Imagining new possibilities for CSUEB
- July 3, 2006
As I take on the presidency of California State University, East Bay, I want to thank President Rees for her years of hard work and dedication. She leaves the university at a turning point, poised for growth and a new role as a leading regional institution and a university of choice. Our challenge is to build upon this legacy as well as the collective thinking, planning, and accomplishments of a great many deeply committed and involved CSUEB faculty, staff, and administrators. As we initiate a new dialog to refine and sharpen our vision for the future of CSUEB, we can proceed with confidence, knowing that our work builds upon a solid foundation.
Let us begin, now, by envisioning CSUEB into the future. While we must, of course, progress from dreams to tangible goals and plans, our work starts with imagination and ideas. To start, consider the following, a few of my own imaginings:
IMAGINE CSUEB as a crown jewel of the CSU, the pride of the East Bay, and a destination university recognized for the academically rich, multicultural learning experience it offers - enabling students of all backgrounds to discover, develop, and realize their full personal and professional potential.
IMAGINE CSUEB as a model of excellence in higher education, where distinguished academic programs attract outstanding students, sought-after faculty, and accomplished staff - and where standards of quality do not diminish but instead support broad access.
IMAGINE CSUEB graduates as innovative and effective problem solvers, skilled in organizing and expressing their ideas, committed to lifelong learning, and deeply engaged in the civic, cultural, and economic well-being of their communities - locally and globally.
IMAGINE CSUEB embracing, celebrating, and building strategically upon a key strength - its multicultural diversity - to recruit new students, attract distinguished faculty, develop and empower outstanding staff, and cultivate support among new friends and donors.
IMAGINE CSUEB as the steward of its region with business, industry, government, and community partnerships that ensure its students learn by solving real-world problems and graduate fully prepared with the most relevant and sought-after skills, knowledge, and degrees.
IMAGINE CSUEB locations not only as places to learn, work, and live, but also as beautiful, safe, and environmentally friendly settings to which new students, faculty, and staff are drawn.
Colleagues, this is just the start. Join me in expanding upon this vision of how our university can distinguish itself and build a vibrant future with your ideas and dreams for CSUEB. Together let us shape the future of CSUEB by imagining entirely new possibilities - and new heights - for our university.
Ultimately, the success of our efforts will depend upon our ability to acquire and exercise discipline and mental fortitude, both strengths required to translate our individual imaginings into a shared vision. We must identify strategic goals with measurable objectives, communicate them clearly to key stakeholders -and hold ourselves accountable.
While the challenge we face is substantial, I am confident the CSUEB community is ready to accept it. Knowing this, I look forward with great anticipation to working with each of you on our quest to take California State University, East Bay to new heights.
