LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Leroy Morishita has been named interim president of Cal State Los Angeles, officials announced Thursday.

The appointment was made by Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester of the CSU. Morishita will begin the job on July 31, and will serve until a new president is appointed by the CSU Board of Trustees.

"I am excited to formally return to the CSU and to be part of a vibrant, dynamically diverse and student-centered university like Cal State LA," Morishita said. "I look forward to working with the extraordinarily talented faculty, staff and administrators to continue providing transformative educational opportunities for Cal State LA's students."

Morishita was president of California State University, East Bay in Hayward from 2011-20.

"Dr. Morishita is an extraordinary leader who, over a long and distinguished career, demonstrated an unwavering commitment to inclusive excellence, innovative student-success initiatives and to educational equity in all its dimensions," Koester said. "His more than 40 years of experience in leadership positions across the CSU, including his highly successful tenure as president of California State University, East Bay, will serve him well in this role."

Morishita most recently served the CSU in a consulting role, participating in a workgroup formed by Koester to identify a multi-year strategy to achieve stable and predictable revenues for the CSU.

He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from UC, Berkeley, a master's degree in counseling at San Francisco State, and a doctorate of education from Harvard in administration, planning and social policy.

Cal State LA's current president, William Covino, announced his retirement in August 2022, effective at the end of July.