CAMARILLO — Elizabeth Hartung has been appointed as the new director of the Henry L. “Hank” Lacayo Institute for Workforce & Community Studies (HLI) at CSU Channel Islands, university officials reported Friday in a media release.
“I am very pleased that Dr. Hartung has accepted the offer to lead the HLI. Her impressive background and experience will serve the HLI well in enhancing the Institute’s role on campus, the surrounding communities and the Pacific Rim,” Lacayo stated in the release.
“Dr. Hartung is a trusted and respected colleague whose expertise in community issues will serve us well. Under her leadership, faculty and students will have the opportunity to research important workforce issues and provide valuable information to local small businesses,” said Richard Rush, university president.
The HLI launched in 2010 is named for workforce and community leader Hank Lacayo, who has served as an advisor to United States presidents and governors. As a vital part of the university, the HLI is CSU Channel Islands’ latest effort to apply CI’s highly qualified faculty and student talent toward addressing issues on behalf of the larger community, the university reported.
The work of the institute will help provide valuable resources and information critical to the prosperity of businesses at the local, state, and national level, as well as a focus upon the complexities of sustainable workforce and business practices such as recycling and green technologies. The work of the HLI directly contributes to the growth of small businesses throughout the region through student consulting assignments — applying, in a real-world setting, the business and technology skills learned through entrepreneurial studies coursework. The HLI has received funding from Southern California Edison, Verizon, Southern California Gas Company, and AT&T, among others.
In keeping with the core values of the University, studies will be interdisciplinary, balanced with environmental sensibility, and will consider international and ever-evolving demographic influences.
Hartung, who earned her doctorate at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln will serve as the director of the HLI. She is currently the chair of the Sociology and Anthropology programs, a role she has held since 2005. Hartung stated, “I am delighted to have this opportunity to both extend and build new relationships between the University and community as we serve our students and their future employers in Ventura County and beyond, and to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Hank Lacayo.
As well as Hartung’s work with the HLI, she maintains her research interests in the areas of stratification and inequality, especially as expressed in housing issues. She is also committed to the interdisciplinary focus of the University’s mission, the importance of cultural exchange and internationalism for learners of all ages.