Bataille Withdraws CSUN Job Bid

Gretchen M. Bataille, provost and academic vice president of Washington State University in Pullman, Wash., dropped out of contention for the presidency of Cal State Northridge on Friday, only three days before the CSU Board of Trustees is scheduled to make a selection.

Bataille declined to provide a specific reason for her withdrawal, saying only she would not be a good fit for the presidency of Cal State Northridge.

Her decision improves the odds for the three remaining finalists--Antoine Garibaldi of Howard University in Washington, Jolene Koester of Cal State Sacramento and Jane Pisano of the University of Southern California.

“I’m withdrawing my name,” Bataille said Friday in a phone interview. “I just decided that it’s not a good decision to continue in the process. No one should go into that final day who really has doubts about taking the position.”

Bataille, 55, visited the Northridge campus Thursday and spoke to about 70 students, staff and faculty members in an open forum. A highly regarded ethnic studies scholar with administrative experience at three state universities, many considered Bataille one of the best prospects in an unusually strong candidate pool.

Bataille denied her decision was due to philosophical differences with the chancellor or trustees.

“This is a personal decision,” Bataille said.

Cal State University Chancellor Charles B. Reed was unavailable for comment Friday night, as was Cal State trustee Laurence Gould, chairman of the presidential search committee. Two spokespersons for the system said they were unaware of the development.

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The trustees are scheduled to meet Monday to choose the next president of Cal State Northridge, the San Fernando Valley’s only public four-year university. An announcement may come as early as Tuesday.