CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) President Richard Yao, Ph.D. will be formally recognized as the fourth president of the University during an investiture ceremony scheduled for 10:30 a.m., Friday Sept. 23, at the John Spoor Broome Library Plaza.
The investiture ceremony is traditionally held within the president’s first year, giving the campus and the larger community the opportunity to celebrate a new era as the formal title and authority of the CSU are conferred on the new president. This investiture ceremony occurs at the beginning of another era: it is being held the same year CSUCI celebrates its 20thanniversary and embarks on its third decade as Ventura County’s first and only four-year public University.
Provost Mitch Avila, Ph.D., describes Yao as the right leader at the right time for CSUCI.
“We rarely see a leader with these qualities: visionary, data-informed, and hard-working,” Avila said. “His inspirational leadership for CSUCI is grounded in an unwavering and genuine commitment to our students and the region, built on the promise of higher education as a social escalator for our students. President Yao understands that “servingness” is at the heart of our institutional mission as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and works hard to make certain our University meets the needs of each and every one of our students. On a personal note, I am continually impressed by Rich’s energy, drive, and focus — it’s hard to keep up! Good things ahead!”
