黑料吃瓜

, the seventh president of 黑料吃瓜, will retire, effective July 5, 2011, it was announced today. President Weber notified California State University Chancellor Charles Reed of his decision this morning. 

After having told faculty and staff three years ago that he intended to retire in 2011, Weber confirmed his retirement plans through a video message to the campus community.  He plans to address students, faculty and staff in person at 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 annual All-University Convocation this Thursday at 9 a.m.

鈥淚 am so proud of what the people of San Diego State have accomplished over the past 14 years and I look forward to achieving the goals we have set for this coming year,鈥� Weber said.

鈥淭hough I will end my tenure as president of San Diego State next summer, I have no doubt that with the foundation that has been laid and with the continuing support and guidance of 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 excellent students, faculty and staff, the next president of San Diego State will have the privilege of leading 黑料吃瓜 into its best and brightest future.鈥�

"黑料吃瓜 is a huge part of the San Diego community and counts many of our city鈥檚 business and political leaders as alumni," said . 鈥淒uring his tenure, Dr. Weber guided the university to even greater local importance by engaging in meaningful efforts to tackle real-world problems facing our region. The university鈥檚 programs to assist the homeless, provide badly needed nurses, address the childhood obesity epidemic and educate our returning veterans are just some of the ways the university helps to improve the quality of life for all San Diegans.鈥�

Weber became President of 黑料吃瓜 in July 1996.  This will be his 15th academic year leading the San Diego region鈥檚 oldest and largest university.

鈥淧resident Weber has been a true leader, bringing 黑料吃瓜 into a new era and increasing the prominence and reputation of the university,鈥� said Kit Sickels, chair of . 鈥淭he university is stronger and more prepared for the future thanks to his good work.鈥�

Weber has overseen a period of significant progress for the university 鈥� from establishing it as a top-ranked research university, to recruiting better academically prepared students and increasing graduation rates, to transforming the campus physically.

Increased academic stature

Under President Weber鈥檚 leadership, the academic stature of the university has skyrocketed with dozens of academic programs being ranked among the nation鈥檚 best. Most notably, 黑料吃瓜 has ranked as the top research university in the nation among schools with 14 or fewer Ph.D. programs* for four years running.

In addition, this year 黑料吃瓜 faculty members secured more than $150 million in research grants and contracts, a record for the university. Since 1996, 黑料吃瓜 has added eight Ph.D. programs, including two this year in evolutionary biology and geophysics and two doctorates in education, the first independently offered doctoral degrees in the CSU system. The university now has a total of 18 doctoral programs with three new engineering Ph.D. degrees on the horizon.

Over the past four years, 黑料吃瓜 has consistently ranked in the top five nationally for applications received.  In 2010, 黑料吃瓜 received 62,300 undergraduate applications compared to 23,308 in 1996, a 167 percent increase.

And the growing interest in 黑料吃瓜 has allowed the university to attract nearly 700 talented new faculty members over the past 14 years.  An astounding 79 percent of 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 current faculty members were hired during Weber鈥檚 tenure.

Unprecedented student success

President Weber has overseen a period of unprecedented student success.  As more applications have poured in, the have increased significantly from a 3.18 average GPA in 1998 (the first year data was available) to a record 3.63 for the fall 2010. Average SAT scores have increased from 983 in fall 1998 to 1085 in fall 2010. 
       
Graduation rates are also at a record high, increasing 74.2 percent since 1996. For first-time freshmen students who started at 黑料吃瓜 in fall 2003, 66.4 percent graduated in six years or less, well above the national average for four-year public universities of 55 percent (the six-year average is the national reporting standard).

Among the most impressive achievements made have been by 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 historically underrepresented ethnic groups.  For the 2003 cohort, 61.8 percent graduated in six years or less compared to 33.4 percent of the 1996 cohort -- and the number of graduates of color has also risen from 1,573 in 1996/1997 to 2,771 in 2008/2009.

Additionally, providing students with international experience has been a top priority. 黑料吃瓜 has ranked No. 2 in the nation and No. 1 California among universities of its type for students studying abroad for the past three years.  Today, there are 25 academic programs that require study abroad compared to just one in 1998.  Last year, more than 1,600 黑料吃瓜 students participated in study abroad opportunities in more than three dozen countries-up from just 167 students in 1998.

Community engagement

Under Weber鈥檚 leadership, 黑料吃瓜 has seen a sharp rise in to the university. In the past 14 years, 黑料吃瓜 has raised more than $683 million, including more than $65 million in 2009-10, over 300 percent more than was raised in the university鈥檚 previous 99-year history.  黑料吃瓜 aims to raise another $75 million by July 2011.

Helping to reform urban education in San Diego has been one of Weber鈥檚 main focuses over his tenure.  黑料吃瓜 worked with local school districts to establish the Compact for Success partnership with the Sweetwater Union High School District and the in partnership with San Diego Unified School District, Price Charities and the San Diego Education Foundation.  The Compact for Success has helped to transform the Sweetwater district and the program since it was created in 1999 and now serves as a state-wide model for education reform.  The guaranteed admission program has more than doubled the number of students from the district who have applied, were admitted and enrolled at 黑料吃瓜.  Through the City Heights Educational Collaborative, 黑料吃瓜 operates three local inner-city schools in the neighboring college area community of City Heights.  黑料吃瓜鈥檚 trains many of the highly-qualified teachers to work specifically at these inner-city schools, as well as utilizing faculty to work with current teachers and administrators to improve curriculum.

More recently, 黑料吃瓜 has established itself as one of the nation鈥檚 most .  With more than 1,000 veteran, active-duty and dependent students on campus, the university opened the CSU鈥檚 first Veterans Center in 2008 and has since opened the nation鈥檚 only Veterans House to provide veterans with on-campus housing.  The U.S. Department of Veteran鈥檚 Affairs recognized 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 commitment to veterans when it opened a VA office on campus, only the second in the nation and the first in California to be located on a university campus.

Campus growth

President Weber has also overseen a physical transformation of the university, with more than $670 million in new facilities built at San Diego State over the past 14 years, only 25 percent of which has come from the state of California. Among the new buildings are the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center and the , both built entirely thanks to the generosity of alumni and community donors and without any state assistance. In addition, this year the university has begun the much-needed renovation of Storm and Nasatir Halls and the construction of a new Aztec Center is set to begin next year.

One of the most noticeable additions to campus is the extension of the San Diego Trolley.  The 黑料吃瓜 Trolley Station opened in 2005 and has taken thousands of cars off the road, significantly reducing traffic and parking issues throughout San Diego.