Jolene Koester, president of California State University, Northridge, has announced her plans to retire at the end of December 2011. Koester became Northridge’s fourth president in July 2000.

“This is a university committed to fostering change in lives, families and the region,” Koester said. “My time at the university has involved a personal engagement with a mission I care deeply about and faculty, staff and students who inspire me daily. The spirit of collaboration makes my work here productive and fulfilling. It has been a most exhilarating and satisfying professional responsibility.”

The next issue of Northridge magazine will look back on her achievements as a leader in higher education and in the community.

President Koester’s retirement plans include some rest and rejuvenation, along with the pursuit of research around the role communication plays in the efforts to deal with the challenges that university presidents and chancellors currently face.

Charles B. Reed, chancellor of the 23-campus California State University system, will announce plans for selecting Koester’s successor, following procedures and policies established for the selection of CSU presidents by the CSU Board of Trustees.

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