To our Cal U community,

Today is my last working day as interim president of Cal U. I did not want to let this moment pass without saying “thank you” to everyone who has made the past six months so productive for our university and so memorable for me.

It has been an honor to lead Cal U toward a stronger and more sustainable future. I am especially proud of our continuing progress on the Campus Master Plan, which will transform our campus footprint, and the establishment of an executive-level Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, dedicated to making our campus a more welcoming place for all.

Above all, I am proud of Cal U’s commitment to financial sustainability. Over the years, we made tough but strategic decisions to right-size our campus with the goal of achieving sustainable operations. Thank you for supporting those efforts. We will continue that commitment as we move forward in the integration.

In my 28 years on this campus, I have seen firsthand how Cal U changes the lives of the students we serve. Nothing could be more important than continuing to fulfill that mission – and with your help, our campus will continue to thrive.

I know that I can count on each of you to unite and pull together as we implement the Western Integration. Please give our new interim president, Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, a warm Cal U welcome and your support as we chart a bold, new path forward.

Next week I will step into my new role as senior vice president and chief operations officer (COO) as we implement plans for the integrated university. Although my responsibilities will change, please know that nothing will alter my commitment to securing a bright future for our campus, our students and our employees.

I wish you all the very best in the days ahead.