The Cal State University Board of Trustees has appointed an interim chancellor to replace Joseph Castro, who stepped down amid fallout over allegations that he mishandled sexual misconduct claims while he was president of Fresno State.
The board named Cal State Northridge President Jolene Koester to the post on Wednesday.
Koester started her career with the system as an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Cal State Sacramento. She rose in the ranks of the department and ultimately went on to become CSUN president from 2000 to 2011.
During her tenure, the campus experienced a 25% increase in student enrollment, from 29,000 to nearly 37,000. It also saw improved retention and graduation rates.
Her appointment begins May 1 and is expected to last for one year while the board finds a permanent replacement. Koester will receive an annual salary of $625,000, along with a monthly housing and car allowance.
The CSU system enrolls just under a half million students across 23 campuses.
