After professor and Vice President of Administration and Finance Dr. Leroy Morishita announced his departure from SF State April 19, the search for his successor has ended — if not temporarily.
Nancy Hayes, dean of SF State’s College of Business, will succeed the outgoing Morishita and serve as interim VP when he assumes the post as interim president of California State University East Bay July 1.
“I am a great admirer of Dr. Morishita and all that he has done for San Francisco State,” Hayes said. “I will work very hard to be of service to the University’s students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners during this critical time.”
Dr. Caran Colvin, business management lecturer and associate dean of the College of Business, will serve as interim dean of the College of Business when Hayes vacates the job.
Hayes’ succession of Morishita comes during a transitional and turbulent period for SF State. In the midst of California’s woeful economic affairs and a projected $500 million funding cut to CSU campuses, SF State faces a $50 million operating deficit and the reduction of the number of academic colleges.
“Nancy Hayes has all of the skills, experience and principles needed to lead this important transition,” said University President Robert A. Corrigan in an email. “We are fortunate to have a strong and accomplished business leader among our deans. With Hayes at the helm of administration and finance, we will continue to have strong fiscal leadership that is knowledgeable about our budget and committed to protecting the academic program as much as possible.”
There is a sense of optimism that Hayes, who has served on the University Planning Advisory Council, will serve her new role well. UPAC, which was established in 2009 to address the budgetary concerns affecting SF State, also faces an uncertain future once the merger is implemented.
“Nancy Hayes has brought a wealth of experience and keen insight into her role as dean of the college of business and to her other work on behalf of the university, including her role on the University Planning Advisory Council,” said Academic Senate Chair Shawn Whalen. “She is a superb choice for the interim vice president role, and we are lucky that she has agreed to take on this new role.”
Corrigan added that in her nearly six years as Dean of the College of Business, Hayes developed a thorough understanding of the University and its budget.
Before being named SF State’s dean of the College of Business in August 2005, Hayes, a Chicago native, had previously served as CEO of nonprofits WISE Senior Services in southern California and the STARBRIGHT foundation. Prior to her positions at nonprofits, she served as an executive at IBM for more than 20 years.
However, Hayes has emphasized that her temporary role as interim VP at SF State will remain just that.
“For personal reasons, I plan to retire from San Francisco State once my appointment as interim vice president is completed,” Hayes said.
In light of Hayes’ eventual resignation from her position, Corrigan added that plans are already underway in finding a permanent replacement for Dr. Morishita.
Morishita, who will leave SF State after nearly 30 years of serving the University in various capacities, finds Hayes to be a worthy successor.
“I believe that Dean Hayes is an excellent choice to be the interim VP for Administration and Finance,” said Morishita. “She has a lot of experience and is very intelligent.”
Hayes will likely serve as interim VP for most of the 2011-12 term while a permanent replacement is found.
