By Erandi Plaza
On April 2, 2024, our campus welcomed California State University Chair of Trustees, Chair, Wenda Fong and Chancellor Mildred Garcia. Daisy Navarette Health Science major, senior, Student Government President at CI facilitated the discussion and asked pre-selected questions attendees had submitted prior to the conversation. Throughout the discussion, they shared their inspirational journeys to their leadership positions in higher education and the obstacles they faced.
Fong’s service as a Board of Trustees member began in 2018 and has been going strong ever since. She discussed personal barriers she has faced in her career and how her 40 years of experience in the entertainment industry has motivated her to advocate and fight for equality in the workplace. Fong has also prioritized advocacy for Asian-American populations as well as marginalized communities throughout her career.
Garcia has been a trailblazer since the beginning of her career. Raised in New York after her parents moved from Puerto Rico, she graduated from New York City Community College. She later went on to receive her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business education, and a doctorate in higher education administration from New York University. As a first-generation graduate, she is the “first-ever Latina to lead the nation’s largest and most diverse four-year public university system.“ (CalStateEdu) She has an extensive history in higher education and “was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve on several advisory boards, including the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, and by the U.S. Secretary of Education to serve on the Committee on Measures of Student Success.” (CalStateEdu) She continues to be a leader in higher education in her role as Chancellor for the CSU Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees consists of 25 members and serves to “adopt rules, regulations, and policies governing the California State University. The Board has authority over curricular development, use of property, development of facilities, and fiscal and human resources management.” (CalStateEdu) Of the 25 trustees, 24 are appointed by the Governor and approved by the State Senate, with each term lasting eight years. They oversee 23 Universities that compose the CSU system. The Board is part of the CSU’s 1% and votes on crucial matters such as the raising of student fees, “approve system-wide policies such as the Grad Initiative, Early Start, etc.” (CSU Students for Quality Education), have the ability to employ and terminate the Chancellor, as well as vote on raises for the Chancellor and CSU Presidents.
Both of these leaders’ journeys were unique, and inspirational to all in attendance. Their dedication and contribution to creating change within communities and higher education is evident in their constant commitment to the development of the CSU Systems.
Although this was a great opportunity to hear the stories of Chancellor Garcia and Chair Fong, some students left feeling unheard. There were students and faculty who had tickets and were turned away at the door when they attempted to enter after the event had just started. This led to students feeling marginalized. Other students reported feeling discouraged by the lack of an open forum due to reliance on pre-selected questions and waited outside to express their concerns to President Yao, Chair Fong and Chancellor Garcia. President Yao did stop and listen to the concerns voiced by students, but the students did not feel heard.
