Soraya M. Coley

Soraya M. Coley
Coley in 2018
6th President of Cal Poly Pomona
Incumbent
Assumed office
January, 2015[1]
Preceded byJ. Michael Ortiz
Personal details
Born (1950-11-25) November 25, 1950 (age 73)
Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S.
ResidenceManor House
EducationLincoln University (BA)
Bryn Mawr College (MA, PhD)
WebsiteOffice of the President

Soraya M. Coley (born November 25, 1950)[2] is the sixth president of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona). With four decades of experience in higher education, Coley is the first woman and first African American scholar to be named president of Cal Poly Pomona.[3]

As president, Coley leads an institution with nearly 30,000 students and nearly 2,700 faculty and staff.[4]

Coley joined Cal Poly Pomona from California State University, Bakersfield, where she was the provost and vice president for academic affairs from 2005 to 2014. In addition, she served as interim vice president for university advancement from 2011 to 2012. She has also held positions at California State University, Fullerton, the National Center for Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, and Alliant International University.

In 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Coley to the California Future of Work Commission, which was charged with making recommendations to the Governor and Legislature regarding the impact of technology, methods of promoting better job quality, modernizing worker safety net protections, and readying the state's workforce for the jobs of the future.

Coley is a member of the American Council on Education Women’s Network and presidential sponsor of its Southern California chapter. In 2023, Coley received the American Council on Education Donna Shavlik Award, which honors an individual who demonstrates a sustained commitment to advancing women in higher education through leadership, career development and mentoring.[5] She is a former member of the board of directors for Children and Family Futures as well as the Kern County Schools’ “Ready to Start” program. In 2000, she was recognized as “One of Ten Women Making a Difference” by Orange County Metro Magazine.   

Coley earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. She completed her master's and doctoral degrees in social planning and social research from Bryn Mawr College where she was recognized as a distinguished alumna.[6]

She is married to Ron Coley, who served two decades of active duty as a pilot in the Marine Corps, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After his military service, Mr. Coley begun a career in public service and higher education administration, including six years as a Senior County Administrator in Orange County, California, and multiple senior positions at the University of California.[7]

In 2022, a whistleblower lawsuit alleged that Coley interfered with police work and the legal process multiple times on the Cal Poly Pomona campus.[8] Among the most notable of these alleged occurrences were a series of blockages that slowed investigation into an embezzlement of over a million dollars[9] and the premature closure of a 2021 sexual assault case.[10]

  1. ^ "About the President".
  2. ^ "Quest for Inclusion Marks Coley's Road to Investiture". PolyCentric. January 25, 2015. Archived from the original on 16 Jan 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  3. ^ September 10; Editor, 2014 | CPP News. "Coley Appointed as Cal Poly Pomona's Next President". www.cpp.edu. Retrieved 2024-09-20. {{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Facts & Figures". www.cpp.edu. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  5. ^ March 16; Peters, 2023 | Cynthia. "President Coley to Receive 2023 ACE Donna Shavlik Award". www.cpp.edu. Retrieved 2024-09-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "100 Distinguished Alumni". www.brynmawr.edu. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  7. ^ Orleans, Valerie (2021-05-24). "Ron Coley Appointed Vice President for Administration and Finance". CSUF News. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  8. ^ "Cal Poly Pomona president allegedly interfered with campus criminal investigations". Daily Bulletin. 2022-12-11. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  9. ^ Rock, Amy (2022-12-13). "Lawsuit: Cal Poly Pomona President Interfered with Campus Criminal Investigations". Campus Safety Magazine. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  10. ^ "CPP Title IX office accused of negligence by former student - The Poly Post". 2023-02-07. Retrieved 2023-10-18.