Another Cal State University president to depart as system faces multiple vacancies for top jobs

Cal State East Bay President Cathy Sandeen announced Wednesday that she will step down at the end of the year — adding another leadership vacancy to a California State University system already navigating presidential turnover, budget pressure and criticism over executive pay.

By November of last year, the university had three presidential vacancies — CSU Long Beach, Channel Islands and Cal Poly Pomona — with two additional presidents set to retire at CSU San Bernardino and Dominguez Hills.

Sandeen has served as the Hayward-based university’s president since January 2021. She did not provide a reason for her departure but said she did not arrive at the decision “lightly.”

“There is no easy way to say this because this community has meant so much to me, but after a great deal of reflection and consideration, I have made the decision to step down as president of Cal State East Bay at the end of 2026,” Sandeen said in her announcement Wednesday.

CSU East Bay officials did not respond to a request for comment by press time Wednesday.

This year has seen a whirlwind of entrances and exits at top CSU jobs. Loren J. Blanchard joined CSU Long Beach as the campus’ newest president in May, while CSU Dominguez Hills and Channel Islands currently have interim presidents. Cal Poly Pomona announced in March that CSU Monterey Bay President Vanya Quiñones will serve as the campus’ new president beginning in July.

That means the Monterey Bay campus will soon begin a search for the school’s next president, joining CSU San Bernardino, Channel Islands, Dominguez Hills and now CSU East Bay in the hunt for campus leaders.

The search comes as the Cal State system approved more than half a million dollars in pay raises last year in an effort to improve recruiting for executive-level candidates. The policy approved salary increases ranging from $22,000 to more than $100,000.

University trustees approved the pay hikes and eliminated salary caps for the system’s executive employees — presidents, vice chancellors and the CSU chancellor, Mildred García — in November after a pay analysis from an outside consulting firm found that about 75% of comparable institutions pay executives more than CSU.

The university system said the previous policy — which capped president salaries at no more than 10% above the predecessor’s salary — and filling vacant positions.

But the move was heavily criticized by CSU faculty and staff — as well as state legislators — across the state, who argued the pay increase came amid widespread layoffs, tuition increases and a $2.3 billion budget shortfall.

Sandeen’s departure also comes at a pivotal moment for Cal State East Bay, which has been trying to rebuild enrollment, improve graduation and retention rates and generate new revenue beyond state funding and tuition.

In a statement Wednesday, CSU Chancellor García praised Sandeen for her leadership and work to strengthen CSU East Bay.

She credited Sandeen with strengthening the school’s academics and creating new programs — including civil engineering and speech-language pathology — and career pathways.

She also praised Sandeen for her “instrumental role” in collaborating with the city of Hayward to “foster a college-going culture in marginalized communities.”

“Under her leadership, Cal State East Bay has strengthened enrollment, elevated its brand identity, revitalized campus pride and advanced a clearer sense of the university’s distinctive role in the East Bay region and beyond,” García said. “President Sandeen will leave Cal State East Bay stronger, more connected to its community and better positioned for the future.”

CSU officials said the system will soon launch a national search for Sandeen’s successor. Under university policy, the chair of the CSU Board of Trustees and the chancellor will select a committee comprised of campus and community stakeholders to lead the search.

Sandeen is a two-time CSU graduate, earning degrees from the Humboldt and San Francisco campuses with degrees in speech pathology and broadcast communication.

She grew up in Oakland and San Leandro, and has served as chancellor of University of Alaska Anchorage and chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Colleges and Extension. She has also been a member of the faculty at Santa Clara University, San José State University, the University of Utah, Stanford University and San Francisco State University.

“As a first-generation college graduate, born and raised in the East Bay—and a double CSU alum—it has been the honor of a lifetime to bring the experience I gained throughout my career right back home where I got my start,” Sandeen said.