Former California State University's Chancellor Dies

LONG BEACH, CA -- Charles B. Reed, the former California State University chancellor who earned accolades for his efforts to expand educational access for minority and low-income students but was a frequent target of critics over rising tuition and fees, died Tuesday at age 75.

Reed was chancellor of the CSU system from 1998 to 2012, when he retired and returned to Florida, where he previously led the State University System.

"Our thoughts and prayers are first and foremost with Charlie's family and loved ones," said CSU Chancellor Timothy White, who was hired after Reed's departure. "Charlie will always be remembered as a formative figure in our university's history and as a tenacious, passionate champion of public higher education."

Reed led the CSU system during an era beset by cuts in state funding fueled by the national recession.

"Over the past decade and a half, the CSU has emerged as a national leader in providing access and support to students from a wide range of socio- economic backgrounds," Reed said when he announced his retirement in 2012. "Our campuses have continued to flourish even in the face of budgetary challenges and tremendous growth.

Throughout my time here, the CSU has grown by more than 100,000 students, and I have been honored to sign more than a million diplomas. I take great pride in the CSU's mission to serve California's students, and I am proud to have played a role in carrying out that mission during these critical years."

According to CSU, the system's state funding was cut by more than $1 billion between 2008-12, while enrollment demand continued to increase.

Reed, whose sometimes-brash style would often lead to clashes with critics, was a frequent target of protests by students and the California Faculty Association over rising tuition and disagreements over teacher salaries and benefits. While acknowledging the stark financial realities that marred his administration, critics lamented what they called a dramatic spike in student fees during the final 10 years of his service.

He took heat, along with the entire Board of Trustees, over the issue of administrator salaries, which activists decried as rising even in the face of budget cuts and soaring tuition.

Shortly before Reed announced his retirement, the board approved a policy -- proposed by Reed -- that froze the salary of new CSU presidents at the level of their predecessors, but allowed private foundations to pony up money to supplement their pay.

Opponents blasted the policy as a back-handed way of raising presidents' salaries.

But Reed was hailed by for his efforts to expand access to education.

Then-Assembly Speaker John Perez praised Reed for his dedication to "ensuring the CSU remains a place where every Californian, regardless of their background or their income, can have opportunities to make the most of their potential."

Reed's family has established a Charles B. Reed Scholarship Fund for CSU students. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the fund at www.calstate.edu or by sending donations to the CSU Foundation, 401 Golden Shore, sixth floor, Long Beach, 90802.

-- City News Service, photo via US House of Representatives.