23 campuses and seven off-campus centers of 427,000 students along with 44,000 academic faculty members in the state of California, welcome DVC alumnus Timothy P. White to his recently accepted chancellor position.
White is taking over as chancellor of the Cal State system from, leaving his previous role as chancellor of the UC-Riverside campus. He replaced retired CSU system Chancellor Charles Reed on Dec. 31.
Months before accepting his position, White announced that he requested the CSU Board of Trustees reduce the state-funded portion of his salary by 10 percent, dropping it from $421,500 to $380,000. The Board was happy to approve White’s request, but how many other people would take that same pay cut? This acts as a testament to what kind of person White is.
White will still receive a $30,000 salary supplement out of privately raised funds from the CSU Foundation, a $1,000 monthly vehicle allowance and will live in a university-owned residence, as the Associated press reported late last year.
“He has really good people skills and he’s a very well spoken, intelligent, amazing guy,” DVC Hall of Fame founder Steve Ward said. When Ward started the Diablo Valley College Hall of Fame in 2005, sure the purpose was to celebrate individual athletic accomplishments but it was to also celebrate life accomplishments. What did that athlete do when they moved on from DVC is just as important.
“He’s probably the ultimate example out numerous success stories, of what a DVC Hall of Famer is,” said Ward.
White was All-Golden Gate Conference and an All-American in both swimming and Water Polo From 1966- 1967. He later went off to become an All-American at Fresno State. White was then inducted into the class of 2006 DVC hall of fame.
“You know, there is an important thing about athletics beyond sports. That is being part of a group that focuses on a goal,” said White. “You get the right people to succeed and to not give up. Focus and work hard day and night. There is a work ethic aspect to athletics independent of the sporting nature of it all that I think is a very important piece of my life.”
You learn a lot of life skills when you compete in intercollegiate athletics, how to deal with adversity, dealing with your peers, developing a strong work ethic. Tools that will be useful, and also last a lifetime.
“If you push hard and try to succeed you are going to fail and fall short more often then hitting the proverbial Home run out of the park. I think athletics help me understand how to aspire for success and how to manage expectations.”
In the Spring of 2011, White dressed disguised as “Pete Wetson” for the second season finale of the hit CBS reality show “Undercover Boss.” White spent a week undercover, doing a variety of jobs across the campus, finding ways to improve the campus for all that attended, a certain leadership trait that he gained from his time in the swimming pool, no doubt.
“It is about setting goals and getting people to shape them and believe in them and to work towards being successful. When you fail don’t give up continue to pursue it.”
Lifelong friend Rick Millington swam with White Both at DVC and at Fresno State University, along with being the best man at White’s wedding it is safe to say that they have known each other forever.
“I know that as we were young we became a tight group, we were a aquatic family and we still keep in touch today. Many of the athletes I coach are developing friendships like this, they just don’t realize it yet,” Millington said.
“I give a lot of credit to my time at Diablo Valley College back in the day for giving me a set of skills that has worked so well for me throughout my life,” said White.