91成人导航

Thank you, Randi.聽

Randi Holguin was a superb student leader聽during what was the most difficult time聽in the 385-year history of聽American higher education.聽She helped lead us through the pandemic.聽I am so appreciative,聽and I was honored to serve with her.聽So,聽thank you, Randi.聽

I'd also like to thank聽our chair, Norm Allen.聽I like to think of Norm as聽the quintessential聽91成人导航an,聽a double Tiger, and the聽only聽91成人导航an聽who has served as president of聽ASuop,聽president of the 91成人导航聽Alumni Association聽and Chair of the Board of Regents.聽I will tell you he works聽tirelessly every day on our behalf. I couldn't imagine a better partner聽as we continue on this journey together.聽

To our other聽regents聽and former聽regents聽who are here today,聽a聽truly stunning array of聽talented, smart, diverse聽and passionate leaders who聽are focused on one thing:聽the success of our university.聽As are the university聽leaders you see behind me:聽the cabinet, our great deans聽and our聽leaders聽representing聽students, faculty, staff,聽alumni and our community. Great partners and leaders all.聽I'm proud to serve with聽you each and every day.聽

Our last two presidents are here:聽Provost Maria Pallavicini,聽who selflessly served聽as our interim president, and Pam聽Eibeck,聽who tirelessly devoted herself聽to our university for a聽decade.聽I'm so appreciative聽of the efforts they put in聽and that they are here today.聽

Speaking of former presidents,聽Don DeRosa聽and Karen could not be here today,聽but I can assure you they聽are watching from home聽in North Carolina.聽I remain inspired by Don's call聽in his inaugural address,聽urging us to be pioneering聽and risk taking.聽I am grateful for his聽advice and his friendship.聽

Jean and I would also聽like to thank our family,聽friends, neighbors and聽colleagues who came from聽across the street and across聽the country to join us today.聽And yes, a very special thank聽you to our wonderful boys,聽Cody and Casey.聽

Finally,聽to the entire community聽that makes up this amazing聽university, our students,聽our faculty, staff, alumni聽and community leaders聽across all three of our campuses, you've made Jean and me feel so welcome.聽91成人导航聽has truly felt like home聽from the first day we arrived, and we are so appreciative聽of聽that.聽Thank you.聽

Nearly two years ago now,聽when the聽regents聽named me聽as our 26th President, I聽was brimming with confidence聽over what we might be able聽to do together for 91成人导航聽and for higher education.聽

Today, after having watched聽our聽regents聽and faculty,聽students and staff, alumni and donors聽respond to the global pandemic聽and respond with grace,聽empathy, creativity and聽fierce determination,聽I am more confident聽than ever in our future.聽

In my first State of the聽University Address, six weeks ago,聽I proclaimed a goal that many聽thought was rather audacious鈥攑erhaps聽even a bit arrogant鈥攖hat聽within 10 years聽University of the聽91成人导航 would be the best聽student-centric comprehensive university聽in the United States.聽

Bold perhaps, but I聽remain supremely confident聽that it is a goal well within our reach聽because of our great strengths. And our strengths lie聽with you, our people.聽I firmly聽believe that our pathway聽to achieving this goal of being聽the聽best-in-class聽university聽will be to rely equally聽on the great traditions聽of California's first聽and oldest university鈥攖raditions and values that聽underscore our mission鈥攃ombined with a bold spirit of innovation聽and entrepreneurship聽on聽how we move forward.聽

In short,聽I believe we need聽to preserve, protect, nurture,聽and grow our聽鈥渨hy鈥濃�攐ur聽purpose, our reason for being鈥攚hile聽completely transforming our聽鈥渉ow鈥濃�攈ow聽we break down and break聽through barriers to innovation,聽how we embrace entrepreneurial thinking,聽and how we design our university to excel聽in the聽highly competitive 21st-century聽higher education landscape.聽

This blend of tradition and innovation聽is nothing new at 91成人导航.聽In fact, it is deeply聽embedded within our DNA.聽At 91成人导航 our tradition聽is听颈苍苍辞惫补迟颈辞苍.听听

Let's take a moment if we could聽and聽soak in聽today's beautiful setting聽here on historic Knoles Lawn聽amidst the majestic giant聽sequoias and American聽sycamores.聽We are surrounded by 91成人导航's聽history and rich traditions,聽iconic images of California's聽first university.聽But聽take a closer look, and you will also find our stories聽of breathtaking innovation.聽

Behind me right here sits聽Knoles Hall, named in honor聽of our longest serving聽president, Tully Knoles.聽The聽building and those around聽it,聽the only use of collegiate聽Gothic architecture聽on a West Coast campus,聽conjure up images聽of the earliest traditional聽American college campuses聽found on the East Coast,聽steeped in tradition.聽

Yet, there was聽President Knoles,聽who was perhaps our ultimate聽innovator and risk taker.聽He led a bold effort to聽physically move 91成人导航 70 miles聽from San Jose to Stockton nearly 100 years ago.聽Right across Knoles聽Hall, we see Burns Tower,聽a beacon for 91成人导航ans聽and visitors alike for generations.聽The tower is named in聽honor of Robert Burns,聽who served as president for 24 years聽and drove transformational change聽with his call that we聽must聽鈥榩ioneer or perish.鈥櫬燯nder President Burns, our聽university became independent.聽We created our聽schools聽of聽engineering and聽pharmacy. We brought to 91成人导航 the聽McGeorge School of Law聽in Sacramento, and what is now聽the Arthur A.聽Dugoni聽School聽of Dentistry in San Francisco.聽

Our past successes have been built聽on this mix of tradition and innovation, and now more than ever聽our future success will be聽predicated on these dual themes.聽

Our tradition starts with our mission聽to serve students and聽create the next generation聽of great聽leaders for聽California, for America,聽and for the world.聽Our mission, our purpose,聽our聽鈥渨hy鈥澛爄s stronger,聽more important and more聽relevant today than ever before.聽We remain and聽we聽must continue聽to remain laser focused聽on the success of our students.聽

We provide a small college experience聽in a comprehensive university setting,聽the best of both of聽these educational worlds. We focus on and are expanding聽experiential learning opportunities,聽which combine deep聽learning, while serving聽our great communities in聽critically important ways.聽

We live by our values and聽principles of diversity聽and inclusion each and every day聽and pledge to become a national model聽in diversity, equity and inclusion.聽

Ultimately, our core foundation聽continues to be built on聽the extraordinary cadre聽of master teachers, working聽with students in small settings聽and personalized learning environments.聽I hear over and聽over again聽from聽our聽alumni,聽that聽is聽what makes 91成人导航聽such a special place.聽We need to preserve聽and聽protect that mission聽and those core values.聽

But at the same time,聽we need to dramatically change our聽鈥渉ow鈥濃�攈ow we go about running the university.聽We need to design programs and systems聽with the student experience聽always top of mind, looking at聽each聽challenge聽through the eyes of our students.聽

We need to create new revenue sources聽to reduce our dependence on tuition.聽We need to develop new聽entrepreneurial partnerships.聽And we need to create fully online master鈥檚聽and certificate programs聽for lifelong learners,聽while at the same time聽redoubling our commitment聽to on-the-ground teaching聽for our undergraduates聽and many of our graduate聽and professional students.聽

We need to streamline our far too often聽frustrating bureaucratic processes.聽We need to break down聽silos between and among us.聽We need to shed territorialism聽and turf protection.聽And we need to move collaboratively聽and transparently but with a sense of urgency. And we need to do it all together.聽

I聽am confident聽we will do all of that聽and reach our goal聽within the next 10 years.聽

What makes me so confident?聽

First, we've already聽made tremendous progress聽in the past 16 months聽despite the global pandemic,聽and we are building upon聽an amazing foundation. That foundation聽starts with our people.聽We have passionate, smart,聽diverse and dedicated students.聽You've heard from two of聽them today聽in聽Scout and Randi.聽And of course, you've already聽heard the remarkably gifted聽students from the Conservatory of Music,聽the first Conservatory聽of Music established聽on the West Coast.聽

We have inspiring faculty聽who change the lives of our students.聽Master teachers, such as Courtney Lehmann,聽recognized earlier this year聽with the聽Hasenkamp聽Award聽by Phi Beta Kappa as being the best聽college professor in Northern California.聽Sasha Joseph-Matthews,聽who just created a CEOs聽of聽Color in聽Residence program right there聽at our Eberhardt School of Business.聽Allen聽Wong聽at the聽Dugoni聽School leading efforts聽to serve special needs聽communities across San Francisco聽and Northern California.聽Melissa Brown, who leads our seven community legal clinics聽at the McGeorge School聽of Law in Sacramento.聽Veronica Bandy聽at聽the Thomas聽J. Long School of Pharmacy,聽who ran聽鈥渙peration immunization.鈥澛燭he only thing Veronica did聽was deliver more than聽12,000 life-saving vaccines聽to students, faculty, staff,聽and many of our neighbors聽across all聽three campuses.聽And my friend, Professor聽Gene聽Pearson,聽now in his 51st year of teaching聽at 91成人导航聽and doing it better than ever.聽

These are unbelievably gifted,聽passionate and dedicated professors.聽And that is a great foundation聽upon which to build.聽

We also have talented and聽dedicated staff, and聽we saw them聽on full display during the聽height of the pandemic.聽People like Scott聽Richardson and Tom Harper,聽police officers who during聽the height of the pandemic,聽when聽all of聽our campuses were closed,聽took it upon themselves聽to give impromptu tours聽for prospective students聽and family members.聽

Allison Dumas, who has been聽focused on the success聽of 91成人导航 students for 36 years,聽and who is just as passionate聽about our students today聽as the day she started.聽Daniel Walker, who worked to聽make sure our iconic carillon聽in Burns Tower will continue聽to play for years to come. all the while awaiting聽the arrival of young聽Fox聽Benjamin Walker, now three weeks old.聽And then there's聽Cathy聽Wooton and聽Steve Whyte,聽who between them have聽served this university聽with distinction for 43 years.聽Cathy and Steve led the聽efforts for today's ceremony,聽just days after hosting a聽record-breaking聽attendance聽for homecoming and two聽years鈥櫬爓orth of commencement聽ceremonies.聽

These are truly extraordinary colleagues聽and a great, great聽foundation to build upon.聽

We also have a strong vibrant alumni base,聽as demonstrated just 10 days聽ago when we had a record 3,000聽alumni聽participating in our homecoming,聽the largest聽homecoming crowd in 25 years.聽

And we have an unbelievably聽rich array of 24聽talented, loyal and dedicated聽regents,聽led by Chair Allen, who聽are squarely focused聽on the success of our聽students at our university.聽

These are all great聽foundations to build upon.聽

But I'm also confident that聽we will achieve our聽goal聽because I have already聽seen the great advances聽these teams have made in聽changing how we operate, and doing that during聽unbelievably challenging times.聽Teams聽have been聽working together across disciplines聽and departments in new ways,聽all with a laser focus on聽the success of our students.聽聽

Our great deans and faculty聽working with Provost Pallavicini聽are designing new plans聽to retain and graduate聽more of our students with new聽student success programming.聽Our student life team,聽led by new聽Vice President聽Maria聽Blandizzi, is聽changing聽how we serve our students while creating聽a new 91成人导航 spirit, really rekindling the聽spirit built by our friend聽in 91成人导航 legend, Judy Chambers.聽We are redoubling our efforts to ensure聽that 91成人导航 is a national model聽for聽diversity,聽equity and聽inclusion under the leadership聽of our very first聽Vice聽President聽for DEI,聽Mary Wardell-Ghirarduzzi.聽

We are modernizing our聽enrollment operations聽to work across units,聽schools and colleges聽to bring in even more talented聽and more diverse students聽under the leadership of Vice聽President Chris Ferguson,聽and to ensure聽that 91成人导航聽is a national university鈥攏ot聽a local university,聽not a regional university鈥攁聽national university.聽聽

We are designing new and聽better ways to operate聽while developing new partnerships聽and revenue-raising initiatives聽under the leadership聽of Vice President Ken Mullen.聽We are installing new computer systems聽to better serve our students,聽ensuring they have a seamless聽experience in any aspect聽of their 91成人导航 lives, thanks to the 91成人导航 technology team聽and Vice President Art Sprecher.聽

We are growing attendance聽and school spirit聽at our athletic events,聽while our amazing student聽athletes continue to perform聽at the very highest levels on the field聽and in our classrooms聽under the聽leadership聽of聽Athletic聽Director聽Janet Lucas, our coaches聽and her great team.聽

We have new ways to communicate聽with 91成人导航ans here聽and around the world with聽new social media channels,聽along with new digital and print products聽thanks to the leadership聽of Associate Vice President聽Marge聽Grey and her talented team.聽

We聽are about to finish聽our $300聽million聽鈥淟eading聽with Purpose鈥澛燾ampaign.聽And we are developing plans聽to accelerate fundraising聽and partnerships under聽the vibrant leadership聽of new聽Vice聽President Scott Biedermann.聽

We are truly off to a great start, and there will be many聽more successes to come聽as we continue to work together.聽

Importantly, let's remember who we are,聽and how good this university is already.聽How we view ourselves is聽critical to our future success.聽

I聽have found many 91成人导航ans聽to have a remarkable modesty about them.聽Some find that endearing.聽Some find that charming.聽I don't. I聽have to聽be honest;聽I often hear the phrase聽鈥渉idden聽gem鈥澛爄n describing 91成人导航.聽So,聽what if we all agree聽today that we vow to retire聽that phrase.聽聽

This is an聽outstanding institution聽with an amazing history,聽great people and forward-looking programs.聽We are California's first university.聽We are the first university in California聽to be co-educational.聽We are ranked in聽the聽top聽100 among U.S. colleges聽and universities according聽to The Wall Street Journal聽and Times Higher Education聽and in the top 20聽of all colleges and universities聽in the American West.聽

Our alumni have career聽earnings in the top 2%聽of all colleges and universities,聽eclipsing Ivy League schools聽and many of the other so-called elite universities.聽We are located in聽three聽fantastic cities聽in one of the most coveted聽regions of the world聽to live here in beautiful聽Northern California.聽

We are University of the聽91成人导航聽and we should be 91成人导航聽Proud.聽And working together聽we will achieve our goal聽of becoming the best student-centric comprehensive聽university in the country聽within the next 10 years.聽

Now if I may end on a personal note,聽for聽those of you who have not聽gotten to know Jean and me,聽know that this is indeed a team effort.聽I suspect many of you already know聽and are getting a sense of the impact Jean聽is already having on our great university.聽Jean and I are truly honored and humbled聽to be with you at 91成人导航 as we embark聽on this new journey together.聽A journey that will transform this聽already excellent聽university,聽drawing on our rich past and traditions,聽while聽creating new pathways聽through entrepreneurship聽and innovation to be the best university聽of our kind in the country.聽And we so look forward to聽taking that journey together聽with all of you.聽

Thank you.聽

Delivered at the president's investiture ceremony on Knoles Lawn on the Stockton Campus