THE MACE, PRESIDENT’S MEDALLION AND UNIVERSITY SEAL
THE MACE
The mace is a ceremonial staff used as a symbol of authority. The California State University, Northridge mace was presented by the Bibliographic Society of CSUN (precursor to the Friends of the Library) to commemorate the university’s 25th anniversary. The soaring bird atop the staff symbolizes academic freedom, while the silver marks the silver anniversary of CSUN. It was carried in 1983 for the first time in the commencement processional by Norman E. Tanis (then Director of University Libraries and Executive Secretary of the Bibliographic Society), who acted as sergeant-at-arms. The mace was constructed by former CSUN student Jeffrey Roter.
PRESIDENT’S MEDALLION
In honor of Erika D. Beck’s leadership of our campus, CSUN has created a special President’s Medallion representing President Beck’s unwavering commitment to equity, justice and inclusive excellence. The mountains in the center of the medallion symbolize those that ring the San Fernando Valley, home to CSUN. From them, a river flows, signifying the transformative power of education, which serves and impacts our community. The sun — designed as a cross-section of an orange, a nod to CSUN’s historic Orange Grove — rises above the mountains, symbolizing the dawn of a new leadership and the light of knowledge. Resting in the sun’s center is a pearl, inspired by a cherished necklace worn almost daily by President Beck — a gift from her late mother, who instilled in her the value of education and its promise of a brighter, more equitable future for all. The back of the medallion features CSUN’s motto: “Speak the truth as a way of life.” The artwork for the President’s Medallion was created by Christian Tedeschi, MFA, Professor, Department of Art.
UNIVERSITY SEAL
The California State University, Northridge seal depicts the San Fernando Valley’s heritage of mission settlement, the mountain ranges that bound the valley, the sun, and a crow quill pen and paper.