CSU trustees appoint Judy K. Sakaki Sonoma State president

LONG BEACH, Calif. — The California State University Board of Trustees has appointed Judy K. Sakaki, Ph.D. as president of Sonoma State University, the university announced in a statement issued Jan. 27.

Sakaki currently serves as vice president, Student Affairs, at the University of California, Office of the President. She succeeds President Ruben Armiňana, who is retiring in June and has served as president since 1992.

Sakaki will be the campus’ seventh president and the second female president in its 55-year history. She is expected to begin her new position on July 1, the university said.

For the last nine years, Sakaki has been responsible for policies, services and initiatives relating to student access, affordability and success for all 238,000 UC students on 10 campuses. The division includes undergraduate admissions, student financial support and student services. She served on the president’s cabinet and Academic Affairs cabinet and collaborated with UC Regents, Academic Senate, Staff Assembly, UC Student Association and Federal and State Governmental Relations. She led fundraising efforts for scholarships, programs and initiatives and represented the university in community and alumni relations efforts.

Previously, Sakaki served as vice chancellor of Student Affairs at UC Davis, and vice president and dean of student affairs at Fresno State. She has dedicated her career to higher education and to developing, leading and implementing best practices in access, affordability, inclusion and diversity, and student success, the statement said.

Sakaki earned both a bachelor’s degree in human development and master’s degree in educational psychology from CSU Hayward now CSU East Bay.
She holds a Ph.D. in education from the UC Berkeley.