Vice President for Student Affairs
Location: Bell Tower, Rooms 2560, 2565 & 2705
Telephone: (805) 437-8536
Fax: (805) 437-8549
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The purpose of the Vice President for Student Affairs office is to recommend policies, guidelines and procedures that will ensure a coordinated delivery and assessment system of student services throughout the Division of Student Affairs (DSA), which includes Enrollment Services, Student Life, Housing & Residential Education, and Associated Students Incorporated.
This Vice President for Student Affairs office ensures a comprehensive clearing system which:
- tracks and reports budgets and expenditures;
- implements, coordinates and/or manages special projects;
- produces and distributes internal and external student communication materials;
- hires, trains and provides staff development;
- provides co-curricular education initiatives; and
- coordinates program assessment and evaluation for all units within the Division.
Dr. Wm. Gregory Sawyer, Vice President for Student Affairs
Wm. Gregory Sawyer, Vice President for Student Affairs at California State University Channel Islands (CI), earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration at the University of North Texas (UNT). Dr. Sawyer began his academic career as a Communication professor at Amarillo College in Amarillo, Texas shortly after completing his Masters degree in Organizational Communication Behavior. After two years of teaching and coaching Forensics and Debate at Amarillo College, Dr. Sawyer returned to school to work on his doctoral degree at the University of North Texas in Denton. Upon completion of his Ph.D., Dr. Sawyer was appointed Assistant Dean of Students. Within a period of four years Sawyer was promoted to Associate Dean and finally, Dean of Students at UNT, where he was also a member of the communication faculty. He served as Dean of Students and UNT faculty until he was appointed Founding Dean of Students and Chief Student Affairs Officer at Florida Gulf Coast University, in Fort Myers. As the Founding Dean, Sawyer was broadly involved in the strategic planning, development and operations of Florida’s newest state university.
After six and one-half years in South Florida, Dr. Sawyer accepted the position as the Founding Vice President for Student Affairs at CI. Dr. Sawyer has brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to CI; after all, how many people have started two new universities? Since his arrival at CI, Dr. Sawyer has dedicated his efforts to hiring, developing and encouraging a diverse student-centered and student-focused Student Affairs division which fosters an inclusive and collegial learning environment.
In 2007 Dr. Sawyer was recognized by the American College Personnel Association with the Senior Practitioner of the Year Award that recognizes outstanding chief student affairs officers. And finally, in May 2008, Dr. Sawyer was awarded by Chancellor Reed and the Trustees of the CSU with the prestigious Wang Family Excellence Award, which recognizes annually four outstanding faculty and one outstanding administrator out of 46,000 faculty and staff in the California State University System.
Ed Lebioda, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs - Resources & Auxiliaries
Ed Lebioda, associate vice president for Student Affairs - Resources & Auxiliaries, earned his M.S. in Recreation Administration with a minor in exercise physiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to joining CI in 2002, Ed was awarded recognition as a top administrator in his capacity as the Director of Recreation and Leisure Services and Assistant to the Dean at Florida Gulf Coast University, a start-up campus which opened in 1997. In his current role, Ed is primarily responsible for human resources, budget, facilities, and operations within the Division.
Dr. George Morten, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs - Assessment & Co-curricular Education
Dr. George Morten serves as associate vice president for the Division of Student Affairs at CI. Appointed to the vice president’s Executive Team in June 2006, he is responsible for planning, budgeting, and coordination of program assessment throughout the Division of Students Affairs. He is a standing member of the President’s Assessment Council and serves as an evaluator for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). He works closely with the Assessment Coordinator for Academic Affairs and individual faculty to develop co-curricular programs for student learning and development.
Dr. Morten began his career in education as a university professor in Counseling Psychology; he was licensed in 1981 as a clinical psychologist in the state of Wisconsin, where he worked as an educator, private practitioner, and clinical consultant. He later broadened his experience in higher education to include learning modalities outside the classroom, as a member of Student Affairs. In 2003, he was named Administrator of the Year by the California Association for Post-Secondary Education and Disability. In 2005 and 2006, he was given the prestigious Maximus Award by students to recognize outstanding performance and contributions by faculty, staff, and administrators beyond their call of duty. He co-authored the text Counseling American Minorities: A Cross-Cultural Perspective, as well as a number of journal articles related to cross-cultural psychology.
Before taking the position of assistant vice president for Student Affairs, Dr. Morten served as the Dean of Student Life at CI. He was responsible for a range of programs and services that included: Personal Counseling Services, Student Health Services, Disability Accommodation Services, Career Planning and Preparation, Judicial Affairs, Housing and Residential Education, and Student Activities, Clubs and Organizations. Dr. Morten received his B.A. degree in Sociology and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Toni Rice, M.B.A., Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs – Administrative & Strategic Operations
Ms. Rice earned a Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers. As the founding Coordinator of Student Orientation in the area of Student Leadership and Community at CSU Channel Islands (CI), Toni was responsible for creating and implementing CI’s first new student orientation in 2002. Toni was also responsible for student activities, clubs and organizations, student leadership, and The Hub (temporary Student Union) while serving as the Founding Advisor of the Student Programming Board. Toni was appointed Interim Director of Student Leadership and Community from 2004 to 2005 and continued to assist with the growth and development of student leadership on campus.
In July 2006, Ms. Rice was appointed to Manager of Budget and Staff Resources in the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) office. In this role, Toni was responsible for staff resources and budget, maintaining the integrity of recruitment, and the hiring process for staff and student assistants within the Division of Student Affairs (DSA). She also assisted with all DSA budget-related issues including workshop development and trainings. In addition, Toni also assisted with various projects such as the formulation of CSU Channel Islands’ first Student Union building. From March 2007 to December 2007, Ms. Rice was asked to serve as the Interim Special Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs.
In January of 2008, Toni was appointed as the Special Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs. In this role, Toni was responsible for all staff resources for the Division of Student Affairs. In addition, Toni was responsible for creating and developing collaborative campus relationships to ensure that the programs and services of the VPSA office reflected the Division’s mission and priorities. Toni was also responsible for researching and responding, on behalf of the Vice President, to those issues or concerns which were presented to the Vice President from multiple constituencies, while assisting with the continued and ongoing development of Student Affairs policies and procedures.
In September of 2010, the Special Assistant to the Vice President role transitioned to the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs. As AVPSA, Toni maintains the Special Assistant responsibilities as well as manages the Vice President’s office on behalf of the VPSA. In assisting the Vice President in this capacity, Toni provides guidance and counsel to the VPSA as well as to area heads within the Division of Student Affairs in strategic planning, organizational initiatives, structure and implementation, and is responsible for facilitating aspects of recent legal, policy, and other compliance issues and complaint resolution. Ms. Rice is pursuing her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the Ventura College of Law.
Janson Chapman, Budget and Operations Analyst
Janson Chapman, Budget and Operations analyst for the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) office, joined the division in July of 2007. He is responsible for providing analysis and assistance with management of the budget, fiscal management, hiring of personnel, technology, and general operations within the Division of Student Affairs. Janson earned his bachelor's degree in Economics at Strayer University and and his M.A. in Organizational Management at Ashford University. He is currently working toward his doctorate degree.
Raquel De Los Santos, Coordinator of Special Projects & Programs
Raquel De Los Santos, coordinator of Special Projects & Programs, joined Student Affairs in 2004. She coordinates a wide variety of special projects and programs on behalf of the Vice President's office including Grad Fest, the Division's annual Celebration of Excellence, and many student-related programs.
In Dec. 2002, Raquel began working at CI in University Advancement. Prior to that she worked in development and fundraising for over nine years at California Lutheran University and Chaminade College Preparatory in Chatsworth, California. In Aug. 2004, Raquel joined Student Affairs as the Administrative Assistant in Budget and Operations. In May 2005, Raquel became the Executive Administrative Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs, a position she held until she was reassigned to her current role in Aug. 2010.
Courtney Ellis, Administrative Assistant
Courtney Ellis, administrative assistant for the Vice President for Student Affairs office, earned her B.A. in Communication at CSU Channel Islands in 2010. While working towards her degree, Courtney was employed at CI in both Housing & Residential Education and the Vice President’s office as a student assistant. After graduating, Courtney continued working in the VPSA office in a temporary capacity and was hired into her current position in August 2010. During the Fall 2010 semester, Courtney served as the first Community Advisor for overflow housing residents living in University Glen.
Amy Powell, Administrative Assistant to the Vice President
Amy Powell, administrative assistant to the vice president, earned her B.A. in psychology at California State University Channel Islands in 2007. While working towards her degree, Amy was employed at CI in Housing and Residential Education as a resident assistant. After graduating, Amy continued working in student housing as an assistant resident director.
In October 2008, Amy started in her position as administrative assistant for the Vice President for Student Affairs office. In August 2010, Amy became the administrative assistant to the vice president. In this role, Amy works closely with Dr. Sawyer providing daily support and assistance on projects, maintenance of his calendar, and supervision of student assistants in the office.
Amy Roemelen, Coordinator of Student Communication
Amy Roemelen, coordinator of student communication, earned her B.S. in Environmental Science and Resource Management from CI in 2005. While working towards her degree, Amy was employed at CI in the VPSA office as the assessment and communication assistant. After graduating, Amy continued working in the VPSA office until November 2005, at which time she left to pursue a career as an environmental consultant.
In May 2007, Amy returned to the VPSA office as the coordinator of student communication. In this role, Amy coordinates the production of various publications, manages project requests submitted by various areas within the division, maintains divisional web pages, and assists with other projects as needed.