SSU announces new interim president following former president’s ouster earlier this year

California State University Chancellor Mildred García announced Wednesday a newly appointed interim Sonoma State president, who replaces former President Mike Lee after his ouster and retirement earlier this year.

Emily F. Cutrer, who served as president of Texas A&M University-Texarkana for 10 years before retiring in 2022, will serve as the Rohnert Park university’s new president.

Cutrer comes out of retirement to take the position at SSU, marking a return both to higher education and to the California State University system. She previously worked as provost and vice president for academic affairs at California State University San Marcos, from 2006 to 2013.

“Texas A&M University-Texarkana has enjoyed remarkable growth over the past ten years under President Cutrer’s leadership,” said John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System after Cutrer’s departure in 2022.

Cutrer’s tenure will begin Aug. 1 and continue for about 12 months, García said. Her starting salary will be $381,408, according to a campus spokesperson.

She enters the university amid its continued financial strain caused by declining enrollment, increased labor costs and general operating cost increases.

“I have directed Interim President Cutrer — an innovative leader with long-demonstrated expertise... to take steps to bring the university’s academic programs and administrative infrastructure in line with its financial resources,” García said in a statement Wednesday morning.

“I have asked her to immediately establish agreements to enable the administrative infrastructure of Sonoma State to be offered through CSU shared services to reduce operating costs,” García continued. “I have also directed her to evaluate Sonoma State’s academic programs within the context of the university’s financial reality, while maintaining the programs’ academic excellence.”

A spokesperson did not elaborate on Cutrer’s directives Wednesday afternoon.

Nathan Evans, a deputy vice chancellor of academic and student affairs in the CSU system, was tapped as acting president immediately following Lee’s departure.

Lee was put on leave, then retired May 16, after he agreed to certain demands of pro-Palestinian student protesters in that the university would disclose its contracts, explore divestment strategies and, most controversially, would not pursue collaborations with Israeli academic institutions.

Lee’s agreement was not authorized by the California State University system or negotiated with other campus staff and organizations, according to García, who called his actions insubordinate.

Report For America corps member Adriana Gutierrez covers education and child welfare issues for The Press Democrat. You can reach her at Adriana.Gutierrez@pressdemocrat.com.