California State University Governance and Administration

Trustees of the California State University

The California State University System

The individual California State Colleges were brought together as a system by the Donahoe Higher Education Act of 1960. In 1972, the system became the California State University and Colleges, and in 1982 the system became the California State University. Today, the campuses of the CSU include comprehensive and polytechnic universities and, since July 1995, the California Maritime Academy, a specialized campus.

The oldest campus—San José State University—was founded in 1857 and became the first institution of public higher education in California. The newest—CSU Channel Islands—opened in fall 2002, with freshmen arriving in fall 2003.

Responsibility for the California State University is vested in the Board of Trustees, whose members are appointed by the Governor. The Trustees appoint the Chancellor, who is the chief executive officer of the system, and the Presidents, who are the chief executive officers of the respective campuses.

The Trustees, the Chancellor, and the Presidents develop systemwide policy, with implementation at the campus level taking place through broadly based consultative procedures. The Academic Senate of the California State University, made up of elected representatives of the faculty from each campus, recommends academic policy to the Board of Trustees through the Chancellor.

Academic excellence has been achieved by the California State University through a distinguished faculty whose primary responsibility is superior teaching. While each campus in the system has its own unique geographic and curricular character, all campuses, as multipurpose institutions, offer undergraduate and graduate instruction for professional and occupational goals as well as broad liberal education. All campuses require for graduation a basic program of “General Education Requirements” regardless of the type of bachelor’s degree or major field selected by the student.

The CSU offers high-quality, affordable bachelor’s and master’s level degree programs. Many of these programs are offered so that students can complete all upper division and graduate requirements by part-time, late afternoon, and evening study. In addition, a variety of teaching and school service credential programs are available. A limited number of doctoral degrees are offered jointly with the University of California and with private institutions in California. In 2005, the CSU was authorized to independently offer educational doctorate (Ed.D.) programs.

Enrollment in fall 2010 totaled 412,000 students, who were taught by more than 21,000 faculty. The system awards about half of the bachelor’s degrees and a third of the master’s degrees granted in California. More than 2.6 million students have graduated from CSU campuses since 1961.

A recent economic report found that the CSU supports more than 150,000 jobs statewide, annually. The engine driving job creation is more than $17 billion in economic activity that directly results from CSU-related spending that generates $5.43 for every dollar the state invests. For more information, please see www.calstate.edu/impact.

Board of Trustees

Ex Officio Trustees

The Honorable Edmund G. Brown, Jr.
Governor of California
State Capitol Sacramento 95814

The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Lieutenant Governor of California
State Capitol Sacramento 95814

The Honorable John Pérez
Speaker of the Assembly
State Capitol Sacramento 95814

The Honorable Tom Torlakson
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
1430 N. Street, Suite 5602 Sacramento 95814

Dr. Charles B. Reed
Chancellor of The California State University
401 Golden Shore Long Beach 90802-4210

Officers of the Trustees 

The Honorable Edmond G. Brown, Jr. 
President
 
Herbert L. Carter
Chair

Bob Linscheid 
Vice Chair

Christine Helwick
Secretary

Dr. Benjamin F. Quillian
Treasurer

Appointed Trustees 

Appointments are for a term of eight years, except student, alumni, and faculty trustees whose terms are for two years. Terms expire in the year in parentheses. Names are listed alphabetically.

Roberta Achtenberg (2015) 
Herbert L. Carter (2019)
Carol R. Chandler (2012)
Bernadette Cheyne (2013)
Steven Dixon (2012)
Debra S. Farar (2014)
Kenneth Fong (2013)
Margaret Fortune (2016)
Steven Glazer (2019)
Melinda Guzman (2012)
William Hauck (2017)
Hsing Kung (2018)
Linda A. Lang (2017)
Bob Linscheid (2012)
Peter Mehas (2015)
Henry Mendoza (2016)
Lou Monville (2014)
Jillian Ruddell (2013)
Glen Toney (2013)

Correspondence with Trustees should be sent to: c/o Trustees Secretariat, The California State University, 401 Golden Shore, Long Beach, California 90802-4210.

Office of the Chancellor 

The California State University
401 Golden Shore Long Beach, California
90802-4210
562-951-4000

Dr. Charles B. Reed, Chancellor – CSU System
Dr. Benjamin F. Quillian, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Ephraim P. Smith, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer
Mr. Garrett P. Ashley, Vice Chancellor, University Relations and Advancement
Ms. Gail E. Brooks, Vice Chancellor, Human Resources
Ms. Christine Helwick, General Counsel 
Mr. Larry Mandel, University Auditor