Cal State LA president elected to board of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities

Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) for the 2024-2026 term.

CUMU is an international organization of universities in large metropolitan areas that share common understandings of their institutional missions and values and commitments to improving the social, economic, and cultural well-being of their surrounding communities.

Eanes' board appointment was announced during the CUMU presidents' council meeting at the annual CUMU Conference on Oct. 22.

"CUMU welcomes our newest board members who come from institutions that are leaders in how they engage with and anchor our communities," says CUMU Board Chair Kristin Sobolik, chancellor of the University of Missouri-St. Louis. "Educational relevancy and inclusive economic growth are central to CUMU's mission and the strategic direction of higher education as we seek to be collaborative, relevant, and engaged community partners. I want to thank my fellow presidents and chancellors for their commitment to the CUMU mission and to helping change the world for better."

Board members are nominated and elected to two-year terms by peers from CUMU member institutions. Each has a demonstrated commitment to the CUMU mission of promoting and enhancing urban and metropolitan universities. The board of directors is made up of presidents and chancellors of CUMU member institutions.

Cal State LA is designated as an anchor institution by CUMU as part of its effort to uplift and transform the economies and social well-being of communities across the nation. The university is ranked number one in the nation for the upward mobility of its students.

"For more than 30 years, CUMU has been the standard-bearer in providing guidance to the unique challenges that face our urban and metropolitan universities," said Eanes. "That guidance has been invaluable to Cal State LA as an anchor institution for the strong, vital Los Angeles neighborhoods we serve."

Eanes began her role as president of Cal State LA on Jan. 8, 2024. She was appointed by the California State University Board of Trustees to this post last fall. She is Cal State LA's ninth president and the first woman to serve in the position.

Eanes is a member of a number of regional and national organizations, including the Board of Governors of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, and Board of Directors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

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California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 24,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.