Baker, who begins her appointment July 31, will report directly to CSUN President Jolene Koester and serve as a member of the President's Cabinet.

"Information technology increasingly has become an essential and pervasive part of our core endeavors on campus. It has become an integral part of the way teaching and learning occurs here, it is central to the way we communicate, and it has enabled us to streamline many of our administrative and business processes," Koester said in making the announcement. "Given the essential role that it has in support of our mission and goals, information technology is a resource that demands care, effective management and leadership. For these reasons, I am pleased to welcome to the university someone of Ms. Baker's experience and reputation."

Baker will be taking over from Bob Moulton, who has served as the university's interim chief information officer since October 2005.

Baker has been at Pepperdine since 2004. Her prior positions include senior director of common management systems in information technology services at the California State University Chancellor's Office, and successive appointments at the J. Paul Getty Trust, including manager of information systems. She has more than 20 years of information technology experience in higher education and in nonprofit environments.

Baker shared her thoughts on joining CSUN.

"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join the CSUN community next month to lead the information technology team in promoting and supporting information technology on the campus. I truly look forward to working with faculty, staff, and students to provide the information technology services needed to align with the university's mission and strategic goals."

Baker holds a joint honors bachelor of science degree in mathematics and geography from the University of Birmingham, England, and a master's in architecture and urban planning from UCLA.