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President Paul Zingg somersaulted down a hill in July at a child's birthday party in Ohio. He tumbled down the green grassy hill with two of his friends' kids.
"It was the perfect hill to somersault down," Zingg said. "So I did it."
Zingg is 60 years old. His somersaulting partners were about 6 or 7, he said.
He came to Chico State as the president in February 2004, and he fit right in.
But he arrived at a time when several students died, he said.
"There were real, deep concerns about drug abuse, a couple of racist incidents," he said.
Zingg challenged students and staff to live up to the university's values, he said.
"But I think then and now, my focus has been: Who do we choose to be, and how do we go about being true to those choices?" Zingg said.
He has support from faculty and administration, but thinks there's a lot of work to do, he said.
"I expect to be here for a very, very long time to come," he said.
Work is his life
Zingg's family is more than 17,000 students and two old, yellow Labradors.
He doesn't have kids or a wife, but he has a girlfriend, he said.
Zingg grew up in New Jersey with his two younger brothers, he said. He left his family for college in North Carolina and "never looked back."
When Zingg got to college he knew he wanted to be a professor. They were good role models, he said. He never planned on becoming an administrator. It just happened.
Zingg's job is constant.
He spends about 12 hours a day on campus and rarely has a free weekend, he said. He meets with the chancellor in Long Beach at least once a month, something he'd rather not do.
Still, Zingg comes to the office with a positive attitude every day, said Karla Zimmerlee, chief of staff and executive assistant to the president.
"I think he truly has a passion for this place and its students," she said.
Zingg thinks his job is "great fun," giving him opportunities other jobs wouldn't, he said.
"We're surrounded by smart, creative people," he said. "How good is that?"
Sports are a passion
Zingg likes to write about sports and travel. His latest book, "An Emerald Odyssey: In Search of the Gods of Golf and Ireland," was published in Europe in May and will be available in the United States in August.
He goes to every Wildcats game he can, no matter what sport they are playing.
Bill Fisher, director of the center of mathematics and science education, has known Zingg since he arrived. Off campus they are golfing buddies and opponents, Fisher said.
Golf consumes Zingg, and he is a fierce competitor, he said. Some people have conversations on the golf course.
"Paul does not," Fisher said.
But when Zingg has a bad hole, he accepts it and moves on.
Zingg values diversity
Osazee Edebiri, former A.S. president, said Zingg always makes time for discussions and has students' best interests in mind. Zingg gave Edebiri advice on how to handle the Disorderly Events Ordinance.
Zingg is big on diversity, outreaching to students and supporting the Cross Cultural Leadership Center, Edebiri said.
Tray Robinson, director of university diversity programs, e-mailed Zingg as soon as the new president said diversity was important to him, Robinson said.
Now they hug when they see each other in Kendall Hall. Zingg is open-minded and accepting, Robinson said.
He has made diversity a value on campus, Robinson said.
President jokes, laughs, plays
Robinson and a "gang of water balloon bandits ruthlessly attacked" Zingg in May 2007 at a student affairs picnic, Zingg said.
"I fought 'em off. I had allies," Zingg said. "We fought them off with bigger, more precisely aimed balloons."
Robinson thinks Zingg started the water balloon fight, he said.
"He always starts it," Robinson said smiling.
The "cool thing" about Zingg is people weren't worried about throwing water balloons at the president, he said.
This year, Zingg is going to the picnic prepared like "Rambo" with a high-powered water gun strapped to his back, daring anyone to throw water balloons at him, he said.
"Somersaults and water balloons are among the important things in life," Zingg said.
Katy Sweeny can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com
KTVU Channel 2 report on parties at Chico State with President Zingg interviewed Video from YouTube
Related links Office of the President Chico State athletics Web site
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