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Camarillo, Calif., Feb. 25, 2016 — A long term growth plan for CSU Channel Islands (CI) has earned the University a major award from the American Association of University Administrators (AAUA) (www.aaua.org).

Called the “CI 2025 Vision Plan:  Envisioning Our Future,” the multi-layered growth plan is designed to meet the needs of a student population that is expected to more than double in the next 10 years from about 5,000 full-time students in 2015 to more than 10,000 in 2025.

The CI 2025 Vision Plan won AAUA’s John L. Blackburn Award, which recognizes outstanding examples of university leadership that demonstrates creative solutions to common problems in higher education.

AAUA Awards Chair Jerry Neuner, Ph.D., said CI’s Vision Plan can serve as a model for other institutions.

Named for the former president and general secretary of the AAUA, the award is considered the most prestigious given by AAUA for a major activity or successful team project.

With Vice President for Business & Financial Affairs Ysabel Trinidad guiding the project, CI 2025 outlines guiding principles and specific objectives for the next 10 years of the institution, which includes the sale of the existing 328 University apartments to the private sector, and the development of 32.5 acres of the adjacent University Glen property through a public-private partnership.

With no expectation of increased state funding for capital projects, this plan creates a cash flow that will be invested in academic facilities that are vital to the University’s quality of education and projected growth.

AAUA Awards Chair Jerry Neuner, Ph.D., said CI’s entry stood out among the rest of the applicants because of its clarity of focus and its ambition.

“It’s clearly about the physical development of your campus and the surrounding areas,” Neuner said. “We liked the living-learning community and the public-private partnerships that will go into the development of that community. These are the hallmarks of the future of higher education.”

President Richard R. Rush expressed pride in the community around the University, without which CI 2025 would not have been possible or sustainable.

“We share this award with the community that has stood hand-in-hand with this campus ever since its inception 14 years ago,” Rush said. “To all of you who helped us become the excellent University we are today, we thank you. With your continued support, we will realize the vision of CI 2025 and beyond.”

The AAUA will present its 2016 awards during a special luncheon at its Leadership Seminar on Saturday, June 11 in San Antonio, TX.

CI will be among several of the awardees who will give presentations as part of the Seminar entitled, “Risky Business: Coping with Today’s Realities and Tomorrow’s Potentialities.”

CI’s presentation will be given at the end of the awards lunch, which is considered a place of honor according to Neuner.

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About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands
(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.

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