President Dianne F. Harrison Announces Retirement
CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison
Dianne F. Harrison announced today that she will retire as president of California State University, Northridge effective June 30, 2020. Harrison has led CSUN since June 2012.
Harrison came to CSUN after serving for six years as president of California State University, Monterey Bay, where she became the first woman ever appointed to that role.
Harrison joined the California State University after nearly 30 years in a variety of roles at Florida State University including service as a faculty member, dean, associate vice president and vice president for academic quality and external programs.
During her time as president of CSUN, Harrison has been lauded for her commitment to students, academic excellence and strategic priorities.
Graduation and retention rates have reached all-time highs while the campus enrolls nearly 40,000 students. In the spring of 2019, more than 11,000 students earned a degree from CSUN, the highest total ever.
Recognized for her leadership and service in higher education and other fields, Harrison has served on more than 80 boards and committees of national, state and local organizations. She currently serves on the board of American Council on Education (ACE), American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and Second Nature. She is the board vice chair for the coalition of Urban Serving Universities (USU) and the chair of the Voluntary System of Accountability (VSA) advisory board at the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU).
Harrison is also listed among the top leaders in the region by the Los Angeles Business Journal. Her service on the boards of the region’s most influential organizations and as the current chair of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, the first university president to serve in that role, has helped strengthen the important bonds between industry, government and education, while also accelerating regional readiness for the workforce needs of tomorrow.
In addition to a message sent by President Harrison to the CSUN community, The California State University released a statement from Chancellor Timothy P. White about Harrison’s retirement that noted several campus achievements during her tenure and provided details about the upcoming search for a successor.
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