New Cal U president ready to face challenges

By CHRISTINE HAINES

chaines@yourmvi.com

Move-in day usually means students have returned to the California University of Pennsylvania campus, but this year it came a bit early as a new president took up residence.

Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson is the interim president of Cal U, along with her duties leading Clarion and Edinboro universities. The three universities are being merged into one entity under an integration plan approved by the State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors. 

“Dr. Dale,” as she prefers to be called, is jumping right into her new duties. She arrived on campus Sunday.

“I drove onto campus and there was a  wonderful lit-up sign saying, ‘Welcome Dr. Dale.’ It just filled me with glee,” Pehrsson said.

Pehrsson has been on the Cal U campus before for meetings and events, but this time was different.

“There was a different feel because I was coming to get to know the campus and to live here,” Pehrsson said. “The president’s residence is just so historically significant and lovely.”

Pehrsson packed a lot of red and black clothing to reflect the school colors, and she explored campus on foot and on her bicycle. Pehrsson is an avid cyclist and tries to pedal 100 miles a week.

“That’s my goal. I make it most weeks. I like to be on trails, not streets,” Pehrsson said. “The area is a little hillier around here. Clarion is pretty flat.”

Pehrsson, along with her husband Dr. Bob Pehrsson, a retired college professor, and their Jack Russell terrier/chihuahua mix, Damon Runyon,  will divide their time among the three campuses. For the past seven months, she has alternated between Clarion and Edinboro every 10-14 days.

“With Cal, I’ll be spending a lot of time on campus initially,” Pehrsson said.

To read the rest of the story, please see a copy of Saturday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.