New CSUF president seeks progress | News

As students both new and returning situate themselves for the commencing school year at Cal State Fullerton, the university’s leadership is also welcoming former University of Southern Indiana president Ronald Rochon as its 10th president since being founded in 1957.

Appointed by the CSU Board of Trustees in May, Rochon’s selection came when CSUF and the CSU system looked at a particularly challenging state of affairs, including state funding concerns, rising tuition and student protests. With the new school year beginning and no definitive end to these issues, they will likely continue to permeate within the student body.

Rochon said he still has a lot to learn on tackling the budget dilemma for the university at a time when CSUF has already explored utilizing philanthropic funding to break ground on Landmark Hall in June.

“With regard to private funding versus state funding I’ll be involved with the cabinet and better understand what that looks like and what that process is,” Rochon said.

Compared to his predecessor, interim President Sylvia Alva, who made $476,223 annually, Rochon will be earning $498,130, a 4.6% increase.

His selection also comes following a spring 2024 semester that shook up college campuses across the country with student protests. Rochon emphasized safety will be his primary concern when dealing with similar situations.

“One of the things that I am celebrating is the fact that this university has been very proactive and very responsive to safety. We have seen safety be a priority at Cal State Fullerton,” Rochon said.

The president then went on to comment about conversations he has had with fellow campus leaders, CSUF PD and Associated Students leaders regarding campus safety and protests.

He emphasized that despite being a fresh face to the university, he does not intend to shake up what has been left in place by his predecessors.

“I want to be a bridge builder as often as I possibly can to other communities, other families, other ideas. I want to find ways in which we can grow and enhance ourselves by listening to one another more intently,” Rochon said. 

In addition, Rochon commented that he intends to build upon the work of his predecessors including, most notably, the Fullerton Forward 2024-29 strategic plan.

“What I want to do is I’m actually taking the plan that the campus created and I’m going to be utilizing that as a driving force for the goals we will have for the university for this year and moving forward,” he said.

Aside from his general leadership direction, Rochon will be responsible for handling internal campus affairs. Regarding interactions with the CFA, he says that he plans to be proactive in his relationship with them.

“I think that the most important piece regarding this question is to make sure that we’re not just waiting for a strike to happen or for a concern to bubble up,” Rochon said.

In addition, Rochon enters his term at CSUF with many administrative roles currently being occupied by interim leaders, with permanent selections pending. 

“I’ll be working with the chief of staff and HR and building profiles for folks to respond to, if you will. But I believe in the search process so that people can actually compete for an opportunity to be permanent,” Rochon said.

With his term as president reaching its first month after officially beginning his role on July 22, CSUF’s new president says that he feels well received in Fullerton after he and his family moved from Indiana.

“The receptivity that folks have provided to me and my family, kindness, grace, intentional outreach, happiness, joy, excitement. All of these variables have come together to make me feel really excited about this new space that I am occupying,” Rochon said of his first impressions of the CSUF community. 

However, as Rochon settles into his job and students return to the flow of the semester, CSUF’s new president plans to hammer down his goals for leadership at the upcoming convocation.

Scheduled for Sept. 19, CSUF’s 2024 Convocation will be Rochon’s first speech addressing the campus community when the future outlook for the university is at a crucial turning point.

“That language, those directions resonate really well with my core values,” said Rochon, speaking on his commitment to the Fullerton Forward 2024-29 strategic plan.