Last week CSULB President F. King Alexander selected Mary Stephens as the university’s new Vice President of Administration and Finance. In Stephens’ role she will manage the university’s $500 million budget and general operations of the sprawling 320 acre campus, similar to the work she did for the last 10 years at CSU Stanislaus, a much smaller California State University with enrollment at about 8,500.  Needless to say, the move to CSULB’s 36,000 student campus is a big jump for a college administrator, and for a woman trying to break through the proverbial glass ceiling.

Stephens will replace retiring Vice President Bill Griffith, a man who led the department for 19 years. The appointment comes just months after that of new Provost and Senior Vice President Karen Gould. Gould was formerly a dean at the University of Cincinnati, and deserves similar commendation for advancing to a larger campus and in a role with much more responsibility.  As Provost, Gould is second in command to President F. King Alexander. She too replaces a man, Dr. Gary Reichard, who left CSULB to become the Executive Vice Chancellor of the 23 campus CSU system, conveniently headquartered in downtown Long Beach.

Stephens and Gould are not the only women President Alexander has hired as his Vice Presidents.  His very first appointment after becoming President two years ago was that of Andrea Taylor as the Vice President of University Relations and Development.  Taylor came from UC Irvine, where she was Director of Development in their health sciences department, and is an alumna of CSULB.  She too replaces a man, Dr. Aristide Collins, who left CSULB to become Vice President of Advancement at Pacific Oaks College.

In just two years at the helm of CSULB President Alexander was afforded a rare opportunity – to select three new Vice Presidents who will assist in implementing his vision for the university.  With a total of four people on his management team, this is truly a remarkable opportunity for any leader. Whether or not it was a conscious decision, Alexander replaced all three outgoing male VP’s with accomplished female administrators who now hold a majority on that team.  These women should certainly affect great change at CSULB.  After all, prior to Alexander’s arrival there were no women in VP posts.

It is noteworthy to recognize the shift in leadership and to observe what trends may follow.  Perhaps it is deliberate that President Alexander hired all women into the vacant VP spots. Alexander has not stated an agenda, at least to my knowledge, of recruiting more women.  But his actions suggest a commitment to such an agenda.  To me this is one more example of his progressive leadership and ability to affect great change at CSULB.