
Cal State East Bay named a member of the Cal State Long Beach administration as its new provost and vice president of academic affairs earlier this month.
Michael Mahoney, who has served as dean of the College of Engineering for seven years, will step into the provost position at CSU East Bay March 1 after spending more than 25 years working at CSULB.
“Education is so important for the furthering of society,” Mahoney said. “I feel really good about doing my job.”
He spent his first 11 years on campus as a faculty member before taking on positions within the administration. Mahoney said one of his key contributions to the university was that BeachBoard started while he was the chief information officer for academic services.
Mahoney said that, while he served as dean for the College of Engineering, the college was reorganized to run more efficiently and many contacts with the industries that hire CSULB graduates (including many aerospace and construction companies) were established.
Mahoney said he applied for the provost position at CSU East Bay because he thought it was nice to look for new opportunities. He said he thinks it is good to move new people with new ideas into administrative positions.
Pamela Guthrie, director of the women’s studies program at CSU East Bay and head of the provost search committee, said Mahoney has several characteristics fitting a provost.
“He knows the CSU system, he has excellent connections with our central office, and he has demonstrated appreciation for faculty workloads and understands the importance of good work done by faculty,” she said. “He also has an excellent record of fundraising and bringing in funds to the institution.”
Guthrie said the search committee submitted names to the CSU East Bay president, Mo Qayoumi, and he made the final selection. According to a Jan. 2 press release, Qayoumi said Mahoney’s background in the CSU system will be invaluable to the university.
Fred Dorer, the interim provost at CSU East Bay, said he thinks Mahoney will fit into the position well.
“He’s a well-experienced person with a fine mind,” Doher said. “I’m just delighted that Mike is coming here.”
Dorer said he hopes Mahoney will be able to help CSU East Bay have a bigger presence in the Bay Area. Guthrie said she would like Mahoney to help increase the school’s enrollment.
Mahoney said he does not know the CSU East Bay campus very well, but that he will try to put the focus on students.
“If you put the focus on students, no matter where you are, then you’re doing the right thing,” he said.
Mahoney said the search for a new dean has been started. He said there will be an interim dean appointed but that the decision has not been made yet.
He said the new dean for the college should have a strong focus on students, be able to listen and work with faculty, and continue building industry and community contacts.
“I’m going to miss the people: the faculty, the staff, and most of all, the students,” he said. “I love Cal State Long Beach. I’ve spent half my life here.”