Colin Donahue

Colin Donahue, currently California State University, Northridge associate vice president of facilities development and operations, has been appointed the university’s new vice president for administration and finance. He assumes his new post July 1.

“In Mr. Donahue we found a strong internal candidate who is very familiar with the campus and its environment and culture of collaboration,” said CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison in an email to the campus community. “In addition, the interview process and his record of accomplishments demonstrated that he clearly possesses the vision and leadership skills necessary to move the university and the administration and finance division forward.”

She cited several of Donahue’s accomplishments during his tenure as associate vice president, including managing a successful $850 million capital development program; playing a lead role in developing the Envision 2035 campus master plan; leading the development of complex budgets and financial plans for several capital projects, including student housing, parking structures and the planning, design, construction and fiscal management of the Valley Performing Arts Center. She also lauded his commitment to sustainability, energy efficiency and innovation.

“The culture of multi-divisional collaboration we have built at CSUN has been the cornerstone of our success,” Donahue said. “I look forward to joining President Harrison’s leadership team and focusing the work of our administration and finance division around her overarching priority of student success.”

Donahue began working at CSUN in 1996 as manager of construction services. In 2000, he became director of facilities planning and in 2006 he was appointed associate vice president. Prior to his time at CSUN, Donahue worked for several construction management companies in the private sector in various project engineer and manager roles. He earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering technology from Cal Poly Pomona and a master’s in public administration from CSUN.