January 1, 2010

The final year of the first decade of the new millennium brought California State University, Fresno unprecedented challenges that were balanced somewhat by some extraordinary accomplishments.

The university shared with the region, state and nation the effects of one of the nation’s most serious economic downturns. On campus, there were dramatic and sudden increases in student fees; enrollment cuts at a time of great demand for admission; the necessity to eliminate classes; and layoffs and furloughs affecting staff and faculty.

At the same time, Fresno State stepped up its work in the community to help meet the challenges of creating new jobs, improve health care for underserved populations, research water efficiencies and volunteer in the service of our neighbors in need.

The difficult fiscal environment didn’t define Fresno State during 2009. Instead it was a year filled with achievement, highlighted by the opening of our new, refurbished, expanded Henry Madden Library as the campus’ academic landmark and a constant reminder of our region’s American Indian heritage.

We also dedicated the Table Mountain Rancheria Tower, honoring a local tribe’s generosity in helping make our library a special place for students, faculty and the community. And we opened the Harold H. Haak Administrative Center on the library’s fourth floor.

The university received the largest cash gift in its history – $29.4 million bequest from the estate of a Bay Area family, which was honored by naming the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology in the donors’ honor.

The Jordan gift will help generations of students to come through expanded research and improved facilities.

It was the biggest news in an eventful year for the Campaign for Fresno State, whose public phase was launched in May. During the silent phase of the seven-year fundraising effort, gifts from more than 6,000 individual donors totaled $132.4 million. The campaign’s goal is $200 million by 2012.

During 2009, an anonymous gift added more than $2.3 million to the Hans and Anna Beck Scholarship Endowment – the university's largest endowed scholarship fund at about $6 million.

An $875,000 gift from the estate of retired Fresno State education professor Dr. Maxima Dandoy will establish the Dr. Maxima Dandoy Center for Excellence within the Kremen School of Education and Human Development. It will support research, faculty development and leadership.

Here are some other highlights from 2009 at Fresno State:

• The Bulldog women’s basketball team won the Western Athletic Conference championship and played in the NCAA postseason tournament.

• The university’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 35 was named the best unit of its size in the nation for the second straight year with the prestigious Right of Line Award.

• Volunteer work by students, faculty, staff and administrators neared the million-hour annual goal and national recognition with the Presidential Award for General Community Service from the Corporation for National and Community Service.

• The campus arboretum and the university’s efforts to cultivate its diverse and extensive collection of trees won Fresno State its second straight National Arbor Day Tree Campus USA designation.

• The challenge of H1N1 in student-aged populations was met by planning and immunizations through the university’s Health and Psychological Services and the Office of Risk Management and Sustainability.

• Construction began on a permanent home for University High School in the shadows of the Joyal Administration Building and the Smittcamp Alumni House. The $18.6 million project should be ready in early 2011 so the 400 students can move out of “temporary” buildings the public charter school has occupied on campus for a decade.

• We awarded an honorary degree to John Hiroshi Otomo, whose Fresno State education was disrupted when he and his family were interned with thousands of other Japanese-Americans during World War II.

While there will be continued fiscal difficulties as we begin a new year, we’re confident there will be an abundance of significant achievements and new opportunities to help us serve our community.

We eagerly anticipate the beginning of Fresno State’s centennial celebration. We’ll welcome thousands of alumni and community members to campus to see what we’ve accomplished. We hope they’ll be inspired to support our continued commitment to providing educational opportunities that benefit individuals, our region, state, nation and world.