Richard Yao has been appointed to serve as the fourth president of California State University – Channel Islands, the school announced today.
Yao will assume the presidency immediately. He has served as the interim president of CSUCI since January 2021, following the departure of Erika D. Beck, who became president of California State University – Northridge.
“This is such an exciting time at CSUCI, especially as we approach our 20th year. Our university is primed for growth as we continue to increase graduation rates and confer more high-quality degrees that enrich the lives of the residents and the communities throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara counties” Yao said in a statement.
He previously served as CSUCI’s vice president for student affairs after joining the campus in 2018. Yao is a licensed clinical psychologist and worked as a senior lecturer in psychology for eight years before his transition into student affairs.
“I am so thankful for the dedication and expertise of our faculty and staff, who are continually striving to improve the success of our talented students. I look forward to working collaboratively with our faculty, staff, students, and community partners in leading CSUCI into our third decade,” Yao’s statement continued.