Feb. 21, 2022

Dear Campus Community:

As many of you are already aware, Dr. Joseph I. Castro announced his resignation last Thursday evening as CSU Chancellor effective immediately. A succession plan to replace Dr. Castro is being finalized by the Board of Trustees. Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer, Steve Relyea, will serve as acting chancellor until an interim chancellor has been named. FAQs regarding Dr. Castro’s resignation and next steps for the Board of Trustees is available on the CSU website. We will provide relevant updates as soon as they become available.

In the meantime, as we continue to process and navigate the myriad of associated dynamics, I know that the current and historical impact runs deep and on numerous levels – including the individual, campus, system, and even national level as the largest and most diverse university system in the nation. While this broad impact presents various challenges moving forward, I am confident in our ability as a campus community to stay steady and hyper-focused on achieving our goals. As we’ve done throughout our campus’ history, we will come closer together during these challenging times and ensure that we are steadfast in our mission and commitment to our students and community.

The Board of Trustees also announced a systemwide assessment of current practices to provide insights, recommendations, and resources to advance CSU Title IX and civil rights training, awareness, prevention, intervention, compliance, and support systems.  We look forward to the assessment and following any appropriate recommendations for our programs here at CSUCI.

As was shared a few weeks ago, our Executive Director of Title IX and Inclusion, Rebecca Lawrence, will be leaving CSUCI at the end of this month to accept another position in higher education. Prior to her departure, all open investigations or cases being led by her will be resolved or will have continuity of investigation; assistance from a third-party investigator will be utilized to address increases in demand; and an open recruitment and national search to fill the position will be underway soon. William Nutt, Manager of Institutional Equity and Deputy Title IX Coordinator, will act as point for the Title IX and Inclusion office and will serve as the Interim Title IX Coordinator. Please feel free to reach out to william.nutt@csuci.edu with any questions or needs related to Title IX and Inclusion. Employees who may need additional support can contact the Employee Assistance Program through Human Resources and students may contact Counseling and Psychological Services.

Sincerely,
Richard Yao, Ph.D.
President

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