Editor’s Note: This is the first in a three-part series looking back at F. King Alexander’s time at California State University Long Beach and ahead at his plans as the new LSU president.
Talk to anyone from California State University Long Beach about the man they know as “King,” and you’ll likely hear the same thing – there aren’t many people who know more about higher education.
For the most part, they’ll tell you F. King Alexander’s policy expertise made him a very effective university president. But first, they’ll say he was always thinking of the needs of the students first.
So it wasn’t a surprise when the University tipped him to fill the newly created LSU president position.
“Schools from all over the country were looking for him,” said Mary Stephens, CSULB vice president of administration and finance. “He was on everybody’s list. How could he not be?”
Donald Para, named interim president of CSULB after Alexander left, has worked at CSULB for 25 years and has known Alexander since he accepted the presidency there more than seven years ago. He said when Alexander started, he had big shoes to fill following the retirement of the popular and charismatic president Robert Maxson, but he approached the position with his own unique style.
Para said Alexander quickly won over students and faculty with his student-oriented leadership style and his ability to raise the national profile of CSULB. This focus on students seems to have worked at CSULB, but only time will tell whether Alexander can successfully transition to the LSU system.
Alexander took his first major action as University president at the end of July when he announced a system-wide pay raise for University faculty and staff  — the first of its kind in four years.
Alexander said acquiring the money to fund the pay raise was not easy, and that he was awake until late the night before the announcement trying to cobble together money from various sources into a plan for the raises.
Money for the raise came from several sources, including from expected increases in tuition, University savings from unfilled administration positions and a $150,000 donation from the athletics department, Alexander said.
Some of these funds are non-recurring donations and the money to continue paying faculty salaries will have to be found from other sources in the future.
Under Interim President and Chancellor William “Bill” Jenkins, University administration intended to raise faculty salaries for several years, but cuts in state higher education appropriations made it impossible, Alexander said.
With roughly 150 faculty members having left the University since 2008, Alexander said raising salaries was a priority to prevent more faculty from leaving. But he said he fears that unless the state changes its course with regard to higher education funding, it may be several years before pay can be raised again.
“It’s hard to say if [pay raises] can continue without a more predictable pattern of funding, I don’t think we can sweep together the money to keep increasing salaries in that fashion each and every year,” Alexander said.
Additionally, Alexander hopes to keep University students focused on one goal.
At CSULB, Alexander introduced a motto for students, “Graduation begins today.” Alexander said he wanted students, faculty and staff to keep in mind the goal of graduation, and work toward it every day. In his time at CSULB, six-year graduation rates improved to the highest in the school’s history.
Alexander said he will implement the same motto at the University, and that students can expect to see it adorning classroom walls and napkins in the dining halls.
“We don’t need a new motto,” Alexander said. “I want students to think, ‘Did you do something today that got you a little closer to graduating?’”
While he plans to retain his focus on students, Alexander acknowledged that prioritizing faculty interests is an equally important step toward a successful system.
Alexander said he hopes the pay raise will help improve relations between the administration and the faculty, who have often expressed disappointment in the administration’s decisions in recent years.
After Alexander was announced as the only finalist for the president position in March, the Faculty Senate unanimously voted to pass a resolution of no confidence in the University Board of Supervisors.
Alexander said his first meetings with faculty involved a very open dialogue as he asked them for their opinions on what the administration has done that has worked, and what hasn’t. He said he and faculty agreed that the largest issue the University must face is decreased funding from the state.
University Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope said that though the faculty is pleased with the decision to raise salaries, they remain skeptical that the administration can continue to meet their needs.
“It marks a good direction, but we want to know if it will be pursued,” Cope said. “A 4 percent raise is good, but in the same period of time we’ve seen 8 percent inflation.”
iversity Long Beach about the man they know as “King,” and you’ll likely hear the same thing – there aren’t many people who know more about higher education.
For the most part, they’ll tell you F. King Alexander’s policy expertise made him a very effective university president. But first, they’ll say he was always thinking of the needs of students first.
So it wasn’t a surprise when LSU tipped him to fill the newly created LSU President position.
“Schools from all over the country were looking for him,” said Mary Stephens, CSULB vice president of administration and finance. “He was on everybody’s list. How could he not be?”
Donald Para, named interim president of CSULB after Alexander left, has worked at the University for 25 years and has known Alexander since he accepted the presidency there more than seven years ago. He said when Alexander started he had big shoes to fill, following the retirement of the popular and charismatic president Robert Maxson, but he approached the position with his own unique style.
Para said Alexander quickly won over students and faculty with his student-oriented leadership style and his ability to raise the national profile of the University.
This student-oriented leadership style seems to have worked at CSULB, but only time will tell whether Alexander can successfully transition to the LSU system.
Alexander took his first major action as University President at the end of July when he announced a system-wide pay raise for University faculty and staff, the first of its kind in four years.
Alexander said acquiring the money to fund the pay raise was not easy, and that he was awake until late the night before the announcement trying to cobble together money from various sources into a plan for the raises.
Money for the raise came from several sources, including from expected increases in tuition, University savings from unfilled administration positions and a $150,000 donation from the athletics department, Alexander said.
Some of these funds are non-recurring donations and the money to continue paying faculty salaries will have to be found from other sources in the future.
Under Interim President and Chancellor William “Bill” Jenkins, University administration intended to raise faculty salaries for several years, but cuts in state higher education appropriations made it impossible, Alexander said.
With roughly 150 faculty members having left the University since 2008, Alexander said raising salaries was a priority to prevent more faculty from leaving. But he said he fears that unless the state changes its course with regard to higher education funding, it may be several years before pay can be raised again.
“It’s hard to say if [pay raises] can continue without a more predictable pattern of funding, I don’t think we can sweep together the money to keep increasing salaries in that fashion each and every year,” Alexander said.
Additionally, Alexander hopes to keep University students focused on one goal.
At CSULB, Alexander introduced a motto for students, “Graduation begins today.” Alexander said he wanted students, faculty and staff of the University to keep in mind the goal of graduation, and work toward it every day. In his time at CSULB, six-year graduation rates improved to the highest in the school’s history.
Alexander said he will implement the same motto at LSU, and that students can expect to see it adorning classroom walls and napkins in the dining halls.
“We don’t need a new motto,” Alexander said. “I want students to think, ‘Did you do something today that got you a little closer to graduating?’”
While he plans to retain his focus on students, Alexander acknowledged that prioritizing faculty interests is an equally important step toward a successful system.
Alexander said he hopes the pay raise will help improve relations between the administration and the faculty, who have often expressed disappointment in the administration’s decisions in recent years.
After Alexander was announced as the only finalist for the president position in March, the Faculty Senate unanimously voted to pass a resolution of no confidence in the University Board of Supervisors.
Alexander said his first meetings with faculty involved a very open dialogue as he asked them for their opinions on what the administration has done that has worked, and what hasn’t. He said he and faculty agreed that the largest issue the University must face is decreased funding from the state.