Edsource: Cal State Names Interim President Of Sonoma State University

EdSource

Emily F. Cutrer, the president emerita of Texas A&M University-Texarkana, will take over as the interim president of Sonoma State University during a moment of "enormous financial pressures," the California State University announced.

Cutrer immediately follows Nathan Evans, who has served as acting president since May 2024. Evans filled a vacancy left by the university's previous president, Mike Lee, who retired in May 2024 after he was placed on administrative leave by the university system following a memo in which he announced reaching an agreement on divestment from Israel with protesters.

Cutrer previously served in academic affairs roles at California State University San Marcos. She is expected to hold her new role at Sonoma State starting Aug. 1 while the Board of Trustees seeks a permanent president over the next year.

In a statement announcing the appointment, CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia said a combination of falling enrollment and increasing labor and general operating costs had strained Sonoma State's finances. Garcia said she has instructed Cutrer to find ways to reduce the school's costs.

"Thus, I have directed Interim President Cutrer -- an innovative leader with long-demonstrated expertise in developing programmatic synergies and administrative efficiencies -- to take steps to bring the university's academic programs and administrative infrastructure in line with its financial resources," she said. "To this end, 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. 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."

Cutrer will receive a $381,408 salary and a monthly housing allowance of $5,000, the same as the previous president. She will also receive a $1,000 per month auto allowance as well as other benefits and reimbursements.

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