First 150 Days

Without a doubt, Stan State’s accomplishments are remarkable, and our rankings — especially when compared to our peers and budget per student ratio — are unmatched.

Stan State continues to be consistently recognized for our commitment to student success, affordability and the life-changing opportunities we provide that catalyze social mobility. Our most recent rankings place us in the top 10 public universities in the country and highlight how competitive Stan State is overall. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution with 70.9% of our students the first generation in their families to attend college, almost 60% Pell eligible and 64% underrepresented minorities, we transform students, families and communities by providing opportunities to empower futures.

When examining our recent rankings, the dramatic difference is in what Stan State has been able to accomplish with starkly fewer resources. For example, the Wall Street Journal ranked Stan State as the 9th best public university in the nation with a base budget of $175 million annually, serving 9,295 students. The top-ranked public university was UC Berkeley, with a base budget of $3.8 billion,¹ serving 45,882² students. Stan State placed just after No. 8 University of Michigan with a budget of $14.9 billion,³ serving 51,823⁴ students.

It is clear that the return on an investment in California State University, Stanislaus is one that pays dividends far beyond our similarly ranked peers. Whether it is the Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, Washington Monthly or Money.com, Stan State stands proudly and prominently.

The Central Valley community certainly does not have to look far for the best in the nation! As we continue to become more of a destination campus, we will build the professional workforce needed to guarantee that the Central Valley will continue to thrive, uplifting students, families and communities for generations.

Especially at this time when the value of higher education is under fire, I feel blessed to be in what I call “presidential heaven.” The high caliber standings we have received from a myriad of national organizations and publications not only demonstrate the value of a Stan State education, but also our efficiency in ensuring that our resources are directed toward student success.

Improving enrollment is a collective effort, and we are enhancing recruitment and outreach to highlight the undeniable value of a Stan State degree. By prioritizing connections in our six-county service region and expanding statewide outreach, we have engaged with students through more than 300 school visits, application workshops, transfer days and college nights. The impact is already clear — first-year student applications are trending upward, and new student enrollment is up relative to last year — excitement is building. At Warrior Expo, we welcomed 2,400 attendees, including over 1,000 prospective students and their families — a powerful reminder of the growing enthusiasm for the opportunities we offer. 

Expanding access to education is central to our mission of equity and inclusion. Outreach to our K-12 educators, students and their parents and families has included meeting and talking with parents graduating from the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) Program in our region to deepen their understanding of the value of higher education for their children and their families.  

I’m especially excited about the upcoming launch of a new dual enrollment initiative, designed to open doors for even more high school students and their families in our region and throughout California, the U.S. and beyond. This initiative, along with direct admission partnerships with organizations like Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) are creating new pathways for students. Our recent agreement with IYT offers guaranteed admission to students who may have met enrollment requirements in a different way — by overcoming obstacles that others have not had to confront.

We are also introducing the Family Engagement and Parent Success Series to further strengthen the bonds between families and higher education. Through these sessions, we’re facilitating family empowerment, in English and Spanish, with critical knowledge about resources, financial literacy and career pathways — equipping families to support their students as they take this important step toward a brighter future.

Additionally, our Enrollment Services and Advising and Success Center teams are working in tandem along with faculty advisors to provide proactive advising and registration support. Together, they ensure every student has the guidance and encouragement they need to stay on track and achieve their dreams. Our students are also empowered by the outstanding team in Student Affairs, who provide myriad resources such as the critical services of our Basic Needs programs and the Warrior Food Pantry, supported by the generosity of our California Faculty Association Campus Cares Funds, as well as grant funding. This collaborative spirit is what it means to be a part of the Stan State community — lifting one another up and working together to ensure overwhelming success.

As we near the end of the 2018-2025 Strategic Plan, we are poised to develop a new strategic plan that will guide our collective campus efforts through the next five years from 2026-2031. We are aligning our process with the Office of the Chancellor’s Year of Engagement to foster a greater sense of system-ness and advocacy for the excellent work of the CSU throughout the great state of California. I have listened and learned a great deal during my first 150 days and am grateful for the heartfelt conversations, emails and letters from faculty, students, staff, alumni and community members. The sage advice, counsel and encouragement I’ve received have given me valuable insights into what has worked well historically and the promising directions we can pursue moving forward. Through our shared governance process, we are currently working with the Senate Committee on Committees and the Senate Executive Committee to ensure robust faculty participation in collaboration with staff and administration. We will announce the Strategic Planning Committee membership shortly and begin developing work groups to focus on key priorities.

As always, student success will be at the forefront of our efforts. We know that we must double down on student success and that recruitment, retention and persistence is what will elevate Stan State even further.

While we continue to learn more about persistent achievement gaps, particularly through an equity lens, we will apply these lessons to the Stan State-specific best practices we use to support student and graduate success. These strategies will be embedded into our strategic plan and will chart the course for a great future.

The formal strategic planning process begins in January 2025, and we invite you to actively participate. Please stay tuned for invitations for our strategic planning-related listening and strategy sessions.

As we look ahead to shaping our future, it's important to recognize how Stan State serves an ever-evolving population. From at least the ages 16 to 60, we serve the educational needs of our region. To do so in this ever-changing and more complex environment, we must create opportunities for folks to engage with our learning offerings in ways that correspond with their needs. Whether it be online/hybrid degree programs, accelerated terms, badges or microcredentials, students are seeking choices in offerings, modalities and timelines. Both graduate and adult learner enrollment have steadily increased. Just a few weeks ago, I was speaking at a Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) graduation in Patterson when a parent asked if we offered any classes in Spanish. We must prepare for shifts in enrollment and the growing population of adult learners who want a different kind of college experience. It is also critical to remain cognizant of their needs to ensure that higher education is accessible to all.

Thanks to the hard work of Provost Ogle in collaboration with our faculty, Stan State is pursuing the opportunity to become an Adobe Creative Campus (only four other CSUs carry this designation), ensuring that our students’ learning experience will be cutting-edge in relation to the ethical use of AI, informatics and digital literacy. In addition to the top-notch programmatic content delivered to students by our dedicated faculty, this partnership will ensure that Stan State graduates will be clearly differentiated by their ability to use state-of-the-art technology.

Another crucial strategic direction is to diversify our revenue streams so that we are less dependent on state funds and can better weather enrollment fluctuation and other events detrimental to our economic health. We are actively exploring several exciting prospects to facilitate revenue growth and will continue to focus on sustainability, innovation and responsible financial stewardship.

We are looking at leveraging our resources to lease out technologies, such as solar panel farms and cell phone towers. We are also looking for opportunities to rent spaces on our campuses to benefit our community partners — such as KIPP High School in Stockton — and to facilitate the use of our beautiful campus spaces for events. These initiatives will allow us to diversify our revenue in ways that also uphold our mission as an innovative higher ed partner.

In the same spirit of innovation and community-driven impact, this fall, Stan State launched its very first employee giving campaign — Stan for a Cause. We were thrilled to meet our goal of 100 participants in the campaign and their outstanding generosity raised $28,070 for our students and programs, strengthening the Stan State community and creating opportunities that empower our faculty, staff and students to thrive. This Warrior Spirit demonstrates the impact we can have collectively. 

Working with our CSU Alumni Council President-elect Adrian Harrell, our Stan State Alumni Council and many other fantastic Warrior alumni, I have learned so much about the history, traditions and activities that elevate Stan State. It has also been wonderful to work with our Foundation Board as we build philanthropic momentum and partnerships throughout the Central Valley community. Our alumni and partners provide an incredible amount of mentorship and networking opportunities for our students. I have witnessed firsthand their high level of compassion, expertise and deep sense of commitment toward elevating our students and preparing them for success.

Since my arrival, I have felt strongly that Stan State is on the verge of even brighter horizons. I have sought to deepen partnerships that enrich the campus experience for both our students and the broader community.

Our commitment to community engagement is central to our mission. This year, we are reapplying for our designation as a Community Engaged Campus with the Carnegie Foundation. My thanks to Associate Provost Stuart Wooley, Institutional Effectiveness and Analytics Director Dai Li and Service-Learning Director Julie Fox for leading this important effort. We contribute more than $5 million dollars in service-learning hours to the greater Central Valley annually, making Stan State's impact even more profound.

On Nov. 23, I witnessed the impact of our service-learning students at the United Samaritan Foundation’s Legacy of Hope fundraising dinner. This event, dedicated to addressing food security in our communities, was a testament to the care and sense of purpose that over 260 student volunteers, under the dedicated coordination of Julie Fox, brought to the occasion, underscoring the meaningful  contributions and profound impact our students have on the health and well-being of Central Valley communities. Many thanks to the faculty and staff volunteers as well.

Creating meaningful campus experiences has also been an important focus. Thanks to Shane Saunders, CEO of Mocse Credit Union, we hosted the musical group Las Cafeteras — celebrated storytellers and social justice mavericks from East L.A. — to kick off our new Diversity Celebration Series. More than 350 students and community members danced the night away under glowing lights in front of the University Student Center. My heartfelt thanks go to Shane and the Mocse team, the University Student Center team, Capital Planning and Facilities Management, and the University Police Department for ensuring a fantastic event!

Building strong relationships with our exceptional faculty is a priority. I have met with department chairs and program directors to lay the foundation for a collaborative and engaged community. Whether I am attending an athletics event, a play, a concert or other activity, the dedication our staff and faculty demonstrate to ensuring our students’ success is truly palpable.

Senate meetings have provided an important space for shared governance. Working with the Senate Executive Committee, we established a standing monthly Presidential Report — a significant step forward. I want to give a special thank you to Senate Speaker Christopher Bradshaw and Speaker-elect Arya Alami for their commitment to shared governance, great conversations and for their dedication to the success of Stan State.

Visiting our four colleges and spending time each month at our Stockton Campus has provided invaluable opportunities to learn about the work of our faculty and discuss how we can better support their goals. Additionally, engaging with our faculty and staff affinity groups has allowed me to listen, learn and gain insights into the issues impacting their experiences. Their voices and passion guide our efforts to create a more equitable, inclusive and supportive campus community for everyone.

Our Stockton Campus has emerged as a vital hub for expanding access to higher education in the northern San Joaquin Valley and addressing critical regional needs. With a $54 million expansion underway, we are increasing programming and services, particularly for place-bound students. The dedication of our leadership, faculty and staff at the Stockton Campus remains unmatched. One of the highlights I experienced in my first 150 days was the opportunity to sign a structural beam celebrating a milestone in the construction of the new academic building that will open for classes in fall 2025. As the only public four-year degree option in San Joaquin County, Stan State is poised to ensure a prosperous future for the Stockton area and beyond.

As an anchor institution with a vital presence in Stockton, Stan State plays a pivotal role in addressing workforce shortages, including the pressing need for healthcare professionals. By deepening partnerships with local high schools, San Joaquin Delta College and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, we are creating pathways from education to career opportunities, supporting workforce development across the region. These collaborations reflect Stockton’s community-driven spirit, where education, nonprofits and industry align to meet the needs of students and the broader community.

This commitment to collaboration was exemplified in November, when Stan State received a $100,000 grant from HealthForce Partners Northern San Joaquin Valley, expanding their initial $200,000 investment in San Joaquin County to benefit students in Stanislaus County as well. This funding provides scholarships of up to $5,000 for graduate students in social work, clinical counseling and marriage and family therapy. In addition to the financial support these scholarships provide, the partnership also helps students access resources and clinical placements to build successful careers while staying rooted in the communities they serve. Together, we are paving the way for a stronger, healthier future for all.