California State University, Long Beach

11/25/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/25/2024 12:14

'The honor of my career': CSULB President Jane Close Conoley sets June 2025 retirement

President Jane Close Conoley, a passionate advocate for diversity, inclusion and access to education, has announced her retirement effective June 30, 2025, concluding more than a decade of transformative leadership at The Beach.

The first woman to be regularly appointed as president in CSULB's 75-year history, Conoley has led the campus community through an extraordinary era of change and achievement, leaving behind a legacy of growth, innovation and steady stewardship through unprecedented challenges - from economic volatility and housing shortages to a global pandemic that forever reshaped higher education.

"In the months to come," Conoley said, "I anticipate making many expressions of thanks to this remarkable community. Serving as your president has been the honor of my career and a beautiful capstone for a 49-year professional life I've devoted to education."

CSU Chancellor Mildred García, who called CSULB a "powerhouse of social mobility and beacon of inclusive excellence," praised Conoley for championing both causes.

"Throughout her tenure," García said, "President Conoley has demonstrated herself to be an exceptionally skilled, highly principled and truly visionary leader - a person of wisdom, thoughtfulness, empathy and compassion."

Cal State Long Beach is a stronger and more vital institution for her service.

Indeed, since Conoley took office on July 15, 2014, The Beach has achieved recognition as a high-research R2 institution and earned the prestigious Seal of Excelencia for its commitment to serving Latine students - solidifying the university's place as a national leader in educational access and economic advancement. Driven by Conoley's own efforts, CSULB also has seen a 12% growth in student population, completed two record-setting fundraising campaigns and enjoyed an unprecedented connection with the Long Beach community - forging relationship with city leaders and businesses and creating numerous pathways to internships, jobs and volunteer roles for students.

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Spirit of thanks

"I am filled with gratitude," Conoley said in a recorded video message shared this morning. "Through both our trials and triumphs, I've immensely enjoyed being part of this community, and I am so proud of all we've done together."

In that same spirit of gratitude, Conoley revealed that she would celebrate Giving Tuesday on Dec. 3 by personally matching every donation, up to $25,000, made to the President's Scholars Program - a prestigious merit-based scholarship inherited from her predecessor, Robert Maxson. Giving Tuesday is a nationally recognized day of philanthropy, and the President's Scholars program will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year.

A fellow of the American Psychological Association and author of positive psychology books, Conoley previously served as interim chancellor at the University of California-Riverside, dean of UC Santa Barbara's Gevirtz Graduate School of Education and dean of the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University. She plans to remain through the end of the academic year, delivering her 11th and final commencement speech before vacating the office June 30, 2025.

The search for a new president will begin this winter, led by a committee appointed by the chancellor and Board of Trustees. Stakeholders will be invited to share insights to inform the process, with the new president expected to start on or about July 1, 2025.

Decade of change

Conoley has overseen numerous campus improvements - including the construction of the Anna W. Ngai Alumni Center, the College of Professional and Continuing Education (CPaCE), and the Shakarian Student Success Center (which houses both the Bob Murphy Access Center and the Women's and Gender Equity Center).

She has cut ribbons on Parkside Village North, the first residence hall to be built on campus in 34 years, as well as Hillside Village Commons, which she called "one of the most efficient, sustainable buildings in the world."

Also on Conoley's watch: expansion of the Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum; integration of the state-of-the-art Innovation Space (ISPACE) on the first floor of the University Library; and countless smaller renovations, including Los Alamitos Hall, Los Cerritos Hall and the Horn Center.