By Cal State University Chancellor Timothy P. White will spend a day at The Beach next Monday as part of a CSU-wide tour in which he’s visiting all 23 campuses in less than a year.
While it will not be White’s first time on campus, this visit will be more formal than his previous trips, according to CSU Spokesman Mike Uhlenkamp.
“He’s trying to learn about the campuses, and by learning about the campuses, learn about the system,” he said. “No one has engaged in this type of tour such as Chancellor White.”
Uhlenkamp said that by visiting all CSU campuses, White hopes to gain a broader idea of how each campus’ students, staff and faculty are different, what each group considers important and their notable achievements.
“By learning about these individual things, he can get a better idea on how well he can fit into the CSU system,” he said.
CSULB Interim President Donald Para said he has high hopes for White’s visit.
“I hope the chancellor understands that this is a very special place … [with a] special group of students and faculty staff,” he said. “I hope that he understands that we are a well-managed campus, that we are a transparent campus.”
Although White has specific groups he must meet with, students will have time to speak with him between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., during which time Associated Students Inc. President John Haberstroh and Vice President Jonathon Bolin take him to lunch and give him a tour of the campus, according to Para.
Faculty, staff and students can also attend an open forum that will be held at the Karl Anatol Center at 3:30 p.m. to meet with White.
“I would encourage students to take advantage of the open forum and go down to see what he has to say,” Para said. “And if [they] have questions, ask him a question.”
Some topics likely to be discussed during the forum include impressions gained from touring the campus, White’s experiences as the CSU chancellor and information about the CSU in general based on prior visits to other CSU campuses, Para said.
Para said Chancellor White may have other events planned for the visit but that for now the agenda remains unknown until then.
“We’re going to be very honored to have him on campus,” Para said. “I hope he learns about CSULB and about who we are because I think he’s going to like what he discovers.”
According to the University of California, Riverside website, where White served previously as chancellor, he left his position in late 2012 to become chancellor of the CSU system. It has been a year since he was selected as CSU chancellor.
