Longtime CSUSB academic leader named new dean of university’s Palm Desert Campus
Palm Desert, Calif. – Jake Zhu, a Cal State San Bernardino professor of information and decision sciences, who has served in a number of academic leadership roles at the university, including currently as interim dean of the College of Education, has been named the new dean of the Palm Desert Campus starting July 1, 2019.
“Jake’s experience, dedication and determination stood out following a national search that identified several strong candidates,” said CSUSB Provost Shari McMahan. “He has been a valuable member of the CSUSB community with extensive experience working with faculty and staff to ensure continued academic excellence and exceptional learning experiences for students.”
Zhu will continue to serve as the College of Education’s interim dean until a permanent dean is named, McMahan said.
Dr. Zhu joined CSUSB in 2002 as an assistant professor in the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration’s Information and Decision Sciences Department, where he was later promoted to professor, and served as its department chair. He served as co-director of the college’s Center for Information Assurance and Security Management, which was later renamed the Cybersecurity Center. He was also a co-founder of a Center of Academic Excellence in cyber security education at the Brown College.
Zhu also served as the Brown College’s interim chair of the department of management, interim associate dean for academics, and as associate dean of the Brown College, where he led many college and university initiatives, including the Graduation Initiative 2025, AACSB Accreditation, quarter-to-semester conversion, faculty development and curriculum innovation. Zhu also directed the Brown College’s Student Success Center.
He was a Fellow with the American Council on Education in Washington, D.C. and holds a Ph.D. in education from UC Riverside.
About Cal State San Bernardino
California State University, San Bernardino is a preeminent center of intellectual and cultural activity in Inland Southern California. Opened in 1965 and set at the foothills of the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains, the university serves more than 20,000 students each year and graduates about 4,000 students annually. The university offers more than 70 traditional baccalaureate and master’s degree programs, education credential and certificate programs, and a doctorate program in educational leadership. Every one of its academic programs that is eligible has earned national accreditation. CSUSB reflects the dynamic diversity of the region and has the most diverse student population of any university in the Inland Empire. More than 80 percent of those who graduate are the first in their families to do so.
For more information on Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university’s Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit inside.csusb.edu.
