Top Jobs for CSUN’s New President

What’s the most important issue for the new president of Cal State Northridge to tackle?

On a recent campus visit, DIANE WEDNER asked students and faculty to identify the area they consider most in need of the immediate attention of President Jolene Koester, appointed Tuesday to fill the post vacated last summer by Blenda J. Wilson.

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ELIZABETH PEISNER

CSUN senior and Associated Students senator; Woodland Hills

I would like to see the new president look at an executive order that came down recently from the Cal State chancellor’s office, in which students who do not pass their remedial math and English classes must be expelled from the university until they complete the courses. The Latino population at Northridge has responded in force to this, saying that this is a direct attempt to exclude them from the university. The new president might establish, if possible, services that better prepare students to complete their math and English requirements. This would send a message that “we want you here; we want you to succeed in college.” To do this, the president must come down off the throne. Blenda Wilson was a Sermon-on-the-Mount type of leader. We need someone to reach out to all students and be available to them.

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MICHAEL FRANKLIN

Part-time lecturer, biology department; Lancaster

The new president must have a clear vision of higher education here for the students and must attract and give support to faculty. Issues around part-time faculty and their well-being must be considered. Currently, we don’t have a voice here, and we need to be heard. A number of us are fully qualified for full-time positions, but it’s rare for us to be retained.

As a longtime part-timer, I have had to teach on multiple campuses, as do many of my colleagues. It appears that the university’s guidelines for hiring us require that we write a certain amount of grant proposals and publish a certain number of publications. But when you teach part-time at several schools, you don’t have as much time to research and publish. Many part-timers have years of experience. They’re resources to be treasured and they’re not, it seems.

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DONALD HALL

Associate chairman, English department; West Los Angeles

I’m interested in a president who is a strong presence on campus. Too often, presidents become, or could be encouraged to become, simple public relations people. We need someone who finds resources on the campus itself and who will serve as a role model to students. The president needs to speak to students and faculty and provide leadership on helping them state and achieve their academic goals. [The president] must understand the economic problems our students face, and the problems of non-English-speaking students and the challenges they face. The president will have to provide leadership on a campus that is very diverse and make that diversity an asset.

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YOLANDA ROSAS

Professor, modern and classical languages and literature; Northridge

The No. 1 issue is the replacement of retiring professors. For many years, they retired and were not replaced. We lost about half of our department between 1992 and 1997. Not a single new position was filled. Two years ago, the administration started to hire new professors. Will the new president continue this practice? That is my worry. I’d like to see two or three more teachers hired right away.

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SHAROD JACKSON

CSUN sophomore and former president, Black Business Assn.; Northridge

I think the biggest issue to tackle is parking, because this is a commuter campus. There is not enough parking. We need to focus on this problem rather than focus on a new stadium. There is terrible congestion on this campus. Permit dispensers are supposed to sell parking passes, but they rarely work. So students have to run to an information booth to get their permits, then come back and get a space. It’s a hassle. The shuttle doesn’t run often enough to accommodate all the students who need to get from Point A to Point B.