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.

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."

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.

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.”

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.

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.

Alexander Speaks to City Group

President F. King Alexander spoke at Downtown Long Beach Associates' fourth annual state of the downtown luncheon Wednesday, according to the Press-Telegram. He talked about how universities need to be involved in their communities.

"We're not just building a city with a university in it, we're building a university city," he said.

Other speakers at the event included Mayor Bob Foster and author Richard Florida. Florida also emphasized the need for good university-downtown relationships.

Council Dragging Feet on Lighting Issue

The issue of funding for lights around CSULB's campus will hopefully be on the Long Beach City Council agenda in the next couple of weeks, Councilman Gary DeLong said today.

He said city staff, the county and CSULB are still working to pull the pieces together. Nonetheless, "We are committed to moving forward with installing the lighting," he said.

More Controversy Over Raises?

An analysis of the CSU system's compensation policies was released Nov. 6 by the California Bureau of State Audits, an article in the Daily 49er reported.

The audit showed that the Chancellor's Office does not oversee every detail of executive compensation policies at individual CSU campuses. Recommendations were made for ways to keep better track of executive compensation and executive transition programs.

The Chancellor's Office said that the audit did not reveal any violations of CSU policy. President F. King Alexander said he thought the audit was fair and balanced.

"I was particularly pleased that they found no CSU actions to be inappropriate, in violation of existing policy or illegal," he said.

49er Rooting for Stephens

The Daily 49er said Tuesday that Mary Stephens is the best choice to be the new vice president of administration and finance at CSULB.

Stephens is currently vice president for business and finance at CSU Stanislaus. Since she already has experience working in the CSU system, the 49er argued, she is a "shoe-in for the job."

Students Ask for Better Security

A group of students met Wednesday with President F. King Alexander and several other campus officials to discuss improvements to campus security, an article in the Daily 49er said.

Some topics covered were lighting issues, security cameras, an increase in the number of community service officers, and the acquisition of another van for the Night Escort Program.

Alexander said it is important to continually improve security, but also indicated he believes the campus is a safe environment. He encouraged students to let the administration know if they have ideas about how to make the campus safer.

Alexander Speaks to House Committee

President F. King Alexander spoke Thursday before a House committee on the subject of rising tuition rates, according to Diverse magazine.

Alexander said one reason for increasing costs is that states are not providing as much funding for public education as they used to. He asked for a "maintenance of effort" partnership between federal and state governments to keep states from seriously cutting higher education funding.

The committee will consider a comprehensive Higher Education Act bill later this month, said Rep. George Miller, D-Calif, the committee chair.

To see the full text of Alexander's speech, go to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities website.

For more information see the Press-Telegram, InsideHigherEd.com, the Daily 49er or the Daily Texan.

Last VP Finalist Speaks at Forum

The last candidate for the position of vice president of administration and finance at CSULB, Ron Coley, spoke today in an open forum.

Coley, who is currently associate vice chancellor of business and administrative services at UC Berkeley, said he wants to come to CSULB because he is impressed with the college and he thinks the position fits his skills and interests. If selected for the position, "I expect to make a difference," he said.

Coley also talked a bit about his career in the Marine Corps, which he said taught him about leadership and depending on people.

Alexander Teaches at University by the Sea

President F. King Alexander taught a class yesterday as part of University by the Sea, an art, film, and culture festival in downtown Long Beach, an article in the Daily 49er reported.

Alexander's class was "How to Prepare and Pay for College." Other classes were taught by Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster and Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal.

The festival, which was attended by people of all ages, included booths, music and tours of the Jergins Trust Tunnel, which was reopened at the festival.

To read more about University by the Sea, look at LBReport.com, LBPost, or the Press-Telegram.

Tension over HSI Grant

Some campus groups feel that the $2.5 million Hispanic Serving Grant CSULB received last year is not being properly used, an article in the Daily 49er said Thursday.

The Chicano/Latino studies program was supposed to play a major role in deciding how to spend the money, but this did not happen, according to the CHLS faculty.

Twelve CHLS faculty members wrote a letter of no confidence to President F. King Alexander after he wrote an opinion column on the subject in the Daily 49er last year.

Earlier this year CHLS Chairman Luis Arroyo met separately with Alexander and the provost to find ways to get the faculty more involved with the HSI grant.

New Vice President--Coming Soon

President F. King Alexander is expected to announce the name of the new vice president of administration and finance sometime in early November, Douglas Robinson, vice president for student services, said Tuesday.

Alexander, who has the final authority in choosing the vice president, will make the decision based in part on feedback from various constituent groups on campus. Whichever candidate he selects will also undergo a thorough background check.

The new vice president will replace William Griffith, who announced his intent to retire more than a year ago.

Finalist Stephens Speaks in Forum

Mary Stephens, the second of three finalists for the position of vice president of administration and finance, spoke Tuesday in an open forum, according to an article in the Daily 49er.

Stephens, who is currently vice president of business and finance at CSU Stanislaus, said she would do tasks at CSULB that are similar to her present job. However, she said she would have to adjust to the larger campus.

Stephens also answered a variety of audience questions on topics such as fiscal planning and internal auditing.

Finalist Malott Speaks at Forum

Stephen Malott, a candidate for the position of CSULB vice president of administration and finance, spoke Thursday in an open forum at the University Library's Karl W. E. Anatol Center, an article in the Daily 49er said.

The audience asked questions about labor relations, disaster responses, Malott's compensation philosophy and his plans if he were hired to be the new vice chancellor. Many of Malott's answers were based on his work at the University of Missouri, Rolla, where he is currently vice chancellor for administrative services.

Photo from Google Images.

VP Finalists Visiting Campus

Three finalists for the position of vice president for administration and finance at CSULB will make campus visits during the month of October, according to the CSULB Web site. During their respective visits, each candidate will participate in a campus open forum.

The three finalists are:

• Stephen Malott, vice chancellor for administrative services at the University of Missouri, Rolla

• Mary Stephens, vice president for business and finance at CSU Stanislaus

• Ron Coley, associate vice chancellor, business and administrative services at UC Berkeley

City Likely to Provide Funding for Lighting

Long Beach City Councilman Gary DeLong said yesterday that he expects the city to contribute one-third of the cost of putting street lights around CSULB's campus.

He said that City Manager Pat West is working on identifying the funding and that he is supported by a majority of the City Council in this.

"We should be able to make a firm commitment to CSULB within the next few weeks," DeLong said.

Alexander Against Loan Cap Increase

President F. King Alexander told the Associated Students Inc. Senate Wednesday that a debate is going on in Washington over whether to raise the student loan cap from $24,000 to $30,000, an article in the Daily 49er said.

Alexander emphasized the importance of keeping students out of debt and he urged the Senate to fight to keep student loan caps down.

A New York NBC news crew was there as Alexander discussed how a loan cap increase could lead to higher tuition at some institutions. He said he was glad to have the publicity.

Alexander Donating Raise Back to College

President F. King Alexander said in an email today that he is donating an amount equal to his recent raise back to CSULB.

"This is a personal choice of mine," he said. "If you believe in what we do as public educators then it is easy to contribute individually back to our campus in meaningful ways."

The funds will go to the President's Scholars, the library, the Student Success Fund, 49er athletics, and other areas of campus.

To read more about the pay raises for CSU executives, see the Sept. 19 Press-Telegram article or the Sept. 20 Daily 49er article.

Reed, Alexander Listed as "Powerful"

The Long Beach Post listed CSU Chancellor Charles Reed today as being among the "10 Most Powerful People in Long Beach."

Commenting on that article, the Press-Telegram said it would be nice to add a few more names to the list, including "CSULB President F. King Alexander, who is fighting to make education affordable locally and on the national stage."

That's a Good Question . . .

In the Press-Telegram's anonymous "Speakout" section today, someone included the following question:

If Cal State Long Beach can't afford street lighting, why did President F. King Alexander take a $40,000 raise?

Enrollment High at CSULB

Enrollment is high at CSULB this year because less students are dropping out of college, an article in the Daily 49er said today.

President F. King Alexander said he is glad more students are staying, and that he anticipates graduation rates to increase as a result of this.

Some people have complained the campus is too crowded, however, the college is working to accommodate all the students by adding extra sections of classes, Alexander said.

Alexander Working With City to Resolve Lighting Issue

President F. King Alexander said that CSULB is still working with the city to figure out how to fund the lighting around the edges of the campus, according to an updated report on LBReport.com.

He said he understood the city's dilemma in choosing how to spend the money, and he appreciated their willingness to work with the college. He is confident that the issue will be resolved.

Alexander Speaks in Support of Lighting Project

President F. King Alexander spoke at a rally today, trying to convince the Long Beach City Council to contribute to the cost of putting lights at the edges of the campus, according to LBReport.com.

The rally, called "Light Up Our Nights," came in response to the Council's recent refusal to allocate $133,000 to help place lights along Bellflower Boulevard, Atherton Street and Palo Verde Avenue. The city, CSULB and L.A. County had previously agreed to split the $400,000 cost three ways.

Other speakers at the rally, which drew a crowd of 20 to 40 people, included Police Chief Jack Pearson and City Councilman Gary DeLong.

Alexander Supports Print Newspaper

President F. King Alexander said at a meeting of the Associated Students, Inc. Senate Wednesday that the print version of the Daily 49er will continue to be published, according to an article in the Daily 49er.

Alexander said he will not impose a $4 fee on students to fund the newspaper since students voted against that. However, he will help look for other ways to provide the funding the newspaper needs.

Alexander also said that efforts will continue to fix the problem of bad lighting on the edges of campus, and he mentioned possible new grants that may be available for those going into the field of teacher education.