August 28, 2006
To the Campus Community:
You may recall this past spring, the California State University Board of Trustees conducted a six-year evaluation of my performance as president, in keeping with the Board’s policy to review campus presidents every three years.
Now that the Board of Trustees has completed its review, CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed has prepared a letter summarizing the Board’s findings, which he has asked me to make available to the campus community. The letter may be found at http://www.csun.edu/~presofc/presletters/6yearsummary.html.
The entire university community should take great pride in the review’s positive findings, because they are an endorsement of Cal State Northridge’s continuing strength and accomplishments. The review noted our focus on increasing student retention and graduation rates; our improved relations with the community; our efforts to enhance the physical environment of the campus; our efforts to develop campus housing for faculty and staff; and our success in increasing the level of donor giving.
You will note that many of these findings are consistent with the university goals and initiatives that have helped guide our efforts during the past six years. The goals for the coming years listed in the Chancellor’s letter, which were developed in consultation with the Chancellor and the Trustees, similarly serve to endorse our continued efforts in these areas.
Sharing this summary with you gives me an opportunity to express my appreciation for your hard work and commitment. You should be proud to know that the high quality of your work is recognized and appreciated by the Board of Trustees as a model for the CSU and, indeed, for all large urban universities. While the review focused on my performance, no level of accomplishment on my part would be possible without your contributions, support, creativity and talents, and those of our friends and supporters in the community.
A copy of the Chancellor’s letter may be downloaded from the web page noted above or requested from the President’s Office. The Chancellor’s prior February 2006 letter to the campus community about the review, the description of the process, and the invitation for comments may be found at http://www.csun.edu/~presofc/presletters/6yearreview-openltr.html.
In keeping with the goal to apprise the campus community of our progress on university priorities, please note that the annual university convocation will be held Thursday, August 31, on the Oviatt Library Lawn. As has become our tradition, the morning will begin with the welcome back coffee at 8:30 a.m., followed by the convocation at 9 a.m. The address also will be broadcast at 6 p.m. that evening on campus radio station KCSN (88.5 FM). I look forward to seeing you at the convocation as we begin a new academic year.
Jolene Koester
President