Chico >> Miles to go and promises to keep.

With those words and hints of emotion in his voice, Chico State University President Paul Zingg on Thursday announced he’ll be retiring at the end of the 2015-16 school year.

He made the surprise announcement to faculty and staff who had assembled at the Harlen Adams Theater for the annual fall convocation.

The news brought total silence, stunned expressions and rapt attention among more than 500 employees assembled. When he finished speaking, he received a rousing standing ovation.

Zingg, 70, had returned to the campus in June to resume his duties after taking a three-month leave of absence to recuperate from triple-bypass heart surgery.

His retirement in May will end 12 years presiding over Chico State.

Zingg opened the convocation with a welcome.

“I am really pleased to be with all of you today,” he said. “I’m really pleased.”

He also voiced gratitude for the well-wishes he received during his recuperation.

“You encouraged me,” Zingg continued. “I will always be reminded of the care and kindness of our community.”

Before he got to the announcement, however, Zingg launched into talking about some of the accomplishments made at Chico State.

Among those accomplishments was the university’s ranking in the top three among California State University campuses last year and ranking No. 39 in the Sierra Club’s list of “Cool Schools in the United States.” In the latter, Chico State outranked Harvard, UCLA and other top colleges, Zingg said.

“It does beg the question, would you rather have Harvard’s endowment (millions of dollars) or rather be considered the coolest place?” he quipped.

Zingg next spoke about the university’s priorities and goals.

Priorities included being dedicated to student success, multicultural respect and having a sense of place.

He also committed to spending $2 million this year to reach compensation equity.

Noting the staff and faculty are bound together with common goals and values, he said, “We are a learning community. We discover knowledge and foster the love of knowledge in our students …”

He charged the university community to focus on student wellness and well-being, safety and support, and to work tirelessly to enlighten students to the fruits of knowledge.

Zingg closed his address by referring back to his opening statement about being happy to be there and how he feels great pride at “what we have accomplished together.”

With his retirement, Zingg will end 40 years in education, with 24 of those years spent at Chico State and another California State University campuses.

Landing in Chico

Zingg first visited Chico in November 2003 as a candidate for the job of president. A short time later he was appointed by the California State University board of trustees and officially began the job in February 2004.

During his tenure, Zingg dealt with changes in academics, a major economic recession and its impact on the university, and the usual pay negotiations with employees.

Alcohol abuse by students and a fraternity hazing death were among his most widely publicized challenges.

Early in his tenure, Zingg clamped down on fraternities after a string of events in early 2005. In February 2005, student Matthew Carrington died from overconsumption of water, or water intoxication, during a fraternity hazing.

A few weeks earlier, a student was rushed from a fraternity to a local hospital due to alcohol poisoning. And less than a month after Carrington’s death, yet another fraternity was found to be producing pornography for the Internet.

After completing a review, Zingg followed up with a list of 59 rules he handed down to all fraternities. Problems have been greatly diminished since then.

He was also known to engage with students, including a time in September 2005 where he had his head shaved to help raise money for Hurricane Katrina victims.

And in 2011 during the “Occupy” movement, Zingg locked the doors to Kendall Hall when student protesters indicated they planned to occupy the administration building. The students were protesting tuition hikes and other issues, according to an article in this newspaper in December 2011.

Miles to go, promises to keep

After the convocation, Zingg spoke briefly about why he decided to retire.

“I’d been thinking about it,” he said. “My heart surgery was complicated. It really had me rethinking everything.”

Originally he planned to stay maybe two or three years more, but it was hard on his family.

“They come first. I need to be supportive of them,” he said.

Also, he feels the university is in good shape.

Zingg will stay until May to help during the search for a new president. The process takes a long time.

“I wanted to give ample time for a thorough and successful search to occur,” he said.

Staff employee Stephen Cummins wasn’t surprised at the news.

“I realize he feels it’s time,” Cummins said. “He brought us a long way. I’m sure it was a hard decision for him. I think he’s going out in great style.”

Faculty employee Karin Lightfoot also said she understood Zingg’s decision.

“I think it’s important to look at life’s priorities, and a major health event makes a person reflect,” Lightfoot said. “I appreciate that he’ll be here another year with the transition.”

In a press release, California State University Chancellor Timothy White stated Chico State had become a vibrant and formidable educational and economic force in Northern California under Zingg’s leadership.

“Without question, President Zingg will be remembered for putting CSU, Chico ‘on the map,’” White stated.

Zingg held a doctoral degree in history from the University of Georgia, a master’s from the University of Richmond and a bachelor’s from Belmont Abbey College. His career included academic positions in Chicago, Alabama and Georgia, and administrative positions in Pennsylvania and San Luis Obispo.

Contact reporter Barbara Arrigoni at 896-7767.