May 25--California State University trustees named Ellen N. Junn as the new president of Stanislaus State, marking the fifth time in a row that a woman has been appointed to lead a campus in the largest university system in the nation.
Junn, currently the provost and vice president of academic affairs at Cal State Dominguez Hills, will succeed Joseph F. Sheley when he retires on June 30.
Once Junn takes office, there will be 11 women serving as Cal State presidents, more than at any time in the system's history.
Her appointment will also increase the number of Asian American presidents to four.
The appointment reflects Chancellor Timothy P. White's push for more diversity in hiring throughout the Cal State system, which educates about 460,000 students at 23 campuses.
"She is widely published and has written professional journal articles on topics such as supporting the success of underserved students, the importance of university-community engagement and strategies for supporting non-tenure-track faculty -- especially women and minorities," White noted Wednesday when he presented Junn to the board of trustees during their meeting in Long Beach.
Junn, 58, is the fifth female Cal State president named this year. Mary A. Papazian and Judy K. Sakaki were selected in January to head the system's San Jose State and Sonoma State campuses, respectively, and Gayle E. Hutchinson and Erika D. Beck were named in March to lead Chico State and CSU Channel Islands.
In recent years, Cal State has come under criticism for a gender imbalance in top leadership roles. Since White became chancellor in 2012, the imbalance has improved somewhat, observers said.
University officials on Wednesday praised Junn for her long-term commitment to public education and the Cal State system.
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She began her career as an assistant psychology professor at Cal State San Bernardino. Over the past 25 years, she has also taught and held numerous leadership positions at the Dominguez Hills, San Jose State, Fresno and Fullerton campuses.
At Dominguez Hills, she oversees more than 835 faculty members and is responsible for academic policy. At other campuses, she was recognized for establishing initiatives such as the African American Student Success and Hispanic Student Success task forces at San Jose State and the Women's Campus Connection and the Asian Faculty and Staff Assn. at Cal State Fresno.
Cal State Trustee Hugo N. Morales, chairman of the selection committee, said Junn's "visionary" leadership and experience at multiple campuses made her an ideal candidate.
"She has a long history of always putting students first, and has expertise in working to increase academic achievement among students from underserved communities," Morales said.
Junn said she was eager to lead Stanislaus State, which serves more than 9,000 students and operates in both Turlock and Stockton.
"I look forward to coming back to the Central Valley," she said in a statement. "Under the leadership of President Sheley, Stanislaus State has become an academic powerhouse in the Central Valley."
Junn will be the second female president in Stanislaus State's 59-year history. Her salary was set at $283,662, the same as her predecessor. She will also receive a $50,000 housing allowance and a $1,000 monthly car allowance.
She holds a bachelor's degree in experimental and cognitive psychology from the University of Michigan and earned her master's degree and doctorate in cognitive and development psychology at Princeton University.
rosanna.xia@latimes.com
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