Special comment from the editor
As CSU Channel Islands prepares for the departure of President Richard Yao on August 1, some Ventura County insiders think former President Dick Rush could provide an interim solution.
Yao stunned many observers when he announced on July 1 that he was leaving to become president of DataPhilanthropy, the grantmaking arm of Trade Desk Founder Jeff Green’s family foundation.
The foundation is based in Ventura and there’s plenty of reason to believe an expanded relationship between Green and CI is in the offing.
But filling the vacant leadership post could be a challenging one for CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia although it’s possible a successor has already been identified. Rush, a member of the Business Times Hall of Fame, didn’t want to comment on his future plans, although he said he was surprised to hear that Yao was stepping down.
Rush has remained active in the community since his retirement and currently serves as board chair at the Museum of Ventura County. Four people who spoke with the Business Times mentioned that Rush could be an effective leader on an interim basis; among other things .
Like many CSU campuses, Channel Islands faces an enrollment shortfall, which will place a premium on leadership that can reach out to high schools and community colleges to recruit students. Attracting students also means having a pipeline to jobs for graduates, which means forging robust relationships with employers in the Ventura-Santa Barbara area.
In its statement about Yao’s departure, CI indicated it will have plans for new leadership shortly. It’s a big decision for the newest campus in the CSU system and an institution that has come to play an increasingly important role in the regional economy.
That role is something that Rush, the founding president of CI, could continue to grow as the search for a permanent successor to Yao proceeds. Even if he is not the interim solution, his ideas and counsel will be valuable in the years ahead.
