Mohammad H. Qayoumi Installed as President

Written by Donna Hemmila

President Mohammad H. Qayoumi, during his inauguration as Cal State East Bay's fourth president on June 1, 2007, urged the university community to once again tap into its pioneer spirit to meet future challenges.

“The days when education took place behind ivy-clad walls has come to an end,” he said to the audience of faculty, staff, students, politicians and CSU dignitaries gathered to witness his investiture in the University Amphitheatre on Friday.

CSU Chancellor Charles Reed and Trustee Roberta Achtenberg officially installed Qayoumi as university president after several dignitaries praised Qayoumi for his leadership and ability to inspire positive change.

In his inaugural address, Qayoumi called for a fusion of learning, knowledge and service to transform our learning communities into "ideaoras"— a virtual space where universities, businesses, and communities can pool ideas that foster innovations.

The president announced three new university initiatives that support this concept. The first is the creation of the Dr. Ranjit Singh Sabharwal Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies, the first endowed chair of its kind in the CSU system. The chair is named in honor of Professor Sabharwal, an emeritus math professor who passed away in July 2006. His family and the Sikh community raised $500,000 to endow the chair.

In the fall, Qayoumi said, the university will launch its own “ideagora” designed by CSUEB honors students and funded through the Freshman Year Experience. An online forum will focus on health and environmental issues and propose pilot projects to solve problems.

“I believe that this will be an effective way to engage students in the discussion of issues that ultimately affect the quality of their education and their ability to succeed as students,” he said.

President Qayoumi also announced the commencement of a comprehensive fund-raising campaign to support the university's academic and community-service missions.

One of the highlights of the ceremony was the presentation of an honorary degree to award-winning actress Rita Moreno. Moreno told of her childhood journey with her mother by ship from Puerto Rico to seek a better life in the United States.

“Some 70 years have passed by and all the opportunity, possibilities and the fulfillment of dreams have become a reality,” she said. “Just think of it—that little girl from Puerto Rico is now a doctor of fine arts from this university.”

The inauguration featured music from the CSUEB Choral Union and the Symphonic Band, a presentation of the flags by the Hayward Police Department's Color Guard, an invocation by the Rev. J. Alfred Smith from Oakland's Allen Temple Baptist Church and a benediction from Dr. Nazeer Ahmed, executive director to the American Institute of Islamic History and Culture. Alumnus Robert Litton, now a film score composer in Los Angeles, composed commissioned Inauguration Fanfare for the occasion.

Among the speakers was Ashrf Ghani representing Kabul University. The president's family attended the ceremony including one brother who traveled from Germany and another from Afghanistan. Also in the audience were two of his high school teachers from Afghanistan.