Message from the Chair

   Ephraim Smith

As I write my first message as chair, I am reminded that May is a wonderful time on our campuses with commencement ceremonies beginning and our students graduating into the workforce or graduate school. It is the month in which we celebrate student success, the goal we all strive for at our different institutions.

We just completed a terrific annual meeting in Arizona hosted by the Arizona Board of Regents and Arizona State University and we enjoyed some outstanding speakers. As we continue to wrestle with the economic downturn that has impacted our campuses, I believe we came away with fresh ideas. I want to thank Stephanie Jacobson, the outgoing Forum chair, for her fine leadership this past year.

The Forum and its annual meeting provide an opportunity for provosts and academic leaders to discuss relevant and challenging issues in small group sessions. When we meet again next April in California, we will survey what has happened this past year and what national and state election outcomes mean for all levels of education.

California, as you know, has experienced drastic cutbacks. Higher education is facing even more if certain November ballot measures do not pass. Many of you are confronting the same disheartening circumstances, so our discussions, in turn, should be lively and enlightening. Please contact me with your suggestions for speakers or topics for board consideration.

Higher education is coping with many issues, both internal and external to our institutions. The Forum is an excellent venue for sharing our views, learning from each other, and working together to keep higher education positively evolving in a world of constant change. Encourage your colleagues at other institutions to join us so our voices are diverse and credible.

 Ephraim Smith, Forum Chair
Executive Vice Chancellor & Chief Academic Officer Academic Affairs, California State University