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@csun.edu March 15, 1999 Vol. III, No. 12 INSIDE THIS ISSUE NEWS AND FEATURES President Wilson Will Resign to Head New England Foundation Women's Basketball Team Climaxes Miracle Season Campus Open Forums Slated on Accreditation Report New Campus Public Safety Director to Arrive in Mid-April 1999 Staff Recognition Award Recipients FOR YOUR INFORMATION http://www.csun.edu/~hfoao102/@csun.edu/csun98_99/csun0315_99/csun0315.html[6/1/2012 11:27:49 AM] @csun.edu CALENDAR @csun.edu CSUN http://www.csun.edu/~hfoao102/@csun.edu/csun98_99/csun0315_99/csun0315.html[6/1/2012 11:27:49 AM] @csun.edu March 15, 1999 Vol. III, No. 12 President Wilson Will Resign to Head New England Foundation Interim President Likely, Though Chancellor's Office Says New Hire Could Arrive by January 1 After six and a half years as president of Cal State Northridge, Blenda J. Wilson(right) announced March 2 that she will resign her position after the spring semester ends to become the first president and chief operating officer of Nellie Mae, New England's newest educational foundation. The CSU Chancellor's Office estimated that it will take perhaps six months to name a new president, meaning a new chief executive could start work by January 1. Meanwhile, campus officials are expecting an interim president will be named and could arrive before Wilson departs. Calling the move "a difficult personal decision," Wilson said she accepted the new post because it addresses "the most urgent issue of education in our time"-finding ways to assure that schools, especially in urban areas, prepare students for academic success in rigorous college programs. Begun seven months ago, the Nellie Mae Foundation is among New England's largest charitable organizations focused exclusively on education. Through grants, research and policy initiatives, it aims to improve education in the region at all levels and for all ages, especially for under-served populations. Wilson, who arrived in September 1992 as CSUN's third president, also was the first woman president in the campus' 40-year history and only the second African-American woman president appointed in the Cal State system. Previously she was the chancellor of the University of Michigan at Dearborn. Under Cal State policy, the search for a new president will be led by a committee consisting of CSU Board of Trustees Chair William Hauck, CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed and three trustees picked by Hauck. The committee ultimately is supposed to recommend at least three candidates to the full board. The process also involves an advisory committee consisting of the head of the campus Faculty Senate, two faculty representatives, a support staff member, a student, a campus advisory board member, an alumnus, a senior campus administrator and a president from another CSU campus selected by the chancellor. Under CSU policy, advisory committee members can suggest potential candidates, review and comment on candidate applications and participate in candidate interviews prior to the selection of the publicly announced finalists, who http://www.csun.edu/~hfoao102/@csun.edu/csun98_99/csun0315_99/wilson.html[6/1/2012 11:27:50 AM] @csun.edu typically visit the campus. Wilson, meanwhile, said the chancellor has plans to visit CSUN at some point to consult with faculty and student leaders about the appointment of the next campus president. Reed earlier expressed surprise at President Wilson's announcement and reflected on her tenure. "Blenda has made an indelible impression at CSUN. First, she had the courage and vision to keep classes open in the aftermath of the devastating 1994 earthquake, which caused nearly $400 million in damage to the campus. "Second, in directing the renovation, she has not only overseen the physical restoration of the campus, but has worked hard to ensure that CSUN will be an enhanced learning environment for students of all backgrounds into the 21st century." The 6.9 Northridge quake devastated the campus. But Wilson's determination to bring the campus back and her slogan of that time- "Not just backŠbut better"-led to its reopening four weeks after the earthquake and only two weeks later than the original planned start of the spring semester. (right - President Wilson and her executive officers meet in a tend immediately after the Jan. 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake.) The reopening has been followed by five years of demolition and reconstruction in accord with a campus master plan. Other landmarks of the Wilson administration have included: An ongoing strategic planning process to position the university for the educational challenges of the new century; A rebound in enrollment, which had dipped 10 percent in the wake of the earthquake and fee increases, but now has returned to pre-earthquake levels; The start of development on the North Campus, ending years of unsuccessful attempts, with a planned biotechnology park that will provide not only income for the university, but research and internship possibilities for faculty and students; Instituting a shared governance approach in developing the annual university budget and ongoing strategic planning efforts; and Reinstating the university's Honors Program and creating the Presidential Scholars Program for high-achieving students. The past years also have been marked by a series of controversies, the most heated of which was the decision to cut four men's intercollegiate sports for reasons of budget and gender equity. After continued community protests, the sports were later reinstated. Other controversies brewed over the activities of the campus move crew and still- unresolved plans for a new football stadium somewhere on campus. In her inaugural address, delivered April 30, 1993, Wilson noted, "The issue which demands our most urgent attentionŠwill be creating a cohesive definition and community and individual dignity within our richly multicultural environment." The president's championing of diversity, free speech, student-centered education, and minority and other first- generation college students also have been hallmarks of her administration. -John Kroll "The issue which demands our most urgent attentionŠ will be creating a cohesive definition and community and individual dignity within our richly multicultural environment." -Blenda J. Wilson, President (inaugural address, 1993) http://www.csun.edu/~hfoao102/@csun.edu/csun98_99/csun0315_99/wilson.html[6/1/2012 11:27:50 AM] @csun.edu March 15, 1999 Vol. III, No. 12 Women's Basketball Team Climaxes Miracle Season Lady Matadors Win First-Ever Big Sky Conference Title, Big Sky Tournament and NCAA Tournament Bid Climaxing a miracle season, the Cal State Northridge women's basketball team rebounded from an uncertain start to win their first-ever Big Sky Conference title, Big Sky tournament championship and a trip to the NCAA tournament. Capping a remarkable 21-7 regular season record, the women's team-which had not had an overall winning record since joining the NCAA Division I nine years ago-clinched the trio of firsts with a 79-65 home victory over Portland State on Saturday, March 6. (left - Team members celebrate their victory over Portland State.) The next day, as the team gathered at the Warner Center Marriott Hotel to watch the televised announcement of their NCAA tournament ranking, CSUN President Blenda J. Wilson revealed that interim head coach Frozena Jerro had been chosen as regular head coach. "We still have goals we want to achieve," said sophomore guard Edniesha Curry (right- Curry received a plaque as Big Sky Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player from League Ast. Commissioner Ron Loghry). "We've gotten this far as a family and we have to stay together as a family to succeed in the tournament and in the future. Knowing coach will be with us is great news." With tears streaming down their faces, team members then surrounded Jerro in a group hug. Jerro took a few seconds to collect her thoughts, and said, "You gave me the biggest opportunity of my http://www.csun.edu/~hfoao102/@csun.edu/csun98_99/csun0315_99/basketball.html[6/1/2012 11:27:54 AM] @csun.edu life. We stood by each other and for each other through a tough season." The remarkable turnabout came after a season that began with the departure and subsequent resignation of then head coach Michael Abraham. Jerro(left - Jerro celebrates the team's Big Sky championship after a March 6 victory over Portland State) shortly thereafter was named interim head coach and led the team through its best season ever in Division I play. Still, the Lady Matadors drew a No. 15 seed in the 16-team west regional of the NCAA tournament. Their first tournament game was Friday night, March 12, against No. 2 seed Colorado State (31-2) in Fort Collins, Colorado. The game was broadcast on ESPN2 and on KCSN-FM radio. CSUN records showed only one prior game against Colorado State, a 67-52 loss in December 1992. Also competing along with CSUN in the first round of the NCAA west region tournament were women's basketball teams from UCLA (No. 3), Notre Dame (No. 5), Penn State (No. 8) and UC Santa Barbara (No. 10). The tournament has four regions totaling 64 teams. Under the NCAA process, teams continue in the tournament as long as they win, but are eliminated with their first loss. The first and second rounds-Friday-Saturday and Sunday-Monday-were played at campus locations prior to the region semifinals this Saturday, March 20. Last season, the Lady Matadors had a 14-14 overall record and a 9-7 mark in the Big Sky Conference, tying for third place and reaching the semifinals of the Big Sky Tournament. The 14-14 record had been the team's best since CSUN moved to the NCAA Division I level in 1990-91. The 1988-89 team had posted a 22-9 mark in Division II play.