Fresno State to create Craig Dean’s Heritage Chair

California State University, Fresno President John D. Welty announced a gift of $1 million to create an endowed deanship, the first in the 23-campus California State University system and one of only about 40 nationwide.

The gift from Sid and Jenny Craig will establish the Craig Dean’s Heritage Chair in the Craig School of Business.

The gift is in addition to the $10 million previously donated by the Craigs. The new endowed position will allow the university to recruit and retain an outstanding leader for the Craig School and provide additional funding for faculty professional development and research initiatives, Welty said.

He said the gift is particularly timely as the university undertakes a search for a new dean for the Craig School to replace Dr. Fred Evans, who resigned to accept a position with California State University, Northridge.

The original Craig gift has allowed the business program to soar to new heights, with four endowed chairs – the most of CSU business program -- fellowships to attract and retain the nation’s best faculty, generous scholarships for talented and motivated students, support for faculty research and innovative faculty and student involvement in the community.

The Craig School of Business is the third public institution in California to be nationally accredited by American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business. The school was the first endowed business school in the CSU system.