Out with the old, in with the new

Cal State Long Beach will be welcoming the new University President Jane Close Conoley to campus this August.
Conoley said her first official day in the position is supposed to be July 15; however, the house that is traditionally for the University President, which is located in Long Beach near campus, was in need of repair. She said it probably will not be ready for her to move in by the intended date.

“Maybe I will stay at a Residence Inn,” Conoley said as a joke.
In the meantime, Conoley has spent about an hour and a half every week, speaking with former Interim President Donald Para on the phone in preparation for the transition as Para retires and she takes the reigns on campus.

“The size of Long Beach itself is daunting,” said Conoley. “But [Para] has helped give perspective.” She said that Para calmed any anxieties she may have had about the transition. Para said he is working to make everything go  as smooth as possible for Conoley.
“She’s already committed to student success, she already gets it,” he said. “She had that mindset before she applied.”

 
Conoley said she plans to arrange briefings on various topics. Her goal is to get up to speed with as much as she can, as fast as she can, she said.
The university goal of “putting money toward student success” could not have been reached without a stable budget, Para said.

Ending the year with “not a good budget, but a stable budget” is a blessing that helps to reduce the anxiety that comes with the job, according to Para.
Conoley said she credits Para with her new understanding of the CSU system, in terms of the people involved and the system’s relationship with the governor.

She said she is a little sad that the current student body presidents, Jon Bolin and John Haberstroh, won’t be with ASI in the fall. Conoley said she has begun to establish a relationship with them, but she is also looking forward to meeting and working with the new student leaders as well. Her goal is to be very in tune with the needs of the student body.

“Each campus has its own story,” Conoley said. “The good news for me is I’ve been on five other campuses already, so I know the big issues.”
She has high expectations, and she hopes to continue to help Long Beach thrive. Conoley said she feels that sometimes those who live in Long Beach don’t always understand the high reputation the city has throughout the country, but she said she knows that working in this city, on this campus, is a huge opportunity.

“I do not look forward to criticism,” she said. “But I am more than open to it.”

John Haberstroh
Former ASI President

Q: What were your most memorable experiences during your term?
A: “My most memorable moment was at the January 2014 plenary of the California State Student Association at [Cal State University of Fullerton] where the board voted in favor of pursuing the Student Representation and Involvement Fee. This was a tremendous moment for CSSA because it would guarantee a stable funding model [for] CSSA to execute its mission to serve every student in the CSU — present and future [and] in ways never possible. The CSU Board of Trustees will hopefully support this fee at a meeting this year.”
Q: What was something that you wished you had executed differently?
A: “I wish nothing to be different. I have no regrets about my two terms. I do think that not being in a Master’s Program would have given me even more time to do my job, though.”
Q: Do you have any words of wisdom that you would like to give to the incoming ASI officers?
A: “All incoming officers should know that leadership is a choice and a burden. You have to want to be a leader, and being a leader means making tough decisions.”

Joe Phillips
Incoming ASI President

Q: What is the first thing you plan to implement and execute at the start of your term?
A: “Nayiri [Baghdassarian] and I have actually already been working on some major projects prior to our term starting.  The most recent accomplishment of ours was the 24-hour study center, which Andrew Carnes, [the] Secretary for Internal Affairs, and I have been working on for the past year. Students can expect it to be up and running next fall. As of right now, we are also beginning the planning stages of our ‘Jobs for Grads’ idea, which would be where we would work with local businesses to agree to give priority to Long Beach graduates when hiring. It is still being worked out.”
Q: Did your experiences as former ASI Chief of Staff prepare you for your new role?
A: “They definitely did. This will be my third year in ASI, and I had been with John [Haberstroh] and Jon [Bolin] for the last two years working closely with both.  I have been involved in many of our ongoing projects, and I know how things get done behind the scenes.  It will not be too steep of a learning curve.”