Dr. Karen Haynes announced today that she will retire as president of California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) at the end of June 2019. The announcement was made via a personal email from Haynes to the campus community. Haynes is the longest-seated president in the CSU system – the first woman to hold this role in history.

“As CSUSM approaches the close of its first major philanthropic campaign, and given its strong position as a forward-focused institution, it seemed to be an appropriate time for First Gentleman Jim Mickelson and me to consider our future. After much reflection, I have decided to retire as President of Cal State San Marcos – and Jim as Founding Director of [CSUSM’s] ACE Scholars Services— effective June 30, 2019.”

Haynes arrived at CSUSM in February 2004. At the time, the university was a youthful 14 years old with a student population of over 7,000 and an alumni base of 13,000. Under her leadership, the campus has flourished to a student body of 17,000, with 45,000 alumni. She has overseen the addition of 15 new buildings, not including the university’s Extended Learning Building, which will open in the fall of 2019 through a one-of-a-kind public-private partnership. In 2008, CSUSM at Temecula, an off-campus center serving Southwest Riverside County, opened. Over 100 new academic programs have launched during her tenure, including CSUSM’s first engineering program in 2018. Additionally, Haynes championed the growth of Cougar athletics, including a transition to NCAA Division II. In 2015, Haynes publicly launched the university’s first major philanthropic campaign, Forward Together, an effort to raise $50 million, which will conclude on December 31, 2018.

“Over the years, [Jim and I] have had the gratification to work with immensely talented individuals at all levels of the university,” said Haynes. “Thanks to all of our collective work, we’ve seen the growth of the campus – with new buildings, academic programs, faculty and staff, students and alumni. We’ve also cultivated the less visible yet still very tangible aspects of our university’s development, including the growth of traditions and pride, the solidifying of our campus’ unique culture, and the increased visibility and impact of CSUSM in our region and beyond. Today, CSUSM stands as a beacon of inspiration to students of all backgrounds – a welcoming place that values community building, open dialogue, diversity, inclusion and respect.”