President's Message

 

The values and priorities of our University are the foundation and touchstones for all we do. At Cal State Long Beach, we believe diversity is our strength, equity our responsibility, and that we must cultivate resilience in our personal and professional lives, our finances, and importantly in our climate. Because diversity, equity, and sustainability are areas that I and many others on our campus have identified as vital to our future as a great university, the three presidential commissions, Status of Women, Equity and Change, and Sustainability, play a key role in bringing those values and priorities to life.

The elected and appointed members of each commission have pledged action to enhance a just and safe environment for all on our campus. The commissions have also pledged to work collaboratively through a joint commission. Together they will engage the campus community in activities, research, and other learning experiences that break down negative stereotypes, implicit or explicit bias, and careless use of Earth’s resources, all of which, limit our success as a university.

I believe every member of our campus and community should have equitable opportunities for success. Therefore, my primary goal for the Commissions is for them to generate continuous advice about how we can be a leader in creating interpersonal and physical environments that enable each member of our community to be their best selves. This includes creating events that promote our campus’ aspiration to be model of robust, civil, and respectful dialogue about even the most difficult but vital topics. Conversations may be related to discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, sexual and other identities, citizenship or veteran status, national origin, or political or religious beliefs. Other conversations may focus on members who are low income and marginalized—who also often suffer from many forms of discrimination and are disparately impacted by climate change. These are only a few examples of critical and intersecting issues that require dialogue and action.

Essentially, these commissions embody our values and priorities in action. Their creativity, compassion, and innovation will play a vital role in our mission to shape the future of California State University Long Beach as a force for good in California and in the world.

Jane