Dec. 17, 1997
Contact: Mayerene Barker,
(818) 677-2130
mbarker@exec.csun.edu
"I believe Mr. Outhouse will be a great addition to the university and the executive management team," Wilson said.
Outhouse was selected from among three finalists after a months-long nationwide search. The other contenders were Michael Hammerschmidt, CSUN's director of development for the past four years, and Janis Ivie Cavin, the director of development and alumni at the University of Texas.
Hammerschmidt will be elevated to the position of associate vice president for university development.
"The campus is fortunate to have two strong professionals to guide our development program in the future," Wilson said.
In becoming the university's fourth vice president, Outhouse fills a position created by Wilson to oversee public, governmental, community and alumni relations, as well as all fund-raising and development activities.
"I'm excited about the opportunity to come to Cal State Northridge," Outhouse said. "I think there's great potential at the university. We've got a lot of well-known alumni. A lot of industries and companies depend on our graduates."
Outhouse has served as a senior advancement officer at the University of Arkansas since 1989, including director of development and associate vice chancellor for development. In the latter post, he helped plan and manage the university's recently completed $150- million comprehensive fund-raising campaign.
Asked about his Arkansas office's fund-raising success during a recent visit to the CSUN campus, Outhouse said it was simpler than expensive consultants and feasibility studies. "We just did a lot more asking than the university had ever done in the past," he said. "It sounds like it's too simple to be true, but that's what we did."
Outhouse has been interim vice chancellor since July, 1997. Previously, he was chief advancement officer for the University of Maryland Center for Environmental and Estuarine Studies, among other development posts.
"With a professional background in public relations, news services, legislative relations and alumni affairs, Mr. Outhouse has leadership in all of the areas that make up our Division of University Relations," Wilson said.
CSUN is one of only a few Cal State campuses that does not already have a vice president overseeing university relations.
The new vice president, whose salary will exceed $100,000, will join the three current ones on campus: Provost Louanne Kennedy, Vice President for Student Affairs Ron Kopita and Vice President for Administration and Finance Art Elbert.
Outhouse is expected to begin his new job at CSUN sometime in March. His wife, Sharon, is a public school teacher in Fayetteville, Ark. They have three grown children.
California State University Chancellor's Office Press Releases
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