By Juan Calvillo and Annette Quijada
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 3:58 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5 to correct the amount of counselors CAPS employs from 13 to 17.5.
Community members, faculty and students shared their perspectives on topics ranging from funding for mental health to faculty recognition and representation issues with the California State University’s presidential advisory committee during an open forum on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at Long Beach State.
Student mental health was one of the topics highlighted by both students and faculty during the two-hour meeting. In October 2024, the Current reported high turnover at CSULB’s Counseling and Psychological Services.
Lily House-Peters, associate professor in the department of geography, said the next president needs to be committed to improving mental health care for students.
“We need a fully funded CAPS. We need more counselors, we need more counselors hired and we need those counselors to be hired in permanent tenure track positions,” House-Peters said.
While the CAPS website, lists 13 staff counselors, according to CAPS director Amanda De Loera-Morales, there are currently 17.5 full-time equivalent counselors at CAPS. The CSU policy on student mental health, from CSU Executive Order 1053, does not specify a counselor to student ratio. However, the International Accreditation of Counseling Services recommends a ratio of one counselor to 1,000 or 1,500 students.
Both students and faculty called for support of the Latino community on campus, some citing the number of Latino people on campus and in Long Beach.
Based on CSULB’s institutional demographics data from 2023 for undergraduate ethnicities, Latino/Hispanic students make up 49.60% of students. Census data from 2020 shows Long Beach’s Hispanic/Latino population at 43.4%.
CSULB’s Latinx Student Union President, Citlali Sedeno, said students on campus need a president who values students’ culture and listens to and acts upon student needs.
She gave an action list focusing on additional funding for mental health services and cultural resource centers.
“It means actively uplifting diverse communities, listening to students’ concerns and ensuring that policies reflect our [student] needs,” Sedeno said.
She said the next president should value representation as well.
CSU Chancellor Mildred García was present at the Presidential Open Forum on Feb. 19 at the University Student Union ballrooms. García is a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee and along with the committee, will be reviewing candidates and conducting interviews. Photo Credit: Samuel Chacko
CSULB alum David Salazar said the new president should have a deeper understanding of the local and regional community.
Salazar said the president should engage with Long Beach’s large Latino population and amplify the university’s Hispanic-serving institution.
“This engagement and recognition has been sorely lacking in the past, and it is also critical to have a university administration and faculty that are proportionally reflective of this demographic,” Salazar said.
Claire Garrido-Ortega, co-president of the California Faculty Association and lecturer in health science at CSULB, said that lecturer faculty teach a large part of the classes on campus and create bonds with many students.
However, these lecturers are not treated equally in terms of compensation, fellow professor recognition and working conditions.
She said there is a need to recognize the work lecturers do and the mentorship they share with students.
“I urge this committee to select a president with a proven track record of supporting all faculty, including counselors, coaches and librarians,” Garrido-Ortega said. “Choose a leader who will transform CSULB’s values from aspirational statements into reality for all of us.”
A member of Students for Quality Education, who gave their name at the forum, said CSULB needs increased transparency regarding how tuition is used and how money is invested on campus.
The student also mentioned faculty concern surrounding CSULB’s connections with businesses like Boeing.
At the end of his time, the student asked the audience, “Whose university is this?” to which audience members responded, “Our university.”
University faculty and California Faculty Association members spoke at the Presidential Open Forum about what they’re looking for in the next CSULB president on Feb. 19 at the USU ballrooms. Photo Credit: Samuel Chacko
The forum, the only one announced at the time of this writing, had participants from the California Faculty Association, Students for Quality Education, Latinx Student Union, La F.U.E.R.Z.A and both Long Beach community members and Indigenous tribe members on hand to address the committee on the search for the next university president.
Chancellor Mildred Garcia said the presidential search– although not a secret– will remain confidential.
In an email statement sent to the Long Beach Current, Kelly Hazel, media relations and public affairs manager for the CSU Chancellor’s Office, said the presidential search process will be conducted by two committees: the Trustees Committee for the selection of the president, and the Advisory Committee to the Trustees Committee.
“The recruitment, selection and appointment of CSU presidents is one of the most important responsibilities of the CSU Board of Trustees,” Hazel said.
According to Hazel, the Trustees Committee will oversee the entire search process and will make a final decision on the candidate who advances to the CSU Board of Trustees.
The Advisory Committee consists of students, alumni, faculty and staff members who participate in the search process, including the choices for finalists.
CSU Trustee Christopher Steinhauser said people can provide nominations for the next CSULB president by emailing presidentsearch@calstate.edu.
The CSU Board of Trustees are said to appoint the next president during their meeting in July.
