CSUSB President Delivers Convocation Address of Optimism, Growth and Responsibility

Cal State San Bernardino is a university that has done incredible work with a bright future ahead, but it also has a duty to provide the best possible service to its students and the people of San Bernardino and Riverside counties. That’s the message that CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales delivered to about 900 faculty, staff and students in the university’s Santos Manuel Student Union on Monday morning during the annual convocation address to kick off the new academic year. The speech, which was a prelude to the start of classes on Thursday, Sept. 19, was also viewed via the Internet by faculty, staff and students at the university’s Palm Desert Campus. “CSUSB is an anchor institution for the Inland Empire. We are the only four-year public comprehensive university in California dedicated to serving two unique counties—Riverside and San Bernardino,” Morales said. “Think about this: With a population of 4.35 million residents in the two counties, the Inland Empire would rank as the nation’s 27th most populous state; its combined land mass of 27,313 square miles is bigger than 10 states and about one-sixth the size of California. Clearly, we have a special obligation to the region.” Morales, in his second year at the helm of Cal State San Bernardino, thanked the faculty, staff and students for their hard work during his first year as president in delivering a message of hope, optimism and accomplishment that the university will build on in the 2013–2014 school year. “I cannot put into words how exciting and rewarding this first year has been for me. And that is really because of you: our students, faculty and staff. I am blessed to have been given this opportunity,” Morales said. “We are a university that has done incredible work, with a future as bright as the sun.” The president listed a number of accomplishments from the past year, including a combined 60,000 hours of community service by the students, faculty and staff; the university’s continued leadership in receiving grants and contracts—$22 million; the partnership of the CSUSB’s institutional technology and financial aid departments to streamline the student application process; and in the area of sustainability where conservation efforts reduced water usage for irrigation by 30 percent and domestic water use by 15 percent. Morales said another great success story for higher education in California was the passage of Proposition 30, which halted state budget cuts to the CSU so that CSUSB could recruit new and additional talent. Morales said the passage helped in the hiring of 29 new tenure-track faculty and additional staff members, and he reiterated his commitment to continuing to increase the number of full-time faculty. “One of the areas that make the CSUSB academic experience special is the mentor and advising relationships developed by students, faculty and staff. It is one of the best indicators for student persistence and graduation,” he said. “We must stay focused and direct position lines to new academic appointments whenever possible.” Morales added that with that in mind, the university needs a faculty and staff that reflect the diversity of CSUSB students and university officials to ensure that the university is “advancing opportunities for all members of the campus community so that we move forward as an inclusive and diverse learning community.” The university will also work to admit students “who have a thirst for knowledge and a commitment to achieve their goals,” said Morales, adding that the university is restructuring its admission policies. “CSUSB has reached a point where demand for access far exceeds our ability to accommodate all eligible applicants. As such, it is our intent to declare campus-wide impaction for all undergraduate programs, which means that future students will face stronger admission criteria, such as a higher grade-point average or, if applying as a transfer student, completion of all lower division general education and prerequisite courses,” Morales said. The new admission requirements will apply to all freshman and transfer students beginning in fall 2015.” By admitting the most qualified students, CSUSB officials expect an increase in the university’s graduation rates, Morales said. But the university must also ensure that students get the classes they need in order to complete their degrees as quickly as possible, which will save students and their families both time and money. The president said he also wants to work closely with the San Bernardino City Unified School District and other regional school districts to increase the number of new entrants who arrive at CSUSB college-ready and without needing remediation. Morales added that the university also would reaffirm its responsibility to student success, and emphasized academic and career counseling for students. “While the use of technology to deliver advising is important, it cannot replace face-to-face advising sessions,” Morales said. “Each academic department must ensure that their majors understand the curriculum and graduation requirements, alongside university and departmental policies and procedures. Our ability to monitor and document the progress of our students and our orientation programs must ensure that our new entrants understand the purposes and goals of higher education and its effects on their lives and personal goals.” Along with the first day of school on Thursday, Sept. 19, Morales said it would also be a historic week for Cal State San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus, which will welcome its inaugural class of 100 freshmen this fall. There are also plans to continue to increase enrollment and increase the size of the campus. “New facilities, including the possibility of housing for students and faculty as well as new academic programs, will need to come online to meet the demands of potential students and the Coachella Valley’s economic development,” Morales said. In closing, Morales said that the university is two years away from its 50th anniversary and would bring together a planning committee for the anniversary. “You only turn 50 once, so we are going to make it special.”