FULLERTON, Calif.—The Cal State Board of Trustees May 22 appointed Ronald S. Rochon, the president of the University of Southern Indiana, as the ninth president of Cal State Fullerton.
Wenda Fong, chairwoman of the Cal State Board of Trustees, said she was “excited” to announce the news of the university’s new president.
Cal State Chancellor Mildred Garcia praised Mr. Rochon as an “innovative and results-driven and students-focused leader,” adding that he was the “right person and right president” for the university.
Ms. Garcia also expressed her “heartfelt gratitude” to outgoing interim President Sylvia A. Alva, who has helmed the university since August, for her “highly principled leadership.”
Mr. Rochon said in a statement that he was “honored to join the Titan community and excited to work alongside the university’s talented faculty and staff to further support the success of its dynamic and diverse student body. I look forward to collaborating on strategies that will continue to strengthen Cal State Fullerton’s position as an intellectual and cultural catalyst in Southern California and advance its key role in workforce and economic development for the region.”
The board of trustees also approved an annual salary of $498,130 for Mr. Rochon, who takes over July 22. He will also receive a $1,000 monthly car allowance and live on campus. The salary represents a 4.6 percent increase, Ms. Garcia said.
Mr. Rochon earned a bachelor’s degree at Tuskegee University and master’s and a doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in policy studies with an emphasis on educational history and policy analysis.
Mr. Rochon chairs the board for the American Association for State Colleges and Universities and the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America board.
