Statement on the Selection of Dr. Mildred Garcia as the New California State University Chancellor

Today, in a historic appointment, the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees selected Dr. Mildred Garcia as the eleventh Chancellor of the CSU system, the first Latina to lead the CSU.

The CSU Board of Trustees has selected a new Chancellor with a track record of success and commitment to racial equity and improving student outcomes. Dr. Garcia holds a clear equity track record and unwavering dedication to advancing student success. She was the first Latina to lead a CSU campus as president of California State University, Dominguez Hills and later California State University, Fullerton. During her tenure, she implemented transformative initiatives that closed equity gaps for students, ensuring that all students had an equal opportunity to thrive and reach their college dreams. She understands the urgency for action to expand CSU’s capacity, improve graduation rates and to replace policies that do not support the success of Latinx, Black, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI), and American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) students.

The new Chancellor will be leading an incredibly diverse 23-campus system, where more than 72% of all students are Latinx, Black, Asian American, NHPI, and AIAN. The CSU is the People’s University and the backbone of California’s workforce and economy. On day one, Dr. Garcia will be contending with unprecedented enrollment declines, the real and persistent racial equity gaps in the CSU’s completion rates, and fiscal challenges. We know that Dr. Garcia will make decisions with a student-first lens and an unapologetic commitment to racial equity.

As the first Latina to hold the position of Chancellor in the CSU system, Dr. Garcia’s selection is a historic milestone that reflects the increasing diversity of California and our commitment to inclusive leadership.

As an Advisory Council member for the Campaign for College Opportunity, Dr. Garcia has been a source of counsel, guidance, and an exemplary champion for student-centered policies. We stand ready to work with Chancellor-Select Garcia and her team to ensure the CSU system is an equitable engine of opportunity and prosperity for all Californians.