Leslie Wong
{{short description|American academic (born 1949)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Leslie Wong
| image = Leslie Wong, SFSU President (2012).jpg
| office = President of Connecticut College
| status = Acting
| term_start = July 1, 2023
| term_end = July 1, 2024
| predecessor = Katherine Bergeron
| successor = Andrea Chapdelaine
| office1 = 13th President of San Francisco State University
| term_start1 = August 1, 2012
| term_end1 = July 1, 2019
| predecessor1 = Robert A. Corrigan
| successor1 = Lynn Mahoney
| office2 = President of Northern Michigan University
| term_start2 = 2004
| term_end2 = 2012
| predecessor2 = Michael Roy (acting)
| successor2 = David Haynes (acting)
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = Phyllis Wong
| education = Gonzaga University (BA)
Eastern Washington University (MA)
Washington State University (PhD)
}}
Leslie Eric Wong (born 1949){{cite thesis|author=Wong, Leslie E.|url=https://searchit.libraries.wsu.edu/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=CP71125068540001451&context=L&vid=WSU&search_scope=WSU_everything&tab=default_tab&lang=en_US|title=Syntactical measures of cognitive complexity with written samples varying in cultural theme|type=Ph.D.|publisher=Washington State University|date=1986}} is an American academic, university administrator, and psychology professor. He was President of Northern Michigan University and San Francisco State University. Effective July 1st, 2023, he became the interim President of Connecticut College.
Personal and educational background
Wong is of Chinese and Mexican descent.{{cite web|url=http://www.sfchronicle.com/education/article/Leslie-Wong-is-named-president-of-S-F-State-3550577.php|title=Leslie Wong is named president of S.F. State|author=Asimov, Nanette|work=San Francisco Chronicle|date=May 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512025137/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2012%2F05%2F11%2FBAG01OGADR.DTL&type=education|archive-date=May 12, 2012|access-date=June 24, 2017|url-status=live}} After graduating from Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, California, Wong received his B.A. from Gonzaga University in 1972, his master's degree in experimental psychology from Eastern Washington University in 1974, and his doctoral degree in educational psychology from Washington State University in 1986.
Career
From 1974 to 1988, Wong taught psychology at Pierce College, a community college in Tacoma, Washington.{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=141878056&privcapId=4293072&previousCapId=13190425&previousTitle=Cogswell%20Polytechnical%20College|title=Leslie E. Wong|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=June 24, 2017}} Wong was also women's varsity tennis coach at Pierce from 1975 to 1981.{{cite web|title=California State University President Bios: Dr. Leslie E. Wong|url=https://www2.calstate.edu/csu-system/about-the-csu/leadership/presidents/Pages/wong.aspx|access-date=June 24, 2017}} Wong later was a psychology professor at The Evergreen State College from 1988 to 1996 and was a dean at the college from 1990 to 1996.
Wong joined the University of Southern Colorado (now Colorado State University Pueblo) as provost and academic vice president in 1996 and was interim president of the university from January to June 30, 1997. Wong returned to his previous provost position and stayed until 1999. From 1999 to 2004, Wong was vice president for academic affairs at Valley City State University in North Dakota.
From 2004 to 2012, Wong served as president of Northern Michigan University.
Wong was named by the California State University Board of Trustees as the 13th president of San Francisco State University on May 10, 2012, and began his new position as president on August 1.{{cite web|url=http://news.sfsu.edu/csu-trustees-appoint-leslie-e-wong-president-sf-state|title=CSU Trustees Appoint Leslie E. Wong as President of SF State|publisher=San Francisco State University|date=May 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004071948/http://news.sfsu.edu/csu-trustees-appoint-leslie-e-wong-president-sf-state|archive-date=October 4, 2012|access-date=June 24, 2017}} Dr. Wong announced on October 1, 2018, that he would retire on July 1, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://news.sfsu.edu/announcements/san-francisco-state-president-leslie-e-wong-retire|title=San Francisco State President Leslie E. Wong to Retire {{!}} SF State News|website=news.sfsu.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-10-01|archive-date=2019-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520182425/http://news.sfsu.edu/announcements/san-francisco-state-president-leslie-e-wong-retire|url-status=dead}}
In 2017 Wong was accused of permitting the exclusion of Jewish student pro-Israel activists from campus activities. Although San Francisco State blamed a "self-organized and self-appointed planning committee", a lawsuit alleged that university administration was complicit.{{cite news |last1=Pine |first1=Daniel |title=Investigation: SF Hillel 'improperly excluded' from student fair |url=https://www.jweekly.com/2017/08/04/investigation-finds-hillel-improperly-excluded-sfsu-student-fair/ |access-date=25 March 2019 |publisher=Jewish News of Northern California |date=4 August 2017}} Wong said: "Am I comfortable opening up the gates to everyone? Gosh, of course not.”{{cite news |last1=Marks |first1=Jonathan |title=A Reluctant Campus Acknowledges Zionism |url=https://www.commentarymagazine.com/anti-semitism/san-francisco-state-university-reluctant-campus-acknowledges-zionism/ |access-date=25 March 2019 |publisher=Commentary Magazine |date=March 22, 2019}} In 2019 the university reversed its anti-Israel policy, and Wong apologized, stating that "Zionists are welcome on our campus."{{cite news |last1=Waxman |first1=Laura |title=SF State president apologizes for comments about Zionists |url=http://www.sfexaminer.com/sf-state-president-apologizes-comments-zionists/ |access-date=25 March 2019 |publisher=San Francisco Examiner |date=27 February 2018}}
In 2023, he was selected to be the interim president of Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut.{{Cite web |title=Interim President |url=http://www.conncoll.edu/news/news-archive/2023/interim-president/ |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=Connecticut College |language=en}}
Personal life
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{Cite web |date=2019-04-29 |title=After a Storied Career, Dr. Les Wong is Readying Himself for Retirement |url=https://www.diverseeducation.com/leadership-policy/article/15104626/after-a-storied-career-dr-les-wong-is-readying-himself-for-retirement |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=Diverse: Issues In Higher Education |language=en-us}}
External links
{{Portal|Biography}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140516103233/http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/print-edition/2012/05/18/les-wong-san-francisco-state-university.html?page=all San Francisco Business Journal interview]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120513125035/http://www.nmu.edu/node/201 NMU during Dr. Wong's tenure]
{{San Francisco State University}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wong, Leslie E.}}
Category:Presidents of San Francisco State University
Category:Northern Michigan University faculty
Category:Evergreen State College faculty
Category:Gonzaga University alumni
Category:Eastern Washington University alumni
Category:Washington State University alumni
Category:Pierce College people
Category:Colorado State University Pueblo faculty
Category:Academics from Oakland, California