing Opportunity.” Anyone wishing to review my remarks can find it posted at http://www.csun.edu/presofc/speeches/2008convocation.html. A video streaming version of the address will be posted and announced shortly, and be linked at the above website as soon as it becomes available.
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The President’s 12th Annual Convocation address to faculty and staff is scheduled for Thursday, August 25, 2011, on the Oviatt Library’s south lawn. The event will begin with the traditional coffee with light refreshments at 8:30 a.m., followed by the President’s Convocation address at 9 a.m.
