Academic Year Opens Under New President

The fall semester at Cal State San Marcos kicks off Monday with a new president, nearly two dozen new tenure-track faculty and more than 16,000 students.

Dr. Ellen Neufeldt began her tenure as CSUSM’s fourth president on July 1, succeeding Dr. Karen Haynes, who retired at the end of June.

Neufeldt opened the 2019-20 academic year with her first CSUSM Convocation address on Thursday, Aug. 22.

As the university celebrates the 30^th anniversary of its founding this year, Neufeldt told hundreds of CSUSM faculty and staff in attendance her vision for the university’s next 30 years.

“We will build on the important work already completed and take it to new heights – through innovation, collaboration and inclusion,” Neufeldt said.

Neufeldt was appointed to the presidency in March by the CSU Board of Trustees. She comes to CSUSM from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., where she served as vice president of student engagement and enrollment services.

New appointments

• Kamel Haddad began an appointment as interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs on July 1, replacing Graham Oberem, who retired at the end of June. Sue Moineau, a speech-language pathology professor, is the interim vice provost.
• Elizabeth Matthews began an appointment as interim dean for the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences on Aug. 1. Matthews joined CSUSM’s Political Science Department in 2007.
• Ed Ashley, who founded and led the College of Business Administration’s Office of Business Research and Analysis, began an appointment as the associate vice president for CSUSM at Temecula on July 1.
• Retired Marine Major General Anthony Jackson has been hired as the interim director of Veterans Services. Jackson, who began his new role July 1, is also the chair of CSUSM’s Foundation Board.
• Tom Olson was appointed as the new director of the School of Nursing, replacing Pamela Kohlbry, who served as the interim director last school year.
• John Rawlins III began an appointment as the associate director for the Black Student Center on July 1. Rawlins was previously director for leadership development and training at the corporate headquarters of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. in Baltimore.
• Betina Scott, a lecturer in the Department of Social Work, is the interim director of ACE Scholars Services, CSUSM’s innovative program for former foster youth. Scott takes over for ACE founder Jim Mickelson, who retired at the end of June.

Weeks of Welcome

The annual Weeks of Welcome started Aug. 24 and runs through Sept. 8. It includes dozens of free events to welcome students back to campus.

Visit the Weeks of Welcome calendar for a complete schedule.

Summer snippets

• The CSU Institute for Palliative Care is now the Shiley CSU Institute for Palliative Care, thanks to another generous gift from prominent philanthropist Darlene Marcos Shiley. Shiley announced during the university’s annual fundraising gala in June that she has donated an additional $2.6 million to the Institute, which is located on CSUSM’s campus.
• CSUSM received a $1.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation to conduct research that will help increase the number of students graduating with college degrees in STEM disciplines.
• CSUSM is a member of a new research team that will collaborate on research into the intersection of space science and human space exploration as part of NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute. The lead researcher from CSUSM is Gerardo Dominguez, an associate professor of physics, who is receiving an $837,000 grant for the project.
• The CSUSM surfing team won the second national championship in program history with a victory in the National Scholastic Surfing Association’s college competition at Salt Creek in Dana Point in June.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314