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Dear Cal State Â鶹Éç community,

Following a rigorous national search, I am writing today to announce the appointment of Dr. Anthony Muscat as the university’s new Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. He will join the Pioneer community on July 1, 2025.

Dr. Muscat brings extensive experience as an accomplished academic leader and innovator with a deep commitment to student success. Most recently, he served as Dean of the College of Engineering at Wichita State University, where he spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at enhancing hands-on learning, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and developing workforce-responsive programs. These include the launch of the Shocker Design Experience (SDX) for first-year students, the expansion of capstone partnerships with industry, and the establishment of new programs in data science and cloud engineering.

Many of you met Dr. Muscat during his campus visit, participated in his virtual open forum and provided me with your feedback. Like me, I know you recognize that Dr. Muscat’s visionary leadership and commitment to student success are a perfect match for Cal State Â鶹Éç’s mission and values. His impressive track record in building innovative programs, supporting faculty development, and fostering collaboration aligns well with our goals of broadening access, closing equity gaps, and preparing graduates to excel in an evolving economy.

Dr. Muscat’s approach to leadership is rooted in collaboration and inclusivity. His dedication to fostering strong teams, supporting faculty work and development, and building industry relations to secure external funding will be instrumental as Cal State Â鶹Éç continues to advance its mission and strategic priorities.

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Dr. Muscat is excited to return to his home region and contribute to the vibrant, diverse community that defines Cal State Â鶹Éç. His background includes serving as a faculty member at San José State University and the University of Arizona, where he also held various positions including Chair of the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and leader within a National Science Foundation and Semiconductor Research Corporation-funded Engineering Research Center. Dr. Muscat earned his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in chemical engineering from Stanford University and a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from UC Davis.

I want to express my deep appreciation and gratitude to the provost search committee, including Nolan Calara and Kyzyl Fenno-Smith (co-chairs), Matthew Attencio, Shubha Kashinath, Roz McCall, Julia Olkin, Glen Taylor and Kathleen Wong(Lau) as well as our search consultants from Academic Search for conducting a thorough search so expeditiously. The timing is perfect. Dr. Muscat can be involved in the final stages of our dean searches in the coming weeks.

Again, many thanks to all of you for your interest and engagement in this critical leadership recruitment. I look forward to you joining me in welcoming Dr. Muscat to campus this summer and fall semester.

With warm regards,


Cathy Sandeen
President

April 7, 2025