Report 2007-102.1 Recommendation 3 Responses
Report 2007-102.1: California State University: It Needs to Strengthen Its Oversight and Establish Stricter Policies for Compensating Current and Former Employees (Release Date: November 2007)
Recommendation #3 To: University, California State
The board should continue to monitor the chancellor's administration of the executive transition program to ensure that it is conducted in a prudent manner and that intended cost savings are achieved for the university. In addition, the board should require the chancellor to include in the transition agreements clear expectations of specific duties to be performed, as well as procedures for the former executives to report on their accomplishments and status of deliverables. Further, the board should require the chancellor to include information in his annual report on the status of accomplishments and deliverables associated with transition agreements.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From January 2011
As previously reported, this recommendation was implemented through policy of the CSU Board of Trustees adopted effective January 2008. The initial annual report was made to the Board of Trustees at its meeting of November 2008. Mr. Don Kassing, president of San Jose State University, retired on June 30, 2009, and did not elect to participate in a transition program. A second annual report was provided to the Board of Trustees in September 2009. Dr. Gary Riechard, executive vice chancellor/chief academic officer, retired on June 30, 2009, and did not elect to participate in an executive transition program. Mr. Richard West, executive vice chancellor/chief financial officer, retired from his position in December 2008 and did not elect to participate in an executive transition program. A third annual report was provided to the Board of Trustees in September 2010, Dr. Jeronima Echeverria, executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer retire from her position in June 2010. She did not meet the eligibility criteria of the Transition II Program and was not eligible to participate in the program. Dr. Jon S. Whitmore, president of San Jose University, resigned on August 2010. He did not meet the eligibility criteria of the Transition II Program and was not eligible to participate in the program. Dr. Warren J. Baker, president at California Polytechnic State University, retired on July 2010. Dr. Baker will be a rehired annuitant for a period of two years. There have been no new transitions. The CSU has implemented a process that includes defining clear expectations of specific duties to be performed by the former executive a procedure for former executives to report their accomplishments and status of deliverables. This is collected on a yearly basis. In addition, the Chancellor verbally reported on the tasks and accomplishments of the one former executive active in a transition program in a closed session of the board meeting on September 21-22, 2010. (See 2010-041, p. 32)
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
All Recommendations in 2007-102.1
Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.