By Her eyes lit up, and a smile brightened her face as she recounted stories of writing books with her husband, watching her children grow and the many joys of family life.
These are simple reminders that she finds the most happiness in being with family, despite the pressures of leading a university as president.
“Maybe there’s something else I could be doing,” Long Beach State President Jane Close Conoley said. “Why not use some time in my life to spend time with my family, spend time with my grandkids?”
Conoley will turn 78 on May 31, and come June, she will be retiring after 11 years as president of CSULB and 50 years working in education.
As a wife, mother of three children and grandmother of five, she cites her family as the most significant reason why now is the perfect time to retire.
Fourth District Councilman Daryl Supernaw said in an email statement to the Current that he thanks Conoley for her community work beyond the university.
“[Her] caring, hands-on leadership style will be missed, and we wish her the very best in retirement,” Supernaw said.
Long Beach State President Jane Close Conoley was in attendance along with 4,363 fans during the LBSU men’s volleyball game versus UCSD on April 19. Photo credit: Samuel Chacko
After retirement, Conoley plans to move to San Francisco and live in a multigenerational house with her husband, Collie Conoley and her youngest son, Collin Conoley.
Conoley obtained her psychology doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin, where she met her husband.
Her career accolades include the Associate Dean of Research at the University of Nebraska, Dean and psychology professor at Texas A&M University, Interim Chancellor at the University of California, Riverside and Dean and psychology professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
In 2014, Conoley became CSULB’s first female president and the university’s 12th president overall.
Under Conoley’s leadership over the past 11 years, the university has achieved significant milestones in access, equity and student success, including the No Barriers Campaign, Basic Needs Program, Beach Pluralism, increased graduation rate and hiring more diverse staff.
As a strong advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives, Conoley said one of her proudest achievements was forming an equity hiring team that looked beyond biases and impressive accolades to give new hires with fewer achievements and good character a platform to thrive.
Conoley is no stranger to controversy herself. As the public-facing figure representing CSULB, she faces blame and criticism for university-wide decisions and decisions across all California State Universities, including the Time, Place and Manner policy.
“I think [criticism] is unavoidable. If I do things, I can be criticized, and if I don’t do things, I can be criticized…,” she said. “I know there is righteous frustrations with costs, facilities, our external political environment and so on. I don’t often have the power to do what students and others may want.”
She added that most funding for CSULB comes from state legislature, which primarily concerns tuition costs and facility upgrades.
Associated Students Inc. Vice President of Finance Andre Achacon has regularly met with Conoley and ASI’s executive cabinet members to discuss initiatives concerning the university.
While Achacon said there were moments where Conoley and her office did not respond to particular campus-related concerns as best as they could have, he recognizes the tough position she’s often placed in and appreciates her overall support for ASI and the student body.
“President Conoley has been a really great partner in so many ways,” Achacon said. “Whenever there’s challenges, she’s usually the one to make sure we overcome those challenges.”
As the search for her successor continues, Conoley said she will ensure they know the wonders and possibilities CSULB can offer once they are in office.
“I’ll be telling the next president that they’ve earned a really great spot here; you have a jewel here,” she said. “It’s under scrutiny, it’s under assault in some ways from the federal level, but I think our local community, our alums, I find them very supportive.”
To Conoley, the community is what makes the university great. She said it takes a team effort and credits the leadership of administrators, deans, department chairs, faculty, staff and students for making CSULB what it is today.
She recognizes how challenging navigating life as a college student can be, but urges them to persevere through obstacles to create their desired futures.
“For our students, I want to remind them that they’re great. We have a lot of evidence about that. Most of our students are juggling work, school and personal lives,” Conoley said. “I would tell them to stick it out. Stick to their dreams. It’s going to be worth it.”
