Monday, December 3, 2007

Stephens Not Planning Big Changes

Mary Stephens said Saturday that she plans to ease into the position of vice president of administration and finance, keeping in mind that CSULB is a much bigger campus than CSU Stanislaus.

She plans to start by getting to know the staff on campus and the projects they are working on.

"I would then determine if there were any changes or new projects that would be in the best interest of the campus," she said.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Stephens Selected as New VP


Mary Stephens has been selected as the new vice president of administration and finance at CSULB, President F. King Alexander announced today.

Stephens, who is currently vice president of business and finance at CSU Stanislaus, will manage university operating and capital budgets of more than $500 million in her new position.

"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join the Cal State Long Beach community," she said. "It is a campus clearly focused on the success of its students."

Monday, November 26, 2007

49er Store Opening Off-Campus

Forty-Niner Shops, Inc. will be opening a store Dec. 1 in Belmont Shore, the Press-Telegram said Thursday.

The store will provide a way for people to purchase 49er clothing and tickets for events at CSULB, without having to actually come on campus. It is also a way for the campus to connect with the surrounding community, President F. King Alexander said.

"The real point of this is that it gives us a link in town, a link with the community," he said.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Robinson Explains Veto of Latino Center

CSULB administration did not use the HSI grant to make a Latino student center because this would isolate the Latino students, Doug Robinson, vice president of student services, explained Monday.

All the recruitment, financial aid and academic advising for Latino students would have been done in the center, which would separate the students from the rest of the college population and violate Proposition 209.

“We know separate but equal does not work in America,” Robinson said. “We’ve gone through that.”

Friday, November 23, 2007

HSI Grant Causing Conflict

Controversy still surrounds the use of the $2.8 million Hispanic Serving Institute grant awarded to CSULB about a year ago, the OC Weekly reported Wednesday. The grant is supposed to be used to help Latino students on campus.

The Chicano/Latino Studies Department complained that they and other Latino groups were not being involved enough in the implementation of the grant. They wrote a letter of no-confidence to President F. King Alexander, who did not respond until a year later.

Students indicated they wanted the grant to go towards a Latino student center, but the money is currently being used to hire peer mentors who counsel at-risk Latino students and to make various programs more "culturally competent."

Other programs are being planned, according to Provost Karen Gould, who sent an email to students and faculty explaining what is going on with the grant.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Daily 49er Criticizes Administration

The Daily 49er criticized CSULB's administration Tuesday for not taking action against the Conservative Student Union, which invited Minuteman Project co-founder Jim Gilchrist to speak at CSULB last week.

The article compared Gilchrist's visit to nooses being hung at various campuses across the country and said the CSU is bringing "hate-filled activities" to campus.

President F. King Alexander and Provost Karen Gould were urged to speak out against this "ignorant intolerance."

For more information about Gilchrist's visit and the controversy it spawned, see the Daily 49er archives or the Press-Telegram.

Alexander Gives Goals for CSULB

President F. King Alexander said Thursday that his goals for CSULB include "de-commuterizing" the campus and getting alumni back involved in the university.

He wants to see more housing on campus, more dining, a recreation center and other things that will cause students to spend their free time on campus.

“I think students who come here and just go to class and leave are missing 50 percent of their collegiate experience," he said.

He also wants to grow CSULB's endowment by getting more alumni support. CSULB's endowment per student is among the lowest in the country, according to Alexander.

“We haven’t endowed enough funds to sustain ourselves as we continually fight these budget difficulties," he said.

Alexander is proud of the progress that has been made in this area, as CSULB’s endowment has grown about 30 percent in the last two years, up to $35 million. However, “We’ve got a long way to go,” he said.