8 June 2018


To the University Community:

I want to share the news that Dr. Colleen Mullery, Senior Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs and Human Resources and HSU’s Title IX Coordinator, has indicated her plan to retire. 

Colleen joined Humboldt State 34 years ago as a full-time lecturer.  In 1987, she was in the first cohort of recipients of the Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program for the California State University.  Colleen moved to Portland State University where she received her Ph.D. in System Science-Management and received the outstanding dissertation award from the Academy of Management.  She returned to Humboldt in 1990 as the successful candidate for a tenure-line position in the Department of Business and Economics. 

Colleen was a dedicated professor, and she was also active in shared governance.  During the 1990’s, she served as Department Chair, Academic Senate Chair, and CFA Faculty Rights Chair.  In 2000, she was granted a professional leave from HSU to serve as the School of Business Department Chair at CSU Monterey Bay, a start-up campus at that time.  Colleen moved into administration at Humboldt in 2005 when she was appointed AVP for Faculty Affairs.  In 2013, Chief Human Resource Officer was added to her administrative assignment.  Her academic expertise in strategic management and business ethics has served her students, the University, and the California State University well.   

Colleen has supported education in this region in other ways, too.  She was elected to the Board of Trustees at the College of the Redwoods in 2007 and continues to serve as a trustee.  She has held the roles of President, Vice President, and Clerk of the Board.

Colleen has assisted many faculty and staff over the years. We will miss her experience and knowledge about both people and policies.  Those of us who have worked with Colleen appreciate her integrity, compassion, and extraordinarily classic handwriting. 

Colleen has not yet determined the date of her transition to retirement, but it will probably be sometime in August.  With her departure, we will need several people to handle her responsibilities.  Academic Personnel Services will return to Academic Affairs, with the Associate Vice President reporting to Provost Alex Enyedi.  Human Resources will return to Administration and Finance, with the Chief Human Resources Officer reporting to Vice President Doug Dawes.  Searches for these positions will launch soon.  HSU’s new Title IX Coordinator, Marcus Winder, began his work on campus on June 1.  Marcus reports to Vice President for Student Affairs Wayne Brumfield.

We will have opportunities to thank Colleen and celebrate her many contributions over the next several months, but please do offer her your best wishes as you have the opportunity.

Sincerely yours,

Lisa A. Rossbacher, Ph.D.
President