President's Office

From the President's Desk December 12 2000

December 12, 2000

Happy Holidays

As we reach the end of another semester and prepare to celebrate the upcoming holidays and a new year, I would like to convey to all of you in the campus family my heartfelt appreciation for your work on behalf of Cal State Northridge.

It has been a privilege for me to come to campus and work alongside each of you in service to students and our community. As some of you know, I have made an effort to visit offices and departments around campus (both scheduled and impromptu while on regular campus walks) to gain a better understanding of people's experiences here and their thoughts about the university. These visits have given me a deep appreciation of the commitment and dedication of everyone at CSUN. They also remind me of the importance of ensuring that the university meets the needs of all who study and work here, and depend on the university's services and programs.

I also have sensed a growing pride in the accomplishments of the university by students, faculty, staff and alumni. Such pride in our collective work and achievements is essential if the university is to fulfill its goal of excellence.

I look forward to working with you next year, and in the years to follow, in building an even greater university. With this in mind, I also hope you will find time during this holiday break to replenish yourselves spiritually and intellectually, and to spend time with families, friends and loved ones. I am sure we can all agree that the break is well-deserved.

My best wishes to all of you for a joyous holiday season and new year.

Campus Accountability Report

Under the leadership of the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor, the California State University (CSU) has committed itself to developing a process that is meant to ensure that the funding and resources of the university and its campuses are being used effectively and responsibly, and in a manner that is responsive to the needs of students, local communities and the state of California. To meet this goal, the university created the CSU Accountability Process. Developed after broad and thorough consultation systemwide, the process outlines clearly the principles underlying the accountability process and defines those indicators that will be followed and reported each year.

Part of each CSU campus' responsibility in developing this annual report is to make the document publicly available on the World Wide Web. CSUN's current accountability report can be found at the following website in PDF format:

http://www.csun.edu/academic.affairs/accountability_report.htm

Many individuals participated in the production of the report, and I appreciate everyone's efforts and contributions. This is an extremely important process that will track the progress of the university in specific areas, including some that coincide with the four priorities I established for the campus earlier in the year, particularly the improvement of graduation rates. Please take a look at the report; there is much we can take pride in as an accounting of our participation in California higher education.

New Building Names

As part of the ongoing effort to give newly built campus facilities names that reflect the unique characteristics of Cal State Northridge, I am pleased to announce that, with the concurrence of the other members of the President's Cabinet, I have approved the following building names that were forwarded to me for consideration by the Facilities Naming Committee.

The building under construction for the College of Arts, Media, and Communication has been named "Manzanita Hall" (assigned initials "MZ"). The new Speech/Drama building will be named "Nordhoff Hall" ("NH").

My thanks to the naming committee for its continued work in developing these recommendations.

President's Office Staff

I am pleased to announce some appointments, both interim and new, in the President's Office.

First, I would like to welcome Mr. Edward O'Brien, who has been appointed the new communications assistant on my staff. Many of you may know Mr. O'Brien from his work as the assistant to Associate Vice President Margaret Fieweger in Undergraduate Studies in the Division of Academic Affairs. Mr. O'Brien brings with him extensive knowledge of the university, and I know this experience will serve him well in his position.

Second, we have made two interim appointments in the office. Ms. Yvette Yoncee has been appointed interim president's secretary. As the office receptionist for the past three years, I am confident she has the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the position's responsibilities. I am grateful that Ms. Yoncee has accepted this interim appointment.

To fill the vacancy created by Ms. Yoncee's current reassignment, Ms. Barbara Crockette has agreed to serve as interim receptionist. Ms. Crockette is a long-time university staff member who was in the Theatre Department at the time of her retirement last year. Given her many friends here and her experience at the university, we are delighted Ms. Crockette has agreed to join our staff during this time of transition.

Please join me in welcoming and congratulating these new appointments in our office.

 

Jolene Koester
President